ESPNannounced it has signed three-time NHL All-Star and Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban to a new multi-year contract extension, keeping the former defenseman in his role as an NHL studio analyst across the network’s platforms.
Subban, who originally joined ESPN in 2022 shortly after retiring from a 13-year NHL career, has become one of the network’s most recognizable voices on its hockey coverage. Known for his energy, candid analysis, and ability to connect with fans, Subban will continue appearing on studio shows and in select game analyst roles.
When he first joined ESPN, Subban emphasized the opportunity to remain connected to the sport while offering insight from both sides of the glass.
“I have a vested interest in growing the game and know the importance of the rapidly expanding sports landscape,” Subban said at the time. “I look forward to bringing my unique insights from having recently been on the ice and now my off-ice perspective.”
Subban’s playing resume speaks for itself. He won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman in 2013 and skated for the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, and New Jersey Devils. Beyond the rink, he was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2022, honoring his leadership qualities and significant humanitarian contributions. Through the P.K. Subban Foundation, he has supported racial and social justice initiatives, youth programs, COVID-19 relief efforts, and access to hockey for underserved communities.
Internationally, Subban added to his legacy as a member of Team Canada’s gold medal-winning squad at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. He also captured gold medals at the World Junior Championships in 2008 and 2009. Away from competition, he became the cover athlete for EA Sports’ NHL 19, cementing his reputation as one of hockey’s most marketable figures.
ESPN has signed @PKSubban1 to a new, multi-year contract extension
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KSE Radio Ventures is turning to an experienced hand to oversee its portfolio of Denver stations. The company announced that veteran radio and advertising executive Joel Clary has been appointed Senior Vice President and General Manager, taking the lead at Mix 100, KOOL 105, and Altitude Sports Radio.
Clary’s appointment marks a return to the Mile High City for a leader with more than two decades of experience in sales, management, and strategy. He arrives from Salem Media, where he most recently served as Regional Multimedia Sales Manager, directing teams across multiple markets.
Prior to that role, he built a reputation in Northern Colorado with Townsquare Media as Director of Sales, where he helped secure broadcast rights for major sports properties while driving significant growth in digital and live event revenue.
In a statement, Steve Smith, President of KSE Media Ventures, praised Clary’s track record and emphasized his role in shaping the company’s next chapter.
“We are excited for Joel’s leadership and expertise as we continue to evolve and strengthen our radio business,” Smith said.
The move signals KSE’s focus on both its music and sports formats. Mix 100 has been a staple for adult contemporary fans in Denver, while KOOL 105 continues to draw listeners with classic hits. Altitude Sports Radio, meanwhile, serves as the flagship home for Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche broadcasts. With Clary at the helm, KSE is aiming to expand its influence in a competitive radio landscape where audience engagement increasingly extends beyond the traditional dial.
Clary’s career spans markets across the Midwest, Southwest, and Rocky Mountain regions, with leadership roles at Cumulus Media, Urban One/Radio One, and Clear Channel. That breadth of experience positions him to navigate both the revenue pressures and content opportunities facing local stations.
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Connoisseur Media is bringing Dayton listeners familiar voices and bold new sounds as the city’s radio dial undergoes a major shakeup. The legendary Z93 returns to the Miami Valley, while the brand-new 101.5 The Fridge debuts with an alternative rock format.
The revival of Z93 brings back one of Dayton’s most iconic stations, reuniting longtime personalities and music that defined an era for listeners across the region. Connoisseur Media Market Manager Brett Beshore said the return will bridge the station’s storied past with a fresh presentation designed for 2025.
“Z93 was a powerhouse in Dayton, and we’re thrilled to bring it back for a new era,” Beshore said. “By reuniting popular voices like Scott Sharp and Dayton’s most iconic personality Kim Farris with a high-energy presentation, we’re delivering a station that feels both legendary and fresh. Listeners will experience a station that sounds like nothing else on the air today.”
Operations Manager Kevin J. Washington echoed the sentiment, noting the personal significance of the relaunch. “It’s truly an honor to help bring Z93 back to Dayton,” Washington said. “The station meant so much to me back in the day when I was an intern. To be part of its return is a full circle moment.”
Program Director Joel Murphy confirmed the station will lean into the music that made Z93 famous. The playlist will spotlight hits from the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, with artists like Prince, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins and Whitney Houston.
Morning show host Scott Sharp, who returns to the mic, said the comeback is especially meaningful for longtime fans. “Z-93 is the station that I, and many other Daytonians, grew up with,” Sharp said. “Hearing ‘Eaton, Dayton, and Springfield ALIVE!’ will be a goosebumps moment, and I am honored to have the opportunity to be part of a special station and legacy.”
While nostalgia drives Z93’s return, the market is also gaining something brand new thanks to Connoisseur Media. 101.5 The Fridge enters the scene as Dayton’s modern alternative rock station, playing artists like Foo Fighters, Green Day and Mumford & Sons. The brand pays homage to the city’s history with Frigidaire while carving out a unique sonic identity.
“With 101.5 The Fridge, we’re giving Dayton the coolest alternative rock station it’s ever had,” Beshore said. “The name pays tribute to the city’s proud Frigidaire heritage, while the format delivers a bold, modern sound that will stand out and connect with listeners and advertisers across the market.”
Washington added that The Fridge will feature “a fresh, energetic sound with jocks to match.” Program Director Kevin Begley was even more direct. “Alternative has been missing from Dayton for way too long, and that ends now,” Begley said. “The Fridge isn’t just a name, it’s a signal that alternative in Dayton is alive, loud, and impossible to ignore.”
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Do you really enjoy talking about a government shutdown on your show? Really? Would you want to talk to someone about a government shutdown at your next Happy Hour? I mean, sure, it’s the national topic of the week, but if you really get excited trying to talk about a government shutdown, you’re some kind of masochist.
Granted, in news/talk, we have to discuss it this week, for obvious reasons. But it’s your job to figure out how to make this compelling, interesting, and entertaining for a broader audience beyond the traditional news/talk P1 listener.
This is the fourth government shutdown in the last 12 years, so Americans are familiar with it. Both parties will blame the other, and eventually, a deal is reached. There could be some inconveniences for some Americans, but it’s become a predictable way of federal government life over the last decade.
So if your plan is to mimic your favorite politician and take the “We’re all going to die!” approach, you’re not in touch with your regular listener. Leave that to the politicians. For you, just go out there and be a talk show host. Inform and entertain.
For local shows, drop the cable news talking points. What is the impact, if any, on your market? Most national parks are remaining generally open, according to the Associated Press. However, the Liberty Bell was not open after the government shutdown at midnight on Wednesday. Are there any notable closures in your city? How many federal workers are in your metropolitan area who could be impacted? Will those government facilities be open?
And then, there’s the humor and bizarreness of the whole shutdown. The President sent social media into a frenzy with his viral AI-generated video of Reps. Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) earlier this week. The right calls it a hilarious troll, the left calls it a racist video. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) responded by releasing an AI-generated Vice President J.D. Vance video.
For news/talk, that video is infinitely more compelling to discuss than the intricacies of a government shutdown that makes most people’s eyes glaze over. Do you want your politicians sparring like this? Is this how political debate is going to be in the 21st century? At least it’s better than Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton dueling in 1804.
We’ve officially entered the WWE era of politics — complete with deepfakes, viral memes, and performative outrage. It’s weird, it’s wild, and yes, it’s way more entertaining than a C-SPAN budget hearing. Use that to your advantage in the days to come.
So yes, talk about the shutdown. But do it your way. Be local. Be funny. Be real. Because if you’re bored by it, your audience definitely is too.
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Baseball is tradition. But that shouldn’t mean the same postseason voices year after year telling the story of October. In 2022, Joe Davis took over as FOX’s lead MLB play-by-play announcer, succeeding Joe Buck, who left for ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
Davis is sharp, capable, and professional. While he didn’t make Dodgers fans forget the legendary Vin Scully, he has filled the chair as well as anyone could expect in Los Angeles since 2017. Buck called 24 World Series matchups from 1996 to 2021. There’s that famous baseball tradition again: it takes 10 men and a forklift for baseball to make a change in the booth—or, in Buck’s case, $75 million from ESPN.
I’m thinking more about the former players who analyze postseason games in the booth and the studio. Lead FOX analyst John Smoltz retired in 2009 and has been in the No. 1 chair since 2016. Baseball didn’t have full-time replay until 2014—five years after he retired. In just the last few years, MLB has added a pitch clock, ghost runners, banned shifts, implemented a universal designated hitter, and expanded the playoffs. Next year, they are adding ABS, the Automatic Balls-and-Strikes system. Yet there are few national postseason analysts who have first-hand experience with any of these changes on the field.
Meanwhile, look at the NFL.
Recently retired stars are flooding into studios and broadcast booths, bringing fresh perspective, energy, and personality.
The NFL Churns Stars
Tom Brady, who retired in 2022, signed a 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX to become their lead NFL analyst. J.J. Watt, also retired in 2022, moved quickly into CBS’s No. 2 booth alongside Ian Eagle. Matt Ryan, retired in 2024, joined The NFL Today as a studio analyst.
Eli Manning retired in 2020, Richard Sherman in 2021, and Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2022. Derek Carr, a first-year retiree, impressed in his debut as a studio analyst for the Chargers-Chiefs game in Brazil on YouTube. Tony Romo retired in 2017 and, at 45, is now a seasoned veteran behind the mic. Not long ago, he was the young hotshot predicting plays before they happened.
If he were calling baseball games, he would be among the younger voices in the sport.
The NFL is actively turning former stars into must-watch voices, giving fans insider anecdotes, fresh perspectives, and analysis of rule changes—all from personalities they remember from recent Sunday afternoons. Their broadcasts feel alive, current, and relevant because the voices are too.
Baseball? Not so much.
Same Storytellers, Different Year
Analysts like David Cone (retired 2001), Eduardo Pérez (retired 2008), and A.J. Pierzynski (retired 2016) have been part of ESPN’s national coverage for years. Solid, knowledgeable, reliable—but very much “been there, done that.”
Ron Darling, one of my favorite postseason voices, is insightful, opinionated, funny, and passionate. He spends the season in the Mets booth and was part of the 1986 World Series-winning team—but he retired 30 years ago.
The FOX studio panel leans heavily on Pedro Martinez, Derek Jeter, and David Ortiz, who retired in 2009, 2014, and 2016, respectively. All three are Hall of Fame winners who can relate that experience to fans. However, without watching a second of 2025 coverage, I already know what they’ll bring: Ortiz will be loud and unpredictable, Jeter could be more engaging if he truly opened up, and Martínez, the best of the bunch, may go off the rails with his analysis while the panel reacts to his rants and raves.
They’re good—but I know their rhythm before a pitch is even thrown.
Why don’t more recently retired MLB players jump into broadcasting?
Part of it is lifestyle. Unlike NFL players, many MLB stars play into their late 30s or even 40s. Their retirements often lead directly to front-office, advisory, or executive roles. Buster Posey, for example, retired in 2021 and is now the San Francisco Giants’ president of baseball operations. Others want to stay in their hometown markets, coach, or step away from the grind. Keeping up with 162 regular-season games plus the playoffs is exhausting, and doing it on TV requires a different kind of preparation—studying stats across all teams, tracking endless numbers, avoiding bias, and entertaining a national audience.
That’s a lot to ask, even for someone with a World Series ring and years of clubhouse stories to tell.
NEEDED: New Blood
The lack of new blood isn’t a critique of those already in the booth. Smoltz is excellent. Davis is polished. Ortiz, Jeter, and Martínez bring credibility. But credibility alone doesn’t make broadcasts exciting.
MLB’s national coverage could benefit from the same boldness we see in the NFL, where former stars jump in immediately, unafraid to challenge norms, speak their minds, and inject personality. Imagine calling a playoff game with insights still fresh, memory sharp, and voice current.
The postseason is baseball’s most valuable stage. This is when casual fans pay attention, when narratives are written, and when legends are remembered. Right now, the game has incredible stories to tell, yet the voices telling them are largely the same ones we’ve heard for years.
MLB has to encourage and cultivate recently retired players—charismatic, game-savvy talent up on the latest rules and trends in an ever-changing, numbers-driven analytical baseball world. Adam Wainwright, who retired in 2023 with two World Series titles as a member of the Cardinals, is a step in the right direction. Hunter Pence, who won two rings with the Giants in 2012 and 2014, will do early-round coverage for ESPN.
Good first moves, but it’s up to baseball to farm more recently retired, high-quality talent and steer them into the booth.
October baseball is magical and memorable. What it needs is the guts to let new voices tell the stories. The postseason shouldn’t just be a showcase of the game on the field—it should feel alive in the booth and in the studio.
The sport can honor tradition while embracing the new. The postseason is the perfect time for baseball to refresh, to excite, and to prove that even in a sport steeped in history, innovation matters.
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The term “Mount Rushmore,” when used in sports debate, gives off several different reactions. Some consider the term a lead-in to a crutch sports debate during a slow period of the calendar. Others see it as the focal point of an entry into debating a moment in time and how it stacks up with the told history of the sport itself. Four faces that represent the best to ever do the work, carved in stone forever in time. Mike Greenberg’s 29 years at ESPN, between television and radio, instantly enter him into the debate of the “Mount Rushmore” of ESPN.
Greenberg just released a third edition of his “Got Your” series of books. Focusing on who makes the “Mount Rushmore” of each of the 124 major American sports teams. A task that a self-described lover of sports history leapt at the chance to create.
“The first book had done well, so they wanted us to do a second. The second one did well, they wanted us to do a third. Then ‘Hembo’ (Paul Hembekides) said we always do the Mount Rushmore of this and that,” explained Greenberg. “Why don’t we do the Mount Rushmore of every team in one of the sports? Then we thought about it and figured, why not do a Mount Rushmore of all the teams in all of sports?”
Over the next several months, between research, agreed-upon prioritization, and patience. Got Your Legends: Ranking America’s Sports Franchises and Their Most Iconic Figures was born. The 240-page guide covers who Greenberg, along with “Hembo,” believes are the top figures representing each organization individually. Using the guidelines as championships, winning percentage, overall success, and cultural relevance.
A Lack of History in Sports Conversation
“I really love sports history. What I love about writing these books is writing about the history of sports,” noted Greenberg. “I promise anyone who reads it, whether you agree or disagree with anything in the decisions we made. You will learn stuff about these players, coaches, and executives, and learn things about sports history that even the most avid sports fan won’t already know.”
Greenberg’s history with ESPN dates back nearly three decades. He co-hosted ESPN Radio’s longest-running program, Mike & Mike, for nearly two decades before stepping away in 2017 to become the host of a new ESPN morning program called Get Up.
A member of both the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame. Greenberg understands everything a host needs in his toolbox when engaging in sports conversation: the research and time it takes to craft an argument, along with an education in the history of the matter—something Greenberg notes is lacking in some sports media debates today.
“We somehow have decided we’re willing to accept that in sports. We’re willing to let people go on the air and say things like, ‘I don’t know much about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was before my time,’” explained Greenberg. “You have some obligation to know about the history of sports if you’re going to talk authoritatively about sports now.”
Overcoming ‘Get Up’ Early Struggles
Greenberg is entering his eighth year as the lead host of ESPN’s flagship television morning show, Get Up. Which replaced the iconic morning brand of SportsCenter in April 2018.
“There are some times I can’t believe we’ve been doing the show all this time, and there are some times it feels like we started the show last week,” Greenberg joked.
He says the experience of working on Get Up has been incredible since the program launched, and the product has improved as time has passed. Greenberg believes that Get Up in its current state is better than it was last year. As the program continues to evolve with the support of everyone who works on it.
Recalling the program’s launch in 2018, there were many headlines about its initial ratings. Viewership declined by upwards of double digits in the first weeks. Which had many in sports media debating whether the show would last.
Greenberg was fully aware of the slow start but revealed that a coffee meeting with ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro led to a budding confidence in the program and its future.
“I always felt that once we had the time to get it right, we would succeed,” said Greenberg. “I met with Jimmy Pitaro a few months into it [Get Up]… and told him, ‘I’m a grown man and I can take this. You can be honest with me. If you don’t feel like this is going anywhere, you can tell me, and I’ll be totally comfortable with that. Or look me in the eye and say, “Mike, I’m going to give you the chance to make this work.”’ He said to me, ‘I’m going to give you the chance to make this thing work.’ That was everything.”
Following that meeting, it brought new confidence in Greenberg to take risks and try new things. By the end of 2018, because of that confidence shown by Pitaro, Get Up was in a “very good place,” and a year after launching, they found where the show wanted to be.
“Not everyone gets that—not just in this industry, but in anything,” said Greenberg. “If you try to launch any endeavor of scale, that’s big, it requires a lot of work and effort. And if you judge it based on its immediate result, then in my opinion, you’re making an enormous mistake. You shouldn’t have tried it to begin with. If you are going to endeavor to do something as big as launching a daily television show, then you have to give it time to find its footing.”
Greenberg noted that he’s forever grateful for the confidence shown by ESPN management to allow the Get Up crew the time and resources to grow to where they are today.
“If you’re someone like me, you can’t ask for more than that,” said Greenberg. “I am so proud that we have delivered on it. We have proven them right. That makes me feel better than anything in 29 years at ESPN. I don’t know if anything has made me feel better in my 29 years than the fact that we have lived up to the confidence that they showed in us.”
Potential Return to Radio
This NFL season is the first in some time where Mike Greenberg is not hosting on ESPN Radio. He stepped away from his Greeny program in January after hosting it on the network since 2020. Greenberg noted that the time required for the radio program became too much while balancing hosting Get Up and Sunday NFL Countdown, though he said he would eventually return to radio.
“Today’s my last day doing this show…thank you guys for a lot of fun…this has really been a great experience for me.”@Espngreeny explains his decision to step away from ESPN Radio 🎤 pic.twitter.com/cn15LWz8Gp
Greenberg says the goal is to eventually return to radio. While he doesn’t foresee a change to his current schedule anytime soon, radio still holds a place in his heart.
“I love what I’m doing right now. The combination of the NFL and Get Up, I love it. I don’t foresee any change in that anytime soon,” said Greenberg. “It isn’t forever. There will come a time when change happens because it’s inevitable. I could easily see myself, whenever the end of my career comes, going back to a radio show, whether it’s 10–15 years from now when I want to start slowing down a little bit.”
He noted that radio is where he built his career at ESPN, serving 18 years as co-host alongside Mike Golic on Mike & Mike. As part of one of the most iconic duos in sports radio history, Greenberg didn’t dismiss the notion of potentially hosting a show again alongside Golic.
“People ask me all the time if I think we’ll work together again. The only honest answer I can give you is that we haven’t talked about it,” said Greenberg.
With ESPN Radio’s 35th anniversary coming up on January 1, 2027, Greenberg was asked if he’d be open to a one-off program celebrating the history of ESPN Radio alongside his former co-host.
“It’s not something that’s ever come up. It’s certainly not something that I would say has no chance on my end. It’s not something that’s ever been raised. It’s not something I’m expecting, but you never know what happens in life,” said Greenberg.
With the release of Got Your Legends: Ranking America’s Sports Franchises and Their Most Iconic Figures, Greenberg is focused on finding another layer to the “Got Your” franchise. He said there have been conversations about a fourth edition to the series, potentially expanding to college sports.
“We do these books because people have demonstrated an interest in it. So, let’s see how this one does,” explained Greenberg. “I did have the idea of taking this Mount Rushmore idea to college sports. I think that would be an interesting exercise, and I would imagine there would be an audience for it.”
Perhaps a case of symmetry if a fourth edition is released in the future, completing the series’ own Mount Rushmore as Mike Greenberg continues to carve his legacy representing ESPN.
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No one would ever claim to be an expert at everything, myself included. When it comes to the WNBA and the day-to-day operations of the league, I certainly don’t have inside knowledge. I’m a fair-weather fan. I don’t attach to a particular team or player. I have opinions, like many, but oftentimes I choose to watch and enjoy other sports instead of the WNBA.
This week, my attention was captured not by the action on the court but by something happening off it. Too often, the league’s headlines away from the game dominate sports media oxygen. Minnesota Lynx star Naphessa Collier publicly blasted commissioner Cathy Engelbert in a four-minute statement, accusing the league’s leadership of a “lack of accountability.”
The statement itself wasn’t what caught my eye. It was how ESPN talent handled the situation, as the WNBA’s largest media rights holder. For all the criticism that ESPN is muzzled when covering league partners, this week it stood firm against that narrative. Where was the sports media love for that?
ESPN has forever been a punching bag for sports media. For generations, people finding pockets and avenues to criticize even the smallest or somewhat insignificant item of a much larger picture.
ESPN Is a Target for Sports Media
When ESPN came to an agreement with the NFL, many in sports media decided to hop back on the train that left the station many moons ago. From Dan Patrick to David Samson and many in between, the notion of a potential conflict of interest was abundant, even though the 10% acquisition of the stake in ESPN by the NFL had not yet been approved.
ESPN, once lauded for holding partners accountable, was now seen as compromised (again). But any media rights deal involves partnership. When I ran sports radio stations in Tampa Bay, we partnered with teams too—but that never stopped us from covering them objectively. Being true to your audience matters most.
For all the noise created when the NFL and ESPN teamed up like Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed earlier this year, where was the noise about how the network handled the WNBA headlines this week?
If you are still waiting for a peep, you may be waiting a while, if not forever.
Does the WNBA have issues? Certainly. What league doesn’t?
Can Collier’s words be taken as gospel? She’s a respected voice and vice president of the WNBA Player Association, negotiating with the commissioner on a new collective bargaining agreement. That deal ends this month, so tensions are understandably high following a record year for the league.
Was Engelbert’s response flawless? No. But calling the person you’re negotiating with a liar wouldn’t help resolve the matter.
Credit Where Credit Is Due
What impressed me was how ESPN handled its criticism and coverage of the situation. The Walt Disney Company pays the WNBA, along with Amazon and NBCUniversal, a combined $200 million a year as part of an 11-year media rights extension signed last year. ESPN has a long-standing relationship with the league (and the NBA) dating back to when the WNBA launched in 1997.
This week, several ESPN talents called for the resignation of the WNBA commissioner, the network’s long-standing media partner. Stephen A. Smith said Engelbert’s statement made her “look guilty as hell” and added that she should hand in her resignation. Scott Van Pelt’s One Big Thing on SportsCenter challenged Engelbert to address the controversy head-on before the WNBA Finals kick off. Several other ESPN commentators, columnists, and hosts added their perspective. Calling for better from the head of the WNBA.
ESPN talent held their ground and challenged the face of their own media partner. Yet little credit has been given to balance the criticism earlier this year.
I wrote earlier this year about the fears many in sports media share about how ESPN “ruins” programming. Somehow being aligned with ESPN, Inside the NBA will be changed forever and diluted by the four-letter network. RedZone is over as we know it because the Worldwide Leader will now be heading the production of it.
These are the same people who speak the loudest about how ESPN won’t criticize or cover their partners fairly and objectively.
Where were they this week when ESPN did exactly what it was predicted they wouldn’t do?
Perfect objectivity may be unrealistic. Fairness isn’t.
ESPN deserves credit for its coverage this week. Too often, sports media waits for an opportunity to pounce instead of acknowledging what’s happening right in front of them.
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It’s been about two and half years since The Dave and Mahoney Show hosted by Dave Farra, Jason Mahoney and Audrey Drake moved from their longtime home base at Alternative KXTE/Las Vegas to originate from Classic Rock KLSX/Phoenix. In Monday’s Classic Rock column, I spoke with them about how the audiences on the two stations differs. For part two of our discussion, we delve into how the difference in audience impacts their content choices and syndication efforts.
Impact on Content
Molding the show to fit their new station required a very deliberate approach according to the team. That was because they understood that they were becoming part of a well-established brand. “We’re coming to a radio station that has four decades of heritage,” says Farra. “We have a tremendous amount of respect for the legacy of KSLX. We knew what they built before we joined the team. So, we were very intentional about what we decided to put on the air.”
They quickly discovered that some things do translate regardless of demographics and that helped them find their footing. “We’ve discovered that people who find humor in bodily functions and body parts cross all ages, races, creeds and colors,” says Mahoney. “Those things are pretty universally funny.”
Another unexpected bonus of the move is the older part of the audience’s willingness to participate. They’ve done so in a way that younger audiences no longer do. “There is an unexpected wealth of content that comes from the upper end of the audience. They aren’t afraid to use the phone,” says Mahoney. “They grew up calling in to radio stations. It’s still very much a part of their routine and relationship with the radio.” That differs quite a bit from younger audiences who they find rely on text and social media to communicate.
That still didn’t mean that everything was going to work in a Classic Rock world. They started with a review of all of their established benchmarks and features. Some pieces didn’t fit the new station and a few needed to be cut anyway. Farra says 40% were probably left behind. Of them, a few have trickled back in but not many.
There were also benchmarks that unexpectedly improved with the move to the new station. One example is a contest called Cover Your Ears. Listeners try to identify covers of popular songs that the team finds on the internet.
“Looking back, when we were doing that with Alternative songs it seems so niche,” says Drake. “Now we can use songs that are more mainstream making it much easier for the audience to play along.”
They also found that having an authentic connection to the music is important with a Classic Rock audience. That lead to several new content pieces including a contest called Rock and Roll Ruh Roh. The show recounts a rockstar’s various trials and tribulations like drugs issues, arrests and personal problems. Listeners must then guess who it is.
“That has been a lot of fun because it revisits all of the crazy things that have happened in Rock and Roll,” says Farra.
Impact on Syndication
The show was already syndicated by Compass Media before the move to KSLX but Farra says the change has enhanced their ability to attract affiliates. “People are entrusting us on established brands with big listenership because of the trust that Hubbard Radio has showed by putting us on a station like KSLX.”
The impact, Mahoney says, isn’t just the number of stations interested but the caliber of the stations adding the show. More Classic Rock stations are picking up the program. Those outlets tend to be on stronger signals as opposed to many opportunities where syndicated shows are put on the weakest station in a cluster.
From a content perspective, the pieces that go to affiliates are carefully selected. It starts with a clear understanding of the show’s brand and voice. “We try to view all of our content through that lens. Everything that goes out to the network, whether or not it airs here in Phoenix, is put through that filter,” says Farra. The content also must make sense for all their affiliates, Classic Rock, Mainstream Rock, and Alternative. “If it will sound even a little bit awkward on any of the three, we don’t use it,” adds Mahoney.
According to Drake, the shift to content with wider appeal—paired with the addition of stronger affiliates—has been a pleasant surprise. That combination has made the network an important source of extra content for the Phoenix show, forming a productive loop. The best listener feedback they receive across their network can be packaged and used as new material to revisit a strong topic in Phoenix.
Wrapping up our discussion, the team praised Hubbard Radio’s patience and direction. Brand/Content Director David Moore, VP/Market Manager Trip Reeb and EVP Programming and Audience Development Greg Strassell were all mentioned.
“With confidence and a long runway from management to get this off the ground, we’ve got to a really good place where we have found the audience, regardless of their age, that our content resonates with,” says Farra. “That’s thanks to a lot of patience from the corner offices and good coaching along the way.”
Edison Research has released its third-quarter Share of Ear data, and there are some interesting takeaways, especially for rural AM/FM radio broadcasters.
The study, which has been continuous since 2014, reveals that time spent listening to AM/FM radio figures in rural communities outpace both suburban and urban listeners.
In rural areas, 34% of all audio listening is spent with AM/FM radio. Meanwhile, that figure drops to 30% with suburban listeners and 28% for urban respondents.
Conversely, urban listeners spent 40% of their daily time spent listening on mobile devices. That declines slightly to 36% for suburban listeners, and even further for rural listeners, down to 34%.
Edison Research co-founder and President Larry Rosin said there isn’t one singular reason for why those figures shook out the way they did. But he does have theories for why the AM/FM radio listenership in rural areas has a higher time spent listening than its urban and suburban counterparts.
People in rural areas tend to use their phones less,” Rosin shared. “Phone use is expensive, and if you identify people who don’t have expensive phone plans or don’t even use smartphones, they’re much more likely to be concentrated in more rural areas. So that’s part of it.”
He added that it’s just as likely, however, that the hyper-local nature of AM/FM radio in those same areas could be a driving factor behind that difference.
“I think we also have to consider the utility of radio in rural areas,” Rosin added. “I think radio maybe means a little bit more in those parts of the country. So, I think some of the things that broadcasters do, they often are very attuned to the needs of more rural listeners. It’s definitely partially that as well.”
As different as the data is for the location of those survey respondents, the difference in listening habits is even greater between age demographics.
“The variable that matters the most, by far, is age,” said Rosin. “It’s like three different worlds. If you divide 13-to-34, 35-to-54, and 55-plus. It’s like yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
“I don’t know what it would have looked like in 1990, but it’s probably what 55-plus looks like today. Some of these technologies were long in the future in 1990, but it was a world where radio was super dominant and ‘owned music’ was the only other option, or things like that. 35 to 54-year-olds are in the middle, and 13 to 34 look completely different from 55-plus, as you might imagine,” Rosin continued. “So much of it is phone-based audio options, as opposed to say a dedicated AM/FM radio or any other device when you get those three different worlds.”
An additional factor in the daily time spent listening between terrestrial radio and mobile device listening is the proliferation of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Auto owners who had neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto spent 62% of their time spent listening to AM/FM radio, 13% listening to SiriusXM, 12% listening to streaming audio options like Spotify or Pandora, and 4% listening to podcasts, Share of Ear data from Edison Research shows.
Those who had either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto? Only 47% of their time spent listening was with terrestrial radio, with the streaming and SiriusXM numbers both climbing to 20%, individually, and podcasts rising slightly to 5%.
Largely, listeners aren’t using their mobile devices to stream AM/FM radio brands, the Edison Research President shared.
“It only gets single-digit percentage of listening on a phone and does a little bit better on a smart speaker, but the overwhelming majority of radio listening happens on a radio device,” Rosin shared. “In the car, virtually nobody streams radio stations. If you’re going to listen to radio in the car, overwhelmingly, they’re going to stream stuff that’s unique to streaming, because they have a radio in their car.
“Yes, there are cases where I live here in New Jersey, I grew up in Chicago, and I’m a Cubs fan. I wanted to listen to (670) The Score to talk about the Cubs or something like that, there are fringe cases like that. But overwhelmingly, if people listen to the radio in the car, it’s on the radio. And if they’re using their phones, it’s because they want to choose something that isn’t on the radio.”
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Hits on the Horizon starts the first week of October with a look at how Top 40/Hot-AC radio is figuring out which new Taylor Swift to start spinning. Multiple songs from the new album, which came out today are likely filling your ears! Besides Taylor though, here is some additional ear candy that should be on your radar.
5 Seconds Of Summer‘s “Not OK” is very catchy and rocks. It has racked up 500,000 plus streams in a couple of days. It’s a song both formats should embrace! Another track to get your ears on if they haven’t been already is The Kid Laroi‘s “A Cold Play”. 2.7 million streams were generated this week. Give it a listen! Finally, the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Nothing Lasts Forever” has a solid hook and is already getting some love from Mix 96.5 in Asheville.
Jumping to the Alternative and AAA worlds, I’ve been obsessed with Portugal The Man‘s “Tanana”. Radio love is coming to the band from 94-7 NRK in Portland, Alt 94.9 in San Diego and Alt-Nation at Sirius XM. Just cause it’s that time of year and the some is catchy and somewhat funky, take a listen to Tame Impala‘s “Dracula”. It’s receiving early radio support from The Current in Minneapolis and a few others. Also this week, put your ears on Wolf Alice‘s “White Horses”. It has a catchy groove and Alt 94.7 in Sacramento and Music Choice are giving it some airplay!
Moving to Rhythm, Don Toliver‘s “Tiramisu” should be on your radar. It did 3.4 million streams this week and gained airplay from Club 93.7 WRCL in Flint and MC Max on Music Choice. Next is Clipse‘s “The Birds Don’t Sing”, which has great lyrics and a cool hook. The song also ends with spoken word which doesn’t happen in music all that often! Radio love is coming from Hot 97.5 KVEG in Las Vegas.
Finishing up with Country, Zach Bryan‘s “Pink Skies” is really good! I’m usually a big fan of songs with harmonica and this one is excellent. 5 million plus streams this week isn’t bad either. Another one with streams north of 3 million this week is Bailey Zimmerman w/ The Kid Laroi‘s “Lost”. It has crossover potential with Pop and is getting radio airplay from 101.7 The Bull in Boston. The last one to listen to this week comes from Zach Top. Check out “South Of Sanity”, which is getting radio love from Kix106 in Memphis and pulled down 3.2 million streams this week.
So there you go. My ear candy recommendations for this first weekend in October. Happy listening!
