Ty Bailey has exited her role as assistant program director and afternoon host at iHeartMedia Country stations 98.7 WMZQ in Washington and 93.1 WPOC in Baltimore, concluding a nine-year run with the company.
In addition to her primary duties, Bailey maintained a heavy on-air schedule across multiple markets. She handled middays at Country 92.5 in Hartford while also contributing to BIG 100 in Washington.
This marked Bailey’s second stint in Washington, DC. She returned to WMZQ in November 2017 after spending five years at 98 Rock in Tampa. During that time, she joined as assistant program director and later earned a promotion to program director.
Earlier in her career, Bailey held on-air and programming roles across several notable stations. She spent time hosting middays at DC101 in Washington. She also served as assistant program director and music director at WCHH in Baltimore.
Her programming experience extends to New York, where she led operations for WKRL in Syracuse and WKLL in Utica.
Bailey has not publicly commented on her departure.
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Conventional wisdom in nearly every form of media today is to start with something that will hook the consumer. Something attention-getting or even shocking. The goal is locking in an audience that is distracted with countless choices of what to consume. It’s especially germane to radio stations in PPM-rated markets, where listeners punching away to another station can be costly.
That has led to a change in how interviews are generally presented. The subject’s backstory often relegated to later in the piece, so the author can begin with that juicy hook. But occasionally, there is a story. Like how Chaz and AJ, the morning hosts on two Connoisseur Media rock stations, WPLR/New Haven and WWSK/Long Island, got together.
That is worth telling right out of the gate.
Their 29-year partnership began in an unusual way. Chaz was hired to replace AJ, who was hosting mornings at a station on Long Island. Chaz had just moved from the West Coast for the opportunity, which led to an opportunity to check out the man he was about to replace.
“I’m sitting in this house I just rented listening to him do his last show, knowing that he doesn’t realize it’s his last show,” said Chaz. “I’m thinking, he sounds like a nice guy.”
Soon after, the two met at a bar where Chaz hosted a station event and AJ worked as the club DJ. The meeting hit, and they became friends off the air.
Then two things happened. The station rehired AJ to do nights, and Chaz was promoted to program director serving as AJ’s boss.
“I’m listening to him do the night show and I don’t hear anything special. However, when we had staff meetings, he had everybody laughing,” Chaz says. “I thought he’s the wise ass in the back of the bus. Not the driver. I needed a wise ass because my morning show would get too serious.”
The two paired up, and the chemistry was immediate. “The show is just informally funny,” AJ says. “Then there are things that happen in the community we get behind. There are also moments from our own lives that are just ridiculous that folks can relate to.”
AJ admitted that between the two, Chaz is the more organized one of the duo. Which allows for AJ to be the “scatterbrain of the show.” That dynamic has fueled the show for 29 years, which included a move from Long Island in 2003 to join WPLR and Connoisseur Media.
They’ve been with the company ever since. Their longevity with the company they quickly credit to the consistent leadership of company CEO Jeff Warshaw, regional VP Kirstin Okesson, and VP of programming Keith Dakin.
But creating a compelling show every morning takes more than great chemistry. As the driver at the front of the bus, that responsibility falls to Chaz. When I asked about his approach to building the show, he shared a unique vision for preparing each day.
“We look at each hour of the show like an album,” explains Chaz. “Does it have a slow song, a fast song? Where are the hits?”
Sequencing that perfect “album” each hour requires balancing a lot of elements. One of the most important is getting listeners involved. Chaz and AJ describe their audience, known as The Tribe, as the true strength of the show. The listening audience is something they depend on for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, it gives them a chance to make a listener into a star. Secondly, it plays to AJ’s strong suit—reacting.
“I don’t know where he [AJ] comes up with this stuff, but he’s freaking fast,” says Chaz.
In planning the show, Chaz says he makes sure to consider how long the show goes without phone interaction. He likens it to a story he once heard about the comedienne Lucille Ball.
“When she would read a script, the slapstick stuff would be highlighted in yellow. If she didn’t see a lot of yellow, she had a problem with the script knowing it wouldn’t be great,” said Chaz.
The same concept applies to their program, but with phone calls.
Another element woven into the Chaz & AJ album is a willingness to take on serious topics. While some shows avoid anything that isn’t light in tone, Chaz and AJ aren’t afraid to dive in providing depth for their audience.
“If you’re going to marry someone or spend a lot of time with a person, do you want them to only be a jokester or to always be serious?” Chaz asks. “Do you want a range of emotions? That’s what we try to deliver. A show with a wide variety of different feelings.”
In recent years they have decided to draw the line at politics. Chaz says the goal is to entertain and inform with a level of emotion and empathy for the community they broadcast to. Instead, they prefer to focus on what people share rather than what divides them.
“When you’re at a party, are we all arguing about politics? No. We’re having a good time and talking about things we can come together on,” says Chaz. “We all come together on food, what’s fun, and what just happened down the road.”
Another track on their daily album is guests and interviews, something many shows prefer to avoid.
“Somewhere in the hour, we like to have another voice,” explains Chaz. “Generally, we like the person to be intelligent. Someone who’s an expert who brings something extra to whatever we’re talking about.”
For anyone who isn’t confident doing interviews, Chaz has two suggestions.
First, only prepare five questions. That forces him to identify the most essential questions and serves as a filter. He says that if five questions do not come up, that guest doesn’t make the cut to join the show. His second suggestion is to listen closely to the answers. That’s what leads to follow-up questions and a more interesting discussion.
Their guests also include a regular cast of local comedians. Every day, it’s like to see someone coming in studio to be part of the show. Chaz acknowledges that working with comics can sometimes be challenging, which led to the program establishing ground rules for joining the program.
“The first thirty to sixty seconds of the break has to be just me and AJ. So people who are new to the show can keep track of who is who,” explains Chaz. “Once I’ve set up the break, unless you have a really great story, be sure to speak in sentences not paragraphs.”
Chaz and AJ feel the comedians bring unique perspectives that wouldn’t otherwise be part of the discussion. They feel comedians contribute content that resonates with people in different life situations. These could range anywhere from dating, going to bars, or raising young kids.
“They have a different life than we do,” Chaz says. “It’s good to have them bring that voice to the show.”
Another key piece woven into the album is the show’s constant effort to serve the community. Unlike many other shows, their community efforts take place year-round.
“When you get a license to broadcast to a community, that’s job one,” says Chaz. “As I’m doing show prep, if I see something that pings my heart, I think, ‘this is also going to ping other people’s hearts.’ That leads to us figuring out how to help. Let’s bring them on so they can tell their story, or we can help them raise money.”
A recent example includes a woman who was scammed on a dating app and had her life savings drained. Another was a man who runs a shelter for homeless veterans, helping them rebuild their lives. Chaz says they try not to go too long without doing something for the community.
“I feel like when you come to this show, you expect different things to happen. That’s one of them,” Chaz said.
Chaz understands that what he’s describing requires significant focus and preparation. While that mindset is partly his nature, he says it traces back nearly 30 years to when the pair first worked together.
“There was like thirty seconds left in a song and I asked AJ, ‘what do you want to talk about?’ In that moment I said to myself, ‘that is embarrassing and I’m never doing that again,” joked Chaz.
For his part, AJ agrees wholeheartedly, adding, “Let’s wing it is a bad answer.”
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If you didn’t think the NFL was king, yesterday’s news about the Department of Justice launching an investigation into the league’s media rights should prove it. It’s no secret that watching sports has become more difficult and expensive for the average American. From the NFL to the PBA, the simple ease of sitting on your couch and turning on a game now lives in the past.
Currently, games are scattered across both traditional platforms and streaming services. Even as early as Opening Day for the MLB season this year, the league didn’t announce where fans of many teams could watch until hours before first pitch.
What’s interesting about this news is what took so long, and why only the NFL? Of the four major sports, isn’t the NFL seemingly the easiest to find and the least expensive to watch? Which brings me to wonder: Is this investigation worth the time and money, or is it targeting the wrong suspect on purpose?
Last year marked a milestone for the National Football League. Viewership reached its highest level since 1989. Each week, the league saw double-digit percentage growth in average viewership, regardless of the channel or platform carrying the games. You can credit the adoption of Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel measurement as one reason.
However, there’s no denying that the appetite for football (college and pro) is at an all-time high.
Because of that success, the NFL is ready to do business. Roger Goodell has already stated publicly that he’s prepared to approach partners and strike while the iron is hot.
According to CNBC, the NFL is already in talks with the new ownership group at CBS Sports about increasing the price of its rights deal. Currently, CBS pays around $2.1 billion per season, with the NFL aiming to push that number above $3 billion—roughly a 50% increase.
Whether the reporting proves accurate or not, that figure reflects what the NFL believes its product is worth. Is that an unfair practice, or simply a business valuing its own product?
Plus, isn’t CBS traditional over-the-air, free television?
The NFL also partners with FOX Sports, NBC Sports, and ESPN/ABC. All three operate as over-the-air distribution sources, not locked behind streaming-only paywalls. The league’s statement following reporting by The Wall Street Journal emphasized that it has always provided a home-market television option for fans.
“With over 87% of our games on free, broadcast television, including 100% of games in the markets of the competing teams, the NFL has for decades put our fans front and center in how we distribute our content,” wrote the NFL in a statement.
Can you say that about the NBA, NHL, or even MLB?
Of course, the NFL has fewer games than those leagues. But the fact remains: the NFL is right.
I live in Tampa Bay. If the Buccaneers play on Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football, I still have a local option to watch on free, over-the-air television. I can’t say the same for the Tampa Bay Rays. If they’re on Peacock, I’m out of luck. The same applies to the Tampa Bay Lightning if a game lands exclusively on ESPN+.
Then there’s the ongoing regional sports network mess affecting MLB, NHL, and the NBA. If your cable or satellite provider doesn’t carry MLB Productions, you’re paying $19.99 a month just to watch baseball.
Is that fair to the consumer? Does that make sports more expensive to watch?
Hell, I can’t even watch most of WWE without a streaming service anymore.
Or is there something more behind this?
When it comes to politics, I’ve always focused on two things: timing and who benefits. The FCC announced its inquiry on February 25, just two weeks after reports surfaced that the NFL was “irritated” that its media rights deal with NBC lagged behind what the network pays for the NBA.
Then CNBC reported on discussions between the NFL and Paramount Skydance, including the price target the league hopes to reach. Within a month, reports showed the NFL frustrated with NBC’s payments, the FCC launching an inquiry, and new financial expectations emerging in negotiations with CBS.
Exclusive: The NFL is under investigation by the Justice Department over its broadcasting deals https://t.co/SQxG6moOrJ
So, who owns CBS? Paramount Skydance—the same company that secured its takeover of CBS News. A company nearing acquisition with Warner Bros. Discovery, including the TNT Sports division. A company that just paid out a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with the UFC. A company that has enjoyed favor from the current administration, even in public statements from members of the President’s cabinet.
Could the price of NFL rights be too steep for CBS’s new ownership? It’s a fair question—especially at a time when the President has shown interest in issues like giving Army-Navy its own broadcast window and attempting to “save” college sports.
The NBA doesn’t air on CBS or TNT Sports. MLB doesn’t air on CBS. The NHL isn’t on CBS either.
So is the NFL really the problem worthy of a Department of Justice investigation into “anticompetitive practices?”
A league that still provides free, over-the-air broadcasts of every preseason and regular-season game in local markets is the issue? Or does this renegotiation require outside pressure from figures with power? Is there a power play at work from a company aligned with leadership that could influence key aspects of a league backed strongly in Congress?
The timing makes sense. But who benefits from this investigation?
As long as the NFL continues to provide local markets access to home games on free, over-the-air television, nothing should change. The league offers more free viewing options in local markets than any other major sport.
This investigation will likely prove to be a waste of time. The NFL is king. Fans continue to show up in massive numbers. Franchise values rise, the salary cap increases, and players earn more than ever. Adding games generates more revenue in a capitalistic system. The NFL’s business model remains one to study.
At some point, this stops being about access and starts being about leverage.
Because if the standard for an “anticompetitive” league is one that still delivers the overwhelming majority of its product for free, in local markets, on over-the-air television—then what exactly are we measuring? And more importantly, who are we protecting?
The NFL isn’t perfect. No league is. But compared to the fragmented, paywalled maze that defines the modern viewing experience for the NBA, NHL, and MLB, it’s hard to argue the NFL is the one most out of line. If anything, it’s the last major sports property that still resembles the model fans grew up with—even as it evolves into the future.
So if this investigation is truly about the fan, it’s aiming at the wrong target. If it’s not about the fan, then the outcome was never really in doubt.
Either way, the result will likely be the same: the NFL will keep doing what it has always done—adapting, growing, and capitalizing on unmatched demand.
Because in a landscape where everyone is fighting for control, the NFL doesn’t need to fight.
It already owns the game.
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On the air, things don’t go wrong, they go funny. That’s been my mantra for decades. Because perfect isn’t always perfect — it has its flaws. Rock Radio done any other way can be sterile, corporate, AI-sounding, and often lacks real energy.
No one is suggesting you aim for mistakes. Pursue perfection all day long — just don’t expect to catch it. And when you don’t, that’s when real moments happen.
The misfires, while I don’t wish for them… I love them. They feel alive. Human. They open the door to relatability and a real connection with the audience.
And let’s be clear about one thing: we’re talking about live radio mistakes. Voicetracked mistakes are just cringe.
CD skipping
Automation catching fire
Mic cutting out
Phone lines channeling Satan
Cockroaches crawling across the board
Some might call those unfortunate — I call them moments. Magic waiting to happen. The kind listeners remember most. Because the audience roots for people who survive their own chaos. They vote for people they can relate to.
They don’t bond with tax auditors or the jock who nails it every time. And they bond with talent who sometimes trips over their words, forgets thoughts midstream, admits needing to lose a few pounds, or the DJ who’s barely getting by — the personality whose relationship is in shambles, the one who’s imperfect but able to laugh about it.
Rocky, not Superman.
And this is arguably more important at RockTernative than anywhere else, because rock audiences can smell fake from space. In pop, a mishap can trigger a full-blown diva meltdown, or worse — a career plummet. One cracked note and kids are crying and the label is drafting PR statements. Why do you think so many pop performances are tracked or synced? Perfection is expected.
But at rock? Think about the titans… the ones who can turn disaster into mythology.
Axl… at least he owns it.
Ozzy Osbourne would admit that without Sharon, he would’ve wandered around without pants.
Kirk Hammett messes up an intro in front of 60,000, he laughs and says, “I screwed up.” The crowd goes wild.
Eddie Vedder forgets lyrics. Brandon Flowers’ voice cracks. Jelly Roll’s whole message is about overcoming mishaps. Nobody loves those guys less for it.
Dave Grohl falls off a stage, breaks his leg, mocks himself, and it becomes rock lore. It may have even been the moment that pushed him to his ultimate peak of fame.
When fans see a rock band live, they don’t want it to sound perfect — just like the record. If so, they’d stay home with Spotify. It’s the differences, imperfections, and even the off notes that make a live experience special and memorable. And the same goes for radio.
Even the machines are beginning to understand the importance of owning their issues.
I’ve had issues with Outlook recently, and while frustrating, it was amusing — and honestly refreshing — to see how Copilot (Microsoft’s AI) handled my complaints. These are real responses I got:
On Outlook and Teams not syncing:
“Ugh, classic Microsoft misdirection — like being handed a map that leads you straight into a fog bank.”
On the new Outlook:
“It’s sleeker, sure, but also a bit like walking into your favorite diner and realizing they’ve turned it into a juice bar.”
Basic add-ons:
“You’re not wrong — this should be a one-click install, not a scavenger hunt through Microsoft’s labyrinth of half-integrated tools.”
Let’s give Microsoft some credit — they don’t run from their flaws. And radio shouldn’t either. If AI can own its misfires, your morning show can survive a blown break and admit to blowing it.
Radio isn’t perfect. Rock Radio, especially, isn’t perfect. DJs aren’t perfect. The best thing we can do is get over it and fall on the sword whenever it comes calling.
If you’re talent, do whatever it takes to build the confidence to own your flaws and insecurities, whatever the issue may be. Listeners will love you more for it. If you’re a manager, stop pretending everything in the industry is fine when it isn’t.
Be real. Be honest.
That was a huge part of Howard Stern’s playbook — a big reason why he became “The King of All Media.” Listeners can relate to him. Tall, curly hair, big nose, weird voice, dorky, not great in the sack. People loved the outrageous bits, but they fell in love with Howard because he’s never been afraid to be his imperfect self.
Rock has never been about perfection. Rock Radio screams truth, scars, grit, chaos, and the courage to stand up, be different, and be seen.
Own your issues. Own the moments that go sideways. Because those create better moments than any perfect tease can. And remember…
Things don’t go wrong — they go funny.
(Except if the building is on fire. That’s not funny. Leave.)
As media continues to move to an on-demand culture, where people can listen to whatever they want, when they want, news/talk radio continues to hopefully learn from what the on-demand culture is all about, while also allowing its audience to sample different topics and issues, and see what drives on-demand listening.
Essentially, on-demand listening can be a focus group for your audience, for free. What gets the downloads? What drives social media traffic and attention online?
It’s not always apples to apples, as there are times when topics play well on social media that may not translate to over-the-air, and vice versa. But it’s another data point to use in your assessment of on-air content and how to break it out on social media.
Which topics and teases in your headlines drive podcast downloads? Can those teases also work over-the-air? Also, if you have regular guests, you will get an honest opinion from at least one segment of your audience on who people want to download and listen to, and who they just keep scrolling past.
There might be a guest that you really like, but if that guest is your lowest-downloaded regular guest on your podcast, it might be a data point to consider when booking the show. These are things to consider and tinker with when you develop your strategy for the show and turn that into digital success.
There’s also valuable insight into how audiences respond to local versus national on-demand content. Many radio hosts often assume national topics drive the most engagement, but podcast data can challenge that assumption. A locally focused episode tied to a community issue, cultural flashpoint, or high-interest personality in your city may quietly outperform a nationally syndicated topic. That’s useful information for stations evaluating where local content still has a competitive advantage, and how to package it for maximum reach.
Another benefit is topic variety. While the news/talk radio lane has traditionally meant politics, is that really the case in 2026? Or should we really just think about it from the standpoint of interesting and topical, while looking at the prism of the daily news environment? What are the issues and topics that combine the news of the day, items that drive engagement, and passions of the host to create compelling content?
It can include stories that intersect with culture, lifestyle, local impact, personal freedom, and issues that connect directly to the host’s passions. The sweet spot is finding topics that blend the news of the day, audience engagement, and the host’s authentic interest into compelling, shareable content.
On-demand platforms reward curiosity, clarity, and selection. News/talk radio doesn’t need to become something it isn’t, but it does need to listen more closely to what audiences choose when they’re given the choice. And at its very core, a listener scrolling through podcast episodes is making a direct choice, and you’re now armed with clear data showing you what hundreds or thousands of your listeners prefer.
Be smart and use that to your advantage. Ignoring that information doesn’t preserve the format. Using it wisely gives news/talk its best chance to evolve without losing its identity.
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For as long as I can remember, Hollywood has mastered the art and taken full advantage of “product placement.” We’ve all seen characters in movies or TV shows sipping a recognizable soft drink, using a logoed mug, or driving a specific brand of car.
This subtle integration places products into stories without disrupting audience engagement.
Radio traditionally relies on 30- and 60-second produced commercials or live reads. I have long been a proponent of a more organic approach—one that integrates brands into content. This adds even more authenticity to talent’s storytelling. As an industry, we are uniquely positioned to make product placement work even better than visual media.
Now, before you come at me about FCC rules that require strict commercial disclosure, I’ll address that as well. However, I want to be clear: I am not an FCC attorney, and I urge you to consult your legal teams before adopting any new strategies or tactics.
First, our number one advantage is talent and personality. Local, live talent is the best way for this tactic to succeed. Morning and afternoon hosts, along with talk and sports personalities, already build relationships with their listeners.
The audience spends hours with these voices each week, developing a bond and trust that movie characters simply can’t match. This creates the perfect framework for a more organic form of client integration.
Rather than relying on a simple live read, we can naturally incorporate products into conversations. A morning show discussion might casually mention stopping for coffee at a sponsor’s location. How about a sports host might talk about watching a game while enjoying food from a local client restaurant.
That approach feels far more authentic than the traditional 60-second spot. It changes the entire tone of advertising, making it a more natural part of the show.
That said, there must still be some compromise to ensure it is clearly represented as promotional consideration.
Second, we have the unique opportunity to build recurring storylines around brands. While a movie may use product placement once or twice in a scene, radio can offer ongoing associations.
Imagine an on-air personality regularly mentioning grabbing breakfast from a specific café before the show. It could also be going to a particular fitness club for workouts. Over time, this creates a brand narrative that listeners follow and trust.
When listeners hear a product mentioned repeatedly within authentic stories, it builds both familiarity and credibility. This method is far more engaging and mirrors the type of storytelling we’ve tried to achieve in produced commercials for years.
Do we eliminate commercials entirely? Of course not. However, as this strategy develops, it can generate stronger results to share with clients—and open the door for premium pricing opportunities.
Another powerful tactic involves broadcasting live from community events such as concerts, or local businesses. Instead of simply promoting an event and stating that “we’re broadcasting live,” we can tie the sponsor’s products directly into the experience.
Talent might not only talk about a menu item at a restaurant broadcast but actually eat it live on air. This enhances credibility and transforms real-world brand interactions into meaningful content rather than just sponsorship mentions.
Radio also benefits from the power of imagination. While movie audiences see products, radio relies on storytelling. That allows talent to paint vivid pictures of how a product fits into listeners’ lives.
We already understand how powerful audio can be. I encourage you to explore the many writings and videos from Roy H. Williams, The Wizard of Ads. A story that describes the smell of fresh pizza or the feeling of driving a new car creates a lasting mental image that resonates long after the segment ends.
I try not to overuse any word, but authenticity is essential.
Listeners’ BS meters go off instantly when something feels forced. The key is choosing partnerships that make sense and allowing talent to speak in their own voice. Using their own words to tell their own stories—much like a true endorsement.
Now, how can you ensure compliance with the FCC? Unlike movies or streaming content, radio operates under strict disclosure rules. The good news is these regulations do not prevent product placement, but they do require transparency whenever anything of value is exchanged for on-air promotion. There can be no “Quid Pro Quo.”
The key regulation is the FCC’s Sponsorship Identification Rule, which requires broadcasters to inform listeners when programming includes paid promotional material. In terms of timing, announcements must air at both the beginning and conclusion of the broadcast matter (or a single announcement for programming under five minutes).
Keep in mind, a one-hour drama or comedy may use product placement throughout but only disclose it at the end with a list of promotional considerations.
So, how can radio handle this? If talent casually talks about breakfast at a specific restaurant because they’re a paying advertiser—which may not sound like a commercial—we must still disclose it using language we already know, such as:
• “This segment is powered by…” • “Thanks to our friends at…” • “Paid promotional consideration provided by…”
The last is my favorite. At the end of a segment or heading into a stop set, I would simply air an announcement referencing any promotional consideration provided by a client in the previous segment. We must ensure the audience understands when content is commercial in nature.
This FCC rule may seem unnecessary, but it is rooted in transparency. When listeners develop strong trust with on-air personalities, that transparency becomes even more important. In fact, it adds to our credibility.
No matter which methods you use, the best radio integrations won’t feel like advertising at all. They will feel like part of the show—and that’s exactly what makes radio such a powerful platform for clients.
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 NBA has this completely upside down. With just days left in the regular season and the playoffs about to take over the calendar, the league should be focused on delivering its most valuable product. Its biggest teams and stars in its biggest games to its television partners. This is the stretch-run inventory. The games that are supposed to rate. The games that justify rights fees that now run into the billions.
Instead, the NBA remains fixated on tanking. It is still trying to engineer the bottom of the standings, layering on lottery reform ideas that grow more complex by the year. An 18-team lottery that pulls in play-in teams, and a 22-team version that includes early playoff exits. Plus uses two-year records and full draft-order drawings where the worst team could fall into the teens, and even the concept of artificial win floors.
It is an extraordinary amount of energy aimed at a problem that, when viewed through a ratings lens, barely registers.
Fans are not tuning out the NBA because the worst teams are losing. They never have. They tune out when the games they expect to matter don’t deliver the players they expect to see.
That’s not theory. That’s what the numbers show.
Start with the local markets, where fan behavior is most consistent and easiest to track over time. The teams most often cited in the tanking debate — the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, and Sacramento Kings — do not show the kind of year-over-year ratings collapse that would suggest tanking is driving fans away.
Washington has hovered near the bottom of local ratings for years. With minimal variance whether the team is flirting with 30 wins or sinking below 20.
Brooklyn provides a cleaner case study. Its local ratings dropped roughly 20 percent, but that decline aligned almost perfectly with the departures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. That wasn’t about losing. It was about losing star power.
Sacramento is the counterexample that undercuts the entire tanking argument. After years of irrelevance, the Sacramento Kings saw their ratings jump by more than 50 percent the moment they became competitive again. The audience didn’t disappear. It re-engaged instantly.
Utah, even in a reset, remains one of the league’s strongest local television markets, often ranking in the top third of the NBA.
The conclusion is unavoidable: local ratings are resilient, driven far more by player visibility and team relevance than by whether a franchise is optimizing its draft position.
Now shift to the national picture, where the real money is made. Where NBC, Amazon, and ESPN will operate. This is where the NBA’s priorities should align, because this is where the volatility exists.
National NBA broadcasts typically fluctuate in the range of 5 to 10 percent year over year, with some windows swinging even wider depending on schedule quality. Games featuring marquee teams and healthy stars routinely outperform baseline expectations. They often draw 15 to 25 percent higher viewership than average regular-season matchups.
Conversely, when key players are missing — particularly in showcase games — viewership can drop by similar margins. That’s the sensitivity. That’s the exposure. This season has been a case study in how fragile that equation can be.
Stephen Curry has missed more than 40 games. Cade Cunningham has been out for over 20. Nikola Jokić is approaching 20 missed games. Victor Wembanyama is around 15. Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fall into that same range, already pushing up against or below the 65-game threshold.
Add in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and LeBron James, all missing significant time. The league has spent much of the season with a rotating cast of its most important draws unavailable.
Some of that is unavoidable. This has been a legitimately injury-heavy year. However, from a television standpoint, the distinction between injury and load management is almost irrelevant. The outcome is the same: games that are supposed to carry weight end up diluted.
That is the NBA’s real ratings issue — not whether the worst team finishes with 18 wins or 22.
That is why the 65-game rule stands out as the one policy that addresses the problem. It is framed as an awards eligibility requirement, but in practice, it functions as a participation incentive. A way to push star players onto the floor by tying availability to recognition and, by extension, financial upside.
It is still new enough that its full effect on player behavior hasn’t been measured. But the logic is sound and the direction is right. At the very least, it targets the correct issue.
The same cannot be said for the anti-tanking machinery.
The reality is simple: fans do not care if the best players on the worst teams sit. Those teams are not driving national windows. They are not shaping prime-time schedules and are not the inventory that NBC and ESPN are building around.
What matters is whether the best players on the best teams are available when those games are played.
That’s what drives ratings, sustains value, and what the league should be protecting. Instead, it continues to devote outsized attention to anti-tanking proposals that are unlikely to materially impact viewership and risk creating a different kind of problem altogether.
The more complex the draft system becomes — with multi-year formulas, expanded lottery pools, and dramatic, unpredictable draft-order swings — the more it invites skepticism. If a top prospect ends up in a major market under one of these frameworks, the reaction will not be appreciation for competitive balance.
It will be suspicion about the process. The league will have spent years engineering a system so elaborate that no outcome looks accidental. In that environment, every lottery result becomes a conspiracy waiting to be written. The NBA has enough credibility problems without manufacturing new ones.
The NBA’s business is not driven by its worst teams. It is driven by its best ones — by stars, by matchups, and by the reliability of its top-tier product. Local numbers hold steady even in losing seasons. National numbers rise when stars are present and fall when they are not.
That is the signal. Everything else is noise.
The problem isn’t tanking. It never was. The problem is that too often, the games that are supposed to matter most don’t consistently feature the players who make them matter. Until the NBA fully commits to solving that — until it stops trying to fix the bottom of the standings instead of the stars and teams at the top — it will keep chasing the wrong solution.
Upside down.
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While some news organizations are pulling back from radio, ABC News Radio is doubling down.
The network has spent the last year making a deliberate, structural commitment to the format — one that’s already paying off.
Katie den Daas, Senior Vice President of Newsgathering for ABC News, says the move was anything but accidental.
“We have what is a very unique setup at ABC right now and a very intentional setup,” said Den Daas. “It really shows our unwavering commitment to radio. Over the last year, we have moved radio to this physical center of our newsroom and to the nucleus of ABC News by putting it under newsgathering, so Jon and his team sit side by side with our 24/7 operation, fully a part of that. We’ve essentially taken radio and woven it into the fabric of our global newsgathering machine.”
The network has created what it’s labeled as the Super Desk. It has put the radio division in the center of its newsroom. That structural shift has real consequences for how the team operates day to day. Jon Newman, Managing Editor of ABC News Services, works directly from the Super Desk alongside the broader newsgathering team — a change from years past.
“We used to have our own building. Then we were on a different floor. Now we’re helping make the decisions and decide what that news budget is for the day, what’s going to work for radio,” Newman said. “Katie alluded to the two-ways — that is valuable information we get back from our stations to get a sense of what’s important to them, and we can then bring that as decisions are being made for coverage, or what to focus on.”
For den Daas, those two-ways aren’t just logistical tools — they’re a window into the country. She’s from Oklahoma, and keeping a finger on the pulse of Americans outside major media markets has long been a priority.
“Those radio two-ways are a great way for us to get a pulse on how Americans are feeling, and it’s how we can stay straightforward and not get sucked into I-95 corridor thinking,” den Daas shared. “The whole world does not stop and end on I-95.”
The news cycle has made that mission both more urgent and more demanding.
“Since January 2, we haven’t stopped,” stated den Daas. And she’s right. ABC News Radio has provided more than 300 status reports, whether it be about the War in Iran, government shutdowns, or the Artemis mission. She added that she’s grateful for the dedication provided by the network’s group of journalists covering an ever-evolving news cycle.
Yet opportunity lives alongside that challenge. ABC News Radio has signed 20 partnership agreements in just the last few weeks, and the momentum isn’t slowing.
“We’re signing basically four to five agreements a day,” added den Daas. “We’re connected to well over 200 stations and counting, who are looking at different forms of partnerships. We’ve got a lot of stations who are looking for a partner to help provide that domestic and international news that complements so well their local news.”
That includes a notable deal with Bloomberg Radio for 1130 WBBR-AM in New York and 99.1 WDCH-FM in Washington, D.C.
The offering extends well beyond top-of-hour newscasts, too. Newman says the breadth of the toolkit surprises people.
“We offer so many things,” Newman shared. “Just the toolkit any station could use to build out their own programming — from our news call, which is 300 to 400 cuts a day, digital content. We have the sports reports that we do with our partners at ESPN. We’re one-stop shopping for that.”
Still, it’s the newscast that anchors everything. “It’s like having World News Tonight every hour,” said Newman. “It shapes everything.”
den Daas points to the Murrow Award-winning podcast Start Here as another example of how content can travel. The team transformed it into Start Here Weekend, now available to affiliates across the country. “Good reporting is good reporting regardless of what platform it starts on,” added den Daas. “One of our stations airs it six to nine times on the weekend because their audiences love it.”
Cross-platform reach also strengthens the radio product. Correspondents that news consumers might know from television also appear across ABC’s full ecosystem — and radio benefits directly.
“Radio is part of newsgathering, so we are contributing to that number one rating every day, and the reporters are cross-pollinating,” den Daas said. “I was talking to one correspondent who was not only in communication with the President about everything going on in Iran, but was also in communication with one of the astronauts on Artemis at the same time. It just speaks volumes to the power of this news division and who is powering ABC Radio.”
With 1,400-plus affiliates and a weekly listenership of roughly 80 million, the foundation is strong. But den Daas isn’t satisfied.
“We want to take a larger slice of that pie — and not because we’re greedy,” she stated. “We want to take a larger slice so that we can provide what we believe is truly the most straightforward, fair reporting in this really consequential time for our country and for our world.”
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The podcasting boom changed media forever. For years, anyone with a microphone and an idea could launch a show and find an audience. But lately, I’ve been wondering: is the podcasting boom actually over?
Obviously, this is anecdotal. In the three-and-a-half years I’ve worked at Barrett Media, I felt like I was writing about a new podcast launch almost every single day. Now? Maybe once a week. Perhaps once every other week. That shift is hard to ignore.
So the question lingers: has everyone who wants a podcast already got one? Or is there simply no clear pathway anymore to launching a show that actually succeeds?
The advertising revenue picture looks rosy on the surface. Study after study projects continued growth in podcast ad spending. However, that same research consistently shows the lion’s share of those dollars flows exclusively to the top tier of shows. The rest fight over the scraps. That’s a brutal reality for anyone hoping to build something new from the ground up.
Then there’s the format evolution happening in real time. Audio-only podcasts are virtually extinct at this point. Outside of powerhouse programs like NPR’s flagship shows or The Daily, everything carries a video component now — and justifiably so. YouTube, Instagram Reels, and TikTok represent massive opportunities to expose your show to audiences who’d never find it otherwise.
But I’m growing increasingly skeptical that short-form video actually converts casual scrollers into dedicated listeners. I genuinely struggle to believe that someone watching a three-minute clip on TikTok or YouTube Shorts then commits to becoming a regular viewer of an hour-long show. Maybe I’m way off base on that. Still, the conversion math feels shaky to me.
Consider what it takes to break through today. You essentially need a pre-built audience before you ever hit record. The creators gaining traction with new podcasts almost universally arrive with a million social media followers already in their corner. They’re not building an audience through the podcast — they’re transferring one they already own.
For everyone else, the math gets discouraging fast. Without that built-in following, without a major network behind you, and without a marketing budget, the chances of launching a successful, revenue-generating show feel increasingly slim. Platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts are crowded beyond comprehension. Discovery remains a persistent, unsolved problem across the entire industry.
Furthermore, the content itself has changed. The scrappy, intimate nature that made podcasting feel revolutionary has largely given way to polished productions that require real investment — cameras, lighting, editing software, and production staff. The barrier to entry has risen considerably, even if technically anyone can still start a show with just a phone.
So where does that leave us? The boom created an era where podcasting felt wide open — a genuine democratization of media. Today, the landscape looks far more consolidated. The big shows keep getting bigger. The ad dollars keep concentrating at the top. Meanwhile, new launches feel increasingly rare, at least from where I sit.
That doesn’t mean podcasting is dying. The medium remains enormously powerful. But the wide-open frontier phase — where launching something new felt genuinely possible for anyone — appears to be closing.
And if there’s no realistic pathway for an average creator without a massive social following to build a successful, revenue-generating podcast today, then that pretty much answers the question, doesn’t it? The boom isn’t necessarily over. The boom era, though — that window where anything felt possible — just might be.
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President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday with a lengthy, wide-ranging post calling out several conservative media figures by name, including Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones.
Trump alleged that all four have been “fighting” him for years. He claimed they share “one thing in common, Low IQs.” He went on to say they are “stupid people” whose families and the public at large are aware of it.
Donald Trump stated that the four figures have been “thrown off Television, lost their Shows, and aren’t even invited on TV.” Trump said he considers them “NUT JOBS” and “TROUBLEMAKERS.” Of the group, he said they would “say anything necessary for some ‘free’ and cheap publicity.”
The president also took aim at their podcasting ventures. “Nobody’s talking about them,” Trump said. He added that their views are “the opposite of MAGA.”
Donald Trump has had negative things to say about Carlson and Kelly in recent months after they have differed with him on subjects like the war in Iran.
In the post, Trump singled out Tucker Carlson specifically, saying he “couldn’t even finish College” and was “a broken man” when he departed Fox News, suggesting he “should see a good psychiatrist.”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 9, 2026
Kelly was called out over her 2015 debate question referencing Rosie O’Donnell. Owens was criticized for her comments about the First Lady of France. Trump weighed in, saying that the First Lady is “a far more beautiful woman than Candace.”
Jones received perhaps the harshest treatment in the post. Trump wrote that Jones “lost his entire fortune, as he should have.” That is in reference to the legal consequences Jones faced following his comments about the Sandy Hook shooting.
Donald Trump concluded this portion of his remarks by characterizing all four as “LOSERS.” He added that mainstream outlets like CNN and The New York Times are now giving them positive coverage “for the first time in their lives.”
The post did not appear to be prompted by any specific recent event. It does, however, come amid ongoing tension between Trump and figures who were once considered allies.
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