Days after Stephen A. Smith’s former ESPN colleague Michelle Beadle said on her Beadle & Decker podcast that she was “praying for his downfall,” the First Take host responded to her criticisms over many years and attempted to directly address her most recent remarks — and he did not hold back.
Smith began by making it clear that there’s never been any real relationship between the two, saying his comments were “strictly directed” at Beadle.
“I have not said a word about [her] in over 11 years,” Smith said. “You would think there’s some beef that’s been going on for years. It’s all because of her. I’ve never said more than hello or goodbye to her… I don’t know this woman at all.”
The latest comments from Beadle were on the latest episode of Beadle and Decker. Where 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 last week. “It’s gross, man, you gotta have principles in this thing.”
Yesterday, Smith pushed back on Beadle’s claims of his lack of care for his work, insisting that any tension stems solely from her actions, not his.
“Please understand, I don’t know her. I have no relationship with her,” he continued. “She says I don’t like her — how would you know? It has to be because of how you’re acting, Michelle Beadle… We’ve never had a conversation. We have no relationship.”
Beadle, 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.”
Smith revisited Beadle’s decision not to share a desk with him during her tenure at ESPN, a move he suggested may have influenced how their careers diverged.
“You are on the record saying you refused to share a desk,” Smith said. “I remember when I had some breaking news when you were on Get Up and you refused to have it aired because of me. Is that professional? I’m still there — you’re not. Who do you think they favored?”
He then questioned Beadle’s current career standing, referencing her podcast’s limited reach compared to her previous roles at ESPN, NBCSN, among others.
“Why are you stuck with a podcast with 2,500 subscribers on Instagram? What happened to ESPN? What happened to NBC?” Smith asked. “I know why you’re gone. I know why you can’t go to other networks. And the sad part about it is it’s all because of that stink attitude. Evil.”
Smith also addressed his new SiriusXM program replacing Beadle & Decker on the satellite radio network, saying that he was unaware of that the timeslot belonged to the duo.
“Did you tell your audience what you did,” questioned Smith. “You went on the air not just talking about me, but talking s**t about Sirius XM. You had a contract that was still due for months for you to be on the air and they told you to get the hell off the air now. Because of how rude and disrespectful you are.”
Finally, Smith made it clear this will be the last time he comments on Beadle.
“She’s talking about ethics and work ethic — and she has none of it,” he said. “It’s never her. She is a waste of my space that I will never allow to happen again. Ain’t nobody scared to talk. I just got bigger and better things to do.”
Beadle has not yet publicly responded to Smith’s remarks.
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Salem Media Group has released its third-quarter financial results, and the company has reported a revenue decline during the period.
During the window, the company saw total net revenue of $51.3 million, a year-over-year decline of 13%. Broadcast revenue fell from $46 million to $40.7 million during July, August, and September.
The Digital Media sector for Salem Media Group also saw a decline, from $10.9 million during 2024’s third quarter to $10.6 million in 2025.
The company reported a net loss of $2.3 million during the quarter. That figure was $6.6 million in losses during the same quarter of 2024.
During the first nine months of the year, Salem Media Group has reported a total net loss of $27 million, up from $9.5 million in losses during the same period last year.
The company shared that it had $57.7 million in operating expenses during the period. Some of those costs included improvements related to the write-down of some of its broadcast licenses. That came after a $25.2 million impairment of its licenses in 11 markets in June.
Salem’s total assets were at $326.4 million to end the quarter. That’s down from the $423.1 million it reported at the same time in 2024.
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iHeartMedia has released its third-quarter financial results, and the company reported a decline in overall revenue during the period.
During the quarter, the company shared that its total revenue was down 1.1%. It added that, when political advertising is excluded, it saw an uptick of 2.8%.
Digital Audio Group revenue rose 14% from the same period last year, up to $342 million. Specifically, podcast revenue grew 22% to $140 million, while digital revenue not including podcasts was up 8% to $202 million.
The Multiplatform Group for iHeartMedia, which encompasses its broadcast radio stations, saw a 4.6% decline in overall revenue, down $28.3 million compared to the same period of 2024.
In total, the company reported an operating loss of $116 million during July, August, and September. That’s down from a $77 million income during 2024. The company took $209 million of non-cash impairment charges pertaining to its FCC license values during the quarter.
“We’re pleased with our third quarter performance, generating Adjusted EBITDA of $205 million, slightly above the midpoint of our guidance range, and our consolidated revenue was down 1.1% compared to prior year, at the high end of our guidance, and up 2.8% excluding political revenue,” said Chairman/CEO Bob Pittman. “And we continue to take important steps in the evolution of our company – last week we announced our new relationship with Amazon Ads, which will provide advertisers using Amazon DSP access to our vast audio portfolio, and just this morning we announced our new TikTok partnership, which will bring TikTok creators into iHeart’s ecosystem.
“We are committed to exploring new ways to unlock the value of our unparalleled assets, maximizing the unique position we occupy in the evolving media landscape, and creating innovative cross-platform opportunities to bring new products and services to our consumers and our advertising partners,” he concluded.
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This column doesn’t discuss video audience measurement by Nielsen — or anyone else for that matter — very often, but I read a Forbes article recently that got the brain cells working.
Nielsen has an excellent track record for fending off competitors. When I first started in the ratings business in the ’80s, a British company, AGB, was trying to move into the U.S. with a radical device called a “peoplemeter.” You may have heard of that technology before.
At the time, Nielsen was measuring national television viewing with a combination of set meters and TV diaries, using two panels to create estimates. The set meters yielded household numbers and overnights, but there were no demos. Demos were added later by integrating the separate diary panel.
AGB’s solution was to bring the peoplemeter to the U.S. so that the networks could have fast demo data and avoid the issues with the diary and separate panels. I’ll spare you all the details, but my impression was that the three-and-a-half networks (Fox had just started) wanted AGB to enter the U.S. marketplace, if for no other reason than to put downward pressure on Nielsen’s pricing.
While everyone said they were interested, only CBS was willing to write a check. Nielsen brought in a peoplemeter of their own, AGB lost a truckload of money, and left the U.S.
There is a thread that connects that story to today’s news. AGB was purchased in 1988 by Pergamon, which was owned by the late Robert Maxwell. His daughter, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently in a U.S. jail and is at the center of the Jeffrey Epstein saga. And oddly enough, the remnants of AGB, through any number of mergers and purchases, eventually became part of Nielsen.
More recently, comScore has taken on Nielsen. The company was one of the first to use “big data,” specifically return-path data from cable boxes, satellite dishes, and later on, smart TVs, which, when modeled, can create local and national audience estimates. Full disclosure: Bill Livek, comScore’s former CEO, was CEO of Birch/Scarborough when I worked there in the early ’90s. comScore has had some financial issues but continues to fight on.
More recently, VideoAmp has entered the picture. Per the story, VideoAmp started as a method for advertisers to determine how well their ads were working. Eventually, the company moved toward challenging Nielsen in the national marketplace.
While I don’t have experience with the national TV services, the article notes that VideoAmp’s billing system is different. With Nielsen, you’re going to pay a big wad of cash regardless of how much you use the service or how your numbers turned out. With VideoAmp, you apparently pay a far smaller upfront fee and then pay a percentage of transactions based on their estimates.
The article goes on to talk about the differences between VideoAmp and Nielsen and how VideoAmp has apparently shown larger audiences for some broadcast programs. As we know, bigger is better.
To prove that point, when I was a young operations manager at WSPA-FM in Greenville/Spartanburg in the early ’80s, I conducted a mail survey of other easy-listening stations around the country. While I can’t tell you the exact numbers, this was during the time when Birch was challenging Arbitron in the radio ratings market. I put in the following question (not word for word—my memory isn’t that good):
If Arbitron and Birch reported different results for your station, which one would you believe?
The choices were:
Arbitron
Birch
Whichever one had higher numbers for my station
Neither one of them
Guess which answer won a majority response? You’re right: whichever one had higher numbers for my station! Paraphrasing, bigger is righter!
My point is, if Nielsen faces stronger competition in the video space, this could affect the audio service as well. I’ve noted before that Nielsen is owned by private equity (again), and the goal is typically to squeeze every last dime out of a company and prepare it for a profitable sale some years down the road.
The national TV service is the “big kahuna” in audience measurement, both for dollars, assumed profitability, and prestige. I believe that radio brings in more dollars than local TV. This was stated at an all-employee meeting soon after Nielsen took over Arbitron, so I can’t guarantee the accuracy today, but with the current state of local TV, it wouldn’t surprise me.
If Nielsen loses some national TV clients or is forced to lower rates in the face of stiff competition from VideoAmp, comScore, or other companies, it may look for more revenue on the audio side. While I’m not privy to Nielsen Audio contracts, the Cumulus lawsuit stated Nielsen wanted a 36% rate increase on their new contract. I’ve heard that another major radio group was hit with a similar increase. Say what you want about inflation during Joe Biden’s time in office, but it wasn’t anywhere near that high!
I spent four Barrett Media columns in September sketching out a possible alternative for measuring audio. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a framework for incorporating big data in a less expensive system. Others may have different and perhaps better ways to skin this cat.
However it happens, Nielsen may soon be pushing the radio business closer to major change.
Let’s meet again next week.
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Even as we celebrate Veterans Day, the holiday season is over. Christmas music is on – or nearly on – in every market. Programs and flights are built, planted and sold to prospective clients.
There are eight Tuesdays until The New Year. Historically, the first quarter is a slump as the calendar flips to a new year. Gold based radio formats like Adult Contemporary and Classic Hits/Rock view first quarter as a revenue black hole.
In fact, radio stations have a great opportunity to set the tone for a strong year starting in the first quarter. January, February and March can make or break annual momentum. Smart preparation now can pay off in increased ratings, revenue, and feel-good listener loyalty.
Over the summer, we encouraged you – in August – to plan for the balance of 2025. Now, your focus in the programming wing and with your sellers should turn to the first part of a successful 2026.
We offer a collection of ideas that spread programming goodwill and generate revenue in a quarter where inventory is plenty.
Food Drives
We’ve seen throughout the country how large 14% of our population rely on SNAP benefits. The cold truth is that people in need have that need year-round. Instead of a dedicated Food Drive, have your radio station partner with a local Food Pantry to have them be at EVERY one of your events – big and small – through the first quarter – collecting non-perishable items. Food Pantries have also have marketing dollars. That’s how they afford outdoor and direct mail. Investigate if they can get some of their budget in your building.
Food Drive 4 UR School
This campaign has been in force for decades and is a little-known secret weapon. It remains a valuable fundraiser for your local schools. Ford offers the participating schools up to $50 per test drive up to $6,000 per school. Have the Ford dealer run ads for the event and get a talent to host. Partner with a Ford auto mall and ANY local school, hold the event on a Saturday event at the school. Actual local description of the event is posted here.
A Soccer-Mom Blog
The heart of the AC format belongs to soccer moms. Find them in mom groups on Facebook. Identify one local, digitally connected mom in your market and have an auto dealer allow her (rather than talent) to drive a new (or pre-owned) car for a month. She blogs about it and gives her testimonial endorsements on the radio station. It has a “real” feel versus a talent who does it.
Best In Snow
Pet food and accessories is a $150 Billion Dollar annual business. When the snow starts to fall, have listeners submit pics of their pooches in the white stuff. Develop a listener committee of judges (or all listeners) to vote on best pics or have a ‘bracket’ challenge for the best on your web site. Sell to local vet or Subaru Dealer (Subaru is WAY into dogs). Also know that local Wal-Mart and Hyvee managers get a local budget allowance for market-specific promotions.
Anything Health
Hold a Health Fest coordinated by local hospital and hosted at a mall or local community college. If you have an annual Bridal Show, add a health section to the list of potential vendors. Make if free to attend and sell booths to chiropractors, GNC, blood banks or even a local drug store. Brides want to look their best on their special day. Now that GLP-1 Drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy) prices have been slashed, local pharmacies will want brides to be a destination for their weight-loss prescriptions.
Featured Teacher (Or Classroom)
The average money spent out-of-pocket for American teachers for their classroom is around $900 per year. You see their Amazon ‘wish lists’ posted next to their profile on social media. Teachers cold use assistance. With through local PTO’s to get into the schools. PTO’s are also excellent at organizing events! Have radio talent visit and present the grant. Record The Pledge of Allegiance in classroom for replay the next day or week. All sorts of possible sponsor categories for this goodwill campaign.
Free Ad Campaign
First quarter can be a VAST wasteland for radio inventory. Fill it up with $1,000 worth of free spots to local businesses who register for the campaign. Many local businesses can’t afford a robust schedule and haven’t used radio in their marketing. Employees lead a ‘spirit’ contest for how GREAT their employer is. Another angle would be to have businesses write in with THEIR best first quarter offer and make THAT the winning entry’s campaign.
Galentine’s Day
Galentine’s Day actually started on the sitcom Parks & Recreation in 2010. The celebration takes place the day before Valentine’s Day (February 13th – a Friday in 2026) Centering around female friendship. On the show, Leslie and her friends gather for brunch complete with waffles and whipped cream to exchange small gifts.. Host a Ladies Night Out on Friday February 13th at a high-end local restaurant. Take the group out – hosted by your morning show – for a Mani-Pedi first with a wine tasting. Perhaps a Male Dance Revue at the restaurant or after? Valentine’s Day 2026 is on a Saturday – FYI.
Second Run Sing-Along
Wicked: For Good hits the theatres this month – Friday November 21st. Goes without saying but it’s going to be huge across all demographics. By the time first quarter is here, the film will be in second-run theatres and on-line. Host a Saturday morning sing-along to include a costume contest. Partner with a local Food Bank with your Food Drive at a local cinema on a Saturday morning where the price of admission is a bag of non – perishable food. Another film for a sing-along is Moana 2. As outlined above, a food drive not associated with a holiday stands out, helps those in need and creates good will for your brands.
When we brainstorm ideation with clients, the notes also chart special days in certain months. If your studio doesn’t have a Chase’s Calendar of Event, put it on your Christmas List. Here’s a sample from January (give the list to your talent, too!)
College Football Championship – 19th(Almost as big as The Super Bowl – on a Monday)
National Use Your Gift Card Day – 21st
National Peanut Butter Day – 24th
National Thomas Crapper Day – 27th
Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day – 30th
Also, put the following list on your seller’s cubical post-holidays. These targets almost always have an annual marketing budget and are bullet-proof when it comes to a soft economy:
Recession Proof Leads
Municipalities
Police – Fire
Universities
Funeral Homes
Farm Supply
Recruitment Companies
Dentists
National Insurance/Investment companies
Trucking/Delivery Companies – Recruitment
Liquor Stores
It’s not even Thanksgiving yet. On a broadcaster’s calendar, however, the holiday rush is in the rear-view mirror. Now comes the stretch that tests everyone’s fortitude. Historically, first quarter can feel like a revenue valley especially for gold-based formats like Adult Contemporary and Classic Hits/Rock. But that doesn’t have to be the case.
New Year success belongs to brands that plan for it now.
*Special thanks to client stations for ideation and the creative minds behind the promotional efforts of Kensington Digital Media, Midwest Communications, Federated Media, Midwest Family of Companies, Saga Communications and CPR Promotions Paige Nienaber (among others).
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.
Success in independent media and the greater creator economy is never a guarantee. Much like any career path, you need dedication to an idea. Support from others, and a little luck along the way. Marcellus Wiley achieved success on the football field. Playing ten years in the NFL after being drafted in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft.
Growing up in Compton, California, he excelled in academics as much as he did on the football field. He graduated as his high school’s valedictorian but understands his journey was not possible without some help along the way.
“I was a fork-in-the-road kid. Things could have gone wrong, or they could have gone right. I was blessed for them to go right,” said Wiley. “I’m grateful, and am blessed… I certainly was part of a community that allowed me to make my dreams a reality.”
Wiley has spent the last two decades building his organization, Project Transition. He provides support for people similar to himself as a child stuck at a fork in the road. While building his foundation, the former NFL All-Pro also entered the sports media landscape as a league analyst.
He began at ESPN, working on both the television and radio sides of the industry. He co-hosted ESPN Radio programs with Michelle Beadle, Max Kellerman, Kelvin Washington, and Travis Rodgers. Wiley also replaced Colin Cowherd as co-host of SportsNation on ESPN television.
From Network to Independent
After more than a decade with ESPN, Wiley moved to FOX Sports in 2018 to co-host alongside Jason Whitlock on Speak For Yourself. After a few lineup changes on FS1, Wiley departed the network in 2022 and began his independent media journey. Not knowing exactly what to expect, he quickly noticed major differences between the independent scene and network television.
“When you’re doing independent media, you’ve got to go up the hill with your backpack full because the content creation—you’re going from soup to nuts,” said Wiley. “Network means exactly what it is. There are a lot of people working within that net. All I had to do was be dressed. But in the independent space, you need to be a CEO, businessman, creator, and fan. It’s all things.”
Wiley approached the challenge like he had with every one in his life: study, prepare, and find avenues of content that others simply cannot provide.
“My commentary every day since 2007, when Seth Markman was our [ESPN] coordinating producer. He told me I’m doing a great job but I’m not long for the job,” explained Wiley. “I thought that was a backhanded compliment. What he was really saying was he knew I wasn’t there for third and goal. I was there to tell stories about people, sociology, and to dive into the person more than just results and statistics.”
Success Lies in Truth
What was identified in his days working on NFL Live at ESPN has now become Wiley’s trademark approach. Finding ways to swerve away from typical conversation. Understanding that criticism is the cost of praise, Wiley focuses only on what he’s passionate about in an attempt to spark real discussion.
“I don’t let data direct me [with content] because I start with my interest. What is going to excite me? What am I passionate about, and which content grabbed me? I start there and I support it with what they are not saying about it,” explained Wiley. “The truth. Simple as that… There’s nothing more fascinating and more infinite in terms of possibilities with conversations than the truth.”
Since 2002, Wiley has built his own media company that features two podcasts. The short-form Hydration Situation, which features his commentary on sports and media topics, and the long-form On The Rocks, which gathers close personal friends for candid conversations on a range of subjects.
With his background in professional sports and sports media, Wiley produces most of his content around the sports media landscape. He believes that as a former athlete, those in the media should also be held to a certain standard and face criticism when it’s deserved. Just like athletes and other public figures.
“I judge based on the act, not the actor,” noted Wiley. “No one was sitting there saying I’m telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about athletes, sports, and sports media personalities. I just thought if you’re going to criticize the game and the players. Let’s also criticize those who are talking about the game and the players.”
Sports Media Sells
Wiley says he’s seen a shift in sports media where broadcasters have become stars on par with—or even bigger than—the athletes they cover, often because incentives encourage that behavior.
“Incentives shape behavior. Skip Bayless got paid because Colin Cowherd got paid because Stephen A. Smith got paid. The people who got paid were more sensational than not,” explained Wiley. “That’s more compromising to the industry than the partnerships [with the leagues]. It’s hard to stand out from the pack. The reason why guys lean into unmerited criticism and put hot sauce on everything is because they don’t believe in their product.”
The lane that Wiley crafted for his content has led to a growing platform and the success that comes with it. He noted that the ultimate goal for any creator is to provide enough of an example to license the content to a network or another platform. Wiley revealed that he’s currently in talks to license out his content as he continues to grow and credits the attraction of his work to its truth.
“A lot of people have come my way because of the uniqueness of the lane, but also because of the growth,” said Wiley. “There are a lot of people who have left traditional media and haven’t had the success that I’ve had. I don’t have a machine with me, so I think some of the machines are sitting there saying he’s done all of this by himself, and he’s surpassed most of those who do have machines. Imagine if we gave him a little battery in his back.”
Future Of FS1
Wiley’s experience with network television has made his commentary stand out among the rest, particularly his recent takes regarding his former employer at FOX Sports.
When the network decided to eliminate three shows earlier this summer from its daytime lineup, Wiley believed the abruptness of the moves was tied to a pending lawsuit filed by a former FS1 hair stylist, which named several FS1 talents and executive Charlie Dixon as defendants.
“We’re all smart enough to know what they had to do was clean house because of the lawsuit and all the implications from it,” said Wiley. “When you lose Charlie Dixon, you lose a lot of navigation and momentum. Then you have to blow things up, and a lot of people were caught in the collateral damage.”
Less than a week after FS1 canceled Breakfast Ball, The Facility, and Speak, the network announced a partnership with Barstool Sports, eventually replacing its morning programming lineup with Wake Up Barstool.
While early returns on viewership have not been received well by many—including Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy—Wiley believes the concept may never work for FS1 and is not a long-term play.
“This is not going to go smoothly. The reason I know it’s not working is because Barstool Sports is a whole different entity than what FOX Sports wanted as a product,” said Wiley. “It’s almost like they’re squeezing it in a funnel and saying fit… I don’t think they [Barstool Sports] wanted that time slot. Beyond that, it’s not coming with the energy because it’s probably not the deal they desired.”
For Wiley, the move from bright studio lights to building his own lane wasn’t about control—it was about purpose. He’s proven that truth still has an audience, and that authenticity can outlast any algorithm.
Whether he’s breaking down a play, a headline, or a headline-maker, Wiley’s compass hasn’t changed. He’s still that kid from Compton, choosing the right direction at the fork in the road. His story underscores a new reality in sports media: credibility, creativity, and conviction are the true currencies of success when the machine no longer powers your voice.
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At the end of the day, everything comes down to revenue. How much revenue you earn determines how successful your brand becomes. Ratings are important. Impact is also valuable. However, at the end of the day, for most sports radio brands, the revenue figure must remain in the green or the red pen is due.
A big piece of the sports radio revenue stream is tied to personal endorsements by the trusted talent on the radio station. For all the discussion about how to make commercial ad reads more presentable to a listening audience, the personal touch from a trusted voice matters most. We’re entering the season where endorsements matter most: the holiday shopping season.
Turn on your local sports radio station. You’ll hear talent sharing messages about their favorite jeweler, clothing brand, or car dealer—all with a gentle nod at the end to let listeners know who sent them. But with the demands of the daily grind, cracks have appeared in the endorsement model. Something all talent should keep in mind, most recently highlighted by Mina Kimes of ESPN.
The biggest money maker in sports media is, without question, Stephen A. Smith. He’s turned First Take into a signature sports talk television product. Using his platform as Executive Producer to showcase non-ESPN talent while helping them promote their own platforms. Shannon Sharpe, Gilbert Arenas, and Cam Newton are just a few examples.
Y’all really mad I was playing Solitaire during the Finals? Maybe ask yourself why. Join now for the first time ever – World Solitaire Championship.
Smith also turned a shocking viral moment at last year’s NBA Finals into a personal endorsement opportunity. While on-site for ESPN’s coverage, cameras caught Smith playing solitaire during the game. He spun the moment as multitasking while working for ESPN—and reveled in the backlash.
Less than six months later, Smith became the official ambassador for the “World Solitaire Championship,” endorsing the mobile game company Papaya. That’s turning an embarrassing negative into a money-making positive.
In the week since Smith’s announcement, several ESPN personalities, including Kimes, Dan Orlovsky, Ros Gold-Onwude, Laura Rutledge, and Kendrick Perkins, have attached their names to the Papaya endorsement. They promoted the #BeatStephen challenge on their social media accounts using the company Smith signed with.
You can’t beat my score. Nobody can. Download Solitaire Cash. Enter the “Beat Stephen” Tournament.
Win? Post your screenshot in the comments. You will get a prize. ♠️
No distractions. Pure focus. That’s how champs win.
When talent are asked to endorse a company or product, some legwork is essential—whether by the talent or the sales representative. Is the company reputable? Does it align with the talent’s values? Is it legitimate? In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, these are fair questions.
In the race to secure advertising dollars and revenue, we’ve seen the rush to get revenue on the books without taking the proper precautions every talent and sales representative should. We’ve seen this from massive companies, including the now-infamous crypto exchange FTX and the Fyre Festival. The most recent example is Smith’s endorsement of Papaya, and the tentacles it touched with several other ESPN talents.
To her credit, Kimes apologized for endorsing Papaya Gaming. The company is currently involved in a federal lawsuit accusing it of falsely marketing games of skill and having used “tailored bots to control the outcomes of tournaments.”
Sounds like sports and sports media are having some trouble avoiding fixed games of skill lately.
Kimes admitted she did not properly vet the business and called it simple “marketing work.” She felt embarrassed and acknowledged it was a “colossal f**k up.” Her response is an honest reflection of a process too many talents follow: trust the people pitching the product instead of the product itself.
The truth is: I didn't spend any time looking into the whole thing, and that's 100% on me. Thought it was just typical marketing work, and I'm deeply embarrassed I didn't vet it. A colossal fuck-up on my part. https://t.co/BlQQMEwigk
Since the revelation of the ongoing lawsuit, Kimes, Rutledge, and Orlovsky have all removed their promotional posts on social media involving Smith’s endorsement of Papaya. Only Kimes was the one to apologize for the endorsement and serve up an explanation as to why.
Her example is a clear reminder: legwork prevents make-up work. The brand you represent is more valuable than any client partnership. Bad deals hurt brands, but only when speed is prioritized over execution. It’s a disservice to your audience to endorse companies that don’t meet your standards.
At the end of the day, the lesson is clear: revenue is important, but reputation is priceless. A hasty endorsement may fill the ledger today, but it can erode trust tomorrow.
In sports media, as in sports itself, the wins that matter most aren’t just measured in numbers—they’re measured in credibility, consistency, and respect. The challenge for every talent and every brand is simple: move fast, but think twice; chase dollars, but never at the cost of your integrity.
Because no bonus, no sponsorship, no viral moment is worth more than the audience that believes in you.
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.
Thank you for checking out ‘The Industry According To’. This series runs each Tuesday, and features radio and record industry executives, managers, programmers, talent, artists, and professionals from all areas of the business world. To be considered as a future guest, email me at keith90405@gmail.com.
The music industry is massive. Thousands of jobs, companies, brands, and artists, all chasing different goals. Today we visit with Jeff Varner, a highly respected and coveted Artist Manager and business owner who sees all sides of the music industry. Jeff helps guide the superstar careers of artists like Slash, Stone Temple Pilots, Rival Sons, The White Buffalo and many others. You can learn more about his company, Revelation Management Group here.
The New Management Game
Keith: You’ve been in management long enough to see the business completely change, from CD sales to Streams to TikTok to touring. What’s the biggest evolution you’ve seen in what it means to manage an artist today?
Jeff: I think the biggest evolution has been technology. By that I don’t just mean streaming as a way for fans to consume music, I mean technology at large that has affected every sector of our lives. From social media to now AI, the way we live our lives is so exponentially different than even say ten years ago.
As a manager you are always having to look through a very broad lens of how people (fans) live and work and how they enjoy and interact with music in their lives. So, in that sense, being a manager has now become even broader. That requires a much more holistic look at technology and sociology to understand how to best advise an artist or to create marketing strategies for music or touring.
Managing Everything
Keith: Historically, managers were all about the album and tour. Today, a manager’s bandwidth is stretched further to include branding and partnerships, social, synchs, tracking streams, merch, the rising costs of touring, and even mental health. What’s the most difficult part of today’s “new normal”?
Jeff: I hear that a lot now about how management has started to encompass all of these areas but, honestly, it always has. Yes, of course, there are new challenges and things to learn in terms of connecting fans to music and working with your clients to find and grow their audiences, but that has always been true as technology has evolved throughout the years. Years ago there were only a certain number of ways to release music commercially. Now that has turned upside down. It’s easier than ever to release music but there is a trade-off for that access and ease, which is volume.
It’s harder and harder for artists to be able to break through when there are literally hundreds of thousands of songs released every day and innumerable avenues in which to promote them. That’s both a good and bad thing. So, the hardest part of that “new normal” is that there are less and less broad ways of releasing music (with predictable results) and instead a hyper focus on what makes this artist unique and how best to explore that through marketing. It’s more time consuming. It requires an artist to have an incredible sense of self and ability to communicate what that message is through their music.
The Streaming Reality Check
Keith: Streaming is the new radio and the new record store and a highly-questioned math problem. From your seat, are artists making real money from streaming yet or is it still a glorified discovery tool?
Jeff: It depends on which artist you are talking about. If you’re fortunate enough to be in that top tier of your genre, whatever that may be, you can do very well. But as we all know that is the exception more than the rule for only a small percentage of artists.
For what I call the “working musicians” out there, or even some genre’s like Rock for example, streaming is an awareness tool and critical as a means to connect to an audience. It’s where the audience is and is a tool in the tool kit. As a revenue source it plays a smaller role than touring and other streams.
As an industry, we did a poor job of adapting early on to the streaming revolution. As such, we don’t reap the spoils to the extent we should be. It’s a common theme in the music industry, we are a loss leader for tech companies to reach market share and spend our time trying to catch up which is always a losing strategy.
Touring: Gold Rush or Bust
Keith: With touring costs rising but it arguably being the biggest revenue driver, it’s seems almost like the “pay to play” days. Some artists rake it in, while others say the costs of being on the road are no longer sustainable. What’s the smartest touring model you’ve seen that balances profit and burnout?
Jeff: This is such a challenging question because it’s such a challenging time right now for everyone. Costs are going up. Everyone knows that. But ticket prices by in large have not (and I’m not saying they necessarily should) to cover that gap so the net result is less profitability to the point where now some artists can’t tour at all no matter how much they reduce their overhead. When everything from gas to hotels, to tour busses and even crew salaries continue to rise, making a tour anything beyond break even has gotten harder.
If you are lucky enough to have a catalogue of songs that resonate, things like festivals and other one-off types of tour dates, I’ve found, can be very profitable. It takes the tour “off the ground” so to speak and removes tour busses and trucking, and instead focuses on fly dates and weekend warrior type mini tours that can be more profitable in the long run. Country artists have been doing it this way for years, because it works. If you are a developing artist, that’s harder to do, so you must make sacrifices to make a tour work as a means to growing a fan base.
It’s hard but the benefit touring provides on honing the craft and making fans city by city, night by night and one at a time can’t be minimized.
The Modern Record Deal
Keith: You see the contracts close-up. Labels have taken plenty of public beatings over alleged deals that aren’t favorable to artists. What deal structures or partnership models do you think favor the artist in 2025? Are there new models you’re favoring at Revelation?
Jeff: This has been one of the upsides to the modern industry, the fact that there are so many creative ways of doing deals now with so many new players involved. We are doing everything from major label deals to full DIY releases and everything in between. It’s a sliding scale with pros and cons but it speaks to that customization I mentioned earlier, the ability to create what works for the artist and for the particular release at the time.
One of biggest things I like to do is retain ownership, whenever possible, on any masters deal. I’m a big fan of licensing for a term with label partners. It speaks to artist advocacy. These days, with a few exceptions, I feel it’s becoming more the norm. It allows artists to own their masters as an asset class.
What You Look For
Keith: I’ll assume you’re not signing new artists or bands that don’t have great music, but there are countless artists with good music that don’t find good management for various reasons. What do you look for when scouting artists? What tells you this person has it, beyond music?
Jeff: What I look for is an artist or band that really has a sense of self and true artistry, meaning they have a very unique perspective or presentation for not only their music but their whole esthetic. And that has to carry into every action, every social media post, every photo that is released or presentation to a fan base. It’s highly curated, highly specific and should be unique. It’s my job to identify those elements and work with artists to bring that out, to sharpen that focus and present that story to others, to evangelize that story.
If I’m going to do all that, I must really like it. You can’t fake that. We have to keep in mind we are dealing with ART, something that should move you, make you feel something. I can’t do that for an artist, they have to deliver on that element or else it all falls apart.
The Brand is the Band
Keith: Today, every band is also a brand. How much do you lean into branding early — visuals, tone, socials, persona — versus letting it grow naturally?
Jeff: I think unless that’s your strategy from the start, meaning a project that is designed for things like comic books or ancillary spin offs beyond just music, then you have to just let things progress naturally. This notion that bands are brands can get overly commercialized and lose sight of the fact that bands and artists should have a “cool” factor, something that isn’t manufactured or marketed like a brand. Yes there are those elements that come along, but you can’t replicate or replace cool. It must be authentic.
That’s not to say that you don’t craft what is unique to that band as I stated before, that esthetic, that vibe, what they are trying to communicate, but you are doing that through the lens of art first, brand second? If you get the first part right, the second part will be more authentic.
The Overnight Illusion
Keith: We all see artists blow-up overnight on TikTok or have that early hit on radio, but it’s often years of prep behind the scenes. What’s the biggest myth about “overnight success” that all new artists need to know?
Jeff: I think there are plenty of examples of overnight successes with little to no prep behind them these days. With Tik Tok in particular, things can explode in a matter of days. I’m not sure how true that holds now. The question is, what does an artist have to do to keep a fan after they get their attention? That is typically where the years of woodshedding and creation pay the most dividends in the long run.
You might get attention really quick for something that goes viral, but what do you have to offer that fan for their time beyond that? If you have a depth of catalogue or interesting backstory and universe to make them want to be a true fan beyond the hype, then you are ahead of the game. “Luck is when preparedness meets opportunity.” I really believe in that ethos as a strategy. Be prepared for anything and have something to say if and when that spotlight shines.
Creative Freedom vs. Commercial Reality
Keith: All artists are different and sometimes their vision may not always lead to greener pastures. How do you balance an artist’s vision with what the commercial market may demand?
Jeff: This is a tough one because ultimately what really defines the commercial market anyway? It’s a constantly shifting moving target. Instead, I prefer to let an artist create what they want to create. I can give input of course and my opinion, but ultimately, it’s the audience that decides whether it’s commercially successful or not.
Despite what anyone may say, there is no real authority on that. It’s trial and error. There are plenty of examples of bands and songs that have come along that seemed less commercial or bucked a trend and then re-set that trend because of their music. If you trust your artist and their ability and can be honest with them when the audience tells you what THEY think, then that’s a healthy relationship.
Radio’s New Role
Keith: Radio doesn’t break songs or artists like it once did, but it still builds audience trust and validation. How do you view radio’s role today in the grand scheme of exposure, credibility, sales, touring?
Jeff: Radio will always be relevant for an artist, whatever stage of their career they are in. It may not always be airplay in the traditional sense, it may be as a platform for awareness for a tour date in that market or as a platform for awareness that a new album even exists. I tend to look at all forms of radio, from music based to sports, to talk radio, where will this artist fans be and how best can I reach them? Sometimes a great interview on a Sports Talk show can do more than a handful of spins overnight for example. It’s all about awareness and reaching your fanbase where they are, not where you think they should be.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Keith: What’s the uncomfortable truth about the artist-manager relationship that most people don’t say out loud? Something that might even surprise artists reading this?
Jeff: I don’t know if it’s uncomfortable or not, but the truth is the Manager/Artist relationship is unique in that it’s all day every day. Aside from that artists family, it’s often one of the most frequent people they will speak to in any given day, about a variety of topics from business to personal. In order for that to work, you have to like and respect that person.
There are a lot of managers out there, and they all have strengths and weaknesses. I do believe there is a “fit” that just needs to be there in that relationship on both sides. You need to have passion for the artist, and they need to believe that you have their best interests at heart and a willingness to fight for them day in and day out. If you have that, that’s a fit. If an artist keeps chasing new management because they think it’s the solution to all their problems, the uncomfortable truth is it’s not.
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.
If you are a news/talk radio host or program director, it is very important to keep the audience’s tastes and interests at the forefront.
We all have interests, especially in pop culture, that may not be in the “mainstream.” For many hosts, this may not register. Let us talk about this and how to best address that disparity.
We have a certain advantage after consolidation. It is easier to obtain data from real-world examples. If you are a news/talk radio host, your biggest competitors are in the following formats: news/talk, sports talk, classic rock, active rock and rap, and classic hits to a lesser extent. It certainly is not that all of your listeners enjoy these formats, but most do. What about country, CHR, alternative, jazz, etc.? Sure, your station will have some listeners in your target demo who love those genres, and you may love them too. That is fine, but if you want to dominate the market, being the on-air super-country fan will not aid your success.
By the way, we all need to make sure that we are tossing in pop culture references. What if you are unfamiliar with pop culture? This is an important part of the human experience. This is where a good support staff is important. A board operator or producer who is in tune with the pop culture tastes of the demo can be very helpful. They can set you up. What if you don’t have that? What do you do to keep in touch? Take a brief look at TMZ, the New York Post, and other pop-culture websites.
Let’s say that you’re unfamiliar with music from the ’90s and early 2000s. Realize that rock is the most likely music for your station’s target listener. Look at the top 10 rock tracks for those 15 years (1990–2005). Listen and familiarize yourself with the top 10 songs and artists from those years. Remember, it is not about you being a fan of it — which would be helpful — it is about just knowing the cultural references.
What about movies? If you are not a big movie buff, figure it out. I have known several very capable news/talk hosts who are really myopic. If it has nothing to do with news and politics, they are like a visitor to a foreign country walking down the street alone without any ability to communicate with the locals. If there is a big cultural happening and you are totally unfamiliar with the person, that is a problem.
We recently lost Ozzy Osbourne. A host may not have been familiar with him or not a big fan of his music. That is fine, but this is not about the host. This is about the audience. Ozzy Osbourne was a huge cultural phenomenon and a relevant force in music and entertainment for over 50 years. A host must have some appreciation of that fact.
I never worked in music radio, which was a common path for people in their teens or 20s who joined the radio industry. I have been asked if I worked in music because I am a huge music fan. The reason I never worked in music radio was because I love music. I couldn’t pull off the charade of pretending I actually liked the Eagles. I have a friend who is a top-flight country morning host and program director. This guy is really good. He hates country music. He chose the format like someone would pick accounting or plumbing as a profession. It was a business decision, and it worked out for him.
On his top-rated morning show, his on-air persona is the biggest country music fan in the world. He knows about the artists, lifestyle, and music. He shows preps for this. It’s about his audience first. Knowing your audience is key for ratings dominance. Talk-show hosts seem genetically predisposed to be opinion machines and sometimes can be oblivious to other realities. It is a talk-show host’s superpower to toss out opinions on everything. It is essential.
I have had hosts over the years who just love music that is not the favorite music of the listener. I have shown Nielsen data to several hosts demonstrating that listeners to their show don’t listen to the music the host does. I am not saying you should not enjoy the music or movies you personally love. I am saying be in tune with your target listener. Be listener-focused.
The cool thing about the artificial intelligence revolution is that you can look up data on your community and audience instantly. I actually test my personal confirmation biases on several things and have learned a lot. Dig in and look for the truth.
By human nature, we all like to think that everyone is like us. It is an instinctual impulse. Question yourself. Really look in the mirror. This will lead you to a better show and a deeper understanding of your listeners’ lives. It’s like dropping a guest if there is a bigger news story for the day or moment. It’s all about the listener.
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 is rebranding as MS NOW, and the change feels like more than just a new logo and color scheme.
The network is calling this the start of a new chapter, one rooted in ten guiding principles — integrity, accuracy, fairness, opinion, sources, emerging technologies, perspectives, transparency, independence, and “Who We Are.”
That’s a strong list. But the question is whether it’s a mission statement or marketing copy. MSNBC’s future will depend on which one it turns out to be.
If you only get one chance to make a first impression, then the next few weeks may define MS NOW’s legacy before it even gets started. The cable news audience has changed dramatically in the last decade, and not necessarily in MSNBC’s favor. The network’s average viewer age is among the oldest in television news, and younger audiences are increasingly getting their headlines from TikTok, YouTube, or podcasts — not 24-hour cable channels.
If this rebrand is supposed to signal renewal, it needs to actually feel new.
That’s easier said than done for a network known as the liberal counterweight to Fox News. MSNBC has spent years cultivating a loyal audience that expects a certain tone, perspective, and cast of characters. The network’s lineup is filled with opinion hosts who rarely cross ideological lines. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that — it’s a proven formula for cable news. But if MS NOW is serious about fairness, transparency, and independence, can it still be the home for only one side of the political aisle?
It’s a tricky balance. On one hand, MSNBC can’t alienate the viewers who already trust it as the left’s main television destination. On the other, you can’t credibly claim to be guided by principles like fairness and perspective while framing almost every story through a single partisan lens. That’s the kind of contradiction audiences sniff out quickly — and one that could make or break MS NOW’s credibility.
The rebrand could also be an opportunity to modernize how the network delivers news. The inclusion of “emerging technologies” as one of its core principles is telling. Does that mean more streaming content? A push into social video? Or just another way to describe a refreshed website and app? If MS NOW wants to connect with younger viewers, it needs to meet them where they are — on platforms that don’t require a cable subscription.
Still, branding alone can’t change perception. CNN’s much-hyped “This Is CNN” reboot didn’t move the needle because the product never truly changed. The anchors were the same, the tone was the same, and the coverage felt identical. Viewers saw through it. MSNBC will face the same challenge. A sleek new identity means nothing if the same talking points and personalities dominate the air.
To its credit, MSNBC’s emphasis on values like accuracy and transparency should be applauded. In a media environment where trust is hard to come by, those principles matter. But the network must also ask itself whether it’s willing to challenge its own audience.
Can MS NOW hold Democrats accountable with the same energy it uses on Republicans? Can it give airtime to voices that don’t always fit comfortably within its brand? If the answer is no, then “Who We Are” becomes a slogan instead of a standard.
The timing of this shift is significant. The 2024 election aftermath, ongoing political polarization, and declining cable ratings all create pressure to adapt.
MSNBC doesn’t just need to refresh its image — it needs to redefine its purpose. If MS NOW is truly about journalistic integrity and independence, then it should strive to be more than a political echo chamber.
Ultimately, rebrands are promises. They tell viewers what to expect. MS NOW is promising a newsroom built on fairness, transparency, and perspective. Living up to that will take more than a new logo and mission statement. It will take editorial courage — and a willingness to rethink what MSNBC has been for the past two decades.
Whether this is a fresh start or just fresh paint, we’ll find out soon enough.
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.
