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Takeaways From The NAB Show and Six Days in Las Vegas

Jason Barrett
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Six days on the road can sometimes be exhausting. Six days in Las Vegas, and it’s guaranteed. That was my world last week, as I along with more than fifty thousand people headed to sin city to take in the 2022 NAB Show.

The event didn’t draw as many as it had in the past, but after two years of inactivity due to the pandemic, it was good to be back. Judging from some of the vendors I talked to, the sessions I attended, and the feedback I received from folks I met with, though far from perfect, it was a solid return for an important event. Seeing people interact, celebrate others, and talk about ways to improve the business was a positive reminder of the world being closer to the normal of 2019 than the normal of 2020-2021. The only negative from the week, the consistent failure of Uber to appear in the right place at the right time. But that had zero to do with the NAB.

It feels like whenever I attend industry conferences, there are two different type of reviews that follow. Some writers attend the show and see the glass half full. Others see the glass half empty. I’m certainly not afraid to be critical but my enthusiasm was elevated this year. Maybe it was because BSM was a media partner or maybe it was due to the show not happening for years and just being happy to be among friends, peers, and clients and operate like normal. Either way, my glass was definitely half full.

For those who see events this way, it’s likely they’ll remember the numerous opportunities they had to create and reestablish relationships. They’ll also recall the access to different speakers, sessions, products, and the excellent research shared with those in attendance. The great work done by the BFOA to recognize industry difference makers during their Wednesday breakfast was another positive experience, as was the Sunday night industry gathering at The Mayfair Supper Club.

Included in the conference were sessions with a number of industry leaders. Radio CEO’s took the stage to point out the industry’s wins and growth, credit their employees, and call out audio competitors, big tech, and advertisers for not spending more with the industry. When David Field, Bob Pittman, Ginny Morris and Caroline Beasley speak, people listen. Though their companies operate differently, hearing them share their views on the state of the business is important. I always learn something new when they address the room.

But though a lot of ground gets covered during these interviews, there are a few issues that don’t get talked about enough. For instance, ineffective measurement remains a big problem for the radio business. Things like this shouldn’t happen, but they do. NBC and WarnerMedia took bold steps to address problems with TV measurement. Does radio have the courage to take a similar risk? That’s an area I’d like to see addressed more by higher ups.

I can’t help but wonder how much money we lose from this issue. Companies spend millions for a ratings service that delivers subpar results, and the accountability that follows is often maddening. Given the data we have access to digitally, it’s stunning that radio’s report card for over the air listening is determined by outdated technology. And if we’re going to tell folks that wearables are the missing ingredient for addressing this problem, don’t be shocked if the press that follows is largely negative. The industry and its advertising partners deserve better. So too do the reps at Nielsen who have to absorb the hits, and make the most of a tough situation.

Speaking of advertising, this is another one of those critical areas that deserves another point of view. Case in point, I talked to a few ad agency professionals at the show. Similar to what I’ve heard before, they’re tired of hearing radio leaders blame them for the industry’s present position. This has been a hot button topic with executives for years. I often wonder, do we help or hurt ourselves by publicly calling out advertisers and ad agencies? How would you feel if you ran an agency which spent millions on the industry and were told ‘you don’t do enough’? I’m a champion of radio/audio, and am bullish on spoken word’s ability to deliver results for clients, but having attended these shows for nearly seven years, it might be time for a new approach and message. Or maybe it’s time to put one of our CEO’s with one of theirs and have a bigger discussion. Just a thought.

Of the sessions that I attended, I thought Erica Farber’s ‘What Business Are You In?’ was excellent. I especially liked Taja Graham’s presentation on ‘Sharing Your Truth’. I also appreciated Eric Bischoff’s tips on ways to monetize podcasts, and am curious to see how Amazon’s AMP develops moving forward. My favorite session at the show though was “A GPS Session For Your Station’s Car Radio Strategy” led by Fred Jacobs. The insight shared by Joe D’Angelo of Xperi and Steve Newberry & Suzy Schultz of Quu was outstanding. Keeping the car companies on our side is vital to our survival, and how we position ourselves on the dashboard can’t be ignored. Other tech companies and audio operators take it seriously. We must too.

Sessions aside, it was great to check out the VSiN and Blue Wire studios, connect with a bunch of CEO’s, GM’s and Market Manager’s, and visit with Kevin Jones, Joe Fortenbaugh, Jeremiah Crowe, Jon Goulet, Bill Adee, Q Myers, Mike Golic Jr. and Stormy Buonantony. The NFL’s setup for the Draft, and the light show presented at the Bellagio was without a doubt spectacular, plus Stephanie had a chance to say hello to Raiders owner Mark Davis who was inside the back room of a Westgate restaurant where we were having a business lunch meeting. The personal tour we received at the Wynn showed off some of the best suites I’ve seen in Las Vegas, and I was finally able to witness Circa’s Stadium Swim in person, and meet owner Derek Stevens (heck of a suit game). What an outstanding hotel and casino.

Altogether, it was a productive trip. As someone who knows all about building and executing a conference, I appreciate the work that goes into pulling it off. This event is massive, and I have no idea how the NAB makes it happen so flawlessly. This was the first time my head of sales, Stephanie Eads, got to attend the show. She loved it. Our only negative, going back and forth between convention halls can get exhausting. Wisely, Stephanie and Guaranty Media CEO Flynn Foster took advantage of the underground Tesla ride to move from the North hall to the West hall. I wasn’t as bright. If that’s the worst part of the experience though, that’s pretty solid. I look forward to returning in 2023, and attending the NAB’s NYC show this fall.

Additional:

You’ve likely seen posts from BSM/BNM on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn promoting a number of open positions. I’m adding crew to help us pump out more content, and that means we need more editors, news writers, features reporter’s and columnists. If you’re currently involved or previously worked in the industry and love to write about it, send a resume and few writing samples by email to JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com.

With that said, I’m excited to announce the addition of Ryan Brown as a weekly columnist for BSM. Ryan is part of ‘The Next Round’ in Birmingham, Alabama, which previously broadcast on WJOX as JOX Roundtable. The show left the terrestrial world in June 2021 to operate as its own entity. Ryan’s knowledge and opinions should provide a boost to the site, and I’m looking forward to featuring his columns every Tuesday. Keep an eye out for it tomorrow, and if you want to check out the guest piece he previously wrote for us, click here.

Demetri Ravanos and I have talked to a lot of people over the past month. More additions will be revealed soon. As always, thanks for the continued support of BSM and BNM.

Rich Eisen Got The Last Laugh

Peter Schwartz
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In early April of 2003, Rich Eisen was nearing the end of his long run at ESPN when he was at a pre-show meeting for the SportsCenter he would be hosting that evening.  There was a lot going on in the sports world at that time including the start of the NBA Playoffs and Stanley Cup Playoffs, Opening Day for Major League Baseball, The Masters and The Final Four.

But somebody in the room had a thought for another story idea.

“Somebody suggested doing a piece about top cornerbacks that are still on the free agent market for the NFL,” recalled Eisen. “They were kind of laughed out of the room.”

Who is laughing now?

Eisen would leave ESPN to join NFL Network, a new venture that is still going strong and growing almost two decades later.

“It’s coming up on twenty years,” said Eisen.  “It’s unbelievable.  Things have grown exponentially.”

When NFL Network kicked off in June of 2003, Eisen was the host of NFL Total Access, the network’s flagship program.  In 2010, Eisen signed a new long-term contract with NFL Network and became the new host of NFL Gameday Morning and he just finished his 18th year of hosting NFL Network’s coverage of the NFL Draft, an event that the network did not cover extensively from the outset.

“We weren’t doing it,” said Eisen.  “We didn’t really attempt to cover the draft round by round until 2005 when we did it from our studio in Los Angeles.  And then 2006 was when we went and covered a draft for the 1st time round-by-round in person.”

NFL Network’s year-round schedule of programming also includes extensive coverage of Super Bowl week, NFL free agency, the NFL Scouting Combine, Pro Days, mini-camps and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Weekend in Canton, Ohio.

The season may run from pre-season in August to the Super Bowl in February, but for Eisen and everyone at NFL Network, there are no longer any off days when it comes to talking about NFL football.

“It now is a year-round 24/7/365 television and content creating factory that when the NFL Network was born, I don’t think a lot of people thought was possible,” said Eisen.

And the very existence and success of NFL Network has forced other networks to spend more time covering football.

“Now you see multiple television networks have multiple live NFL shows a day,” said Eisen.  “This is a football-loving country that we have and anytime that they see it, they want more of it, and thank goodness for that.”

Eisen joined ESPN in 1996 and became a household name hosting the network’s iconic SportsCenter.  Over the course of his time there, the show had evolved in many ways and was no longer the first place that sports fans would be able to see highlights of a game that they may or may not have seen live in person or on television.

“It was a time where I wanted to explore more than just what SportsCenter was offering me at the time,” said Eisen.  

“Management wanted me to do only SportsCenter and I didn’t want to do that.  It went from a show of explaining what happened or informing what happened to arguing about why something happened.  Analysts would come on and start arguing with each other.  That was a show that I still loved to do.  There is no greater platform than SportsCenter on ESPN but it had run its course for me.”

As SportsCenter continued to evolve into what the show was in 2003 and what it eventually has become now, other anchors were getting additional assignments at ESPN and that was something that Eisen was very interested in.

“I wanted that same opportunity and I wasn’t feeling it so we parted ways and NFL Network was the choice,” said Eisen.  

Eisen was certainly taking a risk.

He was going from a network that was seen in 100 million homes to a new venture that started with just 10 million homes and the New York City native would be moving his family from Connecticut to Los Angeles, California.

“It was certainly a calculated risk,” said Eisen.  “I think it worked out.”

It sure did and the move to NFL Network also led to another huge career opportunity for Eisen.  Almost eight years ago, he launched the NFL Network’s first-ever podcast and The Rich Eisen Podcast would eventually blossom into a simulcast with DirecTV’s Audience Network.

“It’s truly one of the most remarkable experiences of my entire life,” said Eisen of his daily talk show.

But not long after AT&T bought DirecTV, Eisen received a phone call with some unfortunate news that DirecTV was getting out of the daily television and original programming business.

“I was in an airport getting ready to go meet the rest of my family who I had sent ahead on Christmas vacation and I was wondering “oh my God does this mean the end of my show?” recalled Eisen.  

Just a couple of months before the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down, Eisen decided to take matters, as well as his show, into his own hands.  Eisen took ownership of his show and created his own production company.  He took the show to YouTube for a few months and then struck a deal to have his show aired on NBC Sports Network.

While NBC Sports Network is no longer in business, Eisen maintains a relationship with NBC Sports with his show now on the Peacock streaming service.  The show can also be seen on YouTube and Facebook and can now be heard on 47 terrestrial radio affiliates, Sirius XM channel 85 and the Audacy app.

There certainly was some drama, but Eisen’s show has survived and is doing very well.

“We just got Emmy nominated for best daily studio show,” said Eisen.  “Building it back up and thriving…the little engine than can.  We’re celebrating our eighth year on the air in the fall and I love it.  I love every minute of it.”

Rich Eisen enjoyed a highly successful run at ESPN before making the decision to leave for NFL Network.  There were a lot of people that may have thought he was making a mistake.

After all, who wants to talk about available free agent cornerbacks in April?

It looks and sounds like Rich Eisen got the last laugh on that one!

Michael Malice Takes on the Media, Again

BNM Staff
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“We’ve been trained since Kindergarten, in our government schools, to regard the media as authoritative and as hardworking people fighting for the little guy and trying to present the truth.”

Those are the words of Michael Malice, appearing on The Rubin Report back in 2020. He gave voice to the quintessential way Americans “used to” view their media. Deserved or not, the media represented truth, authority, and objectivity.

Malice then proceeded to list examples of that same media doing exactly the opposite – picking up propaganda spin and using it to metaphorically bludgeon that same little guy they purportedly represent.

The exchange was highlighted as part of an episode of Dave Rubin’s program last week. The “best of” episode featured a compilation of excerpts from Rubin’s conversations with Malice over the past five years and ran with the provocative YouTube thumbnail “It’s Always Been Rigged.”

An evergreen highlight reel that, to many, seems to be more true by the day.

While talking about the United States inserting itself into military conflicts over recent decades, Malice began by insinuating that the media has carried the water of war efforts far and wide.

“The bloodlust of the establishment, which include the corporate press, cannot be overstated,” he told Rubin in a 2017 clip. “2016, Trump’s the nominee; we heard it every single day. He’s crazy; he’s going to get us into World War 3. He’s going to get pissed off at a tweet from China and press the nuclear button. We heard this all the time.”

“Carly Fiorina got asked this in the 2nd debate, first question, do you trust President Trump with his finger on the nuclear button. And now, China has hacked our systems, Russia has tried to interfere with our elections. And the press is constantly saying, do something about it, do something about it, do something about it, do something about Venezuela.”

“So the fact that he’s NOT getting us into World War 3 is now being used as a slight against him by the same people who regarded that as a problem when he was the nominee.”

A remarkable clip from five years ago, while some of the biggest media deceptions had yet to be uncovered. Namely, the Trump Russia Collusion fabrication, the disingenuous January 6th “insurrection” narrative, and the coordinated effort to hide the Joe and Hunter Biden scandal.

“It’s horrific, and this has been a long time coming,” Malice, never one to shy away from controversial statements, added. “We talked about yellow journalism in high school, remember the Spanish-American War. And then they pretend it went away. It didn’t go away. The same press; if it bleeds, it leads. They can’t wait to get us into another engagement. It’s disgraceful.”

And again, this was as trust in media was waning, but still before it had fallen to its increasingly low depths of 2022. As an example, a poll released Friday by Susquehanna Polling and Research showed that 73% of those surveyed said the mainstream media “misrepresents the facts to push a political agenda.” An abysmally-low 17% trust the corporate media to tell the truth.

Rubin, a former liberal and lifelong Democrat turned Conservative, now hosts his program online and on BlazeTV. He pressed the issue in the 2017 clip, searching for a solution to lack of media trust.

“What has to happen with the press then? And I mean this in terms of cable news, mainstream news, network news, Vox, HuffPo, Buzzfeed, all of it,” Rubin asked.

“The battle is won when the average corporate journalist is regarded with the exact same way as the average tobacco executive. They have a job. They’re promoting their product. Their product is cancerous and deadly. They’re often bright people, they’re often good people, but be aware of what it is they’re selling you.”

For the 70-plus percent who don’t trust the media, Malice’s contentious remarks are a highlight reel well worth repeating again and again.

HLN Leads the Way in coverage of the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial

BNM Staff
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The $50 million defamation trial between the formerly wedded actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard began in mid-April but captured more national attention during the week of April 18 when Depp took the witness stand. The case was initiated by a 2018 Washington Post op-ed piece written by Heard that alleged domestic violence by Depp, causing (according to Depp) to lose out on major film roles including a “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel that was in the works.

The cable network HLN has offered extensive coverage of the Depp v. Heard trial, airing in the time periods that featured Depp’s testimony on Apr. 20-21 live from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern. The first day, on Apr. 20, averaged just 101,000 viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. But Depp’s second day on the stand (on Apr. 21), perked the audience up to 186,000 viewers; narrowing it to the noon-1 p.m. ET hour, HLN drew 233,000 total viewers – as indicated in the averages below, above what the network normally draws.

HLN’s semi-nightly special report “War Over Words”, which recaps the day’s events of Depp v. Heard, debuted on Apr. 14 with 177,000 viewers. Subsequent editions on Apr. 19-21 at 9 p.m. Eastern (131,000; 109,000; and 213,000 respectively) actually attracted less viewers than its midnight rebroadcasts (171,000; 143,000; and 224,000 respectively).

Fox News Channel also broke in to its regular midday programming on Apr. 21 to air Depp’s testimony, (albeit for only fifteen minutes: 11:36-11:44 a.m. ET, then 12:26-12:33 p.m. ET) delivering 1.67 million total viewers and 288,000 within the key 25-54 demographic. CNN and MSNBC had also aired portions of the Depp-Heard trial throughout the week, but Nielsen did not specify their coverage in its listings.

The trial is set to continue thru the end of May with testimonies to soon come from Heard (who countersued Depp) herself as well as from actors James Franco and Paul Bettany. Tesla and future Twitter owner Elon Musk, who dated Heard shortly after her breakup from Depp, had been on the list of potential witnesses but as of Apr. 28, is not slated to appear on the stand.

Cable news averages for April 18-24, 2022:

Total Day (April 18-24 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 1.478 million viewers; 242,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 0.670 million viewers; 72,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.548 million viewers; 120,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.183 million viewers; 55,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.136 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.128 million viewers; 29,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.118 million viewers; 21,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.108 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54

Prime Time (April 18-23 @ 8-11 p.m.; April 24 @ 7-11 p.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 2.281 million viewers; 360,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 1.126 million viewers; 123,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.660 million viewers; 159,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.191 million viewers; 56,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.169 million viewers; 53,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.167 million viewers; 19,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.151 million viewers; 25,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.050 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
  • NewsNation: 0.045 million viewers; 7,000 adults 25-54

Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top MSNBC and CNN programs with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers:

1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 4/20/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.525 million viewers

2. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 4/21/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.511 million viewers

3. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 4/18/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.408 million viewers

4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 4/21/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.405 million viewers

5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 4/19/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.341 million viewers

6. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 4/19/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.328 million viewers

7. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 4/22/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.274 million viewers

8. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 4/20/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.272 million viewers

9. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 4/18/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.231 million viewers

10. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Fri. 4/22/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.930 million viewers

27. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Thu. 4/21/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.164 million viewers

163. CNN Films “Navalny” (CNN, Sun. 4/24/2022 9:00 PM, 120 min.) 0.881 million viewers

173. Real Time With Bill Maher “597” (HBO, Fri. 4/22/2022 10:01 PM, 56 min.) 0.841 million viewers

 • The Daily Show (CMDY, Tue. 4/19/2022 11:00 PM, 31 min.) 0.410 million viewers

 • Forensic Files “Shoot To Thrill” (HLN, late Fri. 4/22/2022 2:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.344 million viewers

 • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee “Episode 7211” (TBS, Thu. 4/21/2022 10:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.214 million viewers

Top 10 cable news programs (and the top  CNN, MSNBC, HBO and HLN programs with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54

1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 4/20/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.619 million adults 25-54

2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 4/19/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.581 million adults 25-54

3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 4/18/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.554 million adults 25-54

4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 4/21/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.551 million adults 25-54

5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Fri. 4/22/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.506 million adults 25-54

6. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 4/21/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.493 million adults 25-54

7. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 4/22/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.473 million adults 25-54

8. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 4/18/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.465 million adults 25-54

9. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 4/21/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.461 million adults 25-54

10. Hannity (FOXNC, Mon. 4/18/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.450 million adults 25-54

81. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Thu. 4/21/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.247 million adults 25-54

90. The Lead with Jake Tapper (CNN, Wed. 4/20/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.228 million adults 25-54

147. The Daily Show (CMDY, Tue. 4/19/2022 11:00 PM, 31 min.) 0.165 million adults 25-54

189. Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 4/22/2022 10:01 PM, 56 min.) 0.142 million adults 25-54

207. Forensic Files “Shoot To Thrill” (HLN, late Fri. 4/22/2022 2:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.135 million adults 25-54

 • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee “Episode 7211” (TBS, Thu. 4/21/2022 10:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.069 million adults 25-54

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

Brain Stelter: I Only Get the Republican Narrative on Crime Stories

BNM Staff
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CNN “Reliable Sources” host Brian Stelter talked about crime in the context of political narratives. On his show Sunday, Stelter was joined by GOP strategist Kristen Soltis Anderson.

Soltis Anderson said voters tend to focus on things that impact their day-to-day lives. Stelter dismissed the discussion as a common talking point for right-leaning political pundits.

“When I hear you say they’re worried about crime, I kind of hear a Republican narrative,” he said. Soltis Anderson said voters tend to think public safety is a big deal.

“In 2018, those swing voters probably looked a little more like Democrats in terms of their priorities, but this year for the midterms, it’s the opposite.”

According to Fox News, a new poll released Sunday found that Americans trust Republicans to handle inflation, crime, and the economy over Democrats. 

Forty-seven percent of Americans favored the Republican Party to handle the spike in crime, compared to just 35% that preferred the Democratic Party. 

Damon Bruce: Debate With A’s Team President is Off

BSM Staff
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Damon Bruce and Oakland A’s President Dave Kaval are not going to be having any kind of public interaction. Friday on 95.7 The Game, Bruce revealed that he is not agreeing to the terms that Kaval and the franchise are mandating in order for them to have the interview the two discussed on Twitter last week.

Kaval publicly questioned why the Bay Area media was not covering the poor attendance for the Giants the way they are for the A’s. Bruce fired back that the poor attendance in Oakland is about the way the team is treating its fans. After some back and forth, Bruce said he would show up to the Colesium in Oakland for a live-streamed debate if Kaval and the A’s would pay a $5000 appearance fee, which would go to a local food bank.

On Friday, in revealing that Kaval did not want to participate, Bruce also revealed that he has never charged anyone for him to show up to an event before.

“There is no $5000 appearance fee,” he said. “It just shows you how bad of a research department they have over there, not engaging actual media in what it costs to do business.”

Dave Kaval will reportedly still donate $5000 to a food bank. Bruce says the A’s President deserves credit for that, but he wants listeners to know that it was clear to him that Kaval and his staff never had any intention of going through with the agreed-upon conversation.

Bruce says the A’s wanted an agreement in place about what topics will be covered. They wanted a conference call to review what would be said. The team also wanted the format of the conversation switched from an interview to a debate moderated by A’s studio host Brodie Brazil, who Bruce says he likes, but would certainly create bias.

“Whatever lowercase journalistic integrity I have, I know it’s this. You do not let your interview subject set the terms of that interview,” Bruce said. “So I’m not doing it. I’m not going to give that guy a platform for propaganda and a shot clock which he can run out before we change the topic.”

The A’s have been in the middle of a standoff with the city of Oakland about a new stadium and have been publicly flirting with Las Vegas as a potential new home for the team. Bruce’s partner, Ray Ratto, said that those are topics the team doesn’t want to talk about. It’s why he never believed the agreement on Twitter would amount to anything.

Damon Bruce thought it was funny that Dave Kaval wanted to turn a discussion about how the franchise is treating fans right now into a debate.

“What would the debate have been?” he asked. “I’m anti-treating your fans like crap and he’s pro-treating your fans like crap?”

How Do We Make Digital Content More Profitable?

Demetri Ravanos
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How Do We Make Digital Content More Profitable?

Between the BSM Summit and other conferences I have attended over the last four years, the idea that digital audiences are more loyal to the advertisers that support their favorite creators and shows has been hammered into my head countless times. That is a simplified version of reality. In the cases of people like Joe Rogan or Bill Simmons or Alex Cooper, the only way you are getting their content is digital. If you really love what they do, you will listen to the advertising that comes in the middle of their content.

If I am listening to the podcast replay of a radio show I like though, I do not want ads presented to me the same way. The whole reason I am coming to a digital platform to get a broadcast product is to get the content on-demand and uninterrupted. So, shouldn’t the sales staff rethink how it offers these digital products to advertisers?

The radio business is trying to stretch the boundaries of what it has been for so long by embracing digital platforms. A lot of stations have struggled to monetize that. While there are a lot of reasons an individual station may struggle to make money off of its digital content, the underlying factor is always the same: neglect.

The sales staff neglects to acknowledge that digital and broadcast entertainment are not the same things and are not consumed in the same ways. The content creators neglect to put the time and effort into creating something that audiences truly cannot get from them on the radio, and management neglects to give those creators a reason to do so.

Sure, sellers have to rethink and learn new strategies for selling these products, but that isn’t where it stops. Managers can create more value for those sellers and their clients by incentivizing talent and programmers to create something more interesting than just a show replay.

Do you remember Mayne Street? ESPN had a unique talent in Kenny Mayne, surrounded him with a bunch of other funny people, and let them create something cool and fun. The best part, from a business standpoint anyway, is they got Toyota to pay for it all.

Mayne Street was a comedy series – imagine Curb Your Enthusiasm with Kenny Mayne in the Larry David role. In fact, a lot of the supporting cast went on to have major roles on NBC’s Parks & Rec.

It wasn’t something you were going to get on ESPN. This lived on the company’s website and YouTube channel. It gave people a reason to seek out and spend time with ESPN’s digital content.

Your station can do something like this too.

Radio buildings are full of creative people. Where are your original series? Where is the experimentation? We aren’t putting steel in the ground in this business. There is no cost to trying out a new idea. If it doesn’t work, we can just throw it out and not do it again.

There are so many weapons of content creation at our disposal. The digital platforms are endless. Most stations have dug in with podcasts. How many have created content for video platforms like TikTok? How many have found a way to utilize Twitter Spaces and Spotify Live?

On top of that, good equipment is cheap. If you want to create a digital presence that lives side-by-side with what goes out over the air, you have never had more advantages than you do right now.

Create shows and products that give advertisers a reason to spend the money necessary for a level of exclusivity. If it’s video, put a short pre-roll at the front and then put a logo in the corner. If it’s audio, put a live read from the host at the top and at the back end.

The most important part though is making the creators partners in this. Pay them for the digital content the way you would for an endorsement. If you don’t give a person proper incentive to do something that requires extra work, it will show in the end product. It won’t be something of value to advertisers.

I am not telling you anything new when I say sports is an expensive format. You already know that the on-air product requires investment in order to create the kind of product that listeners connect with and advertisers want to spend money on. Why would we approach digital content any differently?

 

Bob Fescoe: ‘David Shaw Is Most Underrated Analyst On TV’

BSM Staff
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Bob Fescoe: ‘David Shaw Is Most Underrated Analyst On TV’

The first night of the 2022 NFL Draft featured plenty of surprise picks, valuable selections and trades across the league. The event, which was set up across part of the Las Vegas Strip, was telecast across various major networks, including ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.

One team that has contended for and won a Super Bowl over the last five seasons is the Kansas City Chiefs. Since the team finished with one of the best records in football last season, the Chiefs’ first selection in which they owned was 30th overall. Yet in an effort to improve its defense, the team traded the 29th overall pick, which it received in the trade with the Miami Dolphins that sent Tyreek Hill to South Beach, along with a third and fourth round selection to the New England Patriots in order to draft cornerback Trent McDuffie 21st overall.

While much of the conversation on 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City was focused on the Chiefs’ two first round selections, Trent McDuffie of Washington and George Karlaftis of Purdue, Fescoe in the Morning did discuss the broadcast itself. In fact Bob Fescoe believed that it was all perfectly scripted to fit in a given time interval, a perception he has had about the league for several years.

“We talked about [how] they wanted to fit everything into a three-hour window, and that’s essentially what they did last night,” said Fescoe. “I think the NFL has a way of telling people, ‘Alright, you got to make your pick now.’”

This deliberate timing of the draft being presented as a live, television show meant that NFL teams had to be ready to make their pick within 10 minutes of the previous pick. It felt at times though that teams were moving quicker, meaning that some of the feature stories being presented by the networks had to be cut to televise Commissioner Roger Goodell’s announcement of a selection.

“Right around when the Chiefs were making their first pick… Andrew Whitworth was on stage doing his NFL Man of the Year [announcement]; he’s got a serious message to deliver,” said show co-host Josh Klingler. “Then you see ‘Pick is in….’ It seemed like the picks were ready, and the show was holding it up at some points in time. I’m like, ‘Wow, they are really cooking through this thing.’”

Nonetheless, both hosts felt the show was enjoyable to watch as football fans, characterizing it as a “wild” slew of action. Fescoe was watching the NFL Network broadcast of the draft and exalted their broadcast team, which featured Rich Eisen, Ian Rapoport and Kurt Warner. He also spoke about the performance of a specific analyst he believes is overlooked in the sports media world.

“David Shaw is the most underrated analyst out there right now,” Fescoe expressed. “I know he’s still a football coach at Stanford, but he knows everything about every player. I think he is great.”

The second day of the NFL Draft begins at 7 p.m. EST, and will once again be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Unlike round one, picks must be made within a seven-minute-window tonight, as the proceedings will conclude at 11:30 p.m. EST. The final day of the NFL Draft is tomorrow where rounds four through seven will be broadcast beginning at 12 p.m. EST.

Chris Berman & Trey Wingo Thought The NFL Draft Would Fail In Primetime

BSM Staff
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Chris Berman & Trey Wingo Thought The NFL Draft Would Fail In Primetime

Over the years at ESPN, Chris Berman has had the opportunity to cover numerous events in many different sports. So, which event for him was the toughest to cover?

He recently revealed on the Trey Wingo Presents: Half-Forgotten History podcast with that the toughest event to cover was the NFL Draft, which he hosted for ESPN from 1985-2016. However, it’s not the actual event itself that was the toughest, but the prep for the event.

“It’s the 3 weeks leading up to it where I don’t follow college football,” Boomer said. “Saturday is a prep day for us. I am aware of who won and lost games. I couldn’t tell you this guy is the best or second-best center.”

Berman gave a lot of credit to the GMs who would help him in his prep by giving some insight as to what they were thinking. He knew that despite not having a lot of prep time, that wasn’t an excuse to ace covering the event: 

“It reminded me of why I never went to grad school. It’s a course you have to ace and you are doing it the last 3 weeks. If you talk to these GMs in March, their grades are completely different on April 15. I didn’t do that knowing I wasted everyone’s time. I got to ace this test and I’ve done none of the work, but I can’t get a B on it. That sounds like grad school to me.”

Both Berman and Wingo reflected on when the NFL Draft first moved to primetime in 2010 and they were not sure it was going to work, but the NFL proved them both wrong: 

“I’ll give the NFL credit on this. I thought it was a dumb idea,” said Wingo. “I was like this is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I can’t believe they are going to try to compete against primetime television. This is going to be a disaster. It turned out to be the exact opposite and a massive home run.” 

“I don’t know if I thought it would be a massive disaster, but I went oh, really pushing the envelope. I still wondered if we are just going to make the first round and just do that and celebrate it like it’s the coronation of Queen Elizabeth III,” said Berman. “But, it worked.” 

This podcast is a good trip down memory lane of past NFL Drafts from two men who were hosts of the event. Berman knew in his early years of hosting the NFL Draft that there was major potential for it to grow into the spectacle it is now.

“This was an oasis from Groundhog Day until the beginning of August. All football fans gathered with us and I felt an obligation, as did all of our folks behind the scenes, we are sponsoring/hosting a gathering place for football fans in America in April and it’s pretty cool.”

Sports Media Reacts To Scott Van Pelt’s Tribute To His Dog On SportsCenter

BSM Staff
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The loss of a pet is not easy no matter who you are. Everybody processes these things differently, and if you are Scott Van Pelt, you have a very public place to do so.

“I apologize in advance for however this goes,” SVP began. “Le Batard asked if I cried when I wrote it, said I’m doomed if I did. So, I guess I’m doomed. It’s alright”

Van Pelt used his “One Big Thing” segment on SportsCenter after the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night to pay tribute to Otis, his boxer, who died this week. On Wednesday, Scott Van Pelt tweeted that he and his family said goodbye to their dog. The next night, he tried to put that grief into words.

“I don’t know what else in my life has made me cry like this – so much profound sadness over a love that was so damn pure,” he said, expressing a sentiment familiar to pet owners. “Now, it bothers my mom when I say nobody ever loved me the way Otis did, because she’s my mom. I understand, but I just say ‘Did I ever do anything that made you mad? Uh huh, exactly! Otis was never mad at me.'”

It struck a chord with many viewers and sports fans. That included a number of SVP’s sports media colleagues who took to Twitter to share condolences and their own emotions.

During the tribute, Scott Van Pelt explained that Otis was his first dog. He said there was no way he could have been truly prepared for the devestation he feels.

“I’ve read countless moving tributes through the years about what your bonds meant and what made your dogs unique. I always felt badly for you, but I had no idea honestly, and I wish I didn’t know now.”

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