Jemele Hill continues to double, triple and quadruple down on her tweets from September calling President Trump a “white supremacist,” a “bigot” and “unfit to be president.”
Last month, Hill joined former NFL running back Arian Foster’s podcast called Now What? and told Foster “I said what I said and I don’t take it back,” Hill said on the podcast. “Like I ain’t getting a retraction. No, I never have and I never will.”
This week, Hill went on Richard Deitsch’s podcast where she was asked about her tweets from September and using Twitter as a medium for her opinions in general. Deitsch phrased the question differently than others, not asking if she regrets sharing her opinions, but does she regret the “specific language” she used?
Via Awful Announcing, the following quotes were pulled from Hill’s interview with Richard Deitsch on his SI podcast.
“I have more regrets about the medium. Most of us find out every day in some form or fashion that Twitter is not necessarily a place for nuance. Twitter’s not even really a place where if you want to have some extensive conversation, especially about race, Twitter’s not set up for that. It’s built on quick thoughts, okay, and that’s not something to have quick thoughts about. So I don’t really have any regrets about the language that I used, because I do think that there is some evidence to at least where we can question some of the things that he’s said and done, and for that matter, examine why there are clearly large groups of people, women, people of color, who feel they’re very vulnerable at this time and under attack. I don’t regret what I said or even the language that I used.”
“It’s just the where. The where is problematic because, of course, there are these problems that are going to be created because of who I represent and who I work for. And that’s just not a conversation that people are accustomed to someone in my position having, especially not in an open forum. And I’ve often wondered, if I were on a panel discussion at Harvard and said the same thing, would it have resonated the same way? Because I do think now that Twitter’s become what it’s become, it’s an easy place to search tweets and create headlines and create sort of this think piece-like environment for other media entities.”
“And I think timing is everything, and I regret the timing too, because there is, and I’ve mentioned this before and talked to you about this before, the timing of especially where and how ESPN is being viewed by a lot of people, those are things that in a forum like that, it’s just not going to go over well. So, as I’ve said before, I don’t take anything back from what I said, I’ve been very consistent in that message, but I do think the environment lends itself to it drawing more attention than it was probably worth.”
ESPN doesn’t seem to take issue with Hill discussing her opinions on different podcasts, so had she never tweeted her thoughts on the president, would it have become such a mainstream hot topic? If she joined a podcast in September and said she felt President Trump was a white supremacist, it’s hard to imagine the opinion would have gone ignored.
The focus for ESPN regarding its talent sharing their political opinions has been about Twitter. Opinionated tweets spread faster than an opinionated thought shared on a podcast. Shortly before John Skipper resigned from ESPN, he held a meeting in December with ESPN employees to discuss the networks social media policy.
ESPN employees are expected to act “civil, responsible and without overt political or other biases that would threaten our or your credibility with the public.” The network also reserves “the right to take action for violations of these principles.”
The interesting question is what happens when Hill shares a political opinion in the future, whether it be on Twitter or another social media platform. ESPN hasn’t told her to stop discussing her previous tweets, but would they take issue with future tweets offering new beliefs?
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.
After being named in an NFL Network sexual harassment investigation and being suspended by ESPN while the matter was further researched, John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal reports that the worldwide leader in sports has chosen to part ways with Donovan McNabb and Eric Davis. In a lawsuit brought forward by former NFL Network stylist Jami Cantor, McNabb is accused of sending inappropriate text messages and Davis is accused of rubbing his body against the woman and making uncomfortable comments.
As a result of the lawsuit, former NFL players turned analysts Marshall Faulk, Ike Taylor and Heath Evans remain suspended by the NFL Network pending an investigation.
Since joining ESPN, McNabb had appeared on shows like “First Take”. He also co-hosted an ESPN Radio show during the NFL season. Davis was a member of the ESPN L.A. afternoon show working alongside Marcellus Wiley. The station recently added Sean Farnham to the mix. No word yet on if 710 will continue with Farnham and Wiley or add a third member.
In the sports radio industry, the fall book carries great significance. It’s that time of year when the NFL and College Football are in full swing, the MLB Playoffs and World Series take place, the NBA, NHL and College Basketball seasons begin, and the interest in sports radio listening peaks for most major markets. To assure the year ends on a high note, many brand managers install a no vacation policy for their top personalities between September-early December in order to try and capitalize on listening opportunities.
It’s during this period that advertisers determine which brands they’ll buy and how much they’ll spend in the following year. Each station makes their case for why they should receive a larger chunk of the advertising pie, gathering and sharing as much positive evidence as they can with clients to increase their confidence in purchasing time on their radio station’s airwaves.
Although some markets and stations perform higher than others, if you look across the nation, most brands are outperforming their prior results. That’s a great sign of growth for the sports format. There are also a few cities where multiple sports stations are thriving and building a case for ad dollars to be increased – Boston, Chicago and Dallas immediately come to mind.
It’s common for observers to compare the production of a market’s local sports talkers and determine a winner and loser but there are tons of stations not airing sports programming who are also reeling in listeners from the M25-54 demo. That leaves the total shares and ad dollars for sports brands lower which is a much bigger challenge for the format. Fortunately sports radio has been growing and making an impact which further confirms why advertisers should be investing in it.
On that note, here’s what we learned from 15 markets in the 2017 Fall book!
Boston:
It’s beginning to sound like a broken record because it happens quarter after quarter, but there is no hotter sports radio market right now than Boston. WEEI and 98.5 The Sports Hub are engaged in a battle where the next quarter hour of listening could determine who wins the week. The talent levels on both stations are strong, the market’s teams are winning and creating nonstop storylines for audiences to sink their teeth into and the local competition remains a fascinating follow to those on the outside looking in. For the fall, WEEI earned huge wins in mornings and middays, while The Hub retained its advantage in afternoons, evenings and full week. Singling out some of those matchups, Kirk & Callahan turned in a 13 share to beat Toucher & Rich by eight tenths of a point. The duo have won the ratings in 10 of the past 12 months and have won three straight quarters against The Hub. Also earning a victory in the fall was the trio of Glenn Ordway, Lou Merloni and Christian Fauria who finished ahead of The Hub’s Scott Zolak and Marc Bertrand with a low 10 share to high 9 share. The Hub reversed the trend in afternoons with Felger & Massarotti delivering a 1st place finish thanks to a mid 14 share. WEEI’s Dale & Holley with Keefe was 2nd with a low 10 share. The Hub won the full week M-SU 6a-Mid with a low 11 share. WEEI was 2nd with a low 9 share. There’s some confusion in the market due to The Hub using a different streaming strategy which helps elevate some of their show numbers. WEEI also stands to benefit from additional listening courtesy of a Providence affiliate which delivers a number in the market, but regardless of the way you slice it up, both of these stations are kicking ass and a must buy for any local advertiser looking to reach a 25-54 male in the Boston area.
Chicago:
The 4th quarter in the windy city belonged to 670 The Score who were 2nd for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) with a low 5 share, missing 1st place by a tenth of a point. The station was also 2nd in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a mid 5 share, once again losing out on 1st place by one tenth of a point. ESPN 1000 finished 5th in prime with a 5 share and 6th for the full week with a low 4 share. In the weekday dayparts, Mully & Hanley were 2nd in mornings with a mid 7 share, just missing 1st by one tenth of a point. ESPN 1000 , which features ESPN Radio‘s morning show (Mike & Mike/Wingo & Golic) was 7th in mornings with a low 4 share. In middays, Spiegel & Parkins earned a ratings win over Kap & Company and Carmen & Jurko. The Score’s midday team, which airs 9a-1p CT, was tied for 5th with a high 4 share. ESPN 1000 during those hours was 7th with a 4 share. One thing to be aware of, 1000 runs their shows during different hours so when you highlight them in their own timeslots of 9a-12p (Kaplan) and 12p-2p (C&J) they were 7th and 5th compared to The Score which was 5th and 3rd. Turning to afternoons, ESPN 1000 continued to receive a strong showing from Waddle & Silvy who finished 1st in the market with just under a 7 share between the hours of 2p-6p. The Score during those hours was tied for 3rd with a 5 share. Since though The Score’s afternoon show of Bernstein & Goff airs from 1p-6p I examined that window too. B&G remained in 3rd with a 5, where as 1000 lost a few tenth of their share but remained in 1st. Those hours for 1000 consist of 1-hour of C&J and 3 hours of W&S. Overall, a few more wins for The Score but a great story to share on both sides especially in a market as big and competitive as Chicago.
Cleveland:
One news item learned Friday evening, 92.3 The Fan finished the fall book in 1st place in afternoon drive with Men 25-54. The station’s afternoon team of Adam The Bull and Dustin Fox became the first sports show in the market to hit #1 since Mike Trivisonno of WTAM did it back when he hosted a sports program.
Columbus:
It was another big quarter for 97.1 The Fan, the market’s leading sports station. The Fan finished 1st with Men 25-54 and 3rd with Adults 25-54. This is a market where Mike and Mike were extremely successful. The ESPN Radio morning show which has seen been replaced by Wingo and Golic closed out the year with a 1st place finishing in morning drive, 3rd with Adults. Also performing strongly for the quarter were Tim and Beanie who turned in a 3rd place finish in middays. The Fan did experience a slight decline in NFL play by play listening but given the rest of the station’s performance I’m sure program director Jay Taylor and his weekday crew will live with the results. What will be interesting to monitor in 2018 is if Trey and Golic can sustain Mike and Mike’s numbers and if 107.5 The Zone can make any type of dent on The Fan’s dominant run.
Dallas:
As has been the case for the past couple of years, both Sports Radio 1310/96.7 The Ticket and 105.3 The Fan continued to excel. The Ticket wrapped up an impressive 2017 by winning the head to head matchup and remaining 1st with Men 25-54. Leading the way for The Ticket in their respective dayparts were The Musers, The Hardline, Norm & Donovan and Bad Radio. However, The Fan had much to celebrate too as Shan & RJ recorded their best showing to date, finishing 4th in morning drive. Ben & Skin produced the same finish for the station in afternoons. GBag Nation which airs 10a-3p was 7th in middays. Overall the station placed inside the Top 5 and has seen strong growth with Men 18-34, beating The Ticket for the past 5 months. Entering 2018 it’ll be interesting to see if The Fan can make up ground on The Ticket, one of the nation’s best rated sports radio brands.
Denver:
It was a big 4th quarter for the market’s leading sports brand 104.3 The Fan. The station closed out the year by finishing 1st overall in weekday prime (6a-7p) with Men 25-54 with just above an 8 and a half share. Paving the way for The Fan were the morning team of Mike Evans & Mark Schlereth who produced high 9 shares which was good enough for 1st. The afternoon team of Alfred Williams & Darren “DMac” McKee also came in 1st in PM drive with a high 8 share. Both drive time shows had a full point to two point advantage over 2nd place. The market’s other local sports stations Altitude Sports 950, Orange and Blue 760 and Mile High Sports were far behind in the ratings picture.
Memphis:
A job well done by the crew at 92.9 FM ESPN. The radio station closed out December by finishing 1st in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with Men 25-54 delivering slightly above a 10 share. Details for the full quarter were not available. Nonetheless, congrats to Dan Barron, Brad Carson and the Entercom Memphis team.
Minneapolis:
KFAN continued it’s dominant run, finishing #1 with Men 25-54, #1 with Adults 25-54 and 2nd with the P6 demo. The station’s M-F 6a-7p with M25-54 was just under a 14 and a half and M-SU 6a-Mid was also above a 14 share which is insane. As a result, KFAN‘s local weekday shows led the way. Congrats to program director Chad Aboott and his weekday shows ThePower Trip, Paul Allen, The Common Man and Dan Barreiro on a remarkable quarter.
New York:
The headline most will latch onto is ‘Numbah One’ finishing ‘Numbah Two’ but the bigger story was WFAN overcoming a number of challenges to remain atop the local ratings. Despite cutting ties with Craig Carton after a high profile arrest, going thru transition in morning drive to find a new partner for Boomer Esiason, and preparing for longtime afternoon ratings winner Mike Francesa to exit the radio station, The Fan saw the quarter end with a 1st place finish in mornings, a 5th place showing in middays, and a 2nd place result in afternoons. Francesa’s show didn’t operate under normal M-F 3p-7p afternoon hours so when you look at that particular 3-7 window and his 1p-6:30p program, both times saw 2nd place finishes with the share fluctuating between a mid 6 and low 7 share for the two windows. Meanwhile, 98.7 ESPN New York received great news too. The Michael Kay Show delivered its best performance to date, tying for 3rd in afternoons with a 5 share. To only trail The Fan by a point and a half in the heart of drive time during a time when all were caught up in Francesa-Fever is impressive and should give the show momentum entering 2018. The one challenge 98.7 ESPN NY has is to find a way to elevate the performance of mornings and middays which were both in 12th with low 3 shares. One person that specifically deserves recognition during this quarter is Jerry Recco. The WFAN morning update anchor was pressed into emergency duty working alongside Esiason during a time when many expected The Fan to stumble as they searched for a permanent replacement for Carton. When the final report card shows a 1st place finish in the nation’s largest market despite all of the uncertainty around the radio station and morning show, that’s a testament to Recco doing an exceptional job and for that he deserves a tip of the cap.
Philadelphia:
The fall book ended with Sports Radio 94 WIP cruising to a 2nd place finish with Men 25-54 with just above a 8 and a half share. Local competitor 97.5 The Fanatic finished 7th. Leading the way for WIP was Angelo Cataldi who produced a 10 share to come in 2nd. The Fanatic’s Anthony Gargano came in 7th. Another positive sign for WIP came in middays where Joe DeCamara & Jon Ritchie remained strong in 3rd place with just under a 7 and a half share. The Fanatic’s Harry Mayes & Jason Myrtetus turned in a 6th place performance in their first book together. The one area where 97.5 The Fanatic remains in front of WIP is in afternoons where Mike Missanelli was 2nd to WIP‘s combination of Jon Marks–Chris Carlin–Ike Reese who were 3rd. The big question entering 2018 in afternoons will be whether Marks & Reese can build on what Carlin & Reese started and surge past Missanelli. One other item worth sharing, WIP finished the fall book in 2nd place with the 6+ demo with just above a 7 share. Angelo Cataldi was #1 with 6+ in morning drive for the quarter.
Portland:
The fall produced some positive news for 1080 The Fan as the station remained the local sports ratings leader. The station was led by Isaac & Suke who delivered better than a 7 share. Dusty & Cam were above a 6 share in mornings. But there was also positive news for 102.9/750 The Game who saw the Dan Patrick Show produce a little better than a 5 share in mornings, which was less than a point behind The Fan. John Canzano‘s midday show also gained a half point year to year and more than doubled local competitor Rip City Radio although it lost the head to head battle against The Fan’s Dirt and Sprague. One positive for Rip City Radio 620 were evenings where the Portland Trail Blazers helped the station finish ahead of all other local sports stations.
San Francisco:
KNBR wrapped up a successful 2017 with another strong quarter. The Bay Area’s sports leader finished 2nd with Men 25-54 in both the M-F 6a-7p and M-SU 6a-Mid categories. The station’s highest finishes were recorded in middays where Gary & Larry and Fitz & Brooks both came in 1st. Tom Tolbert & John Lund ended the fall in 2nd in afternoon drive and Murph & Mac turned in a 3rd place finish in mornings. 2018 should be even more interesting with the Golden State Warriors expected to make a run towards another NBA championship and flagship station 95.7 The Game adding a new PD in Matt Nahigian. How that will shape the local rivalry going forward remains to be seen, but for now, KNBR remains comfortably in front.
Seattle:
December was a down month compared to October and November but that didn’t stop 710 ESPN from leading the market once again. The station received Top 10 performances with Men 25-54 from all four of its weekday shows. The afternoon show, Danny, Dave and Moore, was ranked between 7th and 9th October-December. Overall the station was in the Top 10 M-F 6a-7p and M-Su 6a-Mid ahead of local competitor Sports Radio KJR.
St. Louis:
101 ESPN closed out the year the same way they started it, crushing the competition. Leading the way was The Fast Lane which was just under a 12 share and finished 1st overall with Men 25-54. The show was also 2nd with Adults 25-54 and wrapped up 2017 finishing 1st overall in 9 out of 12 books, the other 3 months they were either 2nd or 3rd. Middays and mornings were also huge wins for the station as The Turn with Anthony Stalter & Chris Duncan and Kevin Wheeler came in 2nd and Bernie Miklasz placed 4th. The market’s second sports station KFNS hovered around a 1 share with Men 25-54.
Tampa:
After dropping Mike and Mike in August to go local in morning drive with Ronnie & TKras, sports leader WDAE gained ground in the timeslot with Men 25-54. The new morning show moved into 9th which was up from 15th in the summer when the station featured national programming. They also experienced growth with the 18-34 demo. In middays, the Dan Patrick Show remained steady too. DP delivered a Top 10 finish with Men 25-54 which was a pleasant surprise given that national shows don’t usually rate high. The challenge for WDAE entering 2018 is to maintain the early day consistency and improve the ratings production in the remaining timeslots.
Washington DC:
Politics remained a dominant player in the nation’s capital but sports wasn’t far behind. 106.7 The Fan produced an impressive book, closing out 2017 with a 3rd place finish with Men 25-54 in both M-F 6a-7p and M-SU 6a-Mid. The station was led by the Sports Junkies who were 3rd with just under an 8 share. Grant and Danny were also ranked 3rd in middays, delivering just above a 7 share, and Chad Dukes came in 4th in afternoons with just under a 6 and a half share. Local competitor ESPN 980 also received good news, finishing 6th M-F 6a-7p and 9th M-SU 6a-Mid. The station was 6th in mornings (6a-10a) with just over a 4 and a half share, 5h in middays (10a-2p) with just over a 5 share, and 6th in afternoons with a mid 4 share. One thing to point out, 980’s weekday schedule is different than The Fan’s so some of those hours include a spilling over of shows. 980’s lineup includes Al Galdi 5a-7a, Cooley & Kevin 7a-11a, Bram Weinstein 11a-1p, Inside The Locker Room 1p-4p and Steve Czaban 4p-7p.
Over the course of the last 12 months, ESPN laid off hundreds of employees including reporters and anchors, but yesterday reporter Marty Smith confirmed he will be staying with the network. Smith signed a new multi-year contract with ESPN according to The Roanoke Times.
Smith will continue providing content for ESPN in a variety of roles such as his monthly program Marty Smith’s America, reporting for SportsCenter and College GameDay, as well as his weekend radio show Marty and McGee.
“My greatest passion is storytelling. There’s nowhere, as far as I’m concerned, in media, but certainly in sports, that compares to ESPN,” Smith told Mark Berman of The Roanoke Times during a phone interview. “I’m very blessed that the executive staff believed in me and offered me a new deal. It took about eight seconds to sign it.”
Smith has worked for ESPN since 2006, his latest contract was signed in the fall of 2014 and expired at the end of 2017. Terms of the new contract were not announced, only that it’s a multi-year deal.
Smith was originally hired for Nascar coverage, but his unique approach to reporting has earned him added visibility with the network. Smith has covered a variety of sports including college football, as well as profiled a number of sports personalities such as Michael Jordan, Nick Saban and Rory McIlroy.
Smith’s creativity to his reporting fits well with ESPN’s modern approach to sports coverage which promotes unique personalities while offering less game recaps and highlights.
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.
The Golf Channel announced three talent additions with swing coach Sean Foley, as well as journalists Jaime Diaz and Tim Rosaforte exclusively joining the network.
Foley will serve as host of the networks primetime show, Playing Lessons and provide analysis for Golf Central.
“Sean is a dynamic personality who has a keen intellect and curiosity about the science behind the golf swing. But what makes Sean so unique is his ability to translate his swing philosophy from golf’s elite to amateur golfers looking to improve their games and simply become more consistent,” said Molly Solomon, executive vice president, content, Golf Channel.
Foley is currently the swing coach for eight-time PGA TOUR winner and 2013 U.S. Open Champion Justin Rose. His modern take on golf instruction utilizing biomechanics has also provided tutelage for Tiger Woods, Hunter Mahan, Lee Westwood and other elite golfers over the years.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to partner with Golf Channel in re-launching PlayingLessons, as well as sharing my observations and analysis throughout the year during the most exciting moments in golf,” said Foley.
The Golf Channel also announced the addition of renowned journalist Jaime Diaz along with the increased role of their own insider Tim Rosaforte.
“Jaime is one of the most-accomplished writers in our industry. Between his decades of experience coupled with Tim now contributing his editorial coverage in addition to his on-air efforts, we’ve strengthened our ability to deliver the most quality coverage to golf fans who share our deep passion for the sport,” said Geoff Russell, senior vice president and executive editor of Golf Channel.
Diaz will provide coverage for the Golf Channel making regular appearances on Morning Drive and Golf Central, as well as journalistic contributions for the network’s digital platforms. Tim Rosaforte already worked for the Golf Channel as an insider, the recent announcement states Rosaforte will now report exclusively for the channel while also writing a weekly column and long-form feature articles.
“I’ve worked with Jaime at Sports Illustrated and Golf World / Golf Digest since the mid-90s, so it’s good to keep the band together on all Golf Channel platforms,” said Rosaforte. “I consider him the best golf writer of my time and look forward to teaming up once again in this new era of golf journalism.”
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.
As the great Eddie Murphy said in Trading Places: “Merry New Year!”
As much as I can’t stand the holiday season when it comes to being in advertising sales, I love the beginning of a new year – a clean slate – and nobody can say, “my budget is spent for the year.”
As Demetri Ravanos noted in his column (https://barrettmedia.com/2018/01/new-years-resolutions/), it is a great time to take stock of your professional life, and that goes for everyone, but I think it is especially true on the sales side of sports media.
As the year winds down, we have the dreaded three-week period where nobody in the world wants to speak to us and then that second week of January hits and, all of a sudden, everyone needs everything immediately. So, hopefully, you have used this time to recharge the ol’ batteries, reflect on your year and plan for the year ahead.
I am big on making lists. At any given time, you can usually find several dozen, folded-in-half, pieces of paper with my lists on them, not to mention the hundreds of “To Do” emails I send to myself. As a very young General Manager, I was taught the job could be a struggle if you get buried in the minutiae, and I should constantly be making lists and prioritizing them so that my main focus is always on the most important items (IE the ones that drive revenue!). As my boss at the time put it: “Mark them A, B and C. The A’s should involve revenue, the B’s should be the most important other stuff and find a way to delegate the C’s or they’ll kill ya’.”
So, I have always been big on lists and here are some items that showed up on my first of the year list:
Be a better listener. I am a talker through and through so this is very difficult for me and something I constantly strive to be better at. The more we listen to our prospects and clients, the more we’ll be able to come up with the right solution for them. As a manager, the more we listen to our team, the more we can help them identify where they can improve so we can coach them and help them achieve their goals.
Be more creative. People like ideas and creativity. People like something new and flashy. People like custom made rather than the same cookie cutter approach. How many of your stations are planning to do the same exact events and promotions you did last year? Can one or two be refreshed, redone or reinvented? It’s a great time for us all to look ahead and see where we can improve events and promotions both for our listeners and for our sponsors. If we wait, we risk running out of time and allowing things to get stale.
Ask for more. Ask for more than we should. Ask for more opportunities. Ask for more from programming. Ask for more referrals. Ask for more weeks. Ask for more help. Ask for more from our teams. Ask for more from ourselves. And yes, ask for more money.
Be a bigger cheerleader for our industry. If we aren’t going to promote ourselves, who is going to do it? As a whole, we are very guilty of letting perceptions of a few become reality for too many. Know the radio story, tell the radio story. It is also very important to remember radio’s role in the community (you know, why it started in the first place), and use our giant megaphones to be great citizens and charitable partners (future column coming on how much I love to tie in cause related marketing!).
Learn more. Anyone in our industry who has stopped trying to learn should really think about a new career. Why even do something if you aren’t going to continuously get better at it? I had a colleague once who always posted items in his cubicle that he wanted to have: a new car, a boat, a motorcycle, or a vacation destination. These pictures would motivate him to want to be better, so he could earn enough to get what he wanted. Trying to learn and get better needs to be a regular part of all our routines.
Hopefully, you have your list together and are focused on the year ahead with a strong plan for your professional growth. By just being a bit better than we were in 2017, we can all assure ourselves of having a very merry new year.
With each passing year, it’s customary for many to introduce new goals and promise holding themselves accountable to them over the next twelve months. I’ve personally never been a big New Year’s resolution guy because I’ve always thought that it was silly to declare yourself ready to chase a higher standard on January 1st when you could’ve already been doing it. However, I am a proponent of reflecting on where you’ve been the prior twelve months, sharing what you learned and explaining how the experiences of the past will guide your brand and yourself to better times in the future.
Some of you may feel it’s a waste of time to recap your brand’s prior year of wins and losses because the members inside your operation should all be aware of what took place. I used to make that mistake myself. But, as you gain more understanding in this business you discover that not everyone inside your organization recalls every detail as vividly as the brand leader. That doesn’t mean they care less than you do about the brand. It just means your attention to detail is stronger (which is supposed to be the case when you oversee a brand) and if you can re-energize your team and arm them with evidence to have greater success in 2018 then that certainly isn’t time poorly spent.
As I reflect back on my own share of experiences during the past year, I’ve been reminded of a great number of professional victories. I also endured a personal scare which I’ll cover first since the majority of this piece will focus on professional matters.
Prior to 2017, I never needed to rush to a hospital for a shortage of breath. But that changed on Saturday May 13, 2017. I only remember the date because despite a scare that day, I was at MetLife Stadium the next day rocking out to Metallica. In hindsight that probably wasn’t the best decision but if I was going to spend a few days on the sidelines, then I was going to enjoy myself and finally catch the band live after never having seen them perform before.
On that morning, I woke up with severe tightening in my chest. I called my father and told him what was happening and he told me to get over to a hospital immediately. I got in the car with my son and drove to the Emergency Room, grasping for air as I drove. I then spent close to ten hours inside the hospital with tubes in my arms and fluids being pumped into my body. As I laid on the hospital bed I wondered to myself “How the heck is this happening when I’m not even 50?” Then when the doctors returned and told me I may need my Gallbladder removed in the future, that added another layer of concern.
Being a dad to a fifteen year old and an independent business owner who had never gone thru a health scare before, I began thinking “What if something happened to me, how would it impact him? How would I operate my business if I couldn’t get around?” Fortunately everything turned out OK, but when that unexpected moment happens and you’re twisting in the wind waiting for feedback from doctors it leaves your mind to wander. I hadn’t been doing anything different in my day to day life to trigger the issue but what that taught me is that you never know when the unexpected can pop up and quickly alter your plans. If 2018 passes without any of those type of situations rearing their ugly heads again then the year will be seen as a personal success.
Although there were other obstacles to overcome personally in 2017, the year served as a confirmation that I was on the right track professionally. When I launched BSM in September 2015 I had no idea if this was the right path but I was determined to try. I felt I could be an independent asset to many in the format given my knowledge, relationships and passion for the industry, but the radio business isn’t one that moves quickly and sometimes talks out of both sides of its mouth. On one hand it preaches the importance of investing in support, knowledge, ideas, mentoring and promotion yet as soon as an investment is required to gain those assets it becomes a tougher sell since most managers are under corporate pressure to keep expenses down.
My mindset entering the year was to not only retain and strengthen the relationships I had established, but to expand my professional partnerships and relationships, especially with new groups and people who I had previously not worked with. I also wanted to create more web content and elevate the reputation of the BSM brand. That was a big reason for the creation of the BSM Podcast and the decision to add five industry columnists and a news contributor. You guys reading this are ultimately the judge of whether or not we’ve hit the mark but partnerships doubled this year and the web traffic, social media engagement, podcast downloads, emails, texts, calls and direct messages give me reason to believe that we’re on the right track in 2018.
What I’m most proud of is that the clients which I’ve been working with for an extended period of time, are all enjoying consistent success. Two are consistently rated in the top 2 in their markets and another just cracked the Top 10 after being ranked 13th-17th the prior year. Three others who I added late in 2017 are primed for bigger things in 2018 especially as we’ve now gotten a better understanding of talent, roles, systems, trends and opportunities.
If my clients don’t succeed I don’t eat. I’ve never lost sight of the fact that I’m the additional line item on someone’s budget. It’s my job to make sure the programmers I collaborate and work with feel they’re gaining from the experience and the market managers and corporate people I come in contact with know they have someone in their corner who champions their cause and can be trusted. I’ve enjoyed playing a small role in the development of some talented programmers and personalities and hope to work with many more in 2018.
One thing that began to change this year was the reduction in speculation about my return to programming from industry folks. Throughout 2016 I’d often hear, “Where do you think you’ll program next?” “How long are you going to do this side gig until going back into a building“? Each time I heard those remarks I smiled because they knew my resume, not my motivation. They had a built in perception of consultants, not an understanding of my approach, strategy or value. More than anything, they underestimated the power and influence of a website, social media, and podcast and why it was important for sports radio stories to be told by someone who understood the inside of the business, could sell its benefits to industry professionals and advertisers yet wasn’t a mouthpiece for one particular company. Many assumed the lure of a title and paycheck would draw me back into a building, not knowing that I had received multiple inquires to program stations and politely declined.
The year wouldn’t have been complete if it didn’t involve a ton of travel. That part of consulting is both exciting and exhausting. 2017 took me to San Antonio, Los Angeles, Houston, Seattle, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Charlotte, St. Louis and Las Vegas. I attended three conferences, spoke to aspiring sports broadcasters in college and broadcast schools and was either asked to contribute or had my work featured in respected publications such as Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, Radio Ink, Inside Radio, All Access, Talkers, Jacobs Media, The Ringer, The Big Lead, Awful Announcing, the Washington Post, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Houston Chronicle, the Tennessean and NJ.com. I also appeared on sports radio programs and industry podcasts all across the country, voted on a number of awards and hope to be even more involved in 2018.
One part of the role which I don’t enjoy but is necessary when writing opinionated columns is knowing that your words are going to generate mixed reactions. I try to practice what I preach and express my views on the issues at hand and without malice towards any particular individual but not everyone sees it that way. When stories pop up and involve people that I know, like or respect, the subject becomes even harder to discuss but I think it’s important to remain objective. I take that same approach when producing the annual Top 20 in sports radio, even though it can create additional headaches with clients, and those not working with me will feel I favor those I work with anyway.
The one thing I try to avoid when producing content is creating material simply because it’ll produce the most traffic. That’s a different approach then the one I took when running stations and chasing ratings. If I was going to use that approach running this website I’d just produce lists and columns on controversial issues. 2017’s Top 20 in sports radio represented six of the top 10 stories on the BSM website this year. The same was true in 2016. The other four stories that produced a large amount of attention this year were Mitch Levy’s arrest in Seattle, my columns on Mike and Mike splitting up and Jemele Hill’s remarks creating problems for ESPN and the in-depth conversation I conducted with Mike Francesa.
I saw the same thing with this year’s podcast episodes. The top three episodes were Jim Rome, Doug Gottlieb and Colin Cowherd. Given their national exposure and large social media followings, that didn’t surprise me. Fortunately each of those discussions were very good and gave those who listened something to take away from them.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled that people enjoy the lists and each of those episodes because I put a lot of time and effort into them and am proud of how they turned out. But not everything I do is for the sake of traffic. Maybe that should be the only goal that matters but I believe that informing, analyzing and discovering are also necessary, even if the activity for those pieces is smaller.
Although I wish I had a crystal ball and could see what’s in store for the sports radio space during the next twelve months, I learned long ago that this format is rapidly changing and you’ve got to prepare and adjust frequently. Just look at how conversations about sports audio content have been amplified thru print, television and social media in recent years. It shows there’s a huge appetite for what’s being produced, talk show hosts are now among the most influential in the industry and the focus for each brand and staff needs to be on finding ways to create compelling content which is easy to access, visually enticing and unique in presentation. If you take care of those things consistently you’ll find yourself in a position to succeed.
Personally I’m looking forward to producing the 2017 BSM Top 20 in sports radio. This year’s lists will be released January 29-February 5. I’m also hashing out ideas for the 3rd season of the BSM Podcast and plan to launch the first episode in mid-February. In March I’ll be holding the first BSM Programming Summit for programmers, executives and select market managers. If all goes well, I may consider doing a public event down the line. I’m also hoping to increase my Twitter following this year from 5800+ to 8000+. Any help on that front is greatly appreciated.
Another focus of mine right now is reviewing the feedback I’ve received to determine which areas of the website should be expanded and which material is less important. I think Brian, Demetri, Dave, Tyler, Kevin and Brandon have done a nice job on the website and am looking forward to adding some additional support in the future. I also have a few new ideas that I plan to develop and introduce this year to help future broadcasters and hiring managers. If that’s not enough, I’m already booked for a few speaking engagements and market visits and look forward to adding more to make 2018 as productive as possible.
If there’s one professional wish I have for 2018 it’s for industry folks to support one another more. There are times where I literally have to hunt down my fellow peers and friends to share a quote, job listing, piece of information or hit the Re-Tweet button and it shouldn’t be that hard. Most of the time it’s something that benefits the individual, their brand or their audience. We too often in this format get tunnel vision and get so consumed by our work that we forget how important it is to let people near and far know what we’re up to. I’m happy to help advance the sports radio conversation if you’re willing to share your feedback and help promote the stories that inform folks of your success.
To bring this column to a close, 2017 wasn’t perfect by any stretch, but it offered some valuable lessons which I plan to carry over to 2018. I’m optimistic about the future of our business and hopeful of working with many more people and brands over the next twelve months. To those who have frequently visited the website, listened to the podcasts and supported my work, I appreciate your loyalty. Here’s to another year of health, happiness, growth, and success!
According to NBC, Sunday Night Football just completed its most dominant season ever in terms of ratings and viewership.
Sunday Night Football averaged 18.2 million viewers this season and a 10.3 rating. It was the worst rating for NBC’s SNF since 2008, adding to the testament that the NFL’s popularity bubble may have already popped. Sunday Night Football’s viewership declined, but their separation over the primetime program with the second highest audience increased. While it’s true the NFL experienced a significant decline in TV ratings during the regular season for the second consecutive year, it’s also true that linear television viewership as a whole has declined.
The primetime program with the second highest viewership for the fall of 2017 was CBS Thursday Night Football with 14.1 million viewers, followed by the Big Bang Theory which averaged 14.037 million viewers, trailing Sunday Night Football by 30%. The NFL has many issues leading to their ratings decline, but Sunday Night Football being the highest rated program with a 30% lead over the top non-sports primetime show, means cord cutting is one if the league’s biggest hurdles.
With 6.9 million digital viewers for the season, Sunday Night Football streaming was up 12% from 2016. 689 million minutes of SNF have been consumed via digital streaming this season, which is already a record for NBC Sports Digital. NBC had no week 17 game and the 689 million minutes for 2017 is still more than previous years, some of which included 17 regular season games, two playoff games and a Super Bowl for the network.
NBC recently reached an agreement with the NFL, allowing consumers to stream Sunday Night Football to their mobile device. The ability for viewers to watch Sunday Night Football on their phones should help NBC Sports Digital set a new record next season.
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.
98.5 The Sports Hub took a big step forward in assuring that it remains in strong position under new owners, Beasley Media. The radio station has announced a new multi-year extension with afternoon show co-host Mike Felger. Felger has been with The Hub since its inception in 2009, producing big ratings alongside partner Tony Massarotti.
“We are thrilled to have Mike continue entertaining Boston’s loyal and dedicated sports fans,” said EVP/COO Brian Beasley.
“I couldn’t be happier to continue what we started here almost nine years ago and keep it going with Beasley Media Group,’’ said Felger. “I’m privileged to be surrounded by some of the best people in the business, starting with Tony and including Jim Murray and producers Jimmy Stewart and Billy Lanni. I’d also like to thank PD Mike Thomas, APD Rick Radzik, VP/Market Mgr. Mary Menna and the Beasley family for their support. We’re all looking forward to this new chapter under their leadership.’’
“Mike Felger is a Boston institution,” said VP/Market Mgr. Mary Menna. “He is a lightning rod who will be lighting up Boston radio for years to come!”
Morning host Dan Sileo has announced via Facebook that he’s leaving The Mighty 1090 in San Diego. Sileo had been with the radio station since February 2014 after spending the majority of his career in Florida working in Tampa for WDAE, in Miami for WQAM and in Orlando for 740 The Team and NewsRadio 540 WFLA. Sileo also spent a few years earlier in his career in San Francisco with KNBR 680 and 1050 and FOX Sports Radio.
In a video posted on Sileo’s page he thanked the Mighty 1090 for providing his career a boost a few years ago after going thru a difficult period in Miami at WQAM. He said a new opportunity had been presented which he couldn’t turn down and out of respect for his new employer he’s unable to share his future plans. He did though say that an upcoming announcement would be made soon and that the new job would be in San Diego. Sileo also added that he signed a 3-year deal with the new station and the plan is for the new brand to be built around his show.
Now that Sileo has confirmed his departure, it leaves 1090 in a situation where they have to determine their best course of action moving forward in mornings. Local competitor XTRA 1360 could gain additional listeners in the short-term with 1090 having a hole in mornings but with a pending competitor working on a plan to compete for San Diego sports radio listeners and advertisers, that gives 1360 something much bigger to worry about.
The only questions left to answer now are, which station will Sileo appear on and how soon will they begin broadcasting sports radio in San Diego?
