Former NFL running back Leonard Fournette and wide receiver Jarvis Landry are bringing their longtime friendship and shared football experiences to the podcast space via The Volume. The former LSU Tigers football teammates announced a new show called 4th and South, which debuts today.
The program will feature the two former NFL standouts discussing their football journeys while also expanding the conversation beyond the field into the realities of life after the game. According to a release, the podcast aims to provide an authentic perspective on professional football, blending personal stories with broader discussions about culture, business, and personal growth.
Landry explained that the idea behind the podcast grew out of conversations the two frequently had about their careers and the many experiences that shaped them along the way.
“We lived so much of this game side by side,” Landry said. “From LSU to the NFL, there were moments that taught us a lot about the game and about ourselves. This podcast gives us the chance to sit down, talk honestly about that journey. Plus open a window into what life inside football really looks like.”
Landry and Fournette built their connection long before their professional careers began. They starred together at LSU before entering the NFL as high-profile prospects. Their new show with The Volume leans heavily on that shared history. Both players emphasize offering fans perspectives rarely heard outside locker rooms and team facilities.
“4th and South gives us the chance to dive into our lives beyond football. No subject is off-limits. We plan to discuss everything from fatherhood, mental health, fashion, and music, to the trials and tribulations that have shaped us as businessmen,” said Fournette. “We’re excited to talk about it all. Partnering with The Volume is a natural fit to grow this podcast and boost our voices in sports and beyond.”
Landry entered the league in 2014 and developed a reputation as one of the most dependable receivers of his era. During his career, he played for the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, and New Orleans Saints. He earned three Pro Bowl selections. He also led the NFL in receptions during the 2017 season.
Fournette followed a different path but enjoyed notable success of his own. The former first-round pick spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Buffalo Bills. His most memorable moment came during the Buccaneers’ championship run, when he helped the franchise capture the title in Super Bowl LV.
The addition of 4th and South continues to expand The Volume’s growing slate of athlete-driven programming. The network’s lineup already includes the NBA-focused podcast Club 520 along with Show Me Something, hosted by Sophie Cunningham and West Wilson.
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AM/FM Radio has long been the king of the audio space. That continues in 2026, according to new data from FMR and Eastlan.
In a new National Radio Listening Survey, it was revealed that 84% of adults aged 25-64 listen to radio weekly. That figure has remained steady in recent years, with the figure falling from 86% in 2024 to 85% in 2025.
The data remains the same when split between those living in the top 30 markets and those in markets 31 and up. Both demographics responded at an 84% weekly usage.
The two widest gaps in listening between those two categories came in podcast and satellite radio usage. 42% of those living in markets 1-30 responded that they are weekly podcast listeners. Those in markets 31 and up responded similarly at 37%.
Meanwhile, in the smaller markets, listening to SiriusXM was slightly larger at 18% compared to 14% in markets 1-30.
Of the 84% listening to AM/FM radio weekly, two-thirds said they did it with a terrestrial radio signal. 16% said they listened to an AM/FM station’s stream, while 11% said their primary point of listening to those brands was via a mobile app.
FMR and Eastlan also asked respondents which video platform they use most often for podcast listening. 72% said YouTube, which dwarfed Instagram and TikTok, which each received 10%. It marked the first time that question was asked in the survey.
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CBS delivered a major boost to the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) television reach over the weekend, helping the promotion secure its strongest linear television audience in a decade.
According to reporting by The Sports Business Journal, the broadcast network simulcast portions of UFC 326 on Saturday night, introducing the promotion to CBS viewers for the first time while partnering with Paramount+ for the complete event.
The arrangement resulted in more than 2.47 million viewers watching the fights on CBS, marking the largest audience the UFC has generated on traditional television in the last 10 years.
CBS carried select bouts from both the preliminary card and the main event portion of the pay-per-view broadcast during a two-hour window from 8–10 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, Paramount+ streamed the entire event live.
Viewership numbers for the streaming platform have not been released.
The UFC’s performance also provided a notable ratings lift for CBS in a time slot that has produced modest results throughout the television season. The network’s Saturday night broadcast delivered an audience roughly 30% higher than the average CBS has drawn in that same 8–10 p.m. window since the fall.
Younger viewers also showed strong interest in the event. The broadcast improved CBS’ typical Saturday prime-time performance by 208% among adults ages 18–34 while delivering a 190% increase among adults 18–49 compared to the network’s usual programming in that slot.
Last year, UFC programming airing across ESPN’s family of networks averaged approximately 661,000 viewers on linear television. The CBS audience therefore represented a roughly 284% increase compared to that season average.
The strongest viewership came during the later portion of the simulcast. From 9–10 p.m. ET, when CBS aired part of the main card, the network averaged 2.81 million viewers. The broadcast ultimately reached a peak audience of 3.21 million viewers during the telecast.
UFC and Paramount signed an exclusive seven-year agreement to carry UFC’s full slate of events — ending the mixed martial arts organization’s long-standing Pay-Per-View model in the United States.
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Veteran broadcaster Matt Vasgersian will occupy a prominent role during the opening stretch of the 2026 Major League Baseball season. This includes taking part in multiple high-profile national broadcasts across multiple platforms as networks and streaming services continue to reshape how fans consume the sport’s biggest moments.
According to a report by The Athletic, NBC selected Vasgersian to handle play-by-play duties for its Opening Day telecast when the New York Mets visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 26. Also according to several reports, Vasgersian will also likely serve as the lead MLB play-by-play voice for Netflix’ Opening Day broadcast as the global streaming platform begins it’s three-year media rights deal with MLB.
NBC previously announced that Jason Benetti will call the network’s Sunday Night Baseball games, marking another major national assignment for the longtime television voice. According to the network, NBC plans to pair its play-by-play announcers with analysts drawn from local broadcasts tied to the teams participating in each game, a strategy intended to provide more team-specific insight while still delivering a national presentation.
The Opening Day assignment positions Vasgersian as a central figure in NBCUniversal’s broader baseball strategy, which will feature an expanded schedule of streaming-exclusive games during the 2026 season.
“I think I still have a cap from my first NBC play-by-play assignment, the 2000 Gator Bowl,” Vasgersian said. “Here we are 26 years later and coming back on NBC and Peacock to be a part of coverage of the sport I love and have invested my career in is incredibly gratifying.”
Beginning in May, he is slated to serve as the lead play-by-play voice for Peacock’s MLB Sunday Leadoff, a package of Sunday morning contests designed to give the streaming service a consistent early window before other national broadcasts begin later in the day.
“Matt has been on the NBC Sports team throughout the years, including calling MLB games and baseball in the Olympics, and we welcome him home,” said Sam Flood, NBC Sports Executive Producer. “With extensive experience on national and local broadcasts, Matt is an ideal fit to be one of our play-by-play voices for MLB Sunday Leadoff, leading a national presentation alongside analysts with connections to each competing team.”
Despite the expanded national schedule, Vasgersian will continue his longstanding relationship with MLB Network, where he has remained a fixture since the channel launched in 2009.
Over the course of his broadcasting career, Vasgersian has called a wide range of major sporting events, including college football assignments for NBC that date back to the early 2000s, a stint as the lead voice of Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN alongside Alex Rodriguez, and numerous MLB telecasts for both FOX Sports and regional broadcasts involving the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels.
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News/Talk Radio has spent years making the case that it’s the most trusted format in all of media. Hosts build loyal audiences by promising accuracy. News anchors stake their credibility on getting the facts right. It’s the foundation the format is built on.
So why are so many news/talk stations broadcasting a very different message the moment someone visits their website?
This past week, I came across a Cumulus news/talk station whose website still listed Imus in the Morning as its featured morning show. Don Imus has been dead for six years. That’s six years of a dead man’s name sitting on a live station’s homepage. Jim Bohannon was listed as an overnight host. He died more than three years ago! It listed Clark Howard as its afternoon host. Clark retired five years ago!
I also found a Salem Media station still promoting America at Night with Rich Valdes — a radio show that’s been off the air for four months. These aren’t ancient archives buried three clicks deep. They’re front-facing pages that represent the brand to every potential listener and advertiser who visits.
It’s easy to dismiss this as a minor housekeeping issue. I’d push back hard on that.
Think about what these stations are asking advertisers to believe. They’re asking businesses to trust them with their brand, their message, and their money — and then they can’t keep their own programming grid current. If a station can’t manage the basic task of updating a show listing, why would an advertiser feel confident that their spot will air correctly, their copy will be handled with care, or their campaign details will be executed properly? The argument sells itself, and not in a good way.
The listener side of this equation is just as damaging. News/talk’s entire value proposition rests on credibility. When a local listener stumbles onto a website promoting a show that no longer exists — or worse, a host who’s no longer alive — what conclusion do they draw? They’re not thinking “web team oversight.” They’re thinking this station doesn’t pay attention. And if it doesn’t pay attention to its own details, why should they trust its reporters, its anchors, or its hosts to get their news right?
That’s a brutal message to send, and it’s entirely self-inflicted.
The problem doesn’t stop at outdated show listings, either. Some stations still don’t offer their podcasts or on-demand audio on their own websites. Others have the infrastructure in place but don’t maintain it. One brand that performed extremely well in our recent Top 20 of news/talk radio series — a station that by every competitive measure should be proud of its product — hasn’t posted on-demand audio for its afternoon show in over four months. Four months. That’s not a glitch. That’s a choice, even if it wasn’t an intentional one.
Here’s the thing about passive neglect — it sends a message just as clearly as active decisions do. A stale website tells the audience that digital presence is an afterthought. It signals to advertisers that the attention to detail stops at the studio door.
News/talk can’t afford that signal right now. The format is competing for ears against podcasts, streaming audio, and an endless supply of on-demand content that is always current, always available, and never lists a deceased host. The bar for digital execution isn’t impossibly high. It’s just consistency. Update your show pages. Post your audio. Make sure what’s on your website reflects what’s actually on your air.
Advertisers are always looking for a reason to say no. Listeners are always looking for a reason to tune out of a radio station. A neglected website hands them both reasons before a single word of content is ever consumed. That’s a problem entirely within a station’s control to fix — and there’s no good excuse for leaving it broken.
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I never believed that Stephen A. Smith was serious about running for President of the United States. The concept itself seemed misguided on its face. Why would someone who has worked so hard to achieve the level of success he’s earned give it up for public service? It made no sense.
Smith officially revealed that he believes he won’t run for office on the debut of Sean Hannity’s new podcast. It figures that Smith would gift the exclusive to his buddy Hannity, since the two have made for good bedfellows on Fox News. That’s it. The campaign that never started is over. Or at least that’s the latest version of the story.
The question now is what’s ‘next?’ Is there a ‘next’ for Smith in the political arena? Instead of looking ahead, I believe we’ve all been witness to the greatest campaign in the history of sports media.
Before moving forward, we should consider the following. Smith’s comments on Hannity’s Hang Out podcast are not the first time he has dismissed the idea of running for office. Just last month, Smith toldThe White House podcast on Netflix that he’s not giving up his money to be a public official.
“Barack Obama respectfully, because I do revere that man was a community organizer who became an elected official who didn’t have money. I have money. So there’s a difference,” Smith said on The White House podcast last month. “To have the money and have to forfeit it. Just do the math. I’m not confirming nor denying my dollars, because I don’t do that. But just do the math based on the reports. ‘This is what you’re making a year, and with three years left on your deal you’ll have to give up this money in order to run for office.’ Do I look like a person that’s interested in doing that? Hell no.”
Two weeks ago, Smith told CBS Sunday Morning that he’s “giving strong consideration” to being on the debate stage in 2027.
Yesterday, Smith told Hannity he’s not running.
“I don’t think I’m running either because I’ve got to give up my money,” Smith said during the interview with Hannity, before doubling down on the idea that stepping away from his earning power would make little sense.
Despite Smith’s lack of desire to pick a lane and stick to it, should we really expect him not to say he’s still considering running in a week or two?
The point is the back and forth is laughable. Plus, exhausting. But that’s strategy at work is working extremely well. A campaign was underway without being announced.
By creating a narrative that he could be an outside candidate for the Democratic Party, Smith has increased his value away from ESPN. He’s now making numerous appearances on network political talk shows, Real Time with Bill Maher, and any podcast that says, “Hey Stephen A.”
Smith is a visionary, seeing value where others neglect nor challenge themselves to look outside the walls of “the mothership.”
Is Smith worth his reported $20 million a year for ESPN? That depends on who you ask. What is known is that his workload has decreased with the network while he seeks opportunities elsewhere. SiriusXM gave Smith what he couldn’t get with ESPN: an opportunity to expand his audience outside of sports using the megaphone of SiriusXM radio.
When I wrote yesterday that Pat McAfee is the new quarterback of ESPN, it’s because Stephen A. Smith is allowing him to take the crowd and scepter. Smith understands that his ceiling at ESPN has been reached. The work and effort he put into not only First Take but also numerous roles on other programs made him his money.
He’s comfortable at ESPN because he doesn’t need to do more. No matter how he says it or fronts it, Smith knows his bread will be buttered elsewhere when his current ESPN deal is up.
Begin the campaign! Start a narrative that he’s seeking public office. That’s a way to get people talking while making additional money and expanding his overall reach for Straight Shooter Media.
It’s smart, planned and has been executed properly to the delight of some.
Now that he’s out of the picture — at least we think — some ask why would any audience care about Smith’s political leanings or opinions? Doesn’t his voice lose weight in the political arena if he’s not a player in it? If he’s not serious about demanding and enacting change for America, why would America care about his thoughts and feelings on issues?
These are legit questions to raise. Smith has no background in politics. He’s a sports commentator. Politics may be a sport, but with no history in the field he’s just another voice.
Another voice that’s choosing his own bank account over being a voice for change.
That’s not good for political discourse, but doesn’t it matter? Another selfish millionaire using the media eco-system for his own monetary gain. Sound familiar?
We live in a reactionary society and an attention economy. Smith gained attention because he knows how to play the game better than anyone. Now he has cashed in, expanded his audience and taken on more work away from his main employer while doing less there. Some would call that the American dream.
Make the most, do the least, with the freedom to expand elsewhere. All by owning the attention economy.
That’s the formula Stephen A. Smith appears to be following right now, and from a business standpoint it’s hard to argue with the results. He’s bigger than ever, more visible than ever and making more money than ever.
But if the idea of running for president was never serious, the whole exercise says less about politics and more about the media environment we now live in — one where even the possibility of a campaign can become just another tool for building a brand.
That may be the American dream, but it’s also the modern media playbook. Float a big idea, dominate the conversation and turn the buzz into opportunity.
Good for Stephen A. Smith. That’s the business of modern media. He won.
Stephen A. Smith didn’t run for president. He didn’t need to. The campaign trail was never the point. The spotlight and expansion of his audience was.
In the end, the campaign that never was may have been the most successful one Smith’s ever run.
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There are many characteristics that define greatness. It is often described as the ability to do many things at a high level. Greatness is never given; it is inherently earned. Oftentimes, the greatest among us do not see accomplishment as a destination. It is more about a continuous journey that never truly ends. For many in sports media, Dan Patrick is considered one of the greatest to ever take the microphone in sports radio.
For a third straight year, and the fourth time overall, The Dan Patrick Show ranked as the top national sports radio show in the Barrett Media rankings. Once again, greatness recognized by the peers in his industry.
“Every day is the Super Bowl. I mean it, because every day should be the most important show,” says Patrick. “You have a commitment to your audience every single morning. If they’re going to give up part of their day to listen to you, we must reciprocate.”
Since 2007, Patrick and his “Danettes” have entertained sports radio audiences around the country. When Patrick left ESPN, he departed with a lifetime of experience that sharpened his skills in journalism, television, and hosting a daily program on ESPN Radio.
Patrick noted that when he left “The Mothership,” he wanted to craft a program that better reflected his personality. For years, his programs on ESPN Radio followed a pattern of talking with ESPN talent from other ESPN shows. By leaving, he said there was a desire to break away from “playing it safe” at ESPN Radio while still taking parts of the “ESPN” in himself to the next level.
“I can’t out local a local radio show, but I can out national a local radio show,” explained Patrick. “We give the audience sports, but it’s so much more than that… There’s no greater compliment that I can get than someone who tells me they listen to us on their commute. It’s great to be recognized by my peers, but it’s better to be recognized by the audience that I’m serving.”
Patrick became aware of the Barrett Media top ranking during his annual week of shows from the Super Bowl. For him, the recognition reflects more about the staff of his program than himself. For nearly two decades, Patrick says he and his staff have continued to make the difficult look fun. It is a complete group effort, with each team member doing their part for the greater collective.
“My job is it’s a democracy till I get on the air. Then it becomes a dictatorship, because I have to sort through it all and spit it out,” says Patrick. “The fun part of the show is that it’s live and not scripted. To have that freedom is a luxury, but it can also be a challenge. Every show is still three hours, and we do the best we can. We’re very fortunate.”
The Near Future
In 2023, Patrick signed another multi-year extension to remain with FOX Sports Radio. When announcing the extension, he also said it would be his final one with the radio program. While he did not want the news framed as a retirement announcement, Patrick also does not regret how he handled it.
Instead, Patrick wanted to signal to his Danettes that there is a five-year window ahead and to “act accordingly.” He says his goal was not to prepare or expect a farewell tour during his final extension, but he knows that as each day passes, the difficulty of saying goodbye will grow.
“I needed to put a finite amount of time out there, because I could have continued to do this for a couple of more years. The toughest part will be saying goodbye, because I love the grind of every day,” explained Patrick. “I’d rather go out at a high level than stay two more years and go out at a mediocre level.”
For 15 years at ESPN, Patrick noted the amount of time he devoted to his multiple roles with the network. Being present for his four children proved difficult during that stretch. Now his focus is on being present as a husband, father, and grandfather, which contributed to his decision to step away when his current agreement concludes.
“I’m excited about it. I have two years to convince myself that this is the best thing to do. So far, I’m doing okay with it,” said Patrick.
Patrick expects to wrap up his radio program on Friday, February 11, 2028, ahead of Super Bowl LXII in Atlanta. His goal for the program’s annual trip to the Super Bowl will remain the same as every previous opportunity.
“It’s Super Bowl week, and I’m going to treat it like it’s Super Bowl week,” notes Patrick. “I still have a job to do. What I don’t want is to open up the scrapbook. We’ll have some fun with guests and some memories, but I’m still covering the Super Bowl. That’s how I want to go out, by covering the Super Bowl. Then that Saturday, I’m going on a vacation with my family and say goodbye.”
When asked if there was any possibility of changing his mind, Patrick was quick to emphatically respond with a “no.” He admits he will battle an emotional tug-of-war as time continues to count down to his final program.
The Decision
Patrick says that over the next six months, the program plans to begin discussions with FOX Sports Radio and iHeartMedia about a successor for the show and daypart. The advantage of making the announcement early, he says, is that it allows all parties to conduct their due diligence when discussing what comes next.
When asked whether he will have a say in who succeeds him, Patrick explained that he will not — but he could.
“I really have to talk to the Danettes, because it’s not my opinion, it’s their opinion. That’s the most important part of this. It’s do they want to continue this. Do they want to continue this in the form that it’s in, and the person(s) who would want to come in. Do they want to follow in my footsteps, or do they want to create their own blueprint,” explained Patrick.
Patrick said that if the Danettes want to continue, he would like to be involved in the process as a sounding board. Additionally, for whoever fills the role, he says he would welcome the chance to appear occasionally, even if it were a guest appearance once a month.
Interest has already reached Patrick from a number of people interested in the role. While he would not reveal any names, Patrick is curious to see where the next two years take the program.
“This will be a collaboration with all parties involved,” Patrick says. “I just don’t want them [Fox Sports Radio] to promise this timeslot when I can maybe come up with what may be the best candidates for it. That is something in the next six months that will be discussed with iHeartMedia and FOX Sports Radio. But it all goes back to do the Danettes want to do it, and who they want to do the show with. That’s really essential.”
Once Patrick departs in February 2028, he will leave an industry that grew because of his influence. He does not consider his exit from sports radio to be “the death of sports radio,” as some have suggested. Although he admits the industry is “starting to dwindle,” he believes the core approach will remain unchanged.
The goal remains to discuss the topics that resonate with the most people, earning their trust through that connection.
Growing The Next Generation
Following retirement, Patrick looks forward to continuing his role with The Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting in Orlando. For the past seven years, the collaboration with Full Sail University has provided a hands-on approach to guiding the next generation with real-world experience.
With more than 250 graduates working in the industry, Patrick considers that achievement among the best of his career.
“Of all the things I’ve accomplished, that’s the proudest because we’re changing lives because we’re getting you a job in the business,” explains Patrick. “I’ve called up news directors on behalf of graduates. We do seminars and even have graduates that still submit tapes for me to critique. It’s been wonderful. You can see they’re hungry and want to learn.”
With just under two years remaining of The Dan Patrick Show, there are no plans to let off the gas. Patrick says he still considers his best moment to be ahead, because that is what he has worked more than 40 years to achieve. The next segment, guest interview, or breaking story still drives him. Even with the sunset in the distance, Patrick remains as motivated as ever to close out one of the greatest chapters in sports radio.
“My wife would caution me on this. She tells me to enjoy the little victories. I’m trying to win a battle or a war. Not just a little skirmish,” explained Patrick. “It’s a bigger picture and constant. Keep moving and make it great. Make everyone else great. I’ll be doing the same thing up till that final day in Atlanta at the Super Bowl.”
And that mindset may be the real reason The Dan Patrick Show continues to resonate nearly two decades after its debut.
In an era when media careers are often defined by contracts, platforms, or viral moments, Patrick still considers success the same way he did when the show began. By the quality of the conversation and the connection with the audience on the other side of the microphone. The rankings, awards, and recognition are appreciated, but they have never been the point.
For Patrick, greatness is not a title handed down by an industry list. It is the daily commitment to show up prepared, curious, and ready to entertain.
There are still shows to do, guests to interview, stories to tell, and laughs to share with the Danettes.
After all, as Patrick sees it, the mission has not changed.
Every day is still the Super Bowl.
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Two weeks ago we launched Phil’s Future Five, a column designed to do something radio historically struggles with: move first. This week, we’re looking at the likes of Bruno Mars and Harry Styles.
Programmers tend to operate like a Portland driver at a four-way stop. Everyone sees the opportunity, but nobody wants to go first.
The goal of Phil’s Future Five is to identify records outside the Top 30 at Mediabase that are positioned to break before the email from your SVP arrives telling you it’s your turn to go through the intersection.
And in a PPM world where ratings are essentially a rolling set of weekly snapshots, even a small head start matters.
To the hundreds of programmers I’ve managed, I always say:
Test three. Add two. Own one.
Here are five songs outside the Top 30 but inside the opportunity.
—
CHR / Hot AC: Bruno Mars – “Risk It All”
Current Mediabase Position: #40
Full disclosure: I am a Bruno Mars fanboy.
The rollout with iHeart and TikTok from inside a radio studio reinforces that Bruno songs sound great on the air. By the way, his studio had a much sexier vibe than any station I ever worked at. Very Venus Flytrap energy.
This nine-song album already has four records you could realistically be playing today.
For now, let’s start with Risk It All. Imagine Frank Sinatra fronting a mariachi band. That’s the vibe. Like several songs in Bruno’s catalog, this one is destined to become a wedding-season staple.
It’s also impossible to write about this record without pointing out that playing Risk It All is, in fact, not risking it at all.
Yes, that was literary gold. You’re welcome.
Why Move Now: Harry Styles is waiting in the wings Risk Level: Very low Prediction: Multi-format Top 10
—
CHR: Harry Styles – “American Girls”
Current Mediabase Position: #43
Harry Styles just put on a promotional master class.
Netflix documentary. Crash Ryan Gosling’s monologue for a little SNL pre-promotion. Then SNL this week as both host and musical guest. Royal Court appearance. A long sit-down with Zane Lowe.
There are several songs from the new album you could play this week, and I’d honestly make room for a couple of them at CHR, Hot AC, and AAA.
But for the “but Phil we can’t play two Harry songs” crowd, American Girls is a nice warm-up. And let’s be honest: what American girl or almost 50-year-old bald former corporate programmer whose name rhymes with Bill Decker doesn’t want Harry Styles singing to them?
Those of us who are not Zoë Kravitz need something to hold onto.
Why Move Now: See above Risk Level: Very low Prediction: Top 10
—
CHR: Harry Styles – “Ready, Steady, Go”
Current Mediabase Position: #211
If American Girls is the streamer, and Taste Back is the sleeper, then let’s add Ready, Steady, Go for some spring tempo.
Programmers spend half the year complaining they don’t have enough uptempo records. Harry just delivered one for you.
They also complain about push weeks, but I can’t help there.
Why Move Now: Nobody has ever said, “Your station sucks because you play Harry Styles.” Risk Level: Medium today, low later on Prediction: Top 15
—
Alternative / AAA / CHR: Dominic Fike – “Babydoll”
Current Mediabase Position: #55
Not every opportunity starts with a brand-new release. Sometimes the audience brings a record back before radio realizes it’s happening.
“But Phil, that song is eight years old. My station plays new music.”
But Babydoll is currently out-streaming songs from Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, Ella Langley, and Alex Warren. So maybe “new” isn’t the right strategy all the time.
Sometimes a song reenters culture because the audience decides it’s time. When that happens, you can simply participate in it.
Why Move Now: A new music video dropped for the song on its eight-year anniversary Risk Level: Medium Prediction: Top 25
—
Outside the Lines Pick of the Week
Rhythmic / CHR: T.I. – “Let Em Know”
Current Mediabase Position: #329 (CHR) / #36 (Rhythmic)
This record is being underplayed at Rhythmic and ignored at CHR, overlooking the fact that it’s living in people’s story feeds from ages 15 to 55 and doing close to nine million weekly in consumption.
The Pharrell-produced beat is infectious and immediate, but radio is overthinking this one.
What format is he? How relevant is he? Wasn’t he doing stand-up comedy?
Sometimes the smartest programming decision is also the simplest one: play the good songs people are already showing you they like.
If T.I. or Dominic Fike scares you, grab another song from Bruno Mars or Harry Styles.
They’re always safe, right?
The goal of Phil’s Future Five isn’t just to identify records that are going to chart. It’s to encourage programmers to evaluate music for what it is, what it sounds like, and how it connects with the audience in the moment.
Test three. Add two. Own one.
I’ll see you in two weeks with five more of Phil’s Future Five.
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As the Iran war escalates, a second conflict is exploding alongside it — a war where journalists are fighting on the front lines to bring live coverage to television.
The problem: Almost no one has been able to get into Iran, an obviously dangerous territory where American and Israeli bombs and drones are destroying buildings and killing people.
At the same time, government censors in the region are clamping down on the media, turning the flow of news into a tightly controlled weapon.
Unlike other armed conflicts where journalists were embedded with U.S. troops and brought in to document casualties and atrocities, censorship is ruling the day even in democratic countries. And it’s outrageous.
While the Pentagon last year banned all but MAGA-friendly outlets that agreed to have their reports approved in advance, and Iran is known to be one of the most heavily censored societies in the world, the most shocking restrictions have been imposed by our allies in Israel.
Bibi Netanyahu’s government is acting in ways blatantly hostile to a free press — arresting reporters and keeping them temporarily locked up for violating military censor rules.
Journalists say the Israelis have barred live broadcasts showing video during Iranian missile attacks — footage that was commonly shown during previous conflicts.
Kasra Naji, a BBC Persian correspondent reporting from Israel, said that there’s a strict blackout. “The Israeli military censor has banned us from making a live report on the situation of airstrikes and when a dangerous emergency occurs. Therefore, we cannot make a live report or show the images behind me. This is a new thing.” The Netanyahu government has even barred footage of the impact of Iranian bombs well after the fact.
Israeli officials say the restrictions are designed to prevent hostile forces from analyzing the effectiveness of their air defense systems.
Yet the Press Freedom Foundation argues that despite these tough conditions, news outlets will find a way “to report the news and investigate government abuses and lies.” But, the organization says, “it’s unrealistic to expect reporters to overcome this multi-pronged attack entirely.”
Amazingly, this includes videos used by news organizations that were taken by Israelis and uploaded to social media sites — the only real alternative to propaganda spoon-fed by the government.
CNN clarifies that it has not submitted any video to an Israeli censor for review. “Crucially, it does not give the censor any editorial control over CNN’s coverage at all. It does allow them to make sure no sensitive information is unintentionally revealed.”
“Anyone who endangers Israel’s citizens in the name of ‘journalistic reporting’ will face a determined and tough police force,” said Ben Gvir, the country’s national security minister. “No concessions, no games.”
Inside Iran — undoubtedly the most dangerous spot on earth right now — CNN’s senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen has been one of the few able to broadcast.
Pleitgen interviewed business owners and reported that along with the widespread damage, shops were open and even fruits and vegetables were available, minimizing the impact on everyday society. Filming during a stop for coffee, Pleitgen said that despite seeing damaged buildings, smoke, and armed checkpoints, he had not found “any sign of order collapsing here.”
The correspondent, who had interviewed Iran’s foreign minister weeks earlier, has appeared on Anderson Cooper 360. He does include this disclaimer: “CNN is able to report in Iran only with the Iranian government’s permission.”
Charlene Laurent, an Iranian social media influencer in Los Angeles whose Instagram profile includes #irangenocide, said she and others tend to turn to Fox News because “CNN is, sorry to put it, fake news.” She believes the videos she sees on social media do not align with CNN content.
The Trump administration and MAGA followers also admonished CNN, charging the network with spreading “pro-Iran regime propaganda.”
“When a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it’s front-page news,” said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “I get it. The press only wants to make the president look bad. But try for once to report the reality. The terms of this war will be set by us at every step.”
Hegseth’s accusation, which is offensive, ignores the fact that the fallen are part of the story. Journalists report on those who have died in war in every administration — not to snipe at whoever is commander-in-chief, but to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
That was on display at the “dignified transfer” of six fallen soldiers in Delaware over the weekend, attended by Trump and others and carried live by the three cable news networks.
To the degree that the media have criticized the mixed messages about the Iran war, much of that is coming from the president himself. As endlessly replayed on TV, he originally said his goal was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Then he spoke of regime change — while Hegseth said that was not the goal — because the initial attack killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other top leaders. Trump also said he would have to approve Iran’s next leader, and it would not be the ayatollah’s son, his designated successor.
How long will the war last? The president initially said four to six weeks. But in a new interview with CBS’s Weijia Jiang, he said: “I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force.”
Yet hours later, the president posted that if Iran doesn’t arrange oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a major world chokepoint, “they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit so far,” making it “virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again.”
The bottom line here is a stark contradiction: journalists face strict censorship from all sides, while images of war spread freely across social media. And viewers are left trying to put together the pieces.
Never before in the modern era has there been such a destructive war where TV has essentially been barred from giving the public the full picture.
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On Monday, Live Nation Entertainment reached a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department after accusations that the world’s largest concert promoter was operating an illegal monopoly over the live events industry. The settlement also allows Live Nation to retain Ticketmaster. Which became a subsidiary of the promoter in 2010.
Much of the subsequent reaction has centered on the disappointment of fans across all music genres. This also includes frustration with the Trump Administration, and the Justice Department’s willingness to offer a settlement in the first place.
One aspect that is not getting much attention is what the agreement means and opportunities it presents for local radio and media’s involvement in the live touring industry.
With the new agreement finally bringing some clarity to what had been an uncertain future for Live Nation and Ticketmaster over the past year. Local broadcast outlets can now use their platforms to form and expand new promotional and sales relationships. They can also incorporate new opportunities through on-air programming strategies geared toward frustrated fans.
Fresh Opportunity
In recent years, many record labels and artists have seen radio’s role shift. What was solely promoting new albums now encompasses serving as an avenue to promote tours and live events. The industry views as vital to music revenue.
Although the DOJ’s settlement didn’t break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation, it does allow venues, promoters, and local stations more flexibility. Especially in how they market local concerts and events.
“There’s an opportunity everywhere from radio stations to local promoters,” ticketing specialist and host of Ticket Talk, Scott Friedman explains.
The Live Nation settlement reportedly includes a number of penalties. This includes a fine reported to be in the $200–$280 million range. Also caps on ticket service fees, and the divestment of up to 13 amphitheaters nationwide. The promoter will also be forced to share its technology with competitors, including secondary ticketing sites such as StubHub.
The settlement also caps Ticketmaster’s existing contracts at four years. Something which Friedman says could be beneficial.
“Ticketmaster can no longer have ten year exclusivity with venues. This allows opportunities for radio and other promoters to get their ducks in a row and try and either out bid [in the case of a rival promoter] or media outlets to focus on marketing and branding relationships to build future profits,” explains Friedman.
Radio Can Be An Ally
At face value, the core settlement doesn’t have as much to do with radio as it does with ticketing competition. This is where the programming side of things comes in.
“If the DOJ didn’t settle and Live Nation and Ticketmaster were forced to break up, that would have presented more opportunities,” Friedman explained. He added that the current settlement will most likely have little to no impact on bringing down ticket prices.
However, the reaction shows just how emotional fans are right now when it comes to seeing their favorite artists perform.
The lead-up to Monday’s agreement showcased music fans’ frustrations regarding high ticket prices. Frustrations that don’t appear to be coming down anytime soon. All one has to do is search “Live Nation” on social media and grab a box of popcorn.
“Ticketmaster paid the tiny fine, and will now keep screwing over the fans,” one music fan tweeted in disgust.
Local radio stations now have a chance to be an ally with music fans.
The #Metallica Sphere ticket prices along with fees are a terrible look for the band and its fans. I’m hearing real stories on the ground here in Vegas and it rivals any horrible ticket pricing story you have ever heard in your life. To say people are in shock would be an…
Not by calling out Live Nation or the ticketing industry—which would be self-sabotage. Instead by serving as a distraction for fans through their on-air programming.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen music superstars ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Harry Styles to Metallica’s 2027 Sphere tickets trending. Each while receiving heavy criticism because of their ticketing practices, namely how expensive they were.
Stations should lean into those emotions. Vertically integrate the station’s social media platforms and promote an on-air experience for fans to enjoy.
What Programmers Can Do
Local program directors need to understand this. When high-profile musicians come to their city, a major talking point among listeners will be how expensive tickets are. Radio needs to serve as an outlet for fans who don’t want to think about how much they paid for a ticket. Instead, help them remember why they bought it: for the love of the artist.
Programming ideas can incorporate special block programming. A possible “Ed Sheeran Hour” featuring an artist’s biggest hits while also including a ticket giveaway. That’s just one great way to stay local and relevant while also making listeners and the fanbase feel better about the situation.
Stations can even lean into fans’ frustrations and emotions through witty on-air imaging elements. These can also be used to promote their specialized music programming.
Not to mention the opportunity DJs and stations have by asking artists about high ticket prices. Clips like this are going extremely viral and a good way to be seen as an ally for fans.
Be The Escape
As I previously wrote, fans are furious about ticket prices. Even if they may be focusing their anger on the wrong people and companies.
Regardless, fans are looking for allies anywhere they can find them. Radio stations look to dip their toes into the live music ecosystem more should take advantage. Rather than just “give away a pair of tickets”—this week’s DOJ settlement presents the opportunity for more.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
