Home Blog Page 382

Aaron Goldhammer Explains the AM to Algorithm Evolution of ‘The Really Big Show’ on ESPN Cleveland

John Mamola
-
0
Aaron Goldhammer Explains the AM to Algorithm Evolution of ‘The Really Big Show’ on ESPN Cleveland

Sports radio has had several long and successful dynamic duos. From Mike & The Mad Dog to Mike & Mike, the longevity of a pairing on sports radio is only as good as the chemistry and defined roles of the two individuals. Tony Rizzo and Aaron Goldhammer have been waking up Cleveland sports fans on ESPN Cleveland for the better part of the last two decades.

Known as The Really Big Show, the pairing has entertained audiences through the hills and valleys of what makes Cleveland a fascinating Midwestern sports mecca. Leaning on their chemistry as self-admitted “theatre kids,” Goldhammer and Rizzo built upon a proven brand in the market and, true to the namesake of the program, made it really big.

“Sometimes hosts in this industry can’t stand to work with one another. I think Rizz [Tony Rizzo] and I appreciate each other just about every single day,” explained Goldhammer on what he feels makes their partnership work over time. “The luckiest thing that ever happened to me is that I landed with Rizz. He was a known personality in the market that had a vision for the show he wanted to do. I aligned with that vision.”

Goldhammer’s journey to “The Land” began in the small town of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, in 2005. The small community, home to just over 16,000 people, is where Goldhammer began his career at Good Karma Brands, which was also founded in the same town. Between running soundboards and learning through making mistakes. Goldhammer recalled this time as some of the most important in his career.

“I can’t tell you how valuable that time was,” said Goldhammer of his time in Beaver Dam. “Going to a smaller market where the stakes are lower and being on the air every single day. Make mistakes, get feedback, and grow. That was so important for me. I don’t think I’d be here without that experience.”

Being a Part of the A-Team

When he made the move to Cleveland to pair with Rizzo on ESPN Cleveland, Goldhammer understood he was joining a known commodity. The goal was not to overtake but to embrace. Playing off one another and putting ego aside for the entertainment of the listener. The two provided balance in conversation and never shied away from honesty with the audience.

“He’s the total local Cleveland, live-and-die-with-the-teams guy. I think I provide good balance with that as someone who didn’t grow up here,” explained Goldhammer. “I’m confident that I highlight his strengths and put him in a position to be successful. That’s the most important part of my job. If he’s at his best, everything else is going to fall into place.”

Recently, ESPN Cleveland shifted its weekday lineup ahead of football season, providing more options for Cleveland Browns fans to get content surrounding their favorite team. With the announcement of the new lineup, Rizzo would be tasked with hosting a one-hour program streaming on YouTube only. Separate from the station carrying the syndicated ESPN morning show Unsportsmanlike.

Adapt or Die Mentality

For Goldhammer, he considers the hour away from Rizzo as an opportunity to join him with fresh ammo for The Really Big Show at 9 a.m. However, the move is less about one show and more about how the consumer is reaching content.

“We’ve realized that if we’re just going to be an AM radio station. Then we are going to be out of business. We know we have to be involved in being a digital media company,” said Goldhammer. “This is a big experiment we’re doing to see how it would go if Rizzo did essentially what he’s looking at as a television show—an hour before he and I then come together at nine o’clock. It’s gone awesome so far.”

Admittedly, Goldhammer said the new YouTube program has thrown off old habits of preparation for the three-hour Really Big Show. However, he reiterated that he is fully supportive of the measure because he sees the opportunity to capitalize. Where other traditional radio brands have yet to start thinking about the future.

“We are as numbers-driven a team as we’ve ever been. These are numbers that we really believe are accurate. They aren’t just a reflection of a very small sample size being extrapolated to try to show what the entire community is thinking,” said Goldhammer.

The metric that defines success for Goldhammer is revenue. If the station is making money, that defines success. The one element of his role that keeps him up at night is whether he’s endorsing the right products. Also whether those partners are receiving a return on their investment.

“We’re in business. So all the different ways that we have to drive revenue for our team is ultimately how we’re judged. Rizz isn’t the most valuable teammate in the history of Good Karma Brands just because he does a really good show. He’s also an incredibly trusted and wonderful endorser of products,” explained Goldhammer. “I think all the time about how to engage the audience that’s there and get them to be a part of our community.”

In line with driving revenue through unique means. An aspect that makes ESPN Cleveland stand out is the continued adaptation of The Land On Demand—a paid subscriber-based podcasting platform for those who wish to consume ESPN Cleveland content on demand with no commercials. The concept was introduced in 2017 and is still a viable option for listeners today. Despite consumers shying away from paywalls.

“We try to treat the subscribers like family. It’s a cool club, and I think we’ve made it a fun club to be a part of,” said Goldhammer. “What else we could add to get to the next level of subscriber—that’s something we’re talking about internally all the time. But if you ask the typical Land On Demand subscriber if they get their $8.50 a month in entertainment, they would say, ‘I get $85 worth of entertainment.’”

An All in Partnership With the Browns

What aids ESPN Cleveland in its content model is a unique partnership with the Cleveland Browns and their cross-town competition at 92.3 The Fan. The Browns partnership is one fixated on having both stations involved in Browns programming. With talent from both stations contributing to content airing on the opposing station. Play-by-play for every Browns game is also heard on both stations, maximizing the reach of the broadcasts to sports fans across the market.

Goldhammer admits that the partnership may seem foreign as a concept to many brands around the country but says it has worked for many years because both brands work so well together.

“The Browns understand that we love them. If we’re critical of them, it’s only because we care so much. We want to have the day when the Browns go to the Super Bowl,” said Goldhammer. “Audacy has also been an incredible partner, and that’s why we keep doing this. We’ve renewed this agreement a number of times because it’s worked. The Browns like having all the voices involved together. I see them mostly as our partner rather than our competition.”

While many of his peers tend to keep an eye on their competition, Goldhammer stresses the opposite. His reasoning lies in the notion that he can only control what he can control.

AM to Algorithm

While Goldhammer admits he’s not naïve to the fact that consumers will dabble from station to station, his focus solely remains on content creation at ESPN Cleveland and building audiences for the future.

“We’re driving so much of our consumption to YouTube. I think it’s so important for what we’re doing,” said Goldhammer. “What will never be the same is the format in which the audience consumes us and the way they consume us now. Social, digital, YouTube, video—it’s so important for us to nail those areas so we can adapt to the world we’re living in now. It’s not the only thing we’re offering, but I understand what that’s all about, and it makes total sense.”

The investment that Good Karma Brands continues to make at ESPN Cleveland is what has Goldhammer excited for his future and Cleveland’s longest-running dynamic duo. What began in a small town in Wisconsin has now morphed into a two-decade career at one of the most innovative sports radio brands in the country.

“The world is changing rapidly; technology is changing it. The sports conversation is not going to stop. Where the sports conversation is happening and how it’s happening is evolving by the day,” said Goldhammer. “I’m not saying we’re anywhere close to perfect. I just know that the one-on-one connection you make on radio—that’s the world we live in today.”

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 Testing the Line Between Personal Brand and Employer Loyalty With YouTube TV Dispute Messaging

John Mamola
-
0
ESPN Is Testing the Line Between Personal Brand and Employer Loyalty With YouTube TV Dispute Messaging

It’s a delicate balance between personal brand and honoring the employer you work for. Especially when it comes to social media. Late last week, as the ESPN carriage dispute with YouTube TV was officially underway, you saw something on social media that you typically never see unless under dire circumstances.

ESPN personalities were posting company-written and -produced messages to sway their personal social followings on how they should perceive the ESPN product going dark on YouTube TV. It’s a common practice ESPN has employed before. In fact, around the same time last year during The Walt Disney Company’s battle with DirecTV.

In an age where image is everything, a single post won’t severely damage a personality’s reputation with the consumer forever. However, what it does is put a face on the battle itself — one that personalities should always consider before being the good soldier.

I’ve worked for a few broadcast companies in my day. They never owned nor operated my personal social media accounts. However, there was a balance of understanding that the platform I represented did bring me some following. The thought process was that my employer hired me to produce content that I post and that is shared on the employer’s social accounts.

A simple tit for tat, if you will.

Inserting A Personal Touch

However, there were those rare instances involving messaging for a greater cause. I recall the push for AM stations to urge their listeners to contact their representatives to save AM radio in cars. While the message was about keeping AM radio in your car, the ask wasn’t so subtle.

It was mandatory — no questions asked. We posted on personal and branded social accounts, ran extra spots in unsold inventory, and even did live reads from talent in segments to push the message out. The cause was right; the result mattered to how people consumed products for the public service it provided.

Saving AM radios in cars didn’t cost consumers an added penny, and it was a no-brainer to amplify the message online.

What’s going on between The Walt Disney Company and YouTube TV is much different. Two multibillion-dollar companies in a stranglehold over fees paid out to ESPN for their content to be housed on YouTube TV. While there is a much larger play here regarding the future of live sports. Let’s focus on the simple aspect of messaging.

Putting Faces Into The Blame Game

When Disney’s programming went dark on YouTube TV and its millions of subscribers, there was no face to the battle. Only public statements were made. But plenty of online chatter surrounded the disappointment of not being able to enjoy the products that subscribers pay for.

The blackout impacted Monday Night Football, NBA games, college football, and many other Disney programs across its channels. With the college basketball season starting this week, that will also be affected. Even though much of the sport’s regular season is insignificant.

ESPN then put a face to the battle by placing its top talent in the arena with messaging that all read the same. It contained statements about missing out on your favorite NFL and NBA games on ESPN and ABC — with no mention of any ESPN programs the network produces featuring stars like Mike Greenberg, Stephen A. Smith, Scott Van Pelt, and Stanford Steve.

While it was cringeworthy to watch these forced messages being read by the faces of the network itself, it pushed followers to KeepMyNetworks.com for further information.

What is the greater cause here?

Is it ESPN, which just rolled out its new direct-to-consumer app knowing there would be a carriage dispute coming in the months ahead? Is it YouTube TV, which is positioning itself as asking for a fair deal when the monthly price for the consumer leapt another ten dollars less than a year ago?

Does premier content cost more than ever for networks to secure? Yes.

Do distribution services have to potentially pay a higher rate because of this? Yes.

Who will this ultimately cost the most in the end? The consumer.

There is no greater cause in this battle between Disney and YouTube TV. There is no way for the consumer to benefit from two behemoths in the content industry jabbing at one another over more money than most sports fans will ever see in their lifetime.

SMH

Sports fans are upset, and rightfully so. They depend on networks and distributors to work together to get the most people watching so everyone benefits. This isn’t about shifting blame to lure favor with the sports fan — and that’s why ESPN putting its personalities into the arena doesn’t help their personal brands nor the network’s messaging.

Public relations 101: always keep the star looking like the star. By putting the star in the lion’s den with already-upset consumers, it risks spoiling their personal brand.

No face should be put on messaging unless it serves the greater good of the consumer you serve. This carriage dispute doesn’t benefit anyone except ESPN and YouTube. The fans lose either way.

If ESPN gets a higher rate from YouTube TV, the cost comes back to the consumer.

If YouTube TV gets a fair deal, there could be less ESPN programming coming to the streaming platform — again upsetting the consumer.

ESPN and YouTube TV are both missing on the messaging, and poorly at that.

This standoff isn’t just about ESPN and YouTube TV — it’s a snapshot of the crossroads media is standing at. Personality-driven brands, corporate messaging, and consumer fatigue are colliding. How networks navigate that balance will define who still has an audience left to fight for.

Maybe the next time these giants square off, they’ll remember who’s actually holding the remote.

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.

How Nielsen Is Adjusting Sampling Methods to Reflect Modern Listening Habits

Dr. Ed Cohen
-
0
How Nielsen Is Adjusting Sampling Methods to Reflect Modern Listening Habits

Whatever your opinion of Nielsen Audio, they have a tough job. When Nielsen started measuring radio back in the 1930s (long before Arbitron existed), recruiting survey respondents was pretty easy. People were impressed that a company wanted to know what they listened to on the radio, and even into the ‘50s and ‘60s, response rates were high.

We’ve gone through a transition of declining response rates combined with the change from landlines to cell phones as a method of recruiting people. Door-to-door interviewing went away in the ‘70s with the demise of Pulse, and we’ve moved to an address-based sample frame because of the change from household phone numbers to individual phone numbers. The task keeps getting harder to accomplish.

I’ve spotlighted this issue before in this column. As costs go up, Nielsen, like any other company, will look for ways to keep their expenses in line. Some initiatives work well, and others, like offshoring their data crunching, haven’t been as successful, as I’ve noted here recently. South Bend was added to the list of screwups last week, putting the tally at 58 markets so far.

Back in my time at Arbitron, we were occasionally accused of reusing sample. I remember having to write a piece when someone in the industry called it the “windshield wiper effect,” a completely bogus accusation. In the pre-PPM days, a household could end up in the diary sample more than once in a short period of time—say, a year—but it was purely by chance.

In random samples, anything can happen. Baseball is full of those oddities; for example, the 8-6-2 double play by the Brewers against the Dodgers in the NLCS. Or one of my recent favorites: the New York Rangers set an NHL record by being shut out three times in a row at home to start the season. You would guess correctly that I’m not a Rangers fan. It’s the same long shot as someone winning the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpots.

Now, Nielsen has added “targeted reselects,” which means going back to households that have been in the diary service previously. The emphasis is on households with hard-to-reach individuals, which is people who aren’t in my demo—more specifically, young and minority. If you have been doing, as I suggested a while back, reviewing the Presurvey Bulletin (PPM every four weeks, diary service every quarter), you’d know that Nielsen is looking for 25% of the sample in diary markets and non-metro areas to be targeted reselects.

In general, there’s nothing wrong with this approach. Nielsen has said that no reselected individual will show up twice in a survey, which means an extended period for the smallest markets that use two-book averages. It seems likely this will increase PUR just a bit.

While we know that one diary can have a real effect on ratings if it includes a great deal of listening to one station, the overall effect is typically limited.

One positive side effect is that if Nielsen can use targeted reselects to better balance the sample, that can reduce the effects of weighting. Sometime in your diary market career, you will discover that a heavy-listening diary also carried a heavy weight due to shortages in a particular cell, whether demo (especially young males), race/ethnic, or geography. The closer Nielsen’s sample can get to matching the market’s population estimates, the less the effect of weighting.

In the past, I’ve strongly suggested that subscribers check the E-Book to understand the makeup of their markets and to look at how the sample was distributed. Per MRC disclosure requirements, Nielsen includes the targeted reselect sample results in the E-Book. The disclosure is divided into “Fresh Sample” and “Targeted Reselects.” You can easily see the number of initial households, the diaries mailed, the intab diaries, and the percentage of the sample that came from these households.

Nielsen has set the goal for targeted reselects at 25% of the sample as of Fall 2025, in both diary metros and non-metro areas—in other words, the entire diary service. Their view is that testing and practice have shown little difference in listening, but the gains in proportionality are positive. The unspoken part is that this change will help control sample costs as well.

It’s hard to knock Nielsen for keeping costs in line. We’ve read too many trade press articles of late about friends in the radio business who will have to pursue new jobs and potentially new careers as their former employers “right-size” or use whatever euphemism they choose. For those of you who are still working and responsible for ratings success, keep abreast of the changes.

Let’s meet again next week.

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.

How to Keep Your News/Talk Radio Station Relevant During the Holidays

Peter Thiele
-
0
How to Keep Your News/Talk Radio Station Relevant During the Holidays

If you program a classic hits or adult contemporary radio station, this is pretty simple. It is called Christmas music. For news/talk radio stations, it is a little more complicated. There are many more questions than answers. You obviously have any network programming that you are carrying, but what about the local shows? Over the years, I have done different things. I don’t know if my ideas are better than yours; feel free to comment.

For Thanksgiving, I have followed this philosophy over the past few years. On Thanksgiving, I run the Fox News and Fisher House specials. I have six hours of local programming to fill the time. I am guessing that you have the same quandary. Best-of shows for your local programming can be a pain. If something goes wrong, a programmer will be on a laptop fixing the issues and not enjoying the holiday.

How do you pick the best-of shows? Most news talk stations are Topic A focused. How do you sound relevant? Does it matter? I think that running three hours of your local morning show discussing the government shutdown, which will likely be over, will sound as current as replaying coverage of the kidnapping of Patty Hearst.

If you are doing the best-of route for Thanksgiving and/or Black Friday, have your team begin to collect hours now. I have found that creating segments from different days and combining them into one hour of programming is quite challenging for the automation to sound right. Perhaps this is a shortcoming on my part, but I don’t want to spend my holiday on the laptop or going into the office.

So, get with your team and ask them to produce complete hours and have them ready by the Monday before Thanksgiving weekend. Obviously, time-sensitive content is not going to work. I heard a best-of from a syndicated show that was out of date by six months. Have some pride in your choices.

Black Friday used to be the best day for news talk. I think those days have passed in the last decade. Depending on your company’s policy, having your staff work on that day will create an extra day off before the end of the year. This is not an easy decision. I would base it on a market situation.

Ok, let’s talk about Christmas. There is no winning formula. Weststar offers Mannheim Steamroller, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has programming as well. You can load and play your own Christmas music. There is likely tremendous programming from your news service.

I know that Fox News Radio has three hours of special programming. I don’t know your situation, but I believe that if you have fresh content, it is best. Depending on your company policies, you may have December 26th as a company-wide day off as well.

So, Christmas has a Black Friday too. Yay us! Planning that may be a good idea. If you have not spoken with your team yet, this may be the best time to do so.

According to ChatGPT, a hot gift is personalized clothing. Here is a cool thing: it cannot be returned. If I receive a t-shirt with my picture and name on it, I can’t return it! What a win! Noise-canceling headphones are big. Soon everything will be as deaf as a radio human, so you will no longer need to ask people to speak up. 2025 is great.

For New Year’s Day, it gets a little easier. There is a plethora of end-of-year specials. You have to figure this out with your team. Again, if you are doing best-of programming, start building hours today. Make sure your programming is as enjoyable as possible. You may also have Black New Year’s Day. Your company may have that Friday off as well. There is a lot of programming to fill this year. I am sure you are fully capable of filling it, but the planning must start today.

I want my staff to enjoy time away from the office. I am reminded of this past Easter Sunday. Two of my stations were in weather coverage due to a tornado outbreak. Yes, breaking news happens on the holidays. Make sure your team is ready for any possibility. While most of us may not have a tornado outbreak, there could be snow, ice, or another breaking news situation where we will have to provide the information that our audience needs.

One year, I remember getting an ice storm on December 21st. My team and I were living at the radio station, and thankfully we were a short walk from the Waffle House, so we were fed. I remember getting home from work at 6 p.m. on December 24th. My home had just had power return. How do I know? It was 52 degrees in my crib.

Part of the fun of news/talk radio is that we are at the center of informing our communities during important moments. Being prepared for anything is our mission. This includes compelling holiday programming.

So, what are you doing? Please let us know in the comments.

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.

Radio Format Evolution: Keeping Classic Hits Fresh For the Next Generation

Kevin Robinson
-
0
Radio Format Evolution: Keeping Classic Hits Fresh For the Next Generation

Radio formats are living, breathing, animated entities. Your brand should be on a path of constant improvement and evolution. The Japanese call this practice – Kaizen. Literally “change for the better”. If you’re not in the practice of addressing your format, where your brand fits in the market and the moving ageism of your target audience, make 2026 your year to do so.

In gold-based formats, the prevailing thought among programmers remains that the format(s) are stuck in an “era ice age”. There’s little they can do to chase demos below 50ish. 

Adult Contemporary has the luxury of wrapping themselves in a moniker that prevents the format from being “caged” or locked into ears. However, there’s also evolution in AC. We’ll look inside Classic Formats in Adult Contemporary in this week’s column.

Classic Rock and Classic Hits were all the darling of Nielsen Ratings two decades back. Both formats were flourishing. The vast majority of Oldies brands have somewhat evolved to Classic Hits, incorporating later 1980’s and even early 1990’s product.

Here’s a bit of perspective. In the mid-1980’s, when the Oldies format was birthed “Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones was only 20 years old. It was a staple of the Oldies format.

Flash forward 40 years and it remains a song that reaches the air in gold-based formats sometimes once a day. The flip side? How does the 20 year old song fit up against the bulk of the Classic Rock or Classic Hits playlist?

The formats are not seeing the explosive growth witnessed in the earl to mid-2000’s. It’s also not despair as thoughtfully outlined in Barrett Media Colleague Mike Stern’s piece.

With a deep dive into Mediabase, you’ll find what the brightest are doing to remain relevant to those solidly in the heart of the money demo while not alienating their core. Stations are actively evolving their formats as the core listener demographic ages and as younger listeners enter the 35-54 target.

Here are trends in adaptation in the larger markets. Also included is the “newer” music that is being incorporated in an attempt to stay contemporary.

Expand “Classic” Through Imaging

  • Forward thinking programmers are moving the playlist era forward and away from the ‘60s and ‘70s to incorporate ‘90s and in some cases early 2000s. In select cases like Cumulus Media’s KQRS 92.5 FM in Minneapolis, they rebranded earlier this year promising “newer songs and a promised emphasis on Minnesota artists” and dropping a typical positioning statement altogether. 

1990s -2000s Rock and Alternative Product

  • Programmers are testing songs in their Music Matrix from Alternative Rock, Post-Grunge and Modern Rock.  In 2024 Mediabase reflects atypical Classic Rock product appearing on major market Classic Rock stations from atypical artists:
  • 311
  • Modest Mouse
  • The Killers
  • Eminem
  • Goo Goo Dolls

Partial Rebrands

  • Other stations are pivoting aggressively. For example, suburban Chicago’s 95.9 The River moved from “Classic Hits” to a “Classic Alternative” format. They describe it as a “natural extension of Classic Rock… for the alternative hits of the 90s.” Others keep the “classic rock” feel but lean more contemporary while keeping the heritage base. The KQRS/Minneapolis example above is executing this.

There are also cases where older material (early 60s/70s) is being deemphasized because its audience is aging out of the desirable demo. On The Classic Hits side, surprising titles are slowly appearing on heritage playlists. Examples you’ll find include:

  • Bush
  • Smashing Pumpkins
  • Offspring
  • Evanescence
  • Nelly

Five thought-leading Classic Rock/Classic Hits brands you should follow and monitor who are on top of this evolution trend include:

  • KLOS/Los Angeles
  • KZOK/Seattle
  • WDRV/Chicago
  • KQMT/Denver
  • WMGK/Philadelphia

These brands provide solid insight into how the format is evolving. Also note that not all Classic Hits and Classic Rock brands are on-board – yet. While the core of format demos remain 45+, songs that are now 25 or so years old seem to fit as the “classic” horizon is fluid.

Adult Contemporary stations are a different cake of fish. Barrett Media covered thoughts of the greatest Adult Contemporary minds this spring. Twice. See the June piece on the State of Adult Contemporary and our column featuring legends of the format.

Historically, AC brands have sat in the shadows of jumping on newer tunes.  In the past, AC allowed CHR and Hot AC break in the newer tunes for the market. Now, AC is often on a time-line playlist par with artists like Benson Boone, Teddy Swims and Ed Sheeran.

When it comes to gold, it would have been unthinkable twenty years ago for Adult Contemporary stations to add sonically harder titles from Bon Jovi and Def Leppard to their gold mix. We asked if AC could go further during the summer.

How are gold-based AC’s adapting to their aging core? What are the best doing to serve the contemporary listener while not divorcing themselves from the older core?

Increase Current Exposure

  • There’s a clear trend toward giving more audio real estate to current product that bridges the gap to invite in younger listeners. Some have called AC today as a two formats within one – current product with an anchor of Gold titles as their base. Along with the newer artists mentioned above, AC is early on Taylor Swift, Lady GaGa, Miley Cyrus and like artists.

Tweaking Format/Imaging Rather Than Full Flip

  • AC stations are slowly evolving their playlist, creating contemporary atmospherics in branding and slowly shifting the balance of songs, rather than nuking the format entirely. The vast majority of Adult Contemporary brands have deep market heritage and AC overall has remained one of the healthier radio formats across the country.

The Not So Secret Weapon

  • The strategic use of holiday programming has increased in early coverage every year. Several articles on differing Christmas Music Programming are sitting on the Barrett Media Platform. AC stations leverage Christmas Music to expose the multigenerational and huge cume to their playlist evolution during the holidays.

A list of thought-leading Adult Contemporary brands you should follow and monitor who are on top of their game include:

  • WLIT/Chicago
  • WBEB/Philadelphia
  • WJXA/Nashville
  • WRAL/Raleigh
  • WASH/Washington D.C.

Successful Classic Rock and Classic Hits stations are attempting evolution as a lead to stay relevant to younger demos. If a format is a living, breathing and animated entity, revisiting playlists often throughout the seasons for opportunities for contemporary updates is key to sounding alive and not archival.

Adult Contemporary stations are also facing a crossroads. How do you balance deep market heritage while staying musically relevant?

Leading AC brands are accelerating the shift toward a fresh current playlist while others stay anchored in the familiar – gold libraries and conservative strategic philosophies. Branding evolution is taking place with playlist modernization, fresh atmospherics and kinetic imaging.

Fill your format with life by revisiting the entire depth several times throughout the year. 

Hard to believe the following titles are now 20 years old. That’s the same age “Satisfaction” from the Rolling Stones was when the Oldies format was launched:

  • Green Day – “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
  • Kelly Clarkson – “Since U Been Gone”
  • Foo Fighters – “Best of You”

It sneaks up on 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.

Netflix, iHeartMedia in Negotiations to Carry Video Podcasts

BNM Staff
-
0
Netflix, iHeartMedia in Negotiations to Carry Video Podcasts

Netflix is reportedly in negotiations with iHeartMedia for the radio and podcasting giant to bring some of its video podcast content to the digital streaming platform.

A report from Bloomberg’s Ashley Carman purports that talks between the two companies have been ongoing, pointing out that Netflix is interested in competing with YouTube in the video podcast space.

iHeartMedia distributes several high-profile podcasts, with shows like The Breakfast Club, Stuff You Should Know, My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, and On Purpose with Jay Shetty, among others.

The news that Netflix would be in negotiations with iHeartMedia for video podcast content comes on the heels of the company striking a deal with Spotify for podcast content. Last month, the digital video giant shared that it had struck a deal to bring shows from The Ringer — founded by Bill Simmons — to the streaming platform in 2026. That deal brings sports podcast, lifestyle/culture podcast, and true crime podcast content to Netflix.

The report from Bloomberg adds that it would be unlikely that iHeartMedia would make all of its robust podcast portfolio available on Netflix should a deal ultimately come to fruition.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

‘The Woody Show’ Expands Into Multiple Dayparts for Affiliate Stations

BMM Staff
-
0
‘The Woody Show’ Expands Into Multiple Dayparts for Affiliate Stations

Premiere Networks is giving one of its most successful syndicated properties a broader platform. The company announced today that The Woody Show—a longtime morning staple for alternative radio audiences—will now be available in multiple dayparts for the first time.

Stations across several formats can air The Woody Show as a four-hour weekday and Saturday program, with an optional fifth hour. In addition, affiliates will have the flexibility to customize the “work-parts” version with their own music, offering programmers more control over local sound and pacing.

Peter Tripi, Executive Vice President of Affiliate Sales for Premiere Networks, said expanding into new formats and timeslots was a natural evolution for the brand.

“The Woody Show continues to deliver what affiliates and listeners want—smart, authentic, and relatable radio,” Tripi said. “We’re thrilled to offer stations even more options to grow and entertain their audience.”

For nearly two decades, The Woody Show has been a reliable performer for stations targeting younger, active listeners. The program, hosted by Woody along with co-hosts Greg Gory, Menace, Gina Grad, and Sebas, has earned a reputation for its mix of authentic conversation, comedy, and audience engagement. The group’s chemistry has made it one of the most recognizable brands in modern rock and alternative radio.

Originally launched into national syndication by Premiere Networks in 2017. The show has been described by fans as “authentic,” “raw,” and “unapologetic.”

It was previously honored as a National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Radio Award finalist for “Major Market Personality of the Year.” A nod to its growing cultural and creative impact beyond its Los Angeles home base.

Host Woody said the expanded availability is about meeting listeners wherever they are. “If we can have breakfast for dinner, we can have The Woody Show in other dayparts,” he joked. “Things change, but content is content. If people love the show and you have a need, we can now meet that need wherever it is.”

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.

Ben Shapiro: Tucker Carlson ‘is an Intellectual Coward’ and ‘a Terrible Friend’

BNM Staff
-
0
Ben Shapiro: Tucker Carlson ‘is an Intellectual Coward’ and ‘a Terrible Friend’

It’s safe to say Ben Shapiro isn’t pulling any punches in his criticism of Tucker Carlson after the Nick Fuentes interview.

To begin his podcast on Monday morning, Ben Shapiro had sharp criticism for Tucker Carlson after the high-profile interview with self-avowed Christian Nationalist Nick Fuentes.

In describing Fuentes’ faction — know as the Groypers — Shapiro noted that they “hate women, Jews, Hindus, many types of Christians, brown people of a wide variety of backgrounds, blacks, America’s foreign policy and America’s constitution. They admire Hitler and Stalin,” before adding that the sect is “now being facilitated and normalized within the mainstream Republican Party.”

And he believes Tucker Carlson is the main culprit in that normalization.

“The main agent in that normalization is Tucker Carlson, who is an intellectual coward, a dishonest interlocutor and a terrible friend,” Shapiro said. “And Tucker Carlson, last week, was aided, abetted, and celebrated for normalizing Nazism within the Republican Party by the mainstay organization of the traditional right, the Heritage Foundation.”

Ben Shapiro continued by noting that he’s not against free speech or participating in “cancel culture” by criticizing Carlson, or Fuentes, for that matter. But he is against the normalization.

“I believe that Nick Fuentes is odious and despicable, but I’ve never called for his cancellation,” Shapiro said. “Despite the fact that I think he’s odious and despicable, it is not cancellation to draw moral lines between viewpoints. In fact, we used to call that one of the key aspects of conservatism. It is not cancellation to refuse to signal boost Hitler’s supporters like Nick Fuentes. It is not cancellation to criticize Tucker Carlson for rhetorically fluffing Nick Fuentes and other anti-American crackpots. It’s not cancellation if you urge others to stop promoting those who rhetorically fluff Nazi apologists. Those are all elements of free speech, and anyone who says differently is lying to you and lying for the most cynical reasons: to misdirect from their own defense of those Nazi apologists and their promoters.

“The issue here isn’t that Tucker Carlson had Nick Fuentes on his show last week. He has every right to do that, of course. The issue here is that Tucker Carlson decided to normalize and fluff Nick Fuentes, and that the Heritage Foundation then decided to robustly defend that performance. Those who criticize both Tucker and Heritage aren’t canceling. They’re quite properly drawing a moral line.”

Shapiro went on to provide plenty of clips and context of Fuentes sharing views glorifying Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, sharing anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, misogynistic, and anti-Muslim sentiments, arguing that Carlson should have known those views were held by Fuentes.

After Shapiro’s comments were published, several other media figures responded, sharing their appreciation for the views expressed in the podcast from The Daily Wire.

Fuentes also responded to the comments made by Shapiro, mocking the host for his comments in the process.

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.

Von Miller Launches ‘Free Range’ Podcast With Audacy

BSM Staff
-
0
Von Miller Launches ‘Free Range’ Podcast With Audacy

Audacy is adding another high-profile voice to its sports audio lineup, teaming with two-time Super Bowl champion and MVP Von Miller for a new weekly podcast titled Free Range.

Set to debut Wednesday, Free Range with Von Miller will be available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday. The show will blend football analysis, culture, and entertainment through Miller’s unique perspective as both a player and personality.

“Free Range is exactly what it sounds like — no fences, no limits,” Miller said in a release. “We’ll go deep on the game, but we’ll also talk about life, culture, and what drives people to be great. I’m excited to partner with Audacy to bring this show to life, connect with fans, and create something that both listeners and brand partners will want to be part of.”

Each episode will explore the biggest stories on and off the field — from game strategy to cultural moments shaping the sports landscape. True to its name, Free Range won’t stay confined to X’s and O’s. Miller will mix sharp football IQ with his trademark humor, curiosity, and locker-room energy.

The podcast will include several recurring segments designed to give fans insight into Miller’s world. “Commandments” will spotlight Miller’s breakdown of the latest Washington Commanders game, while “Von’s Vision” will highlight key matchups and storylines from around the league.

In “Free Range Conversation,” Miller will sit down with athletes, artists, and influencers who are shaping sports and culture.

Rounding it out, “Culture Corner” will tackle off-field stories and trends that capture Miller’s attention each week.

Leah Reis-Dennis, Audacy’s Head of Podcasts, said Miller’s personality and star power make him an ideal addition to the company’s expanding sports portfolio.

“Von Miller’s larger-than-life personality and effortless charm have made him one of the most beloved figures in football,” Reis-Dennis said. “He exudes equal parts confidence, charisma, and competitive fire, and we can’t wait to see what he does on Free Range. As Audacy continues to cement our leadership position in sports audio, we’re thrilled to welcome Von to the family and to have this incredible offering covering football and so much more for listeners and advertisers.”

In addition to his new podcast, Miller is already part of the Audacy family as a weekly guest on The Sports Junkies on 106.7 The Fan and The Team 980 in Washington, D.C., where he appears every Tuesday to discuss the Commanders and the NFL at large.

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.

Jane Matenaer Announces Retirement From Radio

BNM Staff
-
0
Jane Matenaer Announces Retirement From Radio

After nearly 45 years in the industry, longtime Wisconsin radio host Jane Matenaer has announced that she is retiring.

Matenaer previously worked for 620 WTMJ as a news anchor/reporter and in morning drive as co-anchor of Wisconsin’s Morning News. She joined the station 2015 after a 25-year run at 99.1 The Mix and five years at B93.3. She joined Civic Media three years ago, where she had worked alongside Greg Bach for Matenaer On Air.

Matenaer announced that she will step away from the medium at the end of the calendar year.

“When I started my radio career, my goal was to be a ‘cool, nighttime rock chick.’ Tragically, I was none of those things,” she said in a statement. “Fortunately, I had the support of those who believed I had potential and encouraged me to follow a slightly different path — to morning radio. And while I never envisioned eventually moving from music to talk radio, the transition has been the most rewarding experience of my life, and these last three years at Civic Media have been the proudest of my 40-plus-year career.”

Civic Media has not announced plans for replacing Jane Matenaer in the 9-11 AM timeslot.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

1...381382383...2,644Page 382 of 2,644