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Top 15 Podcast Advertisers Surpass $60 Million in May, Magellan AI Data Shows

Garrett Searight
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Top 15 Podcast Advertisers Surpass $60 Million in May, Magellan AI Data Shows

Magellan AI has released the list of top podcast advertisers for May. In total, the spending is down slightly.

What We Know: Between the top 15 podcast advertisers, they combined to spend just over $60 million in May, according to Magellan AI. That is virtually identical to the prior month, when the top 15 spent $60.8 million. Despite the slight downturn, nine of the top 15 advertisers increased their spending during the month. Of the top 15, nine used the sports genre as their top spending format.

What the Numbers Show:

Advertiser May 2026 Spend April 2026 Spend Change
Amazon $7.7 million $3.4 million ▲ $4.3 million (+126.7%)
Quince $6.1 million $6.1 million — $0.0 million (0.0%)
BetterHelp $5.1 million $5.3 million ▼ $0.2 million (-4.7%)
Toyota $4.7 million $3.4 million ▲ $1.3 million (+39.7%)
T-Mobile $4.6 million $3.9 million ▲ $0.7 million (+18.7%)
Shopify $4.6 million $5.1 million ▼ $0.5 million (-10.2%)
Public.com $4.4 million $4.3 million ▲ $0.1 million (+2.9%)
FanDuel $3.6 million $4.1 million ▼ $0.5 million (-11.6%)
Apple $3.1 million N/A N/A
SimpliSafe $3.1 million $3.0 million ▲ $0.1 million (+3.3%)
LinkedIn $3.0 million N/A N/A
Progressive $2.8 million $3.8 million ▼ $1.0 million (-25.4%)
DraftKings $2.5 million $3.6 million ▼ $1.1 million (-29.9%)
Comcast $2.5 million N/A N/A
hims & hers $2.2 million N/A N/A

What Remains Unclear: Why the downturn in podcast advertising has continued. April was down March, according to Magellan AI. Now May, albeit slightly, is down from April.

What It Means: The report from Magellan AI shows how strong the comedy and sports formats are for podcast advertisers. Those two formats account for all but one of the top 15 positions from advertisers. It will also be interesting to follow Amazon’s spending in June, as its popular Prime Day happens during the month.

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.

Keith Urban Goes Yacht Rock: What Radio Programmers Can Learn From Him

Kevin Callahan
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Keith Urban Goes Yacht Rock: What Radio Programmers Can Learn From Him

Summer is officially here, and the heat is turning up. If we are being honest, the entire media industry is overdue to unclench. That’s probably what you think it is — more on that later.

Last week, Keith Urban handed us the ultimate captain’s hat. He dropped his 13th studio album, flow state, and it is a full-throttle, sun-soaked dive into pure, unadulterated Yacht Rock. Let’s set sail with slick, breezy covers of classics. Highlights include “Baby Come Back,” “Magnet and Steel” with Little Big Town, and “Guitar Man” featuring John Mayer. The set is rounded out by a new original track, “We Go Back,” featuring the absolute vocal skipper, Michael McDonald.

I was actually sitting in the pews at the Ryman during CRS earlier this year. That’s when Keith first played a few of these tracks live. When he looked at a room of suits and programmers, he announced he was making a Yacht Rock covers album. Half the room chuckled because they thought it was a bit.

He wasn’t kidding.

The Power of the “Unclench”

There is a specific science to why Yacht Rock works, and it boils down to one word: unclench.

Our industry is built on a high-anxiety grind. But Yacht Rock is the ultimate antidote to that stress. It is music explicitly engineered for smooth sailing, ease of presence, and total escapism. It tells your brain to stop redlining, drop the anchor, and just coast for a minute.

In my opinion, one of the greatest unclenching songs in the history of the genre is Seals & Crofts’ “Summer Breeze.” But Keith didn’t just copy and paste the track; he took it into uncharted territory. Kenny Jay recently produced a radio special with Keith around the launch of flow state. Together, they broke down exactly how cut number 9 flips the script. Right at the 2:57 mark, the track shifts completely — it’s as if “summer suddenly turns to autumn” (Great line, Kenny).

When Kenny asked him how that haunting, atmospheric ending came about, Keith’s response was a masterclass in pure, raw artistic intuition:

Keith Urban: “Had an idea late one night at the studio, I was with my engineer. There was nobody else at the studio. We were fading the song, but I felt like it could go into this other emotional place, sort of atmospheric. So, there was a Wurlitzer keyboard out in the studio and I went out and played these reoccurring chords, and did an acoustic guitar part, and then grabbed my electric, and we—I kind of just built this haunting outro, not for any reason other than it, it just kind of felt interesting.”

Kenny noted that it feels like the room suddenly gets cold, and Keith nailed the philosophy perfectly:

Keith Urban: “Yeah, there’s something mystical about the whole thing, and then it fades out on that, um, unresolved kind of emotion, which I really liked.”

Navigating Uncharted Waters

Think about that for a second. Keith Urban has four Grammy Awards, 13 CMAs, 15 ACMs, and over 11 billion streams. He has absolutely nothing left to prove to anyone. He could have easily spent his summer playing it safe. Rather, he could have delivered a comfortable, country record packed with radio hooks, then cruised down a predictable path.

Instead, he chose to sail right into uncharted waters. Late at night, with nobody else in the building, he sat at a Wurlitzer keyboard. He followed a gut feeling into an “unresolved emotion” simply because it felt interesting. No corporate mandate. Just creative instinct.

One of the most successful, decorated icons in the history of our format has the guts to try something unexpected. So, what is our excuse for keeping our local stations trapped in the exact same programming comfort zone?

Your Summer Playbook for Creative Risks

Too many stations treat the summer months like a maintenance cycle. We put the logs on cruise control, run the same legacy promotions, and play defense. This summer, take a page out of Keith’s playbook and challenge your team to try something that breaks the mold:

  • Let the Audience unclench too: Surprise your audience. Create a specialized, sun-soaked feature. Make it something that stops a listener in their driveway because you’ve created a mood and a moment.
  • Build an Experience, Not a Broadcast: Stop acting like a safe utility line. Give your talent the green light to do things that feel spontaneous, loose, and alive. Let them “unclench.”
  • Take a “Flow State” Risk: Maybe there’s a creative promotion, a wild street bit, or a piece of local content you’ve been sitting on. If it doesn’t perfectly align with traditional corporate guardrails, play it anyway. The summer belongs to the operators who are willing to navigate a little chaos.

Our platform is at its best when it refuses to be boring. Let the unclenchining begin. New word, I took a small chance and made it up. Nobody got hurt.

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

Approaching The Summit: Damion “Damizza” Young

David Hill
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Approaching The Summit: Damion “Damizza” Young

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

Damion “Damizza” Young built his reputation as one of the most influential hip-hop programmers in radio history, helping transform Power 106 and putting Eminem into rotation before anyone else would. Ahead of his appearance at the Barrett Media Audio Summit, Young shared his thoughts on collaboration, risk, and what the next generation needs to hear.

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

David Hill: Why is it important to attend industry events and keep learning?

Damizza: “The only way that greatness is achieved is through synergy and collaboration. The best music and the best ideas are built together when we share knowledge. Each of us has a piece of the puzzle, especially right now with the industry so fragmented. We all need to come together and mentor the next generation.”

Hill: What is the value of connecting with peers, friends, and even competitors at these events?

Damizza: “Steel sharpens steel. Competition just makes you better.”

David Hill: What is the biggest challenge facing your format right now?

Damizza: “Fresh ideas and taking risks. Everyone is in ‘job security’ mode right now. Not breaking enough records or trying new ideas.”

Hill: What is your favorite moment from past shows or conferences?

Damizza: “Watching Eminem headline our Powerhouse series at the peak of ‘The Real Slim Shady.’ I’ve never seen such a loud and perfectly timed event in music like that. I sat in the audience and just savored the moment.”

Hill: Which speaker, panel, or conversation are you most looking forward to this year?

Damizza: “Tough question. I’m most looking forward to networking like the old R&R or Hitmakers days. Refind the splendor of my early days. Where is Mike Easterland these days? You would find us in a healthy debate in the lobby bar back then.”

Hill: What is your view of the industry right now, both where it stands today and where it is headed?

Damizza: “The industry is stale. It needs a shake-up.”

Hill: What is one thing radio needs to do a better job of talking about honestly?

Damizza: “Taking an honest look at itself. Ask the uncomfortable questions, or become a relic.”

Hill: What would you tell someone younger in the business who is trying to figure out where they fit?

Damizza: “Surround yourself with people smarter than you and more successful than you at what you love, and just listen. Ask questions.”

Damion “Damizza” Young’s career stands as a testament to the power of betting on culture before the mainstream catches up, from breaking Eminem on Power 106 to producing records that still resonate decades later. As a rock and alternative programmer myself, I’ll be the first to say it: if you don’t know who Damizza is, you need to figure that out. As he prepares to take the stage at the Barrett Media Audio Summit, his message to the industry is clear: the next era of radio will belong to those willing to take risks, mentor the next generation, and have the courage to ask the uncomfortable questions.

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

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

Why Jaclyn DeAugustino Is An Emerging Star Hosting CBS Sports HQ Spotlight

John Molori
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Why Jaclyn DeAugustino Is An Emerging Star Hosting CBS Sports HQ Spotlight

It is ironic that Jaclyn DeAugustino is one of the hosts of CBS Sports HQ Spotlight because not enough of a spotlight has been shone on her talent. DeAugustino is one of the network’s rising stars. Excelling not only on HQ Spotlight but also as a sideline and general assignment reporter covering a variety of sports.

DeAugustino is no overnight success story. On the contrary, it has been a decade-plus climb to the national scene for the University of Florida graduate. She began her professional career as a sports reporter for GatorVision, producing and editing feature stories for FOX Sun Sports. From there, she moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where she worked at WLOS ABC 13 as a news producer, reporter, and web content creator.

At WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, she served as a news anchor and reporter before segueing into a stint as a Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader and in-game host. DeAugustino also worked as an in-game host for the Cincinnati Reds before moving to WESH in Orlando as an anchor and reporter.

Since September 2022, she has been a regular contributor to a number of CBS Sports productions. DeAugustino brings a bright, positive style to viewers and works well with a talented group of CBS Sports Network co-hosts, including Jenny Dell, Chris Hassel, Amanda Guerra, Katie Mox, Claudio Bellofatto, and others.

A big part of DeAugustino’s success is her sincerity. She brings honesty and integrity to all of her work. She has ridden no coattails, starting as an intern at WESH and Golf Channel before reinventing herself time and again.

Her versatility was on display this past week as she co-hosted two editions of HQ Spotlight amid the fervor of the NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final, World Cup, WNBA season, and NFL preseason. Alongside co-host Tommy Tran, DeAugustino led a panel that included Ashley Nicole Moss and Brad Botkin.

The quartet revisited the Knicks’ dramatic Game 4 win, highlighted by OG Anunoby’s epic tip-in basket. Moss is a lifelong Knicks fan, and DeAugustino tapped into that enthusiasm to open the show. She emphatically exclaimed that Anunoby would not have to pay for a beer in New York for the rest of his life.

There is definitely an underlying fan-centric approach to DeAugustino’s style. Her exchanges and interjections are instinctive and natural, not forced or canned. Her background in multiple levels of media and performance allows her to excel in any forum. Tran is the ultimate classically trained TV professional. Moss brings charisma along with a contemporary edge, while Botkin is a writer first with deep basketball knowledge.

DeAugustino works exceptionally well with this eclectic crew. She is a sports media chameleon. Asking great questions, maintaining a strong pace, and getting the most out of the people around her. DeAugustino plays no role. She is unapologetically herself and uses her lively personality to bring out the best in her colleagues.

As the program progressed, DeAugustino conducted a strong interview with CBS hockey analyst Pete Blackburn discussing the Las Vegas-Carolina Stanley Cup Final. If you watch her in action, you can see traces of other accomplished sportscasters. A unique combination of Hannah Storm’s experience, Molly Qerim’s preparedness, and Elle Duncan’s humor.

She asked Blackburn a thoughtful question about Carolina’s goaltending situation as the team moved from starter Frederik Andersen to the unheralded Brandon Bussi, who ultimately became one of the stories of the series.

Another of DeAugustino’s strengths is her segment intros and outros. As the topic shifted to football and AFC South predictions, she provided a terrific recap of 2025 before leading into a discussion with NFL experts John Breech and JP Acosta.

Not limited to studio hosting, DeAugustino continues to expand both her profile and resume. She has reported from NFL preseason camps and hosted the annual AAU Sullivan Awards presentation at the New York Athletic Club. Which honors the nation’s top Olympic athletes for their accomplishments on the field and character off it. DeAugustino has also cultivated a strong social media presence. Like many on-air personalities, she has given fans a glimpse into her personal life, sharing moments from her travels, workouts, and recent wedding.

Surrounded by terrific talent at CBS Sports Network, DeAugustino has flown somewhat under the radar. But that is changing with each assignment, most notably HQ Spotlight.

The show, in particular, allows her to spread her wings across the sports landscape. DeAugustino knows her stuff and is always ready to pivot from one sport to another without missing a beat. In a subsequent edition of HQ Spotlight, she was once again paired with Moss. However, this time joined by co-host Jordan Giorgio. The trio reflected on the Knicks’ first NBA championship since 1973, including a nice interview with former NBA player Avery Johnson.

DeAugustino once again tapped into Moss’ Knicks fandom, giving viewers both a media and fan perspective on the subject.

DeAugustino was at her best with a comprehensive recap of Carolina’s clinching Game 6 victory in the Stanley Cup Final. She discussed the emotions of Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour as video showed him breaking down in tears following the win. DeAugustino also noted that it was Carolina’s first Stanley Cup championship since 2006, when Brind’Amour served as team captain. That insight led into an interview with NHL analyst Pierre McGuire. The pair expertly discussed Carolina veteran Jordan Staal and once again referenced Bussi, the journeyman goaltender turned Stanley Cup champion.

One of DeAugustino’s strengths as an interviewer is knowing when not to talk. She actually listens to what a guest is saying, reacts visually, and then follows up based on the previous answer. It might sound simple, but when done well, it is sports media high art.

DeAugustino not only brings her own enthusiasm, but she also draws that same energy from her interview subjects. She had an informative conversation about the ongoing World Cup with Michael Lahoud. A former professional player and current broadcaster for CBS Sports Golazo Network. Later, she pivoted back to football with a look at the AFC West.

DeAugustino always does her homework and is never caught off guard by the subject matter or where an interview might go. She does not simply skim over a topic and ask trite questions. Instead, she goes beyond the surface with thoughtful inquiries that earn the respect of her guests.

She continued that trend in a conversation with golf analyst Mark Immelman while previewing the U.S. Open. The duo discussed several of the tournament’s biggest names and their chances of winning at Shinnecock Hills this weekend. DeAugustino moves from basketball to hockey to football to soccer to golf with the same light, easygoing demeanor.

The “Jaclyn of All Trades” pun may be a bit hokey, but for this resourceful, well-versed, and accomplished host and reporter, it is entirely accurate.

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.

What Jalen Brunson’s NBA Championship Run Teaches Music Radio Leaders

Jim Ryan
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What Jalen Brunson’s NBA Championship Run Teaches Music Radio Leaders

Jalen Brunson is the biggest hero in America’s largest city. At first glance, he looks like a natural winner, and he has been one throughout his career. He won College Player of the Year at Villanova in 2018. That same year, he led the Wildcats to an NCAA championship. Dallas drafted him that year, and he later joined the Knicks in 2022. By 2025, the Knicks reached new heights, climbing to the top of the basketball world and winning the NBA Championship. Jalen scored 45 points in that title-clinching game and earned series MVP honors. But there is a lot more to this story.

Jalen married his high school sweetheart. This love story sounds like it belongs on Delilah’s radio show. Ali Marks and Jalen started dating back in 2013. They attended their senior prom together. They later enrolled in colleges hundreds of miles apart, with Jalen at Villanova and Ali at Northwestern. Still, their relationship continued to grow. Despite the challenges of dating long-distance, they made it work. Once Jalen signed his multi-million-dollar contract with New York, he proposed to Ali at the same high school basketball court where their relationship began. They married in 2023 and became parents a year later.

Sports media can be tough. It erupted when Jalen signed for $104 million with the Knicks. Go back and watch the clips: everyone from Stephen A. to Mad Dog scoffed at the move. The kindest assessment at the time suggested he might be the tenth-best player in the league at his position. Fast forward four years, and Jalen’s 45-point performance in an NBA Finals game has only happened once before. The man who did it was Michael Jordan. Mic drop.

Embracing Adversity

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks were built on adversity. Not only were they considered huge underdogs in their series against the Spurs, but most people did not expect them to reach the Finals at all. When ESPN asked him what was going through his mind while the Knicks were getting blown out in Game 4, he said, “You’re allowed to think about the worst possible scenario but then you have to go do something about it.”

Wouldn’t it be awesome if everyone in your building felt that way right now? Revenue this spring has not met expectations, and rising gas prices are making it harder for people to buy radio commercials. Maybe your spring ratings book is not tracking the way you hoped. So, what are you and your team doing to fix it?

I saw another interview with Jalen where the host asked him about the pivotal play of the series. Believe it or not, he pointed to the moment Josh Hart missed a layup in Game 4, right before a teammate fouled Wemby. Jalen said Josh was on the floor with his face in his hands, and his teammates rushed over and told him to “get up.” Jalen said that moment embodied what this team is all about. These words from Jalen Brunson are especially meaningful to me as a talent coach: “when you’re able to look past a mistake…when you quickly doubt yourself and you have your teammates come and pick you up and say we’re good, we’re good…it gives us the confidence to make another play.”

The Lesson for Radio

We all make mistakes and face adversity in our jobs in radio. But, as Jalen’s story shows, how you respond to those errors and doubts is what makes you a winner. So let’s get up, make the quarter, and pull out a great final week of ratings for spring.

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

How Collette Turns Radio Talent Into Travel Ambassadors — and Revenue Drivers

Garrett Searight
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How Collette Turns Radio Talent Into Travel Ambassadors — and Revenue Drivers

For more than a century, Collette has connected travelers with the world. Now, it’s connecting radio stations with a revenue stream that rewards talent, deepens listener loyalty, and fills unsold inventory — all at the same time.

Jim Edwards, Vice President of Global Affinity Development at Collette, works at the intersection of travel and media. He partners with stations across the country to launch what the company calls Come Along campaigns — hosted travel packages where local talent brings listeners along on guided international and domestic trips.

“We are the longest-running travel company in the country, dating back to 1918,” Edwards said. “We’re a family-owned American company, and we curate premium guided travel experiences across all seven continents.”

Beyond its century-long history, Collette carries significant name recognition as a national advertiser. The company has run spots on Wheel of Fortune and Hallmark, and it serves as an underwriter and sponsor of PBS. That brand awareness matters when a station’s talent is asking listeners to trust them — and their wallets — on a Come Along Trip.

The Come Along Model

The mechanics of a Come Along campaign are straightforward. Together, Collette and a station agree on an upfront advertising buy, typically five weeks of airtime. On a talk station, that means roughly 150 sixty-second spots. Music stations run about 100 thirty-second spots due to tighter inventory. Most campaigns sell out within weeks.

“By early February, a campaign that launched in January is often sold out,” Edwards said. “The reason stations participate goes beyond the advertising revenue — many stations have unsold inventory or remnant advertising available, and this is an effective way to generate non-traditional revenue.”

The financial structure rewards stations on both ends. They monetize the campaign itself, then earn roughly $600 per traveler. Most trips carry 30 to 40 participants, though some have topped 120. Edwards said each campaign typically generates at least $25,000, with complimentary travel included for talent and a guest.

That last piece matters more than stations might initially expect. Talent retention has become a pressing challenge across the industry, and a fully guided international trip represents a meaningful, differentiated perk.

“At a time when companies are working hard to retain their personalities, this is a meaningful benefit,” the Collette executive shared. “The program generates revenue, provides advertising value, rewards talent, and strengthens listener loyalty.”

Collette also handles the operational heavy lifting. The company provides copy, music beds, and all supporting campaign assets. Local business development managers — live and work in markets across America, Canada, and Australia — handle in-person meet-and-greets and work alongside station partners throughout the process.

“When talent travels with us, they don’t have to worry about the details, our guide is there every step of the way and acts like a concierge,” Edwards said. “Their job is simply to be a brand ambassador, build relationships with listeners, and enjoy trip of a liftime.”

News/Talk Leads, But Other Formats Are Growing

News/talk radio has long been Collette’s preferred format, and the numbers back that up. Roughly 90% of the company’s Come Along campaigns come from news/talk stations — a reflection of the format’s long-form storytelling potential and the depth of connection between hosts and their audiences.

“The format allows more time to tell the story, and the listeners tend to be highly engaged,” Edwards said.

Still, other formats are gaining ground. Classic rock, classic hits, and sports talk have all shown strong traction. ESPN Cleveland personality Tony Rizzo recently returned from a Come Along trip to Portugal with 40 to 45 travelers. Collette also works with major broadcast groups including iHeartMedia, Audacy, Salem, Hubbard, and Good Karma Brands on the radio side — and Gray and Nexstar on television, where weather anchors and lifestyle personalities participate in similar programs.

Before any campaign launches, Collette meets with station leadership to discuss destinations that make sense for the specific market. With roughly 170 itineraries spanning all seven continents, the company uses market data to identify which destinations are generating the most consumer interest locally.

“We bring the station a proposal that includes the top three destinations for that market, along with the advertising investment, revenue-sharing details, and complimentary travel opportunities,” the Collette executive shared. “The talent then selects from those options.”

Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Portugal, and Greece remain consistent performers. Domestically, Alaska and Hawaii continue to draw interest, and an itinerary called America’s Cowboy Country — covering Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, and Mount Rushmore — has gained momentum as travelers look to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The broader travel climate has worked in Collette’s favor. The company says this is its fourth consecutive record year, with a 35% growth projection already on the horizon in 2027.

“Travel demand is off the charts, and we don’t see it slowing down,” Edwards said.

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

How Gordon Deal Went From Sports Announcing to Morning News Radio

Krystina Alarcon Carroll
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How Gordon Deal Went From Sports Announcing to Morning News Radio

As New York City throws a ticker-tape parade for the New York Knicks, there is one former employee turned news anchor who is celebrating. “I’m cheering for them like hell as a former employee of the team,” Gordon Deal boasted.

“I used to be the backup public address announcer for the New York Knicks in the early 2000s, and at that time, those were some serious struggle years for the Knicks, so it’s a lot of fun to watch them now, almost an entire generation later,” the This Morning with Gordon Deal host added.

Deal’s not just celebrating the Knicks’ win, but also celebrating a huge milestone for himself.

Hall of Fame Induction

This past May, Deal officially became a member of the WRSU Hall of Fame. “Anytime your school recognizes you, it’s a real honor. So I was very flattered that the committee included me and a couple of other guys I used to work with. It was a lot of fun.”

The morning show host noted how his time at Rutgers helped get him on the right track to radio stardom. “I was kind of wandering along as an aimless freshman,” Deal recalled. “When I saw an ad that WRSU had run in The Daily Targum, the Rutgers daily newspaper, and just on a whim I thought, ‘Wow. Radio could be a way to expand my interest in sports and kind of keep it alive.'”

“I joined up and started doing play-by-play. That was really what attracted me to radio in the first place.” He later noted, “I was a soccer player my freshman year. My grades were terrible. I needed some new direction. And radio really wound up throwing me a career lifeline.”

A New Challenge

Throughout the years, Deal has had his fair share of sports and news coverage. But he and his team are conquering a new challenge — growing their share of the market pie. “We’re competing with more and more people all the time, it seems, so there’s always a real focus on, am I being as accurate as possible? Am I being as unbiased as possible? How concise is this with still conveying the most important information, and yet still allowing some measure of personality to come across?”

The latter part is obviously key because, as Deal affirmed, “We’re a personality-driven type medium, like others. Always trying to make sure credibility has been established, first and foremost.”

The sports anchor turned newsman is always pushing forward. He’s on the hunt to bring breaking news to his listeners as fast as possible. “The challenge never stops, combing the entire time we’re on the air for any sort of breaking news. Did I miss anything? Was there an angle we left out?” Deal rhetorically asked.

“The competition is so heightened, it feels like all the time, with all eyes on you every minute of the broadcast, so it’s a non-stop hunt for the most up-to-date and accurate information.” This is especially important with the events in Iran. “In a war environment, the time difference in the Middle East, to a certain extent, works to our advantage.”

When The Mic Is Off

Deal and the team are even building on their personalities when the mic is off — on social media. “When the Mic is Off, that was really the brainchild of Nicole Murray, our news anchor on the show.”

The Rutgers grad went on to note that Murray was the one pushing to expand into social media. “She was pressing to do more stuff on social media and agreed to take it on herself. I joke around that I’m too old for that now, so she drags me kicking and screaming into doing these video segments,” Deal joked before adding, “It’s just another way to interact with the listeners — she does a great job with it.”

He added, “She’s super fast with the editing skills, and we rotate it, so it’ll be her and I one week, and then Mike and I the next week, which kind of gives the listener different perspectives. Obviously, we don’t do any politics. We don’t do opinion politics on the show, so we keep stuff light.”

Deal’s audience is loving the off-mic connection. “The interaction has been fun,” Deal remarked. “The feedback is always generally good, I would say. We have a couple of trolls on occasion, but the thing about trolls is that at least they’re listening to the show or watching the video, so they may have something nasty to say, but it does mean they’re listening or watching.”

Regardless of trolls or those who might tune into a social video but not the radio dial, Deal believes expanding the audience is the sign of a healthy show. “There’s so much competition, but the competition’s healthy. It forces you to focus. It’s like being in sports. If you win all your games — you see soccer games 6-0 — you’re not learning much. There’s no real challenge, but when everybody’s coming at you and you have to be on your game every single day, it just forces you to be better.”

And the This Morning with Gordon Deal team is up to the challenge. “You can embrace it and try to tackle it, or you can go cower in the corner somewhere, which we are not doing.”

Deal attested, “I mean, listen, would I like us to steal all the available advertising dollars? You bet. But these days, there’s a lot of competition out there that wants a piece of that pie.” But he also believes this competition is good because “I’d like to think that with all that competition, the product from all of us who are in the industry is just that much better.”

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.

Is TikTok the New Talent Pipeline for Cable News Networks?

Garrett Searight
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Is TikTok the New Talent Pipeline for Cable News Networks?

Here’s a headline that probably made a few television executives do a double-take: CNN just added a TikToker to its contributor roster. Kyla Scanlon, an economic analyst with hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok, joined the network earlier this week. That might sound like an odd pairing at first. But when you look closer, it actually makes a lot of sense.

The immediate reaction in some corners of the industry will be predictable. Eyes will roll. Someone will mutter something about journalistic standards. A few veterans will wonder aloud what the business is coming to. That’s understandable — TikTok isn’t exactly where most news networks have traditionally gone fishing for talent.

But maybe that’s exactly the problem.

Television news has spent years wringing its hands over audience erosion, younger viewer deficits, and the relentless march of digital media into territory that once belonged exclusively to broadcast. CNN knows this challenge as well as anyone. So when an opportunity presents itself to address that problem, dismissing it out of hand seems like the wrong move.

She Already Proved She Can Do the Job

Before anyone questions whether Scanlon belongs in a CNN contributor role, it’s worth asking what that role actually requires. Contributors are expected to deliver clear, informed analysis quickly and accessibly. They need to take complicated topics — in Scanlon’s case, economic data and financial trends — and break them down for a general audience.

That’s precisely what she’s been doing on TikTok. She didn’t stumble into hundreds of thousands of followers. She earned them by presenting financial information in bite-sized, easy-to-digest pieces that actually connected with viewers. She offered opinions. She provided context. She made economic concepts feel relevant rather than remote.

That’s a skill set. And it translates directly to television. The format changes, but the core competency doesn’t. If anything, the ability to be crisp and compelling in short bursts is more valuable in today’s media environment than ever before.

CNN Is Chasing the Right Demographic

There’s another layer to this worth unpacking. While TikTok has grown into a platform used by tens of millions of Americans, it still skews heavily toward the 18-to-49 demographic. That’s not a coincidence — it matters here.

CNN has made no secret of its desire to attract younger viewers. It’s a challenge the entire cable news industry shares. The audiences that built these networks are aging, and the pipeline of replacement viewers isn’t arriving the way networks once expected. Traditional talent pipelines aren’t solving that problem fast enough.

So consider what CNN is signaling with this hire. It’s not just bringing on an economic analyst. It’s reaching into a space where younger audiences already live and pulling out someone those audiences already trust. Scanlon didn’t need CNN to validate her. She built credibility independently, on a platform her demographic actually uses.

That’s a meaningful distinction. CNN isn’t asking younger viewers to try someone new. It’s offering them someone familiar.

A Blueprint Worth Watching

Beyond Scanlon herself, this move raises a broader question that network executives should sit with for a while. One of the most consistent concerns I hear from leadership across the media industry is talent development — specifically, where the next generation of on-air voices is coming from.

The traditional model relied on local television markets as a farm system. Young journalists worked their way up through small and mid-sized stations, honed their craft, and eventually made the jump to national platforms. That pipeline still exists, but it’s narrower than it used to be. Newsroom staffing cuts and station consolidations have thinned the ranks considerably.

TikTok — and platforms like it — may represent a new kind of farm system. Creators there are developing communication skills, building audiences, and proving they can hold attention in an unforgiving environment. Some of them are doing it around topics that matter: economics, politics, science, health. They’re not waiting for a news director to give them a shot. They’re creating their own opportunities.

CNN appears to be paying attention. Whether Scanlon turns out to be the first of many TikTok-to-television success stories or a one-time experiment remains to be seen. But the instinct to look there isn’t misguided — it’s forward-thinking.

The networks that figure out talent discovery first will have a real competitive advantage. CNN may have just taken an early step in that direction.

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.

James Koh Named New Evening Host On 97.1 The Fan Los Angeles

John Mamola
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James Koh Named New Evening Host On 97.1 The Fan Los Angeles

Audacy’s 97.1 The Fan in Los Angeles has made a significant programming move just a month after launching the radio stations. The station named content creator James Koh as its first full-time weekday evening host.

What We Know: Koh will host The James Koh Show weekdays from 6-10 p.m. He has been hosting programs on various days since the station officially launched last month. Koh brings a decorated journalism background to the role. His credentials include Emmy Awards for Sports Reporter, Sports Story, and Video Journalist in 2012, an Associated Press Reporter of the Year honor in 2011, and an Edward R. Murrow Award for News Reporting. More recently, he earned back-to-back FSWA awards in 2020 and 2022 for Best Short-Form Fantasy Video.

What Remains Unclear: It is unknown if there will be any further full time additions to the lineup as constructed. In addition, if there will be more announcements regarding additional local programming on weekends as the station continues to build.

What It Means: 97.1 The Fan has officially positioned itself to deliver what no other sports radio station can in Los Angeles. A live and local lineup throughout the programming day from 6am-10pm local time. The appointment of Koh to the timeslot may be a month following the launch. However, his digital background brings an added element to the station. Also, his large fantasy football background is an added plus. It will be interesting to see if the station utilizes Koh in some capacity there. Koh’s rare blend of broadcast journalism and digital sports content expertise makes him a compelling choice. Furthermore, landing a multi-Emmy and Murrow-winning host elevates the station’s evening credibility significantly.

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

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