Home Blog Page 334

What Election Results for Curtis Sliwa, John Reid, and Bill Spadea Mean For the Future of the Media to Politician Pipeline

Pete Mundo
-
0
What Election Results for Curtis Sliwa, John Reid, and Bill Spadea Mean For the Future of the Media to Politician Pipeline

This week, we saw the end of multiple candidacies from individuals with news/talk backgrounds. Most notable was Curtis Sliwa’s long-shot New York City mayoral bid. However, former WRVA host John Reid also lost his race to become the next lieutenant governor of Virginia. In the primary season, WKXW’s Bill Spadea ran for governor of New Jersey but came up short against Jack Ciattarelli.

Some may view this as media personalities failing in their bid to become politicians; however, all three were facing uphill battles, either in the primary or the general election.

Does this mean the media-to-politics pipeline is broken? Not at all.

In fact, there’s a recent example of a former radio host working his way up to vice president: Mike Pence. Pence transitioned from talk show host to member of Congress, then to governor, and ultimately to vice president under President Trump during his first term in office.

The TV path may include more notable figures, such as Donald Trump, Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, and Al Franken. But does it mean the radio path is not a viable one? Absolutely not.

In fact, I expect a political landscape that will include even more media personalities in the years to come. Before his tragic assassination, there were already discussions that Charlie Kirk might be a future presidential candidate. President Trump has hired multiple key figures with TV backgrounds, and his own VP, JD Vance, became a household name as an author (Hillbilly Elegy).

In the current administration, Pete Hegseth, Dan Bongino, Jeanine Pirro, Mike Huckabee, and Dr. Oz all come from the media world.

In a fragmented environment with limited attention spans, having the draw of a candidate who already has a built-in audience—whether through radio, TV, podcasting, or YouTube—can be an early leg up for any candidate. That’s not to say they are guaranteed to win anything. Fundraising, campaigning, policy ideas, and the ability to connect with voters still matter much more, along with the specific race a person is running in. However, it can be a boost out of the gates, which, in the right race with the right environment, can make a big difference.

People are seeking a genuine connection with their candidates. They are still interested in hearing from people who are not already in elected office. The “outsider” candidate remains appealing. These are all qualities that Donald Trump figured out early in his 2015 campaign.

As the political establishment mocked him, he was growing his support. He knew how to cultivate an audience, in part thanks to his years in television and other media. In today’s world, where it’s more complicated than ever for a personality to keep an audience growing and engaged, those who know how to do it will succeed on various platforms and can find themselves succeeding on the campaign trail.

The bottom line? The intersection of media and politics isn’t going away. If anything, it’s becoming more common — and more influential.

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.

Overcoming Decision Exhaustion Starts With Your Uniform

Keith Cunningham
-
1
Overcoming Decision Exhaustion Starts With Your Uniform

Most leaders suffer from decision exhaustion. The solution may start with wardrobe.

Want to be a better leader? Try wearing the same clothes to work each day.

I always wondered why Steve Jobs always wore the same clothes. When I finally looked into it, it made sense. I was reminded of this recently when a co-worker sported the same Rush shirt on back-to-back days to show his support for the band’s upcoming tour. 

The practice of wearing the same outfit each day started decades ago in Japan but caught Steve Jobs’ attention when he visited Sony. Years later, other leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama followed suit — literally. Now it’s quietly catching on with Gen Z.

No one is saying wearing the same shirt and pants every day. If you want a Sydney Sweeney-style closet with a see-through dress collection that could bankrupt small countries, go for it. Having a simple, repeatable wardrobe though isn’t necessarily laziness. It can be consistent identity.

If you love a specific look that fits within your company’s limits and makes you feel smarter, more confident, and adds a little swagger — wear it often. Who cares what Karen in the adjacent cubicle thinks.

BE YOU. It can be your logo.

Look at rock stars we love — they’ve got uniforms.

  • Slash and his hat
  • Bono in shades
  • Kurt Cobain with flannel
  • Sleep Token behind masks

When he was President, no one talked behind Obama’s back saying, “There he goes in a BLUE SHIRT AGAIN!?”

What you wear — especially what you wear often — will leave a mark. It’s like personal branding.

The premise here is simple: having one less decision to make in the morning means more mental energy for other decisions later in the day.

Whether this habit is any type of performance game changer is debatable. It’s likely more a mental motivator than anything but think about it as the first move in a daily chain of events. Every unnecessary decision you eliminate saves focus and energy for those that matter more.

I’ve been around long enough to know: the “what should I wear” crisis can drain time and energy from anyone, even the most strong-willed. It leads to decision exhaustion that sees them leave the house in pajamas. If you know, you know.

Now think about decision exhaustion in the radio world.

Music scheduling comes to mind first. That sense of doom right after hitting “schedule” — anxiously waiting to see how many unscheduled positions you’ll have and the time it will take to finish. That is followed by visually checking hundreds of segues that “passed.”

Now add everything else: other programming duties, promotional chores, an air shift, non-stop emailing and texting, meetings, maybe an appearance. That’s hundreds of daily decisions that need to be made. Most are small, but all draining.

And we wonder why managers or Program Directors look beat by 5pm, and why so many brands sound checked out.

Decision exhaustion hits all sectors of the music industry, not just radio. We won’t fix it by wearing the same turtleneck each day, but the principle applies:

Eliminate the small stuff, and save brain power for what really moves the brand forward.

Some basic ideas for Programmers and Marketers:

Log Help

Facing dozens of unscheduled positions? Call tech support. You may be one rule tweak away from a cleaner log and restoring some sanity.

The Firehose of Questions

Set “Ask me anything” zones (ex: 10:00am & 2:00pm) to move the random sales questions or pop-in visits into focused zones of efficiency.

Control Your Inbox

Only check email and texts at set times each hour. If it’s that important, someone will call or beat down your door. Use the rest for deeper stuff. Even 45 uninterrupted minutes can change your day.

Avoid the Redundant Questions

Design a pre-approved playbook or a brand guide that answers the redundant questions. When does this air? Should I post this? Does this tagline work? What deliverables come sponsorship?

Focus Hours

Everyone gets a “do not disturb hour” for focus and productivity, not interruption.

Meeting Overkill

Cancel every unnecessary meeting. Shorten and focus the others. Most meetings are low-productivity time-killers once labeled as critical.

In the end, it’s not what you wear each day. It’s what you stop wasting time on.

Like freeing up space on a hard drive, your needle-moving brain needs memory to run.

How a Springsteen Biopic Teaches Lessons for Classic Rock/Hits Radio

Mike Stern
-
0
How a Springsteen Biopic Teaches Lessons for Classic Rock/Hits Radio

Writing a weekly column about Classic Rock/Hits Radio gave me a great excuse to sneak out last night to see the latest biopic, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, so I could use the movie as a basis for this week’s post.

While I didn’t come home and rush to my keyboard rife with inspiration, a couple of articles I’ve since read about the movie made some points that are relevant to our little corner of the radio world.

So with full gratitude to Killian Faith Kelly’s piece in GQ, Eight Lessons Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere Can Teach Future Music Biopics, and Daniel Parris’ latest Stat Significant post, Hollywood’s Music Biopic Boom: Quantifying the Rise of a Soulless Genre. Here are some takeaways from the Springsteen movie that relate to running a Classic Rock/Hits radio station.

People Still Like to Learn About Their Favorite Artists

While you can debate the effectiveness of how filmmaker Scott Cooper accomplished this on screen, a few of the more interesting moments in the movie are when we see Springsteen being inspired to write the songs for Nebraska.

You see Bruce stumbling across the film Badlands, which led him to learn more about Charles Starkweather’s killing spree, which eventually led to the title track. You also see him reading Flannery O’Connor stories, which also inspired several songs.

These are the stories people like, and we need to keep sharing them.

Don’t Let the Facts Get in the Way of a Good Story

Faith-Kelly notes that some of the moments in the movie were probably true to life but would have benefited from embellishment. Like the moment when Springsteen’s manager describes the new songs to his wife by saying they are “deeply personal.”

It creates a “no duh” sort of moment that could have been improved by him saying something more profound.

That applies to entertaining on the radio too. While there are times facts are important, quite often embellishment is the key to good storytelling.

Specifics Matter

One point that I agree with Faith-Kelly on is that the movie fails to develop the secondary characters.

One of Springsteen’s friends drives him across the country as the singer is having a breakdown. We never learn who this person is, how he fits into Springsteen’s world, or anything about him. It leaves the emotional stakes exceptionally low even in a final heartfelt moment between the two characters.

This is a great reminder that the more specific the details are in a story, the more brightly the picture is painted for the audience, especially in an audio medium where there are no visuals to rely on.

Don’t Be Too Subtle

The title of this movie is somewhat of an outlier.

Parris points out that most music biopics are either the artists’ name, like Amy or Ray, a famous song title, like Bohemian Rhapsody or Walk the Line, or a combination of the two, like Bob Marley: One Love.

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere gets halfway there but then chooses to reference a song that doesn’t exist, which leaves it to the potential viewer to decode the marketing.

A good reminder that the less direct your promotions and marketing are, the more risk you take of wasting your efforts because the audience doesn’t have time to figure out the message you are sending.

Play the Hits

Not that you probably don’t already know this, but I’m going to say it anyway because at times we all forget this simple rule. It applies in radio and in filmmaking.

Faith-Kelly notes that even though the songs on Nebraska aren’t huge hits, their moody sound would have fit the film perfectly, yet they get little play in the movie. Likewise, there are a lot of huge Springsteen songs that a clever writing team could have found ways to take advantage of by including them in appropriate moments.

That didn’t happen either. In our world it’s a lot more straightforward. There are ways to work in secondary and even tertiary songs in certain moments; the rest of the time, play the hits.

Hopefully, these thoughts will not only help keep your Classic Rock/Hits station moving in the right direction, they will also save you $40 or more in tickets and concessions, as I wholly recommend waiting until this movie hits streaming.

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.

Why We Can’t Quit Christmas Music

Bob Lawrence
-
1
Why We Can’t Quit Christmas Music

Ah yes! Christmas music! The seasonal soundtrack that seems to sneak into stores before we’ve even finished our Halloween candy. For the record – I must admit that we flipped our mainstream AC “The Bay” to all Christmas last Saturday, November 1st. I know, I know. You say, “Way too early!” – but not so fast. After the first weekend we received scores of excited emails from listeners who just love it.

The best part happened even earlier on Halloween night when my next-door neighbors were out trick-or-treating with their two little girls. As they’re walking away mom turns and yells out, “Hey Bob! Does Christmas music start tomorrow?” I answered, “Sure does!” She raised her arms and started dancing down the driveway, hooting and hollering about how much she loves it. Frankly, it’s those smiles (and extra revenue generated) that excite me.

Every year, stations across the country flip the switch to all Christmas, all the time, and suddenly we’re humming “Jingle Bell Rock” against our will. Love it or loathe it, you really can’t escape it. But come on now – deep down inside, we don’t really want to.

In reality, Christmas music is emotional manipulation at its finest. The second those sleigh bells start jingling our brains begin the flood of nostalgia. You’re not in traffic anymore; you’re eight years old, wearing footie pajamas with those ever-so-useful nonstick bottoms, shaking your presents to see if anything rattles with clues. Bing Crosby croons “White Christmas” and suddenly you’re misty-eyed over snow, even though last February, you cursed every flake that touched your driveway and created 6-foot ice daggers that hung from your gutters like Samori warriors waiting for the strike!

All-Christmas radio is like a peppermint-scented time machine. The moment any station starts playing nonstop holiday hits is right after the last pumpkin has been ripped apart by every squirrel and racoon in the neighborhood. That’s when you know it’s time to hang your twinkle lights, bake sugar cookies, and go into mild to severe financial panic. It’s comforting I suppose – kind of like wrapping yourself in a snuggly, warm blanket made of pure commercialism and cinnamon.

And the songs themselves? They’re all over the place, which is part of the fun, don’t you think? You’ve got classics like “Silent Night” and “The Little Drummer Boy” – the solemn ones that make you feel slightly guilty about how many gingerbread men you just ate. Then there’s Mariah Carey, who annually emerges from her glittery hibernation to belt out “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” reminding us that she owns December forever. When I owned Pinnacle Media Worldwide, Mariah was consistently in the top 10 every, single year. That list also consisted of Brenda Lee, Burl Ives, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and Bobby Helms. Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra also thaw out every year, smooth as ever, like human versions of eggnog.

Let’s not forget the earworms that play on repeat in every store and elevator from now until January. “Feliz Navidad” will live rent-free in your head until Easter. The one that gets to me most is “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” It honestly, has me questioning my life choices. Yet somehow, I still find myself singing along loudly, and with disturbing enthusiasm.

The secret to Christmas music’s power is simple: it creates true inner joy. It’s cheesy, sentimental, and sometimes downright ridiculous, but isn’t that the point? For a few weeks each year, we all collectively agree to suspend our cynicism and just feel good. Even the grumpiest among us get worn down eventually. You can roll your eyes all you want, but when “Last Christmas” comes on, you’re going to sing that chorus.

We all do.

So yes, all-Christmas radio can be over-the-top, ridiculously repetitive, and mildly infuriating by December 23rd. But it’s also magical in its own wonderfully, absurd way. It reminds us that it’s okay to be a little corny, to dance in the kitchen, and to belt out “Jingle Bells” like nobody’s listening. Because when it comes to Christmas music, nobody’s immune.

In the end, we don’t love Christmas music despite its overexposure; we love it because of its overexposure. It’s predictable, it’s comforting, and it’s the one time of year we can turn it on without judgment. And nowadays, anything that is universally appealing and doesn’t create division is truly a holiday miracle in itself.

Michelle Beadle “Praying” for the Downfall of Stephen A. Smith

BSM Staff
-
0
Michelle Beadle “Praying” for the Downfall of Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Smith’s latest endorsement deal has drawn sharp criticism from former ESPN personality Michelle Beadle and her co-host Cody Decker. On the latest episode of Beadle and Decker, the pair reacted to news that Smith had been named an ambassador for Papaya Gaming’s World Solitaire Championship, a partnership announced just months after Smith went viral for being caught playing Solitaire during ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage.

“Honestly, I’m not a religious person, but I pray for the downfall,” said Beadle. “It’s gross, man, you gotta have principles in this thing.”

Beadle didn’t hold back in her assessment, accusing ESPN of creating a media monster by enabling Smith’s antics and outsized personality.

“ESPN pays him a gazillion dollars to get a lot of stuff wrong and yell,” Beadle said. “He gets caught playing solitaire during the NBA freaking Finals. You created this monster. He is bigger than you now, and that’s exactly your fault. You let him run rampant all over that company.”

She went further, arguing that Smith’s new gaming deal symbolizes how disconnected he’s become from his role as ESPN’s top face.

“He made you look like fools for handing him a blank check in the first place,” she added. “He doesn’t even give a s**t about the stuff that he’s paid a gazillion dollars to talk about. Now he’s turning around and turning that into a money-making opportunity. Then the money-making opportunity looks like it’s a fraudulent crap business to begin with.”

Papaya Gaming Company is currently engaged in a lawsuit filed by competitor Skillz Platform Inc. The lawsuit alleges that Papaya committed fraud through false advertising. Plus violated New York’s general business law by promoting its mobile games as “totally fair and skill-based” when they are instead “rigged.”

According to the complaint, between 2019 and “at least November 2023,” Papaya used bots “masquerading as human players” in games where human players had money on the line, unfairly making it impossible for users to succeed.

As for Beadle, she has been a long time critic of Smith at ESPN. In June, after The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Stephen A. Smith would be taking over Beadle and Decker’s timeslot on SiriusXM radio. Beadle spoke with Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports earlier this year. Where she turned her ousting by SiriusXM into a personal beef with her successor in Smith. Although they were colleagues at ESPN together at several points throughout their careers. Beadle has admitted that her and Stephen A. Smith are not friends in the discussion with FOS.

“I will never share a set with that person ever, because I don’t respect him,” she said. “Life’s too short.”

Cody Decker echoed Beadle’s frustrations, focusing his criticism on other ESPN talents who have joined Smith in promoting Papaya Gaming’s Solitaire app online. He accused them of putting corporate relationships above personal integrity.

“I don’t know how much shilling is going on behind the scenes, but people in our industry have embarrassed themselves in ways that I don’t think I’ve ever seen,” Decker said. “You have them all fighting for Solitaire ads for Stephen A. Smith. You have all of these dips***s just shilling themselves out…. Let’s just call it what it is—whoring themselves out as harshly as they can.”

Smith, already one of the highest-paid figures in sports media, has steadily expanded his brand beyond First Take through podcasting, satellite radio, digital partnerships, and personal branding deals.

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.

Shawn Tempesta Moving to Mornings at 96.3 KKLZ, Aimee Thomas Shifting to 102.7 Coyote Country

BMM Staff
-
0
Shawn Tempesta Moving to Mornings at 96.3 KKLZ, Aimee Thomas Shifting to 102.7 Coyote Country

Beasley Media Group has announced a pair of changes to its programming line in Las Vegas, as Shawn Tempesta is moving to 96.3 KKLZ and Aimee Thomas is shifting to 102.7 Coyote Country.

Previously, Shawn Tempesta and Aimee Thompson had been paired together in mornings at 102.7 VGS. However, as that station is undergoing a frequency flip with Coyote Country, with KVGS moving to 107.9, Tempesta is now being added to morning drive alongside Carla Rea on 96.3 KKLZ, beginning on Monday, November 17th.

Furthermore, Thomas is returning to 102.7 Coyote Country to pair with Shawn Stevens in morning drive.

“Las Vegas is home to some of the best talent in the country, and these moves strengthen two of our incredible brands,” said Beasley Media Group Chief Content Officer Justin Chase. “We’re thrilled to see Shawn join forces with Carla on KKLZ and to welcome Aimee back to The Coyote family. Our listeners are going to love what’s ahead.”

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.

Chris Van Vliet Joins Cumulus Podcast Network

BSM Staff
-
0
Chris Van Vliet Joins Cumulus Podcast Network

Cumulus Media announced award-winning interviewer Chris Van Vliet has joined the Cumulus Podcast Network. Bringing his popular show Insight with Chris Van Vliet to one of the largest audio platforms in the country.

The partnership, part of Westwood One’s portfolio. It will see Cumulus distribute, market, and monetize the program as Van Vliet continues expanding one of wrestling’s most recognizable media brands.

“I couldn’t be more excited to bring Insight to the Cumulus Podcast Network,” Van Vliet said. “Pro wrestling is the hottest it’s been in decades, and this partnership allows us to continue growing the show and connecting with fans who love authentic, meaningful conversations.”

The move comes as professional wrestling reaches new levels of mainstream popularity. Fueled by billion-dollar media rights deals and record-breaking television ratings from WWE and AEW. Van Vliet’s Insight has become a fixture in the space, consistently ranking among the top sports and entertainment podcasts on Apple and Spotify.

His YouTube channels have combined for nearly 2 million subscribers and more than 2.8 billion views.

Launched as a personal project, Insight evolved into a leading destination for long-form, thoughtful conversations with the biggest names in wrestling and entertainment. Van Vliet has built a reputation for in-depth, humanizing interviews with stars. These include The Rock, John Cena, Chris Jericho, Becky Lynch, Cody Rhodes, Rey Mysterio, and The Undertaker.

The new partnership will give Insight access to Cumulus’ extensive marketing and ad sales infrastructure. While expanding its digital reach to millions of new listeners. In addition to weekly episodes. The collaboration will include exclusive live events and bonus content designed to engage wrestling fans in new ways.

Collin Jones, president of Westwood One and the Cumulus Podcast Network, said Van Vliet represents the type of creator the company wants to champion.

“Chris Van Vliet is a standout creator whose authenticity and consistency have built a powerful brand,” Jones said. “His podcast is a perfect fit for our network, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the Cumulus family. This is another step in our mission to deliver premium, thought-provoking content to audiences nationwide.”

New episodes of Insight with Chris Van Vliet will continue to release multiple times per week across all major podcast platforms and on Cumulus’ digital channels.

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.

Erick Erickson Joins Atlanta Journal-Constitution As Opinion Contributor

BNM Staff
-
0
Erick Erickson Joins Atlanta Journal-Constitution As Opinion Contributor

Erick Erickson is expanding his media endeavors to include writing an opinion column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Erickson’s first piece with the publication debuted on Thursday. He had previously contributed an opinion piece in September.

Joining the Atlanta Journal-Constitution marks a return to written word roots for Erick Erickson.

He previously worked as a writer, Editor-in-Chief, and Chief Executive of digital outlet RedState, as well as writing the Peach Pundit blog. After leaving RedState in 2015, he launched The Resurgent, a conservative political blog, in 2016.

Erickson hosts the nationally syndicated Erick Erickson Show, which originates from 95.5 WSB in Atlanta. He also previously worked as a political contributor at both CNN and Fox News.

The Erick Erickson Show is distributed by Compass Media Networks and airs live from 12-3 PM ET.

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.

Mark Shapiro: FOX Sports Was “A Little Lazy” in Monetizing UFC Partnership

BSM Staff
-
0
Mark Shapiro: FOX Sports Was “A Little Lazy” in Monetizing UFC Partnership

Mark Shapiro, COO of TKO Group Holdings, offered a candid assessment of FOX Sports’ handling of the UFC during the period the two were partnered. Painting a picture of missed opportunities and lackluster execution. FOX Sports and the UFC enjoyed a media rights partnership from 2011 till 2019. When the UFC then moved to an agreement with ESPN.

Speaking to the challenges FOX faced on The Main Event with Andrew Marchand. Shapiro explained why the UFC’s time with FOX struggled during the eight years they were together.

“FOX Sports was having a tough time monetizing it, because the UFC in those days was hard to monetize. Right, combat sports, blood on the mat, wasn’t as mainstream as it is today,” said Shapiro. “It didn’t do the kind of numbers—we’re still in the building phase. I would argue Fox was a little lazy. It takes work to sell a UFC, especially in those days.”

Shapiro’s comments reflect long-standing debates in sports media about the difficulty of promoting niche sports and the critical role networks play in shaping public perception. While UFC has since become a mainstream sports brand. Shapiro highlighted that during the FOX partnership, the sport was still navigating growing pains and required a more aggressive and strategic approach from its broadcast partner.

He elaborated further on FOX’s shortcomings, pointing to deficiencies in sales and strategy.

“Fox really wasn’t aggressive. Didn’t know how to package it, or didn’t have enough sports, didn’t have the right strategy, or didn’t put the effort in, or had a bad sales team,” explained Shapiro. “I don’t know what to tell you, but they weren’t selling it well,” Shapiro said.

Earlier this year, Paramount, now part of Skydance Corporation, announced a landmark agreement in August. Which granted Paramount+ exclusive rights to all UFC events in the United States beginning in 2026. The expansion positions Paramount+ as a global destination for fight fans, strengthening its live sports portfolio and international streaming presence.

Shapiro told CNBC that ESPN, the network which has carried UFC programming since 2019, was “always in the mix” to retain rights earlier this year. However, TKO’s expectations for a significant increase in rights fees meant talks with ESPN eventually reached an impasse.

The deal with Paramount, valued at an average annual $1.1 billion, will see all 13 numbered UFC events and 30 Fight Nights each year available to Paramount+ subscribers at no additional cost. Select marquee events will also simulcast on CBS, providing the sport with its largest potential broadcast reach to date.

Last month, Paramount and the UFC are extended their partnership with a new seven-year, multi-territory media rights agreement. That will make Paramount+ the exclusive home of UFC content across Latin America and Australia starting in 2026.

While FOX Sports played a role in introducing the UFC to mainstream audiences, Shapiro’s comments suggest the network fell short of maximizing the sport’s commercial and cultural potential. For TKO Group Holdings, the lessons from that period remain relevant as they navigate modern media partnerships and continue to expand the UFC’s reach.

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.

Saga Communications Reports 1.8% Revenue Decline During 2025’s 3rd Quarter

BNM Staff
-
0
Saga Communications Reports 1.8% Revenue Decline During 2025’s 3rd Quarter

Saga Communications has released its 2025 third-quarter financial results, and the company reported a slight downturn in overall revenue.

The company shared that its net revenue for the period was $28.2 million, which represents a 1.8% decline year-over-year.

A large portion of that decline can be tied to the lack of political advertising in 2025. During July, August, and September 2024, the company earned $677,000 from political advertising. In 2025, that figure fell to $73,000 during those months.

The company shared that operating expenses rose 8.7% during the quarter, up to $24.7 million. However, much of that can be tied to a $2.1 million settlement with music licensing companies ASCAP and BMI for payments from 2022 through 2025 that were errantly reported. When that expense is removed, Saga Communications reported an operating expense increase of 0.5%.

During the quarter, Saga posted an operating loss of $626,000. During the same time period last year, the company saw an operating income of $1.6 million.

Additionally, the company shared that it paid its $.25 per share quarterly dividend in September, amounting to $1.6 million. It is also considering more stock buybacks in the future.

The financial result reports come on the heels of Saga Communications sharing that it had inked a deal worth more than $10 million to sell the land at 22 of its tower sites.

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.

1...333334335...2,604Page 334 of 2,604