Erika Kirk sat down for an in-person meeting with Candace Owens to address comments she’s made in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination. Tomi Lahren says she wouldn’t have taken the meeting.
While appearing on Fox News on Monday, Lahren said that she could understand why Erika Kirk would want to meet with Owens, “because she wants to put it to rest,” but said she wouldn’t have given Candace Owens the time of day.
“If I were her, I wouldn’t do the meeting,” Lahren said bluntly. “I wouldn’t give this other person any content because that’s what this person is going to use it for — content … You need content, and you need to use other people for your content because you’re a vulture! So I wouldn’t give that person any content. I would ignore them, and I would not feed the beast. Now, I understand wanting to do it and wanting to put it to rest, but I think it’s never going to be for some people because they will just continue, continue, continue to feed off that carcass. And I would hope that at some point it ends and some people would find some decency.
“But I think they’re making way too much money,” Lahren continued of Owens. “And that’s the unfortunate part about social media. There used to be a time in media where if you said horrible, disgusting things, you didn’t have much of a platform anymore because nobody would touch you. But then social media happened and YouTube happened, and suddenly you can say awful, horrible things and you can still have an audience and you could make a lot of money.”
Tomi Lahren concluded by saying that it’s “really disgusting” that Owens could profit from her comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Lahren’s comments came in advance of both Erika Kirk and Candace Owens calling their meeting — which Owens revealed lasted for 4.5 hours — “extremely productive.”
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104.5 The Zone has secured a familiar and trusted voice for its morning lineup, announcing a multi-year contract extension with Ramon Foster, co-host of the station’s flagship morning show, Ramon & Will. The deal ensures Foster will continue anchoring weekday mornings from 6–10 a.m. alongside Will Boling, both on-air and across the Zone Podcast Network.
Foster, a Vol For Life and former NFL standout, has been a staple of Nashville’s sports radio for five years. His blend of professional football insight, humor, and relatability has helped make Ramon & Will one of Middle Tennessee’s most consistent and recognizable morning programs.
“This long-term renewal reinforces our commitment to being the region’s premier sports authority,” the station said in announcing the deal, emphasizing its focus on authentic conversations that connect fans, athletes, and partners throughout Tennessee.
Since joining 104.5 The Zone, Foster has played a key role in shaping the station’s morning identity. His perspective as a former University of Tennessee star and 11-year NFL veteran brings credibility to daily sports conversations. His approachable style resonates with listeners beyond box scores and headlines. As part of the renewed agreement, the station plans to expand game-day coverage. It will also feature more special guests and continue developing community-focused programming.
Allison Warren, Vice President and Market Manager for Cumulus Nashville, praised Foster’s impact both on and off the air. “Ramon brings unmatched authenticity, knowledge, and passion — not just on air, but in our communities and in the hearts of fans and clients alike,” Warren said. “His presence strengthens 104.5 The Zone | Zone TV as the heartbeat of Middle Tennessee sports. We’re thrilled to continue this journey together.”
Programming Operations Manager Paul Mason echoed those sentiments, highlighting Foster’s connection to the audience. “Ramon is the perfect embodiment of what The Zone stands for — local sports passion, credibility, and connection,” Mason said. “His instincts, stories, and relatability make our mornings stronger and our sports brand more authentic.”
Foster’s roots in the Volunteer State run deep. Born in West Tennessee, he became an All-SEC offensive lineman at the University of Tennessee. He then carved out an accomplished NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since retiring from professional football, he has transitioned seamlessly into media. He serves as a color analyst for Vol Network football broadcasts. He has also established himself as a dependable voice on Nashville radio.
For Foster, the extension represents both professional stability and personal fulfillment. “I am thrilled to announce the extension of my media career with 104.5 The Zone for the foreseeable future,” he said. “Engaging in lively discussions about sports, life, and pop culture with our passionate listeners each morning has been instrumental in my transition from the NFL.”
“I'm excited to sign my extension here at @1045TheZone. This is an amazing feat for a second career for myself that I jumped into and not knowing what I was going to do." – @RamonFoster
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Peter Rosenberg and Ebro Darden are offering a clearer picture of how their long-running tenure at HOT 97 came to an end, with both hosts expressing frustration not over the decision itself, but over how the exit was handled by station ownership.
Speaking candidly on The Ebro Laura Rosenberg Show YouTube page, the duo reflected on the conclusion of their 13-year run and the simultaneous end of the show’s syndicated markets. While both acknowledged the realities of working in corporate radio, they described a process that felt abrupt, impersonal and emblematic of an industry slow to evolve.
“The only thing that bugged me is the way it went down was just so classic radio,” Rosenberg said. “I just didn’t expect it at this stage of my career to get the, ‘Hey, this is so-and-so, I’m here with so-and-so from legal.’”
He added that being told, “Peter, today is going to be your last day. You’ve been terminated,” felt especially jarring after nearly two decades tied to the brand. “That wording after nearly 20 joints was crazy,” Rosenberg said, comparing it to being abruptly dismissed after years of loyalty.
Rosenberg also detailed months of uncertainty leading up to the decision, noting he had been working without a contract for an extended period. “I started doing the math,” he said, pointing to stalled negotiations involving himself, and co-host Laura Stylez. With the holidays approaching and a planned three-week break looming, Rosenberg said he worried the silence signaled bigger changes ahead.
Despite his frustration, Rosenberg was deliberate in separating HOT 97’s legacy from its current ownership. “You are never going to hear me talk s**t about HOT 97,” he said. “That place is literally in my DNA. You will only hear me talk s**t about MediaCo, the company that now owns them. HOT 97 for me will always have a positive connotation”
Darden echoed that the possibility of being let go was never an illusion.
“How many times on the air have we talked about, ‘We just guys with jobs,’” he said. “They own these microphones. They own the licenses, and could walk in here tomorrow and decide they want to do something else.”
Still, Darden admitted the emotional toll ran deeper than job loss. “My biggest pain in all of this is the reason I continued to do that job,” he said, citing the show’s commitment to serving New York City through conversations about politics, voting and issues impacting local communities. He also addressed the risk of having political discussions within corporate media.
“Talking about politics and having an opinion… is always risky,” Darden said, adding that hip-hop itself is inherently political. “Being Black and having a good time is political… finding joy is political.”
Reflecting on his role, Darden said his obligation differed from other on-air personalities. Including Funkmaster Flex, who has taken over the morning daypart with the radio station.
“I had an obligation to the audience… and I had an obligation to us as a team,” he said.
Flex has been with the station for more than 30 years. It will be the second change for him this year, after moving up in the lineup to 5-10 PM ET in September. Previously, his program began at 7 PM.
Together, Rosenberg and Darden framed their exit not as a betrayal, but as a missed opportunity for transparency — closing a defining chapter in New York radio with questions that extend far beyond Hot 97 itself. As for their future, while no immediate plans have become official the show will continue to populate content on its YouTube page for the foreseeable future.
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On Monday, Erika Kirk revealed that she would be having a private, in-person meeting with Candace Owens to address public comments made about her husband’s assassination. Following the meeting, both women were in agreement about how things went.
In recent weeks, Owens has shared many theories and what she claimed was evidence of a conspiracy to betray the Turning Point USA founder by those inside his organization.
During a CBS News town hall event on Saturday, Kirk repeatedly asked Owens to stop making the accusations. Those comments came after she had argued that Candace Owens had enriched herself following Kirk’s death by sharing the accusations, earning higher viewership figures on YouTube in the process.
In a post on social media following the meeting, Candace Owens shared that it was “an extremely productive 4.5 hour meeting,” stating that she believed both she and Kirk “feel (the meeting) should have taken place a lot earlier than it did.”
“We agreed much more than I had anticipated,” Owens said. “Of course, we also disagreed on various points and people as well. Most importantly, we were able to share intel and clarify intent. I will of course have a full rundown for you all tomorrow as I am currently exhausted, but I wanted to quickly let you guys know that absolutely nothing was held back and the immediate result was that tensions were thawed.”
Erika and I had an extremely productive 4 1/2 hour meeting that I think we both feel should have taken place a lot earlier than it did. We agreed much more than I had anticipated. Of course, we also disagreed on various points and people as well. Most importantly, we were able…
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Howard Stern made it official today announcing a three-year extension with SiriusXM radio. After months of speculation, Stern made the announcement after initially returning after a stunt involving Andy Cohen earlier this year.
The 71-year-old admitted earlier this year he had considered retiring and had “totally shut down” this summer to take time off and contemplate his future. He added in September that after the reaction to some that he had been “fired” or his show was “canceled” because he had become “woke,” the motivation to continue the program became overwhelming.
“I’m happy to announce that I figured out a way to have it all. More free time and continuing to be on the radio. So yes, we are coming back for three years,” said Stern Tuesday.
The Radio Hall of Famer most recently signed a five-year, $500 million contract with SiriusXM in 2020 but that deal was set to expire at the end of the month. Stern joined SiriusXM in 2005.
“I love this company. I truly do. It’s not horses**t,” said Stern. “I do love this company, and I feel very loyal to this company. They did want me to come back, and they said, whatever you want to do, we’ll do for you. Who says that to anybody? When does your boss say that?”
As for the timing of the announcement, Stern shared with his listeners on Tuesday why he believed his decision wasn’t leaked to the public before he publicly made the announcement.
“You know why there are no leaks? Because I didn’t know anything until the weekend — whether I was staying or going,” Stern said.
Stern began his radio career in Westchester County, New York, at WRNW before moving on to stations in Hartford, Connecticut, and Detroit. By 1985, Stern moved to WNBC in New York City and began syndicating his show nationally. In 1992, he became the first radio personality to be No. 1 in New York and Los Angeles simultaneously. In 2005, due to concerns over station management and FCC censorship, Stern left terrestrial radio for Sirius Satellite Radio.
“I hope I don’t die during this contract,” joked Stern. “I’m at that weird age where people drop dead, you know what I mean? So who knows?”
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ESPN NBA Insider Brian Windhorst and his popular podcast, Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, are joining the Omaha Productions podcast network, the company founded by Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. The move was announced via a video message from the Manning brothers, further expanding Omaha Productions’ growing footprint in the audio space.
Windhorst is one of the most recognizable voices in NBA coverage. He has hosted The Hoop Collective for years as a staple source for league news and analysis. The podcast regularly features ESPN NBA reporters Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon. Together, they blend breaking news with long-form discussions. The show resonates with diehard fans and industry observers alike.
The addition of Windhorst and The Hoop Collective aligns with Omaha Productions’ strategy of partnering with established voices who bring credibility, consistency, and strong audience loyalty.
Since launching Omaha Productions in 2020, Peyton and Eli Manning have built a diverse content portfolio. Their work spans television, digital platforms, and podcasts. The growth has been highlighted by the success of Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli. The company has also produced several original audio projects.
In the announcement video, the Manning brothers welcomed Windhorst to the network. They also playfully acknowledged his reputation. The pair joked about Windhorst being plugged into every corner of the NBA. ESPN reached a long-term, multi-platform media rights extension in 2024 with Omaha Productions, extending the existing partnership into 2034. The agreement is a content partnership between ESPN and Omaha with opportunities for collaboration across multiple platforms.
Windhorst was recently added as a full time member of ESPN’s NBA Countdown program after signing a multi-year extension with the network. Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective will continue to focus on NBA reporting, team-building trends, player movement, and the business of basketball, while benefiting from Omaha Productions’ production resources and marketing support.
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Thank you for checking out ‘The Industry According To’. This series runs each Tuesday, and features radio and record industry executives, managers, programmers, talent, artists, and professionals from all areas of the business world. For future guest consideration, please email me at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com.
Today we hear from someone who heads one of the most influential and scrutinized brands in audio entertainment, Rich Tunkel, Managing Director of Nielsen Audio.
Rich isn’t just a measurement executive. He knows sales, audience behavior, and sees trends emerge early. He’s at the forefront of tech, trying to keep radio measurement as reliable and modern as possible.
Radio’s Health Check
Keith: Radio is a big sector for Nielsen. You see the revenue numbers, the downsizing, and now the historically low purchase prices for stations. What’s your honest assessment of the overall health of the radio industry?
Rich: I see an industry with incredible reach and continued relevance. We consistently see that broadcast radio reaches nearly 9 out of 10 adults every week. That is a massive, unduplicated audience that advertisers can’t ignore. The industry doesn’t have an audience problem, it has a perception problem among marketers. The focus must be on value proposition and modernization. The industry has to stop selling against old data perceptions and start proving its true impact.
Our job at Nielsen is to provide the most complete, modern, and trustworthy currency so radio can confidently compete for ad dollars. We’ve also developed outcomes solutions that help radio demonstrate just how effective it is. Radio is perceived to be the least effective media, when the data shows just the opposite. Radio generates the highest ROI of any media.
Keith: Given the industry’s continued revenue decline, what would you do to stimulate revenue if you were running a radio group?
Rich: I would prioritize proving return on investment (ROI) and focusing on a holistic view of the audience.
Embrace Attribution: Leverage Nielsen data with other datasets to show advertisers the direct correlation between a radio campaign and an action (like a store visit or online purchase). Radio can no longer just sell reach; it must sell results.
Highlight the In-Car Advantage: Radio is the dominant media in the car, where most listening happens. This is a massive, premium environment. We need to market that dominance aggressively. It is also important that the automotive OEM’s recognize Radio’s prominence in the vehicle and the #1 place they give Radio over all other ad-supported audio platforms in the car.
Cross-Platform View: Don’t just sell the stick; sell the full audio footprint (stream, podcast, smart speaker). Advertisers want simplicity and scale. The industry needs to deliver its full digital and broadcast audience in one cohesive narrative.
Radio makes everything better. We see that Radio improves the campaign every time we add it to any media plan. The reach goes up, the frequency improves, the efficiency increases. All of this can be achieved for FREE if a marketer simply shifts budget (as little as 10%) to Radio. We can’t say this loudly enough and repeat it often enough.
Keith: With Nielsen’s fees not mirroring radio’s revenue pacing, is Nielsen concerned about pricing itself out of Radio over the next few years?
Rich: Our focus is on delivering value. We understand the financial pressures. Our investments—like the 3-Minute Qualifier enhancement, panel modernization, and integrating new audio streams—are directly aimed at helping the industry capture more credit for the listening it already earns and, in turn, grow its revenue base. The goal is to be indispensable by providing the currency required to transact in a competitive ad market and proving that the investment in measurement pays for itself by unlocking more ad revenue.
I also think that broadcasters too often equate ratings with national and agency-driven business. While ratings are critical for that business, the insights and ability to talk to a local advertiser with intelligence and confidence about not just your station, but the entire marketplace is essential. Local advertisers want you to be a marketing expert on all of radio, television, digital, and advertising. That’s what clients who use our data and tools like the ratings and Scarborough the best are doing.
Beyond this, Nielsen is the leading marketing intelligence platform This goes far beyond traditional advertising needs. We give a view of the entire industry and where radio fits. That helps with programming and promotional strategies in addition to advertising. Our data continues to show that there is untapped value in the audio market.
The 3-Minute Rule
Keith: It’s been nearly a year since the 3-Minute Rule went into effect in PPM markets. While reported listening is expectedly up, the ad community isn’t revaluing inventory. What are your thoughts on the 3-minute rule after its first year?
Rich:The 3-Minute Qualifier (crediting a quarter-hour of listening if a panelist is exposed for at least three minutes, instead of five) was a necessary modernization of an old rule. We are proud that the industry and Nielsen worked together on it.
The Positive: It has done exactly what it was designed to do—capture more valid listening that was previously lost, which better reflects today’s consumer behavior. Broadcasters are getting credit for listening occasions that were previously excluded.
The Challenge: The ad community and agencies move deliberately. They need time to study the new trend line and become comfortable revaluing inventory. It is incumbent upon the radio industry to proactively present this expanded audience credit to the ad buyers, showing them exactly where the new listening is, and demanding that the new currency be transacted upon. This is a long-term benefit, not a flip-the-switch revenue generator.
Keith: There are several metrics in a Nielsen Audio report. Programmers focus primarily on share. Sales teams prioritize rating. If you had to single out one data point for programmers and another for sales teams, which would they be? Which two matter most today, and why?
Rich: For Programmers: Average Quarter-Hour (AQH) Persons and Time Spent Listening (TSL). The programmer’s core job is to build and maintain a strong audience base. The new environment rewards engagement. AQH Persons is the engine of the station’s core audience, and TSL is the key indicator of product quality. If TSL is up, the product is sticky, and the listener is engaged.
For Sales Teams: Cume (Reach) and Attribution Metrics. Radio’s superpower is its massive reach (Cume). Sales should lead with that massive scale to compete with digital. However, the most critical “new” data point is Attribution. Sales must pivot to showing how radio advertising drove a measurable result (foot traffic, sales, website lift). This is the language of modern advertising and the only way to prove radio’s value beyond GRPs (Gross Rating Points).
The One Meter Theory
Keith: A common phrase throughout programming circles is, “One meter can make a difference.” It’s true: a small number of meters or a household, in a city of millions, can have a big impact on the overall radio economy and revenue flow — even one or two panelists can make or break a brand’s quarter. What’s stopping faster panel growth in local markets?
Rich:Panel integrity is paramount. Nielsen maintains a panel that is both representative and compliant. Increasing the panel size dramatically for local markets is a constant effort, but simply adding more panelists is not enough and is not economically viable for broadcasters. We must ensure the new additions accurately reflect the market’s specific demographics. This requires intense, scientific sampling.
We are constantly using advanced techniques and looking at innovations like combining our panel data with non-panel “big data” sources, to provide a more granular view, which is the ultimate solution.
The Big Picture
Keith: When it comes to usage time, radio competes with everything from radio to podcasts to TikTok. What’s truly moving the needle for radio? How can the industry increase its rank in the pecking order of attention and usage?
Rich: What moves the needle is Immediacy, Localism, and Personality.
Immediacy: Real-time information, local news, and traffic that no one else can deliver as efficiently.
Localism: The connection to the community—events, local causes, and a voice that understands the market.
Personality: The relationship between the listener and the talent. This is radio’s most unique and defensible asset.
To increase its rank, the industry must aggressively integrate broadcast with digital. Radio must make its content easy to consume on every platform (smart speakers, apps, social video clips) and ensure it is all measured cohesively. Radio needs to sell itself as a holistic audio solution, not just a signal.
Immediacy
Keith: Radio sells on delayed data. Through Nielsen’s partnership with Media Monitors, Audio Overnights gives programmers the fastest directional data to date, for stations that want to pay extra. Why isn’t something like Audio Overnights a part of the Nielsen/Media Monitors basic package for Radio clients? Why is faster data treated as a premium upgrade instead of being standard, especially as radio competes with platforms that have access to more immediate data?
Rich: Audio Overnights is a sophisticated tool that offers directional insight based on the overlap between Nielsen’s panel and Media Monitors’ production. It requires a significant and unique investment in infrastructure and processing to deliver that speed and directional accuracy. To make it standard for every client would require a significant increase in the base service price for everyone, and not every station necessarily needs or uses that level of real-time directional data. Our philosophy is to keep the core currency service (the official, accredited measurement) as accessible as possible, and offer high-value, specialized tools like Overnights as a premium upgrade for those who need the competitive edge of faster data.
Misconceptions
Keith: There will always be complaints about ratings. It’s also true though that a lot of people don’t fully understand how the system works. What’s the biggest misunderstanding of Nielsen Audio and how everything works?
Rich: The biggest misunderstanding is that we are simply counting listeners. We are not. We are projecting a statistically representative panel to the entire population. People forget that the PPM is not a device for every listener; it is a passive meter worn by a scientifically sampled, demographically balanced panel.
The system is a projection: The data in the report is an estimate of the total market, based on the behavior of this carefully selected panel.
The panel is dynamic: The panel is constantly being recruited and rotated to maintain representativeness, which can cause natural quarterly fluctuations. These are not product-based changes; they are normal panel changes.
Humans structure their lives around themselves, not your program clock. We’re measuring people who have complicated lives. Their daily routines do change based on the weather, the seasons and the events in their lives. If a family member is out of town, or they run into a lot of traffic on their way to work, or they oversleep, all of these things change their media consumption. We see panelists change their listening from one survey to the next in PPM and it’s normal.
Best Practices
Keith: Since the dawn of PPM, we’ve constantly heard about “best practices” to get ratings. Many programmers believe some “best practices” actually hurt product quality and the listener experience. What’s your response to that?
Rich: I agree, and this is a critical point. The best practice is good programming. Any strategy that focuses solely on “gaming the meter”—like excessive segmentation, rapid stop-set placement, or high-frequency music rotation that irritates the listener—is fundamentally flawed. Our meters measure listening behavior, not programming intent. If a programmer focuses on creating a great, engaging, and listenable product, the meters will reflect that with higher engagement (TSL) and more quarter-hours. We also hope the 3-Minute Rule will actually give programmers more freedom to experiment and focus on the listener experience.
Quarter vs. Quarter
Keith: Programmers and executives often knee-jerk or are forced to knee-jerk if a quarter or two are down. Even if it’s clearly more a reflection of panel change than it is product-based. What advice would you give to radio leaders about reading month-to-month or quarter-to-quarter ratings?
Rich: Zoom out. Never make a major strategic decision based on a single month or quarter.
Look for Trends: Focus on the 6- or 12-month rolling average to smooth out the natural panel volatility.
Product vs. Panel: Compare your change to the overall market’s performance. If the entire market is down, it could be a panel fluctuation. If your station is down while competitors are stable, it’s time for a product review.
Use PD Advantage: Leverage the tools we provide to analyze the behavior of listeners who joined or left the panel in a given month to understand if the change is a product issue or a panel shift.
FutureCasting
Keith: Are we close to a time when the industry measures local radio side by side with digital, social, and other connected platforms in one shared client view everyone can see, use, sell, and program against?
Rich: I don’t know that we will ever have a day when radio is measured the same way social media and other media is measured. I don’t think that’s the goal. Audio is naturally more intentional than scrolling on Instagram. It drives more authenticity and connection than many other forms of media. Radio needs measurement that serves the way audiences interact with it.
However, from a planning perspective, there is a need to see how radio and Audio interact with other media and how radio can improve campaigns. Nielsen Media Impact (NMI) is a tool used by all major holding companies and many advertisers which puts radio and podcasting in the view with Television, Cable, CTV, Streaming, Digital, Mobile, etc. and it shows the unique and indisputable strength of radio.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Keith: What’s the uncomfortable truth about today’s ratings and revenue climate you wish everyone knew or would just admit?
Rich: People are running toward digital revenue so fast that they’re leaving the most profitable and impactful audiences behind. It’s OK to emphasize streaming and podcasting because it’s what your clients want, but don’t let them talk you out of pitching your radio audience! It’s bigger, it’s more powerful and you do your clients a disservice by letting them think they’re executing a full audio strategy without broadcast.
Radio has a long future ahead of itself, but there is change on the immediate horizon. There will be bright days ahead for the well-positioned operator.
Nielsen 2026 and Beyond
Keith: What would you like readers to know about what’s on the near horizon for Nielsen Audio clients?
Rich: Nielsen is making more improvements and bringing more innovation to our radio measurement than at any other point in memory. Beyond the recent modernization of our incentives, our e-screeners and our targeted sample enhancements, there is more coming regarding something clients have been looking forward to for a long time.
We are also partnering with industry organizations like the IAB and the RAB as well as directly with our clients to elevate audio and radio with advertisers and bring the audio message to the key advertiser conferences where they gather, such as the ANA, Possible, SXSW and Cannes. We’ve also established partnerships with leading service innovators and complementary measurement companies like Edison research to bring Podcasting into Nielsen tools. This elevates Audio with our advertiser clients. Anytime we can help them plan for more audio, it is better for all of our clients.
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As the holiday season continues with Christmas just around the corner, there’s a familiar buzz in New England. A feeling so reminiscent it echoes past glory—when Brady and Belichick once ruled America’s new pastime and the New England Patriots dynasty was underway. WEEI’s Greg Hill remembers the good times of six Super Bowl championships in less than two decades.
“I get accused all the time of throwing the dynasty term around too freely, but I’m all in on it,” says Hill. “We took a four-year break to re-charge, and now we’re right back to where we were… It’s awesome for sports radio in Boston.”
Hill has been a guiding voice for Bostonians for over three decades. Following a successful 28-year career in mornings at the legendary rocker WAAF, Hill transitioned to sports talk in 2019. At WEEI, Hill followed longtime sports radio talker Gerry Callahan as the morning voice waking up Boston sports fans—a fanbase known for its passion and demand for excellence.
For Hill, it was a new opportunity to connect with the Boston morning drive listener. Now, seven years into his tenure at WEEI, it’s exactly where he wants to be, doing what he has always wanted to do.
“Getting to be there when it comes to being a part of our listener’s lives. Being able to do that for a long time is something I never imagined,” says Hill. “Other than waking up early in the morning, it’s the best job there is.”
Radio was Hill’s dream from his youth. A native of the Boston area, he cracks the mic every morning on WEEI with his teammates Jermaine Wiggins and Courtney Cox. The Greg Hill Show can be described as a melting pot of information, opinion, and entertainment, with three different backgrounds presenting the content.
The goal is the same: always finding new ways to connect with Boston sports fans. Every morning, contributions from all team members are included in the execution.
“Courtney and I get in here before the show and gather what we’re thinking from a news perspective. Jermaine is an East Boston guy, and he has no filter, which is awesome,” noted Hill. “Some shows spend a lot of time discussing how someone may feel about certain topics ahead of time. We don’t do that till the microphones are on.”
The Patriot Way
A unique characteristic of The Greg Hill Show is the exclusivity it provides. While WEEI is not the New England Patriots’ flagship station, it holds exclusive rights to interviews with key franchise figures. The Greg Hill Show began in 2019, at the tail end of the Brady/Belichick era, featuring exclusive interviews with both personalities.
Hill noted that both Brady and Belichick in that final year together were “miserable,” and the interviews didn’t provide much content for the sports fan. However, this season, with new head coach Mike Vrabel, the content has a much different feel.
“Bill [Belichick], part of the allure with him was he was just kind of a ‘dink.’ Not just with us, but with everybody,” explained Hill. “With Bill, you had to work hard to ask around a question, then to get an answer that you needed to translate to see what he was really saying. With Mike Vrabel… I think this happens sometimes when you end up being away from the job you love for a while, you’re excited about being back there. He enjoys being on with us.”
He called the interview experience with Vrabel “much better” than with Belichick, though he noted Belichick is considered the greatest coach of all time. Access to both coaches holds immense value for any morning show. It allows the show to serve as an exclusive conduit for fans, as Hill experiences every week.
While many traditional radio stations would consider the exclusive interview a massive appointment tune-in, Hill noted that how content is consumed no longer matters.
“The biggest change in this business is it’s always been a content business. Finally, this industry is getting smarter about it. It doesn’t matter the platform the content is consumed on. The content is always king,” said Hill. “However it’s consumed from my perspective is irrelevant. It doesn’t matter to me as long as people find what we do.”
Redefining Success
The demand for content is at an all-time high. Boston sports radio has delivered some of the most appealing sports content for many years. On-demand content may not always count toward ratings, yet WEEI and 98.5 The Sports Hub continue to dominate Boston’s rating share. WEEI has not always ranked as high as its competition. For Hill, however, ratings are not the only metric that defines winning.
“I’m fortunate to work for a company where the people in charge have figured out that revenue is the most important thing,” said Hill. “For a long time in this business, I guess revenue was tied to a ratings point. For me, what I’m excited about is what we’re doing when we’re working with our partners… If we go year over year and grow from a revenue perspective, I’m ecstatic.”
Hill credits that focused mindset to working under Audacy Boston market manager Mike Thomas, who joined the company in 2021. Thomas, who helped launch the competition at 98.5 The Sports Hub, brought his programming background and understood the challenges of the role Hill was serving.
“It’s great to have a market manager who has a programming background. It’s rare for me, and probably the first time that’s happened in 36 years,” explained Hill. “He has a ton of input, which is good stuff from a programming philosophy and tons of ideas. He’s someone who understands, from a talent point of view, the challenges of every day including with sales… It’s refreshing to have his approach to that as well, working with talent.”
The support and connection Hill has built with Thomas have helped guide the program to new levels of success. They focus on reaching new listeners every day.
Connecting With Those in Need
Another element of Hill’s connection with Boston is through his efforts with the Greg Hill Foundation, which he founded in 2010. The mission was simple: use the megaphone and the power radio has with the community it serves to respond to the immediate needs of families touched by tragedy.
“I wanted to create a way that we could turn the mic on at 6 a.m. and if something bad happened that people were talking about, we could find a way to help immediately,” said Hill. “We live in the most generous part of the country. We have great partners who donate a lot of money, but we also get small donations that come from people who give over and over again.”
To date, the Greg Hill Foundation has raised over $31 million, helping more than ten thousand people in need in the Boston area. From wine-and-dine events to the annual Jingle All The Way 5K and everything in between, Hill’s love for radio has been supported by his teammates at WEEI.
“It’s one of the great things about this business that separates us from content being available everywhere. Radio has always been a medium that gives back to the community,” explained Hill. “Radio is uniquely able to help the community it serves. We do it, and people give immediately. It’s an amazing thing.”
For nearly four decades in Boston, Hill has aimed to connect with his community. Whether walking around town, sharing a beer at the bar, or raising money, he engages with people and supports those in need. Greg Hill has made it his mission to find connection in a content space that becomes ever more fractured.
“I am so fortunate to love what I do, and to do it for a long time. I’d never want to stop,” said Hill. “I don’t know what else I would do. I’m not qualified for anything else and would miss the opportunity to talk to people and connect. I would miss that… I’m probably not going anywhere unless they kick me out of here.”
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It’s been a busy and reflective week off for this Barrett Media sports editor. A week away to unplug, recharge, and reset my mindset moving into the crescendo of the holiday season brought up thoughts of the end. The end far too many in the sports radio industry faced this year, have already faced, or will eventually face in the months and years to come.
Watching John Cena wrap up his retirement tour, filled with gaping holes in story, left many fans desiring more from what felt like a fumbled attempt. However, one thing no one could deny about the process was that Cena got to go out exactly how he wished. He crafted a year-long exit plan, maximizing revenue for the company he elevated in every city he stopped in. No matter your emotions about the final 1-2-3 in the squared circle and how it was scripted, Cena went out his way.
Which brings me to this question about the end. Over the past year, the end has often come with a goodbye. It’s a distinct change that has happened far more than it used to. But does it make the end easier to digest, not only for the consumer, but also for the talent themselves?
The goodbye show is never guaranteed. It never has been, nor should there be an expectation. I’ve unfortunately had to be the one in the room delivering the news to long-tenured talent with massive footprints in their communities. It’s never been easy telling them they are no longer needed. Often, there is no acknowledgment of the time and effort invested over decades of work and, in some cases, millions of dollars in revenue earned for the company.
The fear if a goodbye is granted? What will they say? How will listeners react? How will clients perceive the news? Should team partners question whether staying with your brand is the right move?
There’s no book or manual for it. The move is made, feelings are hurt, listeners are dismayed, clients call for more information, and teams react accordingly.
In the last year, I’ve noticed more examples of the end coming with a goodbye.
In November of last year, KNBR let go of Tom Tolbert, only to bring him back for a goodbye show. Emotions bled through the speakers as local celebrities, one after the other, joined Tolbert to share minutes of gratitude for his many years of service to the sports community in the San Francisco Bay Area.
It was a proper sendoff for the listener, client, and team as an all-too-familiar circumstance occurred again. Top talent leaving a market through no fault of their own, just the nature of the industry. We’ve seen this more in sports, news, and music radio over the past year than ever before.
Did it make it easier for the listener and the talent to digest the end that was coming?
WFAN this past week finally announced its official lineup changes as Craig Carton gets a third crack at the Big Apple via Audacy. Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata learned their news while hosting live, but didn’t address it for days after the initial reports. While they handled everything professionally, you could hear and feel the distress in their performance as their tenure at their home station was coming to an end. It wasn’t either of their first stops in sports radio, but they knew their fate ahead of the official end and still worked through it for the good of the brand.
A brand that told both talents they were no longer needed.
Did that method make it easier for the listener and the talent to digest the end that was coming?
Then there’s the consolidation still taking place as Infinity Sports Network and BetMGM Networks merge into Westwood One Sports. Not all talent has publicly spoken about their impending end. Many have, and for months they have been processing what lies ahead. Imagine hearing that your network is ending. You are told you are not part of future plans. Yet you are still required to deliver top-notch programming for more than a month. You do so knowing that after Christmas, you are no longer needed.
Some revealed their impending end early. Some have waited. Others are still waiting to inform listeners about what comes next, if anything.
Does that method make it easier for the listener and the talent to digest the end that was coming?
I thought a lot about this while watching Cena tap out in his final WWE in-ring appearance. He didn’t have to build a retirement tour, and no one was clamoring for a long-awaited return. However, WWE allowed Cena to make the call, and they were open to the idea.
Did it work out in the end? By the metrics, WWE cashed in, sold tickets, and raised brand awareness while securing new media rights agreements, with Cena’s retirement tour serving as a major draw.
Did KNBR allowing Tolbert to do a final show benefit the brand? Can you say allowing Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata a final week of shows raised the profile of WFAN? Would you say Infinity Sports Network or BetMGM Networks allowing final shows for a large percentage of their current talent roster benefits the network heading into the new year?
A goodbye show is never guaranteed. It never should be. However, what’s becoming increasingly clear is that more brands are beginning to understand transparency and trust in their talent can carry real value, often more than the short-term protection that comes from silence or sudden exits.
When a company allows a professional to finish with dignity, it sends a message far beyond the final broadcast. It tells listeners the voices they welcomed into their lives mattered. It tells advertisers the brand respects relationships, not just line items. And it tells the remaining team that loyalty, professionalism, and effort are recognized, even at the end.
Not every ending needs a curtain call, and not every situation allows for one. But cutting talent loose without context, preparation, or the chance to say goodbye rarely protects a brand the way decision-makers hope it will. In many cases, it does the opposite, creating distrust, anxiety, and damage that lingers long after the microphone goes silent.
The industry will always be cyclical. Jobs will end. Lineups will change. Networks will consolidate. That reality isn’t going away. What is changing is the growing recognition that how you handle the end matters just as much as how you build the beginning.
John Cena didn’t need a retirement tour, but WWE trusted him enough to let him have one. The result wasn’t just nostalgia. It was value created for everyone involved. More media brands are beginning to see that same equation apply to their own talent.
A goodbye may never be owed. But when it’s earned and thoughtfully handled, it can be one of the most powerful statements a brand makes about who it is, and who it chooses to be, long after the final sign-off.
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What we do in radio is art. Most don’t consider it a true art form but great radio is a performance art. With art, choosing whom is “the best” gets murky. People will choose a favorite artist then declare that artist “the best”.
In sport, quantifiable scoring determines “the best”. The team that scores the most is obviously determined “the best”. Rancor will ensue all through digital platforms, contesting if the winning team or individual is truly “the best”. One look at The X posts after Fernando Mendoza won The Heisman Trophy Saturday night supports it. Was he “the best” player in 2025? He took the trophy home to Bloomington but debate on “the best” rolls on.
Taylor Swift
You don’t have to be the best to be remarkable. Stumbling through various polls on social media, we often see whom is “the best” singer by genre, era or sex. One such poll about Taylor Swift held comments about her place as “the best” female singer of all time.
Personally, Karen Carpenter, Ann Wilson and Whitney Houston clearly top Taylor as much better singers. In fact, Chappel Roan is noted as having perfect pitch and the best pop vocalist today according to Vocal Coach Tim Welch in THIS video.
Taylor Swift built her empire on marketing and connection. She isn’t hailed as the greatest vocalist of her generation. But Taylor is undeniably the most successful female artist of all time. She understands her target audience, writes songs that tell personal, relatable stories, and markets herself with authenticity. Her entire career is proof that being remarkable is about owning a point of view, steamrolling forward with writing while performing relentlessly, and making her audience feel deeply invested in her brand.
John Daly
In golf, you say the name John Daly and his picture instantly pops into your head. John Daly’s brand is remarkable. He’s far from “the best” in his field. From the day he won The 1991 PGA Championship as a ninth alternate at Indiana’s Crooked Stick Golf Course, the hard drinking and chain smoking Daly’s brand was born.
Today Daly remains competitive in most major golf championships, still smoking regularly but the beer can is replaced with a Diet Coke. His uniqueness comes from the fact that he never tried to fit golf’s traditional mold. When the sport prized restraint, polish, and predictability, Daly arrived with raw power, unapologetic personality, and a swing that looked improvised. By being himself, Daly expanded golf’s audience, eluding the titles of “the best’ and built his remarkable brand in a sport built on conformity.
Radio is littered with remarkable brands that fall by programming standards short of “the best”.
Dick Biondi
For those who need schooling, Dick Biondi introduced the Beatles at The Hollywood Bowl. He is feted in the Radio Hall of Fame with air work featured in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Dick hosted the first nationally syndicated music show in the country. His list of “firsts” is long.
As a personal friend and his longest tenured Program Director, I said this in front of the late Dick Biondi more than a few times. His air work was far from ”the best”. Dick‘s high-energy and fast-paced style fit 1960’s radio perfectly. He brought humor, spontaneity, and a sense of fun that made listeners feel like they were part of the show rather than just hearing songs stacked back-to-back. His shows were appointment listening, blending music, bits, audience interaction, and a contagious sense of excitement.
However, Dick was not “the best” on-air talent of all time. Far from it. Dick wasn’t a Drake Boss Jock and often times was plain sloppy on-air. If Dick didn’t brand himself early in his career with magnetic audience connection, no programmer, including me, would hire him solely on his air check. Dick walked on intros, ran a lazy board and often defied programmer’s instructions. However, throughout his remarkable career all he wanted to do is connect with his listener. That’s it. That was The Dick Biondi Brand.
Remarkable
When it comes to remarkable brands that broke the mold of their predecessors, here’s three historical examples.
WCBS-FM (New York City)
WCBS-FM was a time machine with personality. Oldies outlets, including the one I programmed in the 1990’s, pared the Music Matrix to tight, repetitive playlists. Led by legendary programmer Joe McCoy, CBS-FM placed personality first and leaned-forward into storytelling along with heritage talent.
CBS-FM was the original Adult Hits station with an eclectic but wildly successful mix of Madonna, Motown and Mersey Beat. Sprinkle in The Rat Pack, New York only staples, and Hall of Fame Talent like Harry Harrison and Cousin Brucie, and it gave the brand familiarity and human connection. Remarkable.
KROQ (Los Angeles, California)
The World Famous (1980’s) KROQ broke the Alternative mold while embracing punk, new wave, and alternative music before it was commercially viable. KROQ developed a personality-driven culture around Top 40 talent, importing Kevin & Bean from Phoenix while developing a distinctly Southern California attitude.
KROQ played the hits and also broke artists. The station shaped culture and became a lifestyle brand. Kevin Weatherly’s KROQ built success developing relationships with artists first while major labels looked to KROQ for the temperature on emerging artists. The SOUND came from the atmospherics and not typical research.
WXRT (Chicago, Illinois)
Norm Winer’s 93-XRT was as free-form as its location in an earthy facility on West Belmont in Chicago. Under Winer (who joined in 1979) 93-XRT created a unique trail-blazing balance of classic rock and ongoing new artist discovery. The sound was adult without being monotone and eclectic without being chaotic.
Most credit 93-XRT with defining AAA as a format. The brand trusted their hosts on music selection, ran with a deep playlist and championed local music discovery. 93-XRT felt curated rather than programmed. Remarkable.
Closing
As we wrote in October 2024 from Yasmine Khosrowshahi: “A good personal brand helps people recognize your name. A great one helps them explain it to someone else.”
All the remarkable brands outlined above open a file in your brain, reflecting their unique characteristics. Remarkable ideas are everywhere. Executed well, tops “the best” – every time.
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.
