Between elaborate costumes, theme costumes for entire shows, random ensembles, and downright scary-how-similar costumes, many in the industry took the opportunity to celebrate the holiday before the doldrums of winter hit.
She'll be joined throughout the night by Nicolle Wallace, Ari Melber, Joy Reid, Alex Wagner, and Stephanie Ruhle, in addition to Hayes, Psaki, and O'Donnell.
CNN’s Election Night in America coverage will stream live, without requiring a pay TV login, from 7:00 PM-3:00 AM ET on Tuesday, November 5 on CNN-connected TV and mobile apps and on CNN.com. It will also stream live on Max for Max subscribers.
Reel hosts “Up Reel Early” on Superstar Country 96.1 in Charleston, WV, and promised listeners to walk the distance if they met the station’s radiothon objectives.
Michelle Kirk has been appointed as the Senior Director of the CMA Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the Country Music Association, with her start date set for December 1.
Between elaborate costumes, theme costumes for entire shows, random ensembles, and downright scary-how-similar costumes, many in the industry took the opportunity to celebrate the holiday before the doldrums of winter hit.
She'll be joined throughout the night by Nicolle Wallace, Ari Melber, Joy Reid, Alex Wagner, and Stephanie Ruhle, in addition to Hayes, Psaki, and O'Donnell.
CNN’s Election Night in America coverage will stream live, without requiring a pay TV login, from 7:00 PM-3:00 AM ET on Tuesday, November 5 on CNN-connected TV and mobile apps and on CNN.com. It will also stream live on Max for Max subscribers.
Reel hosts “Up Reel Early” on Superstar Country 96.1 in Charleston, WV, and promised listeners to walk the distance if they met the station’s radiothon objectives.
Michelle Kirk has been appointed as the Senior Director of the CMA Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the Country Music Association, with her start date set for December 1.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
MSNBC has announced its plans for election night, and Rachel Maddow will be joined by the likes of Chris Hayes, Jen Psaki, and Lawrence O’Donnell, among others.
Beginning at 6 PM ET, MSNBC will launch coverage from New York with Maddow anchoring. She’ll be joined throughout the night by Nicolle Wallace, Ari Melber, Joy Reid, Alex Wagner, and Stephanie Ruhle, in addition to Hayes, Psaki, and O’Donnell.
Throughout the night, Steve Kornacki will provide updates from the network’s “big board.” Kornacki will also have a stream dedicated to his coverage and updates on Peacock. Additionally, the stream will be available on MSNBC.com, MSNBC’s YouTube channel, and on its X and TikTok accounts.
Former Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) will provide analysis throughout the duration of the network’s coverage. She’ll be joined by Symone Sanders Townsend and Michael Steele among other contributors.
The network is sending five correspondents apiece to the headquarters of both Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump for its election night coverage.
Before its election night coverage begins at 6 PM ET, MSNBC will feature special programming anchored by Katy Tur, Andrea Mitchell, and Chris Jansing beginning at Noon ET.
In total, more than 100 correspondents will be stationed throughout the country, including in the seven battleground states. Three additional reporters — Monica Alba, Aaron Gilchrist, and Mike Memoli — will be stationed at the White House.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Former President and current Republican nominee Donald Trump is launching a lawsuit against CBS News over its 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The complaint filed Thursday alleges that CBS News aired two different answers to questions asked by Bill Whitaker during it’s presidential election preview episode on Sunday, October 6th.
The argument from the Trump camp is that the organization modified answers from Harris to help her in the race for the White House. However, CBS has continually maintained it did no wrongdoing. Instead, it has asserted, a fuller response from Kamala Harris was aired during Face the Nation than what was featured on 60 Minutes. The network news outlet has argued that it simply edited the response for brevity.
In a statement, CBS News reiterated it does not believe the lawsuit is a valid one.
“Former President Trump’s repeated claims against 60 Minutes are false,” a CBS News spokesperson said. “The lawsuit Trump has brought today against CBS is completely without merit and we will vigorously defend against it.”
The lawsuit filed by attorneys for the former president seeks $10 billion in damages and demands a jury trial.
Donald Trump was offered the chance to interview with 60 Minutes for the same episode now in question. He declined that opportunity.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
You may know this already, but I was born and raised in St. Louis. Growing up around these parts, there are a couple of things that are engrained in your head, one of course is that the St. Louis Cardinals mean everything to you. Another is the history of KMOX and all of the incredible broadcasters who have been behind the station’s microphones.
One of those names you learn a lot about is Bob Costas.
Costas started at KMOX out of Syracuse when he was 22 years old in 1974. He would call play-by-play for the St. Louis Spirits of the ABA as well as the Missouri Tigers, plus he would host the famous KMOX Sports Open Line show in the evenings. Costas was doing regional football games for CBS in the late 70’s and was calling Chicago Bulls games before he was 30. At that same time, he started with NBC and pretty much crushed it at everything they threw at him.
People are born with certain God-given abilities, and Bob Costas was given the gift of being a wordsmith unlike any who have ever graced the sports desk, play-by-play chair or any other position in sports broadcasting for that matter. His voice made games sound bigger, and he became one of those rare broadcasters who by their mere presence, signified the event was a big deal.
When I was in high school, a local TV sportscaster named Art Holiday had a sportscasting camp in the summer. He would bring in guest speakers each day as part of the curriculum and it was a great camp, gave a lot of hands-on experience. I really wanted to attend, but when I saw that Bob Costas was named one of the guest speakers, I had to attend. He was my idol.
His talk was like a lot of Bob Costas talks, full of wisdom. I was mesmerized by who he was and what he got to do for a living. While he spoke about the characteristics that make up a good broadcaster, he also talked real life. It was the first time anyone had ever talked about some of the realities of being a sports broadcaster, especially ones that did play-by-play and traveled with teams. He wanted to make sure he didn’t present the business as something that was just being at ballparks and socializing with superstars and all the great things you get to do. He said if you are someone who wants to have a big family and wants to always be there to see the big moments your kids have, you may want to rethink your career. It was the truth, and it was refreshing to hear.
Several years later, I would be calling a high school football game for a local television station. We were told Costas was going to be at the game and my broadcast partner knew him well, so he said he would probably come up and say hello. He did, and my partner took off his headset to talk with him when we went to commercial. When we came back, I started resetting and then realized that Costas was putting on the headsets. I sort of blacked out, but I am told we did a few minutes together.
I won’t be a fraud though. In recent years it’s been harder to be a big Bob Costas fan. I am not talking about the play-by-play so many seemed to have had a problem with during the Yankees-Royals series. I thought people went overboard with the criticism but a part of me thinks that it’s because we set such a high mark for Costas. He is after all, one of the absolute best to ever do it.
I wish he would have stayed away from political commentary, and I think Costas can come off as very ‘high and mighty’ and condescending. But, as best as I can, I really try and ignore anything that doesn’t involve sports when it comes to Bob Costas. I want to have that image and memory of him calling baseball games on NBC, the incredible NBA work he did and of course the Olympics.
From a sports perspective he is one of the voices in the soundtrack of my life and I find myself a bit sad that I won’t ever get to have that again, yet something else in sports that is now in the past.
Fortunately, we will still get to enjoy his work with MLB Network, and something tells me he will want to stay involved in some way with baseball as long as he can talk. And I, for one, am here for it all.
Cheers to Bob Costas for a truly remarkable play-by-play career of more than four decades and for never forgetting the city where it all started.
The Best/Worst Thing I’ve Heard/Watched/Read Recently
Speaking of KMOX, the best thing I have seen recently is something new being done by Steve Moore and the team at the Mighty MOX. The station has incorporated more sports programming on YouTube and now has introduced a new daily show, The Gashouse Gang, which features station contributor Bernie Miklasz along with KMOX Sports personalities Kevin Wheeler, Matt Pauley, and Tom Ackerman.
The show will air live each weekday at noon on KMOX Sports’ YouTube, Facebook, and X accounts, and will replay in the evenings at 8pm on KMOX. The station says the show will cover everything from St. Louis Cardinals and MLB updates to college football, college basketball, and NFL action.
You can take a look at the KMOX YouTube page by clicking here.
Last week, Demetri Ravanos featured Radio One and Reach Media CEO David Kantor in our Meet the Leaders series presented by Point-to-Point Marketing. Kantor will retire at the end of the year and talked about the changes he has seen in the business over his career and what the future looks like.
In one part Kantor told Demetri, “Look, you can’t stop progress. I mean, the digital companies, the Internet companies clearly created, in some ways, a better entertainment distribution pipeline than we ever had, because ours was just one pipeline. And not just us. Television was that way, newspapers were that way, magazines. All old media was that way – one place to lots of people. You had a lot of control.”
It is a really good article from someone who has a great perspective on the business and is ready to hand the baton off to others. To read it in its entirety click here.
In case you were unaware, there’s an election around the corner. I know you had no idea. But here we are with just days to go. The storylines continue to pour in down the stretch of this election. And while it’s easy to get sucked into so much of the minutiae of this election, and treat it as a team sport, let’s remember what we use the news and politics for: To inform and entertain an audience.
Very rarely are we in a position where we are changing minds and convincing people to feel differently than they do about the world or the country. Heck, you have two campaigns spending hundreds of millions of dollars to try and sway a few thousand votes in a few key states. Do you really think you’re convincing anyone who was going to vote for Kamala Harris to vote for Donald Trump? Hint: You won’t.
The job’s core is to inform your listeners about what is going on in the days leading up to a presidential election, find local angles when possible, and, of course, give your listeners everything they need to know about your local elections.
But do yourself and your audience a favor, have fun when appropriate, and do it with a smile. The doom-and-gloom becomes tiresome. Don’t get me wrong. I believe that this country is picking between two very different trajectories, and my KCMO Talk Radio audience is well aware of which direction I prefer. But that doesn’t mean I won’t try to make our morning content fun, lively, funny, and entertaining. At least, that’s what we’re looking to achieve.
We cover serious topics, but not everything has to be so serious. I’ll never believe that. And if you don’t want to take my word for it as you shake your fist in the air, look at Donald Trump. Would you take his word for it?
Donald Trump is crisscrossing the country on a daily basis, doing rallies everywhere he can down the home stretch of this election cycle. And while he’s the guy running for President, he’s having seemingly more fun than anyone. He’s dressing up in a safety vest and doing press conferences from garbage trucks, laughing with Joe Rogan on his podcast, and dancing to the YMCA on stage.
Yes, he’s talking about incredibly serious topics that will impact the lives of hundreds of millions, if not billions, around the world. But he’s having more fun right now than he certainly had in 2020. I see someone having more fun than he even had when he ran in 2016.
And if there’s anyone who knows about entertaining and holding an audience in today’s climate, it’s Donald Trump. He’s been doing it for decades, and he’s still near the top of his game in a media climate that is more fragmented than it’s ever been. His ability to blend the serious with the fun, lively, funny, and even, at times, self-deprecating approach (look at his commentary from Wednesday night in Wisconsin when he said he wore his safety vest on stage at his rally because it made him look thinner) is brilliant, whether you like him or loathe him.
Technically, his job is to get votes first and entertain second. As a host, your job is to entertain first, second, and third. You really don’t need to care about the voting part. You’re not paid to win anyone an election.
And that’s important to remember. Re-framing every show, hour, and segment through the lens of how you are informing and entertaining your listener rather than just trying to give the latest hot take on why Kamala Harris would be a bad President and why Trump would be a good one should alter your topic selection and topic development.
And when you take that approach, you’ll be smiling during your delivery, laughing at yourself, and the audience will reciprocate every step of the way. And maybe you can even end each show doing your own dance to the YMCA. Or you can just leave that part to Donald Trump. Your call.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
The rumblings over the fate of AM radio got a lot louder over the past few months, especially in the wake of the news that the venerated WCBS-AM/New York was giving up its all-News format after 57 years – and its historic call letters went away too. Now WHSQ, the 880 AM signal, currently houses ESPN New York and runs Mets games.
Down the hall, the AM-FM combo of WINS has shown ratings growth since the station expanded its output from its longtime home at 1010 AM and took over 92.3 FM. This is just the latest in a trend of all-News AM stations jumping to FM in major cities around the country, including outlets in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Denver, New Orleans and more. I won’t bring in the fact that a ton of clusters are also simulcasting their all-News AMs on HD2 subchannels on one of their FMs as well.
Meanwhile, the AM band appears to be in a fight for its life. Over the past few years, automakers like Ford and Tesla have announced plans to drop AM radios in their electric vehicles, saying their EV motors interfere with AM reception and audio quality.
Not content to simply provide content and a service that listeners find value in using so they make the choice to go to AM for it, radio companies and advocacy organizations are lobbying Congress to pass S.1669, the AM Radio Act for Every Vehicle Act of 2023, which would direct the Department of Transportation to mandate all cars made or sold in the U.S. to have an AM radio installed. Because if you can’t prove your case to your consumers from a business perspective, why not get Congress to force it down their throats?
AM radio advocates are hanging their argument on the same two points that the industry has trotted out for the past several decades to justify its existence: It’s live and local, and it’s essential in emergencies. Let’s dive into those reasons, shall we?
It’s live and local. In the case of many all-News stations, that’s actually the case during a lot of the day, which can’t be said for a lot of other stations around the dial. Even with syndicated programming running in some dayparts or overnights on some stations, all-News outlets are well-equipped to spring into live coverage when needed.
But does it have to be on AM? As shown, many News stations are thriving on FM. If someone needs to listen to get an update, having the ability to listen on an FM outlet should be acceptable in an emergency. While the signal coverage area may not be as broad, I could argue that a local News station shouldn’t need to blanket several hundred miles with its coverage because its listeners are tuning in to find out about local impact and information relevant to them in the area.
Recently, “CBS Saturday Morning” ran a story about AM radio and the AM Radio Act, which put a spotlight on some local AM stations serving their communities, like WFMD/Frederick, MD, which broadcasts local high school football games. While the story made the case that local programming and interaction appeals to listeners, I make the argument once again: Does it have to be on AM? One of the commentators even mentioned in the CBS story the value of being able to connect with listeners by citing the fact that he’s talked to people who tune in from North Carolina to listen to the games – over the Internet. So, it turns out that the AM signal isn’t even needed for WFMD to serve all of its listeners.
It’s essential in emergencies. I agree that being able to reach listeners in an emergency is table stakes. But there are a few caveats here.
The first is that this AM Radio Act only affects radios in cars. This assumes people have AM radios in their homes they can use to listen during emergencies – because if you’re not fleeing an emergency, you’re likely hunkering down in your home to ride it out. (Full transparency: I went looking for an AM radio in my own house. I couldn’t find one.)
Again, I’m not sure why FM wouldn’t suffice here, since stations are allegedly required to serve their communities’ needs per the FCC, so people ought to be able to listen to an FM outlet at home or in their cars to get information. During past natural disasters and massive storms, some clusters temporarily turned all of their stations – including FM – into simulcasts of the AM News outlet, proving that FM is a viable way to reach people.
The argument that radio works when cellular networks fail has its pros and cons – yes, radio is able to blanket areas well and doesn’t fall prey to network congestion that might prevent widespread streaming over cell phones, but it also has some significant points of failure. If the STL or the transmitter goes down, you’re off the air. And in some recent hurricanes, weather did take some stations down.
This isn’t 1960. We’re not dealing with Civil Defense Networks. We have new technologies that can help here; it’s no longer “AM or nothing” to reach listeners in case of emergencies. And if we are using Congress as leverage to mandate that radio is accessible and serves its communities, why not use the technologies and tools currently at our disposal – and reach our listeners where they are?
Some thoughts:
The FCC has jurisdiction over SiriusXM, which is available in almost all EVs and doesn’t seem to interfere with any operations. Why not mandate that in time of emergency, SiriusXM turns over a couple of its channels to emergency news reporting and unlocks them for all receivers, regardless of subscription? The company could easily repurpose a couple of its low-bandwidth channels (like the traffic ones) to rebroadcast local information. DIRECTV does this during storms – it dedicates a special channel to rotate through local TV stations in impacted areas. Admittedly, DIRECTV has infrastructure to do this, but perhaps broadcast companies like iHeartMedia and Audacy can partner with SiriusXM to temporarily get the broadcast signals on satellite? This certainly solves a coverage issue, and it hits all in-car listeners.
If we’re going to Congressionally mandate older broadcast technology take up space in new tech, I still don’t understand why radio lobbyists and advocates aren’t pressuring Congress to get activated radio chips in mobile phones. Earlier iPhone models had inactivated FM chips in them, and most Android phones still do. This would certainly solve the issue of getting radios into homes – it would put a radio in the pocket of 330 million Americans, which they could still listen to (for a while) even if their home’s power failed. Plus, the portability during other times….
Radio, let’s not move backwards and force people to use 100-year-old tech just because we refuse to innovate. As a professional communicator in my full-time gig, one of the basic tenets I try to teach my teams is that we need to reach audiences where they are, not drag them to where we are. Pulling people back in time just because we are set in our ways won’t help us in the long run.
And for those of you hanging onto the AM band simply because we’ve had it for a century, I quote Elsa from Frozen: “Let it go… let it go…”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
On-site promotions featuring station talent attended by P-1 fans are prime opportunities to engage, build relationships, and generate leads. If you audit the best station clients, I am positive you will find that they are active listeners of your station. Especially if they are a local direct client, the clients who generate the highest commissions.
You know it’s a good idea to be there to see how the event works so you can sell it the following year. But do you know it is also a great chance to meet and greet and make connections? Chamber of Commerce events also offer local business booths or display tables. Accordingly, if an event includes selling booths to clients, like the ones you offer, having a dedicated radio ad sales booth is essential. Here’s why:
1. Maximize Visibility and Presence
Central Hub: A radio ad sales booth serves as a central hub where attendees can learn more about the station and its advertising opportunities. If you sell booths to make other local businesses stand out, why shouldn’t your station also?
Engage Directly with Attendees: Positioning sales at a booth allows them to engage directly with attendees, answer questions, and provide information about advertising packages. Not every salesperson can work a room, so this puts the salespeople on the receiving end for a change. The more ambitious ones will still filter out into the crowd and network independently.
2. Leverage the Enthusiasm of P-1 Fans
Highly Engaged Audience: P-1 fans are your most loyal listeners. They are highly engaged and passionate about the station, making them more receptive to learning the behind-the-scenes stories of your station’s most popular advertisers. Invite local clients who voice their ads to visit the booth for an hour or so and showcase them.
Word-of-Mouth Potential: Further, these fans are often well-connected and enthusiastic about supporting the station. They can spread the word about any details you provide about advertising on your station.
3. Showcase Success Stories and Case Studies
Build Credibility: Use the booth to display case studies, testimonials, and examples of successful campaigns. This will help build credibility and demonstrate the effectiveness of radio advertising.
Interactive Displays: Additionally, incorporate interactive displays, digital screens, or cell phone charging stations to showcase your station’s content, play games for prizes, and show success stories. Give away ad packages, play snippets of ads, and have them ‘name that advertiser!’
4. Generate Leads and Follow Up
Collect Contact Information: Use sign-up sheets for more ad info, digital forms, or business card drops to gather contact information from interested parties. If they don’t advertise, maybe they will register to win an ad package for their friend or relative who owns a business. This helps you build a list of potential leads to follow up with after the event.
Personalized Follow-Up: Follow up with the contacts you made after the event. Send personalized emails to thank them for attending and to discuss potential advertising opportunities.
5. Utilize On-Air Talent
Draw Crowds: On-air personalities are a big draw for P-1 fans, thus their presence at the booth can attract more listeners and create a buzz around your booth.
Endorsements: On-air personalities can endorse your advertising packages on the in-house PA system and send them to you during the event. Their influence lends credibility and attracts more interest.
Interactive Activities: Additionally, organize interactive activities or contests that involve the on-air talent. They can spin to win the right to ask them a question. Or register to win a chance to visit the studio. This can draw crowds and provide more opportunities for you to engage with listeners.
A radio ad sales booth at your next on-site promotion is crucial, especially if you sell booths to clients. It maximizes visibility, leverages the enthusiasm of P-1 fans, showcases success stories, generates leads, and utilizes the draw of on-air talent. You can turn a promotional event into a lead-generating opportunity by being approachable, starting meaningful conversations, and strategically following up. Be respectful of the listeners and watch your advertising opportunities grow!
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
As NFL Network relaunchedGood Morning Football earlier in the summer, the studio backdrop and cast had changed since the hit weekday television program was now airing from Los Angeles. While several cast members relocated from New York City to remain part of the morning show, it was now operating in a new domain amid a continued flourish in the popularity, eminence and prestige of the NFL. Akbar Gbajabiamila, who previously appeared on NFL Network, returned to the entity after a four-year hiatus from sports media. As an accomplished linebacker at San Diego State University and defensive end in the NFL, Gbajabiamila brings insights and perspectives premised from his playing career to the airwaves.
Beginning a second stint with NFL Network was nerve-wracking, and it has taken Gbajabiamila time to become more acclimatized to the venture; however, it was also something for which he had been yearning to resume.
“I remember I used to watch soap operas as a kid – don’t judge me – because my oldest brother and my mother, they watched that stuff and I kind of got into it, but as sports starts to take off for me as a kid, I didn’t have time to watch that,” Gbajabiamila recalled, “but every now and again, I might sit down for a week spell and go, ‘Oh wait, hold on. What happened?’ ‘Oh yeah, this person did that, and this person did that,’ and you’re back in, and that’s where I’m in.”
Although Good Morning Football has yet to reach a decade on air, Gbajabiamila feels that the show is distinct and has developed a legacy. Before starting to work on the program, he spoke with previous cast members, including Nate Burleson and Jason McCourty, to learn more about their experiences and receive advice. Gbajabiamila tries to bring a truthful and energetic disposition sans fabrication, and as his inaugural season on the show continues, he hopes viewers will welcome him to the proverbial breakfast table.
“I don’t want to be the guy who’s speaking over anybody’s head when it comes to football because football is a family thing; it’s a family event,” Gbajabiamila explained. “The way I express and talk about my love for football should be something that is digestible for everyone, and so I want former players to go like, ‘Oh man, you know what? He kept it real. That’s exactly how we think; that’s exactly what we do,’ and I want other people who aren’t in that or haven’t had that perspective to go, ‘Wow, that’s a cool share right there. I didn’t know that.’”
Gbajabiamila works with Peter Schrager, Jamie Erdahl, Kyle Brandt and Sherree Burruss on a daily basis to provide football fans with the latest news, analysis and opinions surrounding all 32 NFL teams, its players and personnel. There can be challenges in being situated on different coasts, but he feels the cadre is not limited by this geographical separation and is able to thrive. Nonetheless, there is tangible pressure on Gbajabiamila to perform, much of which is derived from his own being, and he seeks to implement feedback from show personnel.
“I’m probably my worst critic because I’m always constantly thinking, ‘How can I be better?’” Gbajabiamila said, “but yeah, there’s still a lot more for me to give, and I think that will just kind of grow as I continue to grow with the chemistry of the group because I’m the new guy.”
Gbajabiamila has maintained a packed schedule participating in numerous projects across several television genres. For the last four years, he has co-hosted The Talk on CBS, a daytime show that examines pop culture, lifestyle and news, and the venture has helped him move beyond his comfort zone. Affirming that societal norms have shifted towards placing heightened scrutiny on specific parlance and offering seemingly reduced tolerance of that thereof, Gbajabiamila recognizes that an inherent lack of empathy could result in his being ‘canceled’ should he fail to possess the majority opinion.
“[It is] being able to think quick on your toes and being able to express thoughts and feelings in a quick way, so that was a new muscle for me because in football, you’re giving your opinion on a fact,” Gbajabiamila said. “I’m just giving my opinion on a fact that, ‘Hey, this guy dropped the ball. He’s not good. He dropped the ball because he doesn’t study.’ I’m not going to get in trouble for that.”
Due to the early start time of Good Morning Football, Gbajabiamila hired a sleep coach to assist in developing a healthy, effective daily routine. On a given weekday, he awakens between 1 and 2 a.m. depending on how much studying he has completed. After a car ride to the studio, he participates in production meetings beginning at 3:30 a.m. before taking part in another hour of preparation ahead of showtime. Starting at 5 a.m., Gbajabiamila is in front of the camera for the four-hour program, the first two of which air on NFL Network to a national audience through linear television and direct-to-consumer facilities.
The final two hours of the show, titled GMFB: Overtime, are accessible via streaming on The Roku Channel and syndication on select local stations. As the first sports talk television program to be disseminated like this, the show can connect with an expanse of football fans who consume content through other means of distribution beyond paid television or streaming platforms.
“We’re in more homes, and we’re reaching a different audience that isn’t your normal NFL Network audience,” Gbajabiamila articulated, “and so I think it’s kind of catering to the middle, and when I say ‘the middle,’ meaning you’re talking football, there’s a lot of entertainment references, but the show already has that, and so I think it really kind of helps when we’re bringing in a new audience where it doesn’t feel so X’s and O’s where you say, ‘Oh, I’m going to ‘X’ out.’”
There are instances throughout the year where Gbajabiamila’s day spans beyond five hours on television, testing his resolve and stamina across time zones. Outside of studio shows in sports and entertainment, he has taken part in commentating athletic competitions, including American Ninja Warrior on NBC for the past 13 years. Collaborating with announcer Matt Iseman, the duo calls the action as contestants seek to complete extreme obstacle courses to win the coveted $1 million prize.
“The secret sauce is the storytelling because what I know for sure in television or what I’ve learned in this short career that I’ve had is that people care about the story,” Gbajabiamila said. “The stories make them feel and connect to the athlete, and this is, I think, what makes sports and this bridge kind of come together is that there is this unique perspective of, ‘Hey, how can I relate to this superhuman athlete that can do things that I could never even imagine of doing?,’ and it’s storytelling.”
When the show is not in production, Gbajabiamila usually returns home after The Talk but begins his work during the commute within a mobile office. The setup includes a television, which he usually tunes to the latest sports shows, and he simultaneously reads articles and reviews game footage. Once the rundown for the next morning comes, he reviews its material and ensures he stays nimble should there be developing news. The goal is to be asleep by 6 p.m., but Gbajabiamila usually stays up to spend more time with his family and ends up attaining four-and-a-half hours of rest.
“It’s hard – there’s no way to sugarcoat it,” Gbajabiamila said. “It’s difficult, but I also don’t shy away from things that are difficult.”
Throughout the regular season, Gbajabiamila is watching the Sunday slate of games and the matchups in prime time. There is pressure that accompanies this viewing, especially when teams play simultaneously in the morning and afternoon. Gbajabiamila tunes to NFL RedZone to watch the action preceding Sunday Night Football and takes notes on what he sees while doing his best to process everything. Once the prime time matchup commences, he is able to relax and concentrate while remaining attentive towards defensive alignments, offensive strategy and key in-game decisions.
“It’s like I’d imagine the stress of a stock trader, or at least that’s what I think, on the floor; those old school [traders] on the floor on Wall Street,” Gbajabiamila said. “They’re running around and just trying, and that’s how you feel on Sunday. You’re just moving around trying to keep up with all the different games.”
As Gbajabiamila’s early media work calling college football games phased out, he began to sell artificial turf for Hellas Construction and remarked on having a good run in television. Unsure if he would ever return to sports media, he suddenly received an audition call from NFL Network and subsequently earned a role on NFL Fantasy Live where he gained repetition to prosper in the studio setting. Over the eight years he was in the role, he learned more about how to resonate with football novices and savants alike, a skillset he applies to Good Morning Football while displaying credibility.
“We do have this meritocracy so to speak that isn’t really spoken in sports journalism, sports broadcasting,” Gbajabiamila averred. “‘The more accomplished you are, the harder you can go in on somebody. The less accomplished your playing career was, the less you can,’ and so that’s why I’ve chosen different ways to be able to say [what] I do think because I always want to be authentic. I never want the perception of how I did or what I didn’t do or whatever – I don’t want that to come in or interfere with my ability to give true analysis – but I think there’s always perspective and different angles to look at it.”
Rather than offering criticism of individuals, Gbajabiamila ensures that he levies fair, genuine assessments pertaining to play on the field. Being able to return and display candor, proficiency and verve on Good Morning Football has helped him stand out and withstand the fractionalized media ecosystem permeated with a maelstrom of content competing for attention.
In accordance with his role, Gbajabiamila does not want to jeopardize the aggregate chemistry of the group or its success, and while he would like to realize an immediate boon, he understands establishing comfortability takes time. Within his rookie season, he is taking the lead of the veterans and discerning what has rendered the show a stalwart.
“To me, I’m still far from where I personally want to be, but like anything else, it takes time to gel,” Gbajabiamila said. “As a group, there’s a different dynamic with being on two different coasts, so I think there’s the pros and cons of anything, right?”
The quotidian routine Gbajabiamila has followed for the last few months will change as The Talk concludes, but it is not precluding from interest in future ventures within the entertainment genre. In fact, he is intrigued by the prospect of hosting a gameshow, distinguishing that the environment would correspond with his high-energy persona. For now though, he is concentrating on working in sports media again as innovation and evolution persist.
“I think the way television is going; the way everything is going – the NFL and being part of the thing I had the ability to play – sports is going to be here,” Gbajabiamila said. “TikTok and social media – it will take a major crisis in the world to end this meteoric rise of sports. It doesn’t seem like it’s going down. It just keeps growing and growing and growing, so it’s cool to be a part of that.”
Despite his hectic schedule, Gbajabiamila does not experience considerable difficulty in managing his responsibilities and is grateful to be entrusted with his jobs. As he approaches the halfway point of the season, he wants to continue expediting growth in syndication and demonstrate nuanced, entertaining football conversation. Arriving on set with pristine acumen, focus and determination allows Gbajabiamila to live in this purported suspended reality free of delimiting illusory spectra and stay on the cutting edge of multimedia programming.
“It’s the hybrid of both worlds – entertainment and sports – that’s the intersection that we’re in, right?” Gbajabiamila said. “You see that in everything we do now, so yeah, it’s like the perfect home for me because it gives me the appetite that I have to be in the entertainment space and the appetite that I have for sports.”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Dustin Carlson started in radio in high school in 1997. His career has taken him from his small hometown of Wenatchee, WA, through five other states, and he has worked with multiple formats: Hot AC, CHR, Active Rock, and Alternative.
He’s currently APD/MD/Afternoons/Imaging for KDKB ALT AZ 93-3 in Phoenix. He’s about to celebrate his 10th wedding anniversary and recently opened a business that’s about to celebrate its second anniversary. “My husband and I opened an upscale dog grooming and wash boutique about two years ago, ‘Petbar,’” explains Carlson. “It’s my future plan. We’re part of a franchise system and have plans to open at least two more locations in the next couple of years. “We’re about to get started on our second. The first one JUST became profitable this month. No plans to retire from radio anytime soon, but knowing what’s next makes navigating the current state of the industry a lot more comfortable.”
Carlson started at KW3 Wenatchee, WA, during his senior year of high school board-oping for “Casey’s Top 40” and Rick Dees on the weekends. “I talked them into letting me track, then took on nights, then full-time, adding production director duties for the cluster,” he says. “Then I realized I couldn’t support myself in radio living in a small town, so I got out and moved to Denver and fell back on my printing/graphic design background.”
“The Radio bug caught me again in Denver. I ended up meeting Mike Stern, who gave me my first big break; spent a few months at Alice babysitting overnights, then followed Mike to Milwaukee for a couple of years at Lazer 103. After that, I moved on to Vegas and spent eight years at Xtreme Radio, which later became X107.5. I later went to Boston for two years at AMP, and now Phoenix, where I will celebrate ten years in March at ALT AZ.”
“We’ve built something really special here in Phoenix,” says Carlson. “ALT AZ has always had a focus on our community and local music scene. Between myself, our morning host Izzy, and midday host Mo, we sound like a family that loves each other. This extends to our audience. They interact with us like friends; they see us out and about all over the valley; they approach us and give us hugs at shows; they constantly thank us for being their daily entertainment, and there is a genuine connection between us and our listeners. We’re very supportive of the LBGTQ+ community, we love getting behind pet rescues, and love to step up for any organization that needs it.”
“Our big event is the annual Ugly Sweater Holiday Party, which is your typical station-branded Christmas show(s). The Ugly Sweater theme has been a wild and fun success for the entire history of the station (except that one year). We’re lucky to be able to do outdoor shows here in Phoenix in December, which is pretty much the only time of year we can wear sweaters.
“I think the state of the format is great right now if we’d all just get out of our own way,” insists Carlson. “The only thing holding us back is our corporate mentality. As a business owner, I get the bottom line. My argument is that the best way to grow the bottom line is to focus on building a great brand. If anything is missing right now, it’s fun and variety. It’s hard to focus on the brand when you don’t have people and are overwhelmed by too many corporate initiatives. ‘But it’s the brand, stupid!’ Always has been, always will be. Build a great Alternative station, fu%k everything else.”
So, what could we be doing better? “First and foremost, we need to return to local programmers,” says Carlson. “I see this format as part of an ecosystem that needs to be cultivated. We need to participate. This means so many things. If all we’re doing is sorting research and playing the same 200 songs over and over, we’re never going to win. Yes, we have to be familiar, we have to be hit driven, we have to be sticky, but if we’re not taking time to break the rules and have some fun once in a while, we’re boring AF. You have to have the right people in place that you can trust to break the rules. You also have to have enough of them to be present. You can’t create that human connection without humans. The human connection wins.”
“Phoenix loves its rock, emo, and pop-punk. But ultimately, ‘Alternative’ is more than just music; it’s a mindset,” says Carlson. “The mindset across markets is more similar than the music, but if you’re talking the talk and walking the walk, people should follow.”
One of the biggest challenges in the Alternative format is the repetition and sharing of a large gold category among both Rock & Alt records. Historically, the same artists and songs come back as the most familiar and are played over and over again on multiple stations in markets. I asked Carlson, “How do we find a content balance and keep the music and formats sounding fresh?”
“Well, I can tell you playing a super tight playlist of 200 of your best testing songs is not a winning formula on its own for this format,” he says. “I can also tell you that we sound completely different than our active rock sister station while sharing a reasonable chunk of titles. The Alternative format is one of the most diverse genres of music out there. The challenge is that there are relatively few of what test as gold ‘hits.’ We have to read between the lines in our research to program a product that’s worth listening to. We also have to get beyond this notion that people only listen for ten minutes at a time and that we have to program for those ten minutes. With our format, especially, people want to listen longer, so we have to give them a reason to.”
“First, you have to start with those top 200 titles. You have to build a bulletproof music policy; then, you have to create space to step outside the box. This can mean many things. The secondary categories are where this format shines. That’s where the best music is. Just because a song doesn’t test into the top 200 doesn’t mean people don’t like hearing it once and a while. So in between the Nirvana, Green Day, and RHCP, we have room to go a little deeper.”
As for new music, Carlson says there is plenty of it out there to keep the format vibrant and alive. As for the new Linkin Park strategy, the verdict is still out for him. “As one of the original Linkin Park fans, I have so many mixed and very emotional feelings on this,” he explains. “I had already accepted we would never see this band again. As soon as I started hearing rumors of a new lead singer, I was horrified. After hearing ‘The Emptiness Machine,’ I was more open-minded. The more I hear it, the more I like it.
“Then we started playing ‘Heavy is the Crown.’ Now, it’s starting to make sense. I think bringing in a female was the best possible choice. No male would ever measure up. Emily has the opportunity to create her own space in the Linkin Park world. That said, some of those first videos I saw of her singing the old stuff at their first show in LA when they did the announcement made me want to vomit. I’m excited and terrified to see them live next year. I’m going into it with an open mind, but I’m not sure anyone but Chester should be singing those songs. I’m not sure I want to see anyone but Chester sing those songs.”
When it comes to Country artists like Hardy crossing over into the Alternative world, Carlson feels like Programmers need to know where to draw the line. “It’s too easy to be dazzled by ‘data’ that makes it look like something is a slam dunk. For me, one of the first questions we should ask when considering music is ‘is this Alternative?’ If we have a hard time answering that question, we should ask ‘is this artist Alternative?’ Just because a country artist puts out a song (or album) that leans in our direction sonically doesn’t mean we should play it. For me, it’s about mentality. The country mentality is pretty much the polar opposite of the Alternative mentality. For that reason alone, it’s an easy no for me. I could put this song (PSYCHO) in research, and it could come back strong, but I still wouldn’t want to play it; there are a lot of titles like that.”
“I spent most of my career hearing ‘don’t talk about yourself, listeners don’t care about you,’” adds Carlson. “Turns out that was terribly bad advice. That’s exactly what they want. They tell us every time we see them. To the point it doesn’t really matter what I say or do on my show as long as I’m being real. Hell, I even announce when my show is tracked. I tell them ‘I’m not here right now, I’m off doing this ________.’ Then they want to hear about whatever ‘this’ was when I come back. So, I guess I prep for my show by living my life.”
“Overall, the synergy between what we do on the radio, what happens in the community, and the live music scene is what makes radio special for me,” says Carlson. “I love interacting with our listeners at our events and shows. I’m in this to entertain people, so when they tell me they’ve been entertained, that’s probably the most exciting thing for me. I have so many amazing memories, so many insane stories, so many times I should have gotten in a lot of trouble. Working with artists who appreciate our roll in their success is also very rewarding, thankfully most of them do in this format.”
“As for my favorites right now, Artemas is my number one. I’m obsessed! Balu Brigada is great, Dead Poet Society, Pierce The Veil, Twenty-One Pilots, Weathers. Honestly, my favorite way to consume music is to tell Apple Music to create a station based on a song I like, so I get to hear a bunch of stuff I don’t know. That’s how I get my new music fix!”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Michelle Kirk has been appointed Senior Director of the CMA Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the Country Music Association. Her start date is December 1.
Kirk’s career at CMA began in 2012 when she assumed the role of Strategic Partnerships Coordinator. She steadily advanced to the position of Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships.
In 2015, she transitioned to WME as a Brand Partnerships Agent. In 2019, Kirk returned to CMA as the Director of Integrated Marketing and was recently elevated to Senior Director of Integrated Marketing.
Kirk will report directly to the Executive Director and CMA Senior Vice President of Industry Relations & Philanthropy, Tiffany Kerns.
Kirk will focus on strategic planning, program development, and operational oversight in this role. Additionally, Kirk will represent the foundation by building relationships with stakeholders, artists, partners, and donors.
“We are thrilled to welcome Michelle to our team,” says Kerns. “Her expertise and fresh perspective align perfectly with our strategic vision for growth and innovation. As we move forward, I am confident that she will play a pivotal role in helping us reach new heights, creating lasting impact, and driving meaningful progress. Together, we’re building a future full of possibilities!”
“I am thrilled to be joining the CMA Foundation team in this new role,” shares Kirk. “My time overseeing the integrated marketing efforts and building strong partnerships at CMA has prepared me to enhance the mission and drive impactful initiatives at the CMA Foundation. I’m looking forward to collaborating with the team and community to continue to elevate our impact.”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Ryman Hospitality’s WSM-AM Nashville (650) host and Grand Ole Opry announcer Bill Cody was honored with a star on Nashville’s Music City Walk of Fame on Wednesday.
Cody, known for his role in the “Coffee, Country and Cody” show, shared this recognition with a distinguished group that included Colin Reed, Executive Chairman of the Ryman Hospitality Properties Board of Directors, gospel quartet The Fairfield Four, and the late Jimmy Buffett, all of whom also received stars.
“It is hard to think of someone who is more beloved in this town than Bill,” co-host Kelly Sutton said during remarks introducing Cody. “He is truly one of the most respected voices in our industry.”
Luke Combs learned earlier this month that he would be inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame. Unfortunately, he was unable to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts resulting from his performance at the benefit show “Concert for Carolina” on Saturday, October 26.
