Nexstar Media Group has reported its third-quarter financial results, and the company saw a decline in overall revenue and income for the period.
During the quarter, the company reported $1.2 billion in net revenue between its distribution, advertising, and generic categories. That figure represents a 12.3% decrease compared to the same period in 2024.
The company’s distribution revenue declined from $719 million to $709 million, a loss of just under 1.5%. The biggest declines were in the advertising sector. That dropped 23.5% year-over-year, down to $476 million from the $622 million it saw in 2024. Nexstar notes that the advertising revenue decline is mostly attributed to the lack of political advertising in 2025 compared to the “unprecedented” levels seen during the 2024 race.
The company’s net income fell from $180 million in the third quarter of 2024 to $65 million, a drop of 63.9%. Its Adjusted EBITDA was down nearly 30% to $358 million during July, August, and September.
“In the third quarter, we took a major step forward in shaping Nexstar’s future as we entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TEGNA Inc. for $6.2 billion in a highly accretive transaction,” Nexstar Media Group Chairman and CEO Perry Sook said. “Operationally, our core business is performing well, with stable year-over-year distribution and non-political advertising revenue and strong expense management resulting in lower year-over-year operating expenses.
“In addition, we continued to progress our network growth strategies as NewsNation was, once again, the fastest growing cable network in the quarter, and The CW generated its sixth consecutive quarter of primetime ratings growth and reduced losses by 24% year-over-year. Looking forward, we are focused on completing our upcoming distribution renewals, closing our acquisition of TEGNA Inc., and capitalizing on the 2026 mid-term election political advertising opportunity, all of which we anticipate will drive shareholder value.”
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Netflix’s growing ambitions in the podcasting world may soon extend to one of the biggest names in audio. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the streaming giant has approached SiriusXM about licensing its video podcasts — a move that signals Netflix’s intent to deepen its footprint in the increasingly competitive podcast space.
If completed, the agreement would reportedly grant Netflix exclusivity over the video versions of SiriusXM’s podcasts. Keeping them off rival platforms like YouTube.
While no formal deal has been reached, discussions are said to be ongoing.
This potential partnership comes as Netflix continues to court major players in the audio and podcasting ecosystem. The company has already made overtures to iHeartMedia about a similar arrangement. They have been aggressively reaching out to agents at WME, UTA, and CAA in an effort to sign additional video podcasters for its platform.
SiriusXM has a commanding position in the podcasting market. Edison Research recently named its network the top podcast publisher in the U.S. based on reach. The company’s roster includes a mix of industry-leading shows such as Call Her Daddy, SmartLess, Dateline NBC, Morbid, and Rotten Mango — content that could provide Netflix with instant credibility and audience familiarity in the podcasting space.
The outreach to SiriusXM follows Netflix’s first major podcasting partnership with Spotify, announced in October. That deal included select video podcasts from Spotify Studios and The Ringer. Featuring titles like The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Rewatchables, The Zach Lowe Show, The McShay Show, and Conspiracy Theories. The collaboration gave Netflix an initial foothold in video podcasts while signaling to creators that the platform was serious about expanding beyond traditional scripted and unscripted video content.
Netflix has not commented on the reported talks with SiriusXM.
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Amazon Ads and iHeartMediaannounced an expanded partnership that gives advertisers access to iHeartMedia’s extensive streaming audio portfolio through Amazon DSP, marking a major step in unifying digital and traditional audio buying.
The new programmatic audio offering integrates iHeart’s streaming music and live radio content into Amazon’s demand-side platform, allowing advertisers to connect with millions of listeners across devices, including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and smart speakers.
The feature is available now, while access to iHeartPodcasts and the company’s broadcast radio stations will roll out in 2026.
“Our partnership with iHeart allows Amazon DSP customers to reach relevant audio audiences with simplified campaign management and unique measurement capabilities,” said Meredith Goldman, Director of Amazon DSP at Amazon Ads. “Integrations like this enable advertisers to build more comprehensive omnichannel strategies that connect brands with consumers throughout their journey across media.”
The collaboration underscores the growing convergence of digital advertising and audio media. Amazon brings to the table trillions of shopping, streaming, and browsing signals, while iHeartMedia offers one of the largest audio audiences in the world. Together, the companies aim to help brands reach consumers in more targeted, data-driven ways — at scale.
The announcement also extends a decade-long partnership between the two companies. Amazon and iHeartMedia have previously worked together on innovations across smart devices, mobile apps, and voice technology.
This latest development expands that collaboration into the programmatic space, giving marketers the ability to buy audio inventory in real time through the same platform they use for other media channels.
“Making iHeart’s premium audio inventory available through Amazon DSP unlocks scale with deep listener engagement and proven performance,” said Lisa Coffey, Chief Business Officer at iHeartMedia. “And with accessibility to broadcast radio inventory soon to follow, this partnership is another step in making broadcast radio behave like digital media — addressable, measurable, and available programmatically, so marketers of all sizes can buy with greater ease and consistency.”
The integration highlights how audio continues to evolve as a performance-driven medium. For iHeartMedia, it positions its expansive portfolio — from streaming stations to podcasts and soon broadcast — as a more flexible option for digital buyers. For Amazon, it adds another layer to its omnichannel capabilities, which already include video, display, and connected TV inventory.
Amazon DSP’s AI-powered platform leverages first-party insights and advanced clean-room technology to deliver more precise targeting and creative optimization. By bringing audio into that ecosystem, the partnership creates a new opportunity for brands to deliver personalized, high-impact messaging that reaches consumers wherever they listen.
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.
ESPN is teaming up with DraftKings in a landmark sports betting agreement that will make the company the exclusive Official Sportsbook and Odds Provider of ESPN beginning December 1, 2025. This follows the mutually agreed upon ending of the network’s partnership with PENN Entertainment announced earlier today.
The multi-year deal unites two of the most recognizable names in sports and entertainment, positioning DraftKings at the center of ESPN’s rapidly expanding sports betting strategy while giving ESPN a trusted partner with established digital reach and consumer loyalty.
“Our betting approach has focused on offering an integrated experience within our products,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN. “Working with DraftKings, a leader in the space, will allow us to build upon that foundation, continue to super-serve passionate sports fans and grow our ESPN direct-to-consumer business. We are excited about this new collaboration with DraftKings.”
Under the agreement, DraftKings products will be exclusively integrated across the network’s platforms. This includes the ESPN app, website, and direct-to-consumer offerings. A full rollout is expected in 2026. Featuring access to DraftKings’ sportsbook, daily fantasy games, and its Pick6 product at launch.
With DraftKings now in the fold, ESPN plans to lean into its strength as a content and storytelling brand. While expanding its direct relationship with consumers through ESPN Unlimited, its new DTC streaming product.
As part of the partnership, DraftKings will power the betting tab within the ESPN app. Moreover, it will offer its customers exclusive promotions tied to ESPN Unlimited. Both companies also plan to use the partnership to promote responsible gaming, dedicating major digital and on-air assets to educational campaigns and awareness initiatives.
“ESPN’s unmatched visibility across the world of sports makes this collaboration a natural fit,” said Jason Robins, CEO and Co-Founder of DraftKings. “As an innovative leader in digital sports entertainment. DraftKings is uniquely positioned to integrate our technology and products with ESPN’s iconic brand and storytelling power. Together, we’re delivering a seamless, engaging, and responsible experience that elevates how fans connect with live sports.”
DraftKings currently operates in 28 states, plus Washington D.C. and Ontario, Canada. Serving more than 10 million customers across its platforms. The agreement further cements its position as one of the industry’s most dominant players at a time when sports betting continues to evolve into a mainstream component of the viewing experience.
In addition, ESPN BET will transition from an active sportsbook brand into a betting content brand supported by DraftKings integrations. That includes ESPN BET Live, which airs weekdays at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, as well as dedicated social and digital channels that will highlight odds, analysis, and betting insights.
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PENN Entertainment and ESPN have mutually agreed to end their exclusive U.S. online sports betting agreement a full seven years ahead of schedule, marking a significant shift in both companies’ approach to the rapidly evolving sports wagering landscape. The termination will take effect on December 1, 2025.
The two companies originally entered into the deal in August 2023. PENN paid ESPN $150 million annually for media and marketing services, as well as exclusive rights to use the “ESPN BET” trademark. The 10-year deal also included warrants for ESPN to purchase PENN stock. Also a clause allowing either side to exit after three years if certain market share thresholds weren’t met.
“When we first announced our partnership with ESPN. Both sides made it clear that we expected to compete for a podium position in the space,” said PENN Entertainment President and CEO Jay Snowden. “Although we made significant progress in improving our product offering and building a cohesive ecosystem with ESPN, we have mutually and amicably agreed to wind down our collaboration.”
Snowden said PENN will now focus on its growing iCasino business and leverage its omnichannel advantage as a leading regional casino operator. He also confirmed plans to rebrand its U.S. online sports betting product to theScore Bet beginning December 1, 2025. Coinciding with the anticipated launch of legalized sports betting in Missouri.
TheScore Bet already operates in Ontario. PENN plans to unify its online betting products across North America through integration with theScore’s media app, which has roughly four million monthly active users. Snowden emphasized that this strategy will provide “a top-of-funnel cross-sell opportunity” for PENN’s Hollywood-branded iCasino products.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro praised the collaboration between the two companies. Crediting the partnership with driving millions of new users into PENN’s ecosystem.
“Together, ESPN and PENN created a truly unique offering with unparalleled integrations across our various media assets,” Pitaro said. “ESPN drove over 2.9 million new users into the PENN ecosystem, with a strong uptick in first-time bettors this fall. We appreciate the collaboration we had with PENN and are now pursuing other media and marketing opportunities within this space.”
All remaining payments from PENN to ESPN will end in the fourth quarter of 2025. ESPN will assist PENN with the transition from ESPN BET to theScore Bet. PENN will remain an ESPN advertising client moving forward.
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.
Can Curtis Sliwa actually return to 77 WABC after saying he’d never be back? It’s a question that feels both unlikely and entirely possible in the same breath.
Time, they say, heals all wounds — but does it also repair bruised egos, burned bridges, and bitter departures? If you listen to John Catsimatidis, it just might.
The 77 WABC owner has made it sound like the past is the past, and that bygones might indeed be bygones when it comes to Sliwa on Wednesday morning. Catsimatidis said that he loves Curtis, and he’s “family.” And while he doesn’t make the programming decisions at the station, he does sign the checks. He certainly didn’t slam the door shut.
That kind of open-ended answer leaves plenty of room for speculation — and for a personality as unpredictable as Curtis Sliwa, that’s where things get interesting.
Sliwa’s relationship with WABC has always been colorful. He’s been fired, rehired, and feuded with co-hosts and management alike. The station is where he made his mark as one of the most recognizable talk radio voices in New York City. His mix of storytelling, political passion, and over-the-top charisma helped make him a legend. And like many legends, he’s had just as many controversies as triumphs.
When he said he’d never return to WABC, few doubted he meant it. Curtis Sliwa has always been a man of conviction. But convictions can soften with time, and circumstances can shift. After his unsuccessful run for New York City mayor, Sliwa has found himself in a different position. He still commands attention wherever he goes, but if he wants a platform to reach the city again on a daily basis, there’s no bigger microphone than WABC’s.
The question is whether he wants that microphone back — or whether he’s willing to share it on someone else’s terms. For all of Catsimatidis’ goodwill, Sliwa’s pride has always been part of the package. He’s not someone who quietly reintegrates himself into a brand he once walked away from. If there’s going to be a reunion, it won’t come without conditions.
Sid Rosenberg, one of WABC’s current stars, made that clear earlier this week. He told me he wouldn’t bet on a Sliwa return. Rosenberg knows firsthand how complicated station politics can be. He’s lived it. And when he says something like that, it carries weight — not because he’s trying to stir the pot, but because he keenly understands the personalities involved.
Catsimatidis’ openness gives this story legs. He could have easily dismissed the idea. He could have laughed it off, saying that Sliwa went too far in his criticism of Catsimatidis, the station, and its personalities.
Instead, he left the door cracked open. That might not mean an immediate offer, but it does mean that conversations could happen down the road—especially if Sliwa’s appetite for airtime grows stronger.
It’s worth noting that Curtis Sliwa wouldn’t exactly struggle to find a new radio home. His name still means something. In New York, where personality-driven radio still matters, there are plenty of stations that would at least take a meeting. He’s proven he can generate headlines, engage audiences, and still has a loyal fanbase. But 77 WABC is his natural habitat. It’s the station where he became Curtis Sliwa, not just a Guardian Angel or political figure, but a true talk radio force.
If he’s ever going to return to daily radio, 77 WABC feels like the most poetic — and practical — fit. But that doesn’t make it easy. Trust is tough to rebuild in any business, but in radio, where egos and emotions often drive decisions, it’s even harder.
So, can time heal this particular wound? John Catsimatidis seems ready to forgive and forget. The real question is whether Curtis Sliwa can. If he can let go of the past — and if WABC is willing to let him be, well, Curtis — then maybe this story isn’t finished.
Maybe, just maybe, there’s one more chapter left for Sliwa and 77 WABC.
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.
Meet The Leaders is a special 8-week series created in partnership with Point to Point Marketing. Our fifth feature is on the Executive Vice President of Regional Media Operations at Bonneville International Corporation, Scott Sutherland. Follow along with the series and revisit former conversations by checking out the entire category.
Scott Sutherland joined Bonneville in 2005 after serving as VP/Market Manager for the Phoenix and Seattle markets. He also served as Director of Sales for Bonneville Phoenix. As Executive Vice President of Regional Media Operations at Bonneville, Sutherland oversees content, sales, and full operations for Bonneville’s five markets.
Prior to joining Bonneville, Sutherland spent ten years with CBS Radio, AM/FM Corporation, and Chancellor Media. While there, he held various senior positions including Director of Sales, General Sales Manager, and Account Executive. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona in 1990, and serves on several Phoenix non-profit boards, including: Greater Phoenix Leadership, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix, ALS Association of Arizona, and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. He previously served as Chairman of the Arizona Broadcasters Association and board member of the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center.
In this edition of “Meet The Leaders,” we dive into what the day-to-day is like for Sutherland guiding Bonneville’s brands. We also dive into the company’s recent sale of its San Francisco based brands to Connoisseur Media, the growth of the KSL Podcast Network, and what people, purpose and profits means to a company like Bonneville International.
Sutherland spoke with Barrett Media from his office in Phoenix, Arizona.
*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*
John Mamola: Twenty years now with Bonneville?
Scott Sutherland: Yeah. Twenty years last January. It’s crazy.
John Mamola: What are maybe one or two items that stand out as the most significant growth you’ve seen over the last two decades with Bonneville?
Scott Sutherland: We had a company meeting the other day. The thing that I appreciate the most, I remember sitting down with our former CEO and COO. They positioned me that at the end of the day, Bonneville is about three things.
It’s about people, purpose, and profit.
How do we grow our people and create a culture that our people can thrive in? Bonneville is all about purpose. How do we make a positive difference in the communities that we serve? Work for a higher calling, if you will. Then in profit, we do those things to obviously deliver a profit to our owner. A lot of those things haven’t changed. The three tenets are still there.
Obviously, the number of markets changed from the 2000s when we were all over the country until we retracted a little bit. We grew some in the 2010s. Then the news a couple of weeks ago that we let [Jeff] Warshaw and the good folks at Connoisseur Media be the next stewards of our market in San Francisco.
That’s always an ebb and flow as it relates to markets. Core principles are still there.
John Mamola: What led to Bonneville making the agreement with Connoisseur Media to exit San Francisco?
Scott Sutherland: There’s zero spin in this. We think that we tried our darndest to get the most out of those markets. Bonneville’s secret sauce is being all things local content, ubiquitous distribution, and local sales strategy.
That doesn’t line up that well in San Francisco.
The majority of our markets we offer news and sports and complement it with some music. In San Francisco, we were all music. I think scale matters. In a market like San Francisco, that was hard for Bonneville to compete with some of the bigger companies on the national front.
The majority of the ad dollars there come from the national revenue stream. We can play in that, but not to the extent that the folks who can scale. For competitive reasons, there are some categories that Bonneville can’t participate in that others can.
This isn’t a knock on our people or to impugn anyone, but I think Jeff [Warshaw] and his team can operate it in ways that we couldn’t. It’s a win-win for everybody.
John Mamola: Bonneville has grown successful brands out west, especially in the news and sports formats. There’s typically a lot of attention paid to brands on the East Coast and the Midwest when it comes to success stories in those formats.
Is there anything that you feel that Bonneville does in the region of the country you’re situated in that maybe the brands out east could take a page and learn something from?
Scott Sutherland: Every market is different. Our company headquarters is in Salt Lake. So, obviously, a western footprint strategically makes sense for us. We’ve always had big bell cow brands, certainly on the news front. We have KSL in Salt Lake City, KTAR in Arizona, and big brands in Seattle. We’ve always had a big news talk presence.
As it relates to sports, starting three years ago, we all went to the same strategy that began in Phoenix where we’re creating the agnostic brand. So, in Arizona Sports, Seattle Sports, Salt Lake, Sacramento, that strategy has played well for us. Some markets we have play-by-play, some markets we don’t.
The reasons why it was more difficult for us to compete in a market like San Francisco, I would say it’s the opposite in the Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Seattle, and Sacramento markets. We can be hyperlocal, and that is our secret sauce.
Our business model all starts with we’re local content creators. We’re not trying to get out of our way as it relates to distribution wherever our audiences are. That’s where we want to go. It’s capped off with not a national sales strategy, but more hyperlocal.
For us too, it’s the digital-first transformation that I think all of us in the industry are pivoting from broadcast-first to digital-first. Operationally it’s a challenge, but we’re all getting there. That’s the core and essence of who we are and what we’re trying to do.
John Mamola: The KSL podcast network continues to grow. You have 50 shows on that network utilizing all the talent that are employed through Bonneville in Salt Lake. How do you go about discovering concepts for new podcasts to grow while maintaining the growth you’ve already achieved?
Scott Sutherland: Salt Lake was an anomaly. That’s a credit to Tanya Vea (President and COO for Bonneville International and Salt Lake City Market) and Sheryl Worsley (Vice President of Podcasting at Bonneville International and KSL Podcasts in Salt Lake).
They were ahead of the time on the true crime with The Cold Podcast.
A local market in Seattle had the number one podcast in the country, and subsequently, they’ve developed many others after that. It’s significantly more competitive now than it was when we launched this operation. These are long-form podcasts that were two years in the making. We have one TV station, KSL in Salt Lake. They were able to capitalize using all of their resources and move them forward.
In the other markets, where we’re going, we’re launching our own sports network where we can try to find scale in the other markets. That’s going to be launched in the next couple of weeks. Where we can get our on-demand and our native podcasts to see the power of our owned and operated operations. We’re tripling down on our owned and operated operations.
Since 2011, we’ve always tried to corner how we can be the dominant sports leader regardless of medium in all of our markets. That plays into that strategy as well.
John Mamola: How important is it to the success stories of your sports brands to have broadcasting rights with franchises?
Scott Sutherland: My filter is always two words: it depends. What does the deal look like? We don’t need to make a dollar, but we’re unwilling to lose money.
The days of the huge rights fee where you could be susceptible to losing seven figures, those days are over.
In Phoenix, we have everybody. We have the Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth in Salt Lake City. We have the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks in Seattle. In Sacramento, we have the Kings. In Denver, we don’t have anybody.
All deals are different. We don’t have one matrix where we say it has to be this and that. It starts with our relationships with the teams.
Ultimately for us, if we’re in the content business, that’s the linchpin of those deals more than the sales aspects. The third-party sales can have its own set of implications. If it’s a deal that can be worked out and enables us to have good insider access and content, we’re all about it.
John Mamola: You mentioned the three pillars of Bonneville: people, purpose, and profit. Regarding the people of the company, how do you ensure to the people who work for Bonneville that “live and local” is more than just a buzzword?
Scott Sutherland: If our objective is to own the local experience, it all starts with local personality-driven content, which again feeds our web, apps, podcasting, and everything that we’re doing.
Not to keep referencing San Francisco, but we don’t have scale. In each market, we have to build out and dig down on the local front, so it is our core strategy.
John Mamola: You have a lot of experienced leaders on your staff. Ryan Hatch has been fantastic in Arizona for a long time. The move I was interested in was the elevation of Erin Maloney to program director of Arizona Sports in January.
A lot of companies talk about elevating from within. Erin Maloney was an intern, and now she’s running the place. Explain the importance of identifying leaders within your own organization and how important that is to the future of Bonneville.
Scott Sutherland: Our company is in no way perfect. However, one thing that we have always done exceptionally well is succession planning. In every market, it’s a deal that all leaders are involved in. This isn’t just for market managers or content leaders. It’s sales leaders, HR, and engineers.
We take succession planning seriously. If we’re about people, how do we grow our people? How do we retain our people?
Someone like Erin, who has been with us forever, has worked her way up. There’s nothing better, especially in the industry right now where you don’t need me to say it. We’re in transition, and some people can’t see where to go in this, so they’re jumping ship.
Nothing lifts the whole organization like promoting an Erin Maloney who’s done everything that you want and worked in many different facets.
We just promoted Jim Richmond in Sacramento. He was our director of sales in Seattle, and just moved to be the market manager in Sacramento. To replace Jim, Christa St. John has been lifted to be the director of sales in Seattle.
We don’t always do it. It’d be perfect if you could do it every time, but we don’t. It has to be right. But I think that people can see everyone. Everybody wants some growth when you sit the individual people down. Someone promoted a knucklehead like me in different positions.
That makes people feel good that they can have a lane in the race as well.
John Mamola: You sort of hinted at this with your answer there. A lot of the industry wishes there was a lane for them with the future of the industry. How do you see the health of the industry right now?
Scott Sutherland: It’s hard. I don’t think anyone could have predicted COVID to do the damage that it did. In some ways, that exposed how slow we were as an industry to try to get to the other side and be digital-first on the transformational side.
No one wants to be a Pollyanna. I always reference the Far Side cartoon where the T-Rex is looking up at the comet getting ready to crash into the Earth. No one wants to be that guy.
Where I step back and I go ‘is there a there there’? Meaning if we truly are producing local content and people are leaving us for podcasts, we have podcasts. If people are leaving us for video, we have video solutions. We have streaming options, first-party data. We need to mine that more effectively, especially on the news and sports side.
Country as well, because it almost behaves in the same manner that news and sports do. I’m a steadfast believer that there is opportunity there for us. We’re in for the long haul. I just believe that there really is a path for us on the existential side, specifically on the news and sports side.
John Mamola: Artificial intelligence is becoming more normal for the everyday media consumer by the day. How is Bonneville approaching utilizing AI, not just from a content perspective, but also for other departments and management to work smarter, not harder?
Scott Sutherland: How can AI help? Our cost structures still remain anchored in our linear operations. That constricts your ability to fully pivot. So, what does AI look like on things, whether it’s copywriting, digital fulfillment, or any of the production?
I don’t know if it’s a voiceover thing or not. There’s some offshoring of resources to help us. AI is helping us with sales training for a lot of the role training that we’re doing with the Center for Sales Strategy.
Unfortunately, we’re still in the nascent side on how we’re going to develop and fully delve into AI. There’s opportunity, but what we’re looking at is on cost structures, what are ways that can help us make that shift.
John Mamola: What is your typical day-to-day to ensure each one of your markets is fully taken care of?
Scott Sutherland: Ultimately, that’s the core of my job on the operation side. I just finished ten to twelve weeks of traveling. I’ve been in all the markets. On content, sales, and the full operation. I’m in it all day, every day.
John Mamola: After twenty years with a company, some people can get comfortable with the position and just manage the day-to-day. What is fun about your job today that continues to kind of keep you going with the mission statement of what Bonneville represents?
Scott Sutherland: What I love about this business, and I always have, is it’s different every day. Two days ago, I was in Sacramento meeting with the Kings. Today we’re working on launching a sports network.
Dealing with hosts, salespeople, and our corporate leadership. We have so many great people in this company. We have big problems to solve, and we’re all marching to try to transform, which is a big word, but we’re all in it.
I just like the fact that I don’t do the same thing every day. There are different problems, challenges, and rewards.
I wish there was a little bit more smelling the roses for all of us in this industry. We are grinding. However, it’s easy to do that when you believe in the people that you’re surrounded with. Ultimately, we’re making a positive difference.
Those aren’t just words. To really try to help people in all of our markets, seeing the power of what our brands and our audiences can do to lift the community. Ultimately, we need to be good stewards of the brands and deliver profit to our ownership. We’re doing that as well.
The difference in my day-to-day that my job entails is quite rewarding.
To learn more about Point-To-Point Marketing’s Podcast and Broadcast Audience Development Marketing strategies, contact Tim Bronsil at tim@ptpmarketing.com or 513-702-5072.
Sports radio was built on being the way to connect sports fans to their favorite teams in a 24/7 manner. Consistent conversation. Holding organizations accountable. Celebrating the wins and drowning together in the losses. With the ongoing Walt Disney Company carriage battle with YouTube TV. More than ten million people are now without a way to watch the sports they love on the platform they pay for.
Hello? Sports radio? Are you listening and paying attention to what’s going on here?
There are listeners, sports fans, and overall just angry people not able to watch college football, NFL, and NBA basketball at the moment because a multi-trillion-dollar company is looking for a bargain with a multi-billion-dollar company. Has there ever been a more perfect opportunity for sports radio to serve as the connection in the fan’s time of need?
In full disclosure, I have no personal skin in this game. I subscribe to the ESPN direct-to-consumer product. I’m also blessed to have a Spectrum cable subscription as part of my rent. However, not everyone is so lucky.
Embrace Opportunity
Since going dark on the evening before Halloween, YouTube TV subscribers have missed out on the opportunity to watch their favorite teams. It’s created anger in the sports community. Pundits are losing their minds, and many are calling for closure.
Audiences have continued to find more ways to consume sports content than ever before. Sports radio stations have taken the majority of the blow with the rise of podcasts and shortened attention spans attracted to reels and clip culture.
There are several ways that sports radio can reconnect with lost audience. How about even gaining new audience during this carriage agreement that currently sees no end in sight.
Last time I checked, sports radio stations do have broadcast agreements with teams in their individual markets. Also syndicated play-by-play agreements as well. Marketing campaigns on air and online to push YouTube TV subscribers to listen to the games for free seems like a pretty unique idea. There are ten million people looking for a place to consume game content. Own the moment and call out the big boys by providing your play-by-play product on your station for free.
Let’s get creative. Why not work with your local franchises to relax some rules with the geofencing of broadcasts. As a public service to the sports fans in your community. It puts more focus on your local rights and your syndicated agreements. Giving the fans what they’re in need of the most during this difficult time.
Don’t want to focus on the play-by-play on your own station, or don’t have play-by-play in the first place? Everyone loves a watch party, and most sports radio stations can draw a crowd for live game viewing parties. In fact, why not a party where, if you can prove you’re a YouTube TV subscriber, the first couple of cocktails are on the radio station dime? Make it an event by hailing it as sports being the great unifier, causing more clamor for an agreement to be made between Disney and YouTube TV.
We talk a lot about how sports radio doesn’t do enough with putting shirts on listeners during major sporting events. Would you had out free shirts saying “I survived the ESPN YouTubeTV war of ’25” with a station logo plastered on the sleeve or back? The first 50 YouTube TV subscribers get a free tee in an effort to rally the troops and get a deal done.
The time window is short, but sports fans are in need of a place to stay in tune with their teams.
Be The Public Service
If sports radio was built on the concept of connecting sports fans to their favorite teams, has there ever been a better time to be that public servant than right now?
Sure, sports radio talent can yell and scream about their disgust over the issue. They can tweet out their anger over not being able to watch the games just like any other fan. That’s not enough in today’s society, where connection is the top reason why people consume content and buy products.
Sports fans want something to believe in and connect with. COVID-19 taught everyone how important connections are in our everyday lives. There’s no better way to connect in society today than the positive influence that sports bring upon society.
YouTube TV and ESPN (The Walt Disney Company) are currently forgetting that. It’s time for sports radio to pick up their ball and run with it for as long as this carriage dispute continues. If connection, growth, and revenue are what sports radio stations across the nation seek, this is the moment; this is the time.
“Great moments are born from great opportunity,” said Herb Brooks.
While sports radio didn’t earn this opportunity that lies in front of them, it is incumbent upon the format to serve the sports fan in their time of need.
Otherwise, what good is the service of sports radio to connecting fans to their favorite teams?
Get to your keyboards and write your imaging. Call your partners and organize with your clients. Use AI to help draft the single greatest social messaging content you can create together. These are the times when sports radio is called upon to be great and as creative as ever.
Meet the moment, while it lasts.
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.
Thursday as I walked the streets of Chicago getting ready for the Radio Hall of Fame ceremony there was a bit of a chill in the air. I couldn’t help but think Christmas is coming. And come it did…just 5 days later on November 4th during the 3pm hour when WLIT made the annual flip to all Christmas music.
But they weren’t the first, as the cavalcade began on Saturday before the Trick or Treaters could fall asleep from their sugar buzz. Christmas has become the greatest marketing campaign radio can no longer afford.
The numbers are staggering. In just the top 3 markets, the sum audience cume growth of the three iHeart Christmas stations was over 5 and a half million. This is the greatest marketing opportunity for every client and every station in the cluster.
The Christmas format draws families in a big way. All the children want to hear about Santa coming to their town. These stations gain P1’s of every format from CHR to Sports. If there ever was a time to add units, this is it. Not only for sales revenue, but for cluster growth when the tree comes down. Whether you’ve got a sports station running college basketball or an Ed Sheeran ticket giveaway on your CHR, use this massive cume on your Christmas station to let the world know. And, of course, endless hook and personality promos to preview what happens when the format returns to normal.
The Christmas format defies all conventional logic by playing songs THAT old. Of the first 10 Christmas songs played by WLIT, 8 were from 1970 or older. As classic hits stations try to add songs from the 2000’s and trash the 70’s, most of the biggest songs on Christmas stations are from the 50’s and 60’s.
I was lucky enough to work for Jerry Lee at WBEB in the mid-90’s. We tested everything, and yes, that included Christmas music. I was shocked that Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” crushed the then popular Michael Bolton version of the same song in 1995. I have probably seen a dozen true Christmas music tests since and the classics are the backbone of the format. Mariah Carey is the most notable exception as “All I Want For Christmas” is a perennial power. While Mariah may be the modern day Queen of Christmas, Michael Buble is King. Michael’s treatment of the songs everyone knows fits the format perfectly, but there’s not much else.
Which brings me to the stations that don’t own Santa in their markets. These are the stations that want to be second with half the audience of a station like WLTW.
When I programmed WNEW I totally ignored the music. We did all the “Christmas things”…for example, Karen Carson in the Morning gathered 10,000 Toys for those less fortunate, a promotion that took over the station for weeks. Granted, it’s New York and while it’s the season of giving, a good percentage of the 18 million people who live in the market do not celebrate Christmas and don’t want to hear the music but they do want to help kids. You can embrace the Holiday without playing the music with success.
Then there’s those that “sprinkle some Christmas songs in” but let’s think about that. If people want Christmas, they know who is playing it. They will go there when they want it. Nielsen says your P1’s listen in 10-minute occasions and you get 13 of those occasions a week if you’re lucky. You’re not really owning a Holiday feeling by playing one 3 minute Christmas song every hour. In fact, most of your audience won’t hear them.
You should make music decisions on the strength of the song. For most music stations, Mariah Carey is valid power gold in December. The same can be said for Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me”. Many in your audience wait to see her in “Wicked For Good”. In addition, every year there is usually a pop song that breaks through. The Jonas Brothers hope it’s theirs this year. Just like you would never play a bad song or a song that doesn’t fit your format in the heat of the summer, don’t do it in December.
What’s your Christmas strategy?
Joining Barrett Media
I am very excited to join Barrett Media as a weekly contributor. Jason has become the sports and news authority and I’m hoping I can help him reach the same status with music programmers. I’ve programmed music stations for over 4 decades. My experience includes station ownership in Portland, 12 years at America’s most listened to radio station, WLTW, oversight of all AC and Hot AC stations at Clear Channel as SVP/Programming and then 15 years at CBS turned Audacy.
I left day to day programming to become a consultant earlier this year. With my focus on talent coaching, I believe even in music radio that talent is the key to the success of radio going forward. If you have a question or comment on anything I write, please reach out. My email is Jim@JimRyanMedia.com. Thanks for reading!
Urban radio is once again at a crossroads—one that challenges how we define creativity, authenticity and soul. The latest disruptor? A soft-spoken, sultry R&B artist named Xania Monet—who, in a twist straight out of a science-fiction prophecy, does not exist in the traditional sense.
Xania Monet is the creation of Telisha “Nikki” Jones. A Mississippi-based poet and designer who has used her words and technology to shape an entirely new kind of artist. Working through the generative music platform Suno. Jones fed her poetry into an AI system to create what would become Xania Monet’s first recordings. The results have been nothing short of historic.
Her single “How Was I Supposed to Know?” made its way to the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart, debuting at No. 30, with airplay on roughly 15 Urban AC stations nationwide. Mediabase building charts list the song among the top 30 in the format—an astonishing feat for a performer who technically does not have a pulse.
But make no mistake: there is plenty of heart in this story.
Jones is not an AI scientist looking to replace artists. She is a Black woman creative using every available tool to amplify her voice. Her words and her ownership in a space that has historically underpaid and under-recognized Black women innovators. Her work challenges the narrative that technology must erase humanity. Instead, she is using it to extend hers.
For those of us in Black media. This is a moment to pause and ask: What does this mean for us?
At Mean Ole Lion Media, we have long championed storytelling that uplifts the authentic voices of the culture—voices that speak from experience, struggle, humor and soul. Xania Monet’s rise does not silence those voices; it expands the conversation about what voice even means in 2025.
The creation of Xania Monet has sparked sharp debate. Artists such as Kehlani have publicly questioned whether an AI artist should be celebrated for achievements on charts built for living performers. That criticism is valid. The industry’s obsession with technology often risks sidelining the real people behind the innovation. But in this case, there is a real person. A poet whose words, vision and emotional resonance are the true drivers of the art.
What Xania Monet represents is not a soulless machine, but a new form of authorship. It is Black woman creativity meeting artificial intelligence, and together they are forcing a conversation about equity, control and imagination in the digital era.
It is also a reminder that Black innovation has always led culture forward. From the first vinyl scratches of hip-hop DJs to the digital mastery of today’s beat producers, we have consistently turned tools of limitation into platforms of liberation. Jones stands firmly in that lineage, using code and poetry to reimagine what R&B can sound like when the barriers between flesh and firmware dissolve.
As Xania Monet’s star rises, she will undoubtedly spark copycats, criticism and conversations about the soul of music. But the truth is simple: technology does not kill culture; it reflects who wields it. When the hands on the keyboard are guided by lived experience and purpose, even algorithms can sing the blues.
At Mean Ole Lion Media, we see this as the dawn of a new chapter—where storytelling, sound and technology merge to amplify the voices that matter most. Whether made by microphone or machine, the mission remains the same: to tell our stories, in our language, with our power.
So full disclosure: intentionally, this whole article was written by AI. As I was researching the subject of this article, Chat GPT gave me a perspective on it from the Mean Ole Lion—which is my podcast network. Since I am the Mean Ole Lion, it was very interesting to hear my perspective from AI. That is an article in itself that I’ll discuss next week.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this as I am preparing part 2 for next week. Reach me via email or hit me up on LinkedIn.
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
