Heavy rains swamped Lollapalooza’s Chicago festival grounds this weekend. Sunday’s sunshine couldn’t erase Saturday’s damage.
What We Know organizers delayed doors until 2 PM Saturday due to heavy overnight rainfall. By early afternoon, South Grant Park remained flooded. Crews pumped water continuously as organizers pushed reopening to 3 PM. Meanwhile, most performances scheduled between noon and 3 PM faced cancellation. Festival officials eventually advised attendees to wear waterproof shoes, as muddy conditions persisted throughout the day.
What’s at Stake includes attendee satisfaction and artist visibility. Shortened sets mean less stage time for performers to connect with crowds. Fans paid for a full festival experience despite weather delays. However, organizers did respond by managing logistics and keeping the festival moving. The real question centers on how festivals communicate during crises and maintain attendee confidence when Mother Nature disrupts plans.
What Remains Unclear centers on preventive measures going forward. Did organizers anticipate weather forecasts properly? Will the festival implement improved drainage systems? How will ticketing policies adjust for weather delays?
What It Means signals a broader industry conversation about climate resilience. Major festivals must invest in infrastructure that handles extreme weather. Meanwhile, Sunday proved redemptive—The Chainsmokers, Tate McRae, and The XX headlined a day that started on schedule at 11 AM. Additional artists including Adéla, Jade, Aespa, and Stella Lefty performed under clear skies. Yet one day of sunshine can’t overshadow Saturday’s chaos. Festival organizers face tough questions about preparedness, planning, and protecting attendee investments.
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Tee Gentry has retired from full-time duties after 30 years with Beasley Media Group. The Augusta radio veteran’s final day was July 31st.
What We Know Gentry served as Operations Manager for the Beasley Augusta cluster. Additionally, he was Program Director and on-air talent for Kicks 99 (WKXC-FM). During his tenure, he shaped programming and developed talent across multiple markets. Meanwhile, Chris O’Kelley now serves as interim Program Director while Cody takes afternoon drive duties.
What they saidAJ Lurie, Vice President and Market Manager of Beasley Augusta, praised Gentry’s impact extensively. According to Lurie, “Tee Gentry’s commitment to Beasley Media Group, our stations and the communities he has served over the past 30 years has been nothing short of exceptional.” Lurie added that Gentry’s leadership and passion for country radio shaped station success. Furthermore, his dedication to mentoring talent left lasting impact on listeners and staff alike.
What Remains Unclear The company hasn’t announced a permanent Program Director replacement yet. Details about the timeline remain unknown at this point. Additionally, specifics on Gentry’s consulting scope aren’t fully defined. Questions linger about the long-term station direction going forward.
What It Means This move highlights radio’s generational transition underway. Importantly, Beasley’s decision to retain Gentry as consultant shows respect for institutional knowledge. Furthermore, it signals the company values continuity during critical leadership shifts. Ultimately, the industry continues losing veteran talent to retirement waves.
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.
In business, strategies evolve. Approaches change. Successful models mature, adapt and often take organizations in a new direction. ESPN is no different. The “Worldwide Leader in Sports” has consistently reshaped its talent roster, programming philosophy and distribution strategy to attract each new generation of sports fans. The network’s next evolution could involve moving away from its long-standing “embrace debate” philosophy on studio programming. If that’s the case, what does it mean for First Take, a show built on spirited arguments and larger-than-life personalities?
Let’s start at the beginning.
It’s well documented why ESPN embraced debate-driven programming in the first place. At the time, it made far more business sense to produce opinion-based programming that generated conversation than to rely solely on highlights and news. Audiences were drawn to watching two personalities clash in a public arena, hearing opposing viewpoints before deciding which side they agreed with.
That was 2011. Fifteen years later, the viewership figures still suggest the formula still works.
Stats Don’t Lie
In June, First Takeaveraged 505,000 viewers per episode. That’s a 26% increase over the program’s figures from a year earlier. When Skip Bayless returned for a one-day reunion with Stephen A. Smith in May, the episode averaged 647,000 viewers, a 24% increase over the show’s average audience from January through May.
Looking strictly at the numbers, it’s fair to question whether moving away from “embracing debate” right now is the smartest strategy. That may also explain why Smith was so vocal following the recent departures of key contributors Ryan Clark and Cam Newton. Both became regular sparring partners for Smith, embracing the opportunity to go toe-to-toe on the biggest stories of the day.
Following Clark’s departure, Smith devoted nearly 18 minutes of his show to reacting to the decision, saying he wasn’t happy ESPN had included Clark in its latest round of layoffs. He also publicly shared a year-by-year breakdown of ESPN’s layoffs dating back to 2013, listing both the numbers and many of the names affected.
“I’m sorry for us that we aren’t going to have the opportunity to continue having you on the airwaves for ESPN, and specifically First Take. It aint going to be the same without you,” said Smith.
Did Smith know ESPN was preparing to shift away from the philosophy that helped make First Take one of the network’s signature programs?
Shifting Away
According to John Ourand of Puck Media, new ESPN Executive Vice President and Executive Editor of Sports News and Entertainment Mike Foss wants programming that feels more authentic. If you’ve followed sports radio over the past decade, you’ve likely already witnessed this shift.
Rather than manufacturing conflict, Foss reportedly wants ESPN personalities to start ‘revealing’ more on the air. According to Ourand, Foss cited internal research suggesting synthetic conflict no longer resonates with audiences the way it once did. Heated debate isn’t difficult to find today. In fact, it’s everywhere. Social media feeds flooded with hot takes rewarded by engagement and reach. Cable news adopting many of the same techniques ESPN helped popularize years ago.
After nearly two decades of debate-first programming across multiple platforms, it’s understandable why ESPN believes the audience may be ready for something new. The bigger question is whether First Take should be the show leading that transition.
Its viewership remains strong, and it’s centered around the network’s highest-profile personality. That’s why the timing of this potential philosophical shift, coming on the heels of cuts to two of the show’s most recognizable contributors, is particularly intriguing.
It’s also difficult to fundamentally change a show built on an established identity. Viewers know exactly what they’re getting from First Take, just as they know what to expect from Pardon the Interruption. When a formula continues to deliver results and remains central to a show’s identity, changing it during growing success rarely makes sense.
That principle applies across television.
Pardon the Interruption recently posted its best June audience in five years. Would anyone seriously argue the network should reinvent one of its most successful programs? Sometimes things simply don’t need fixing.
Build On Instead Of Change
Yes, ESPN can continue adding new contributors to First Take, especially with football season approaching. It can continue searching for personalities capable of challenging Smith the way Bayless and Max Kellerman once did. But altering the very foundation of how the show creates content for a growing audience should remain off limits until the results suggest otherwise.
The best executives aren’t simply the ones with the boldest new ideas. They’re also the ones who recognize when to stay out of the way of something that’s already working. Foss deserves credit for recognizing that sports fans are increasingly looking for authenticity over theatrics. That’s a smart long-term vision for ESPN. But successful executives also understand the difference between identifying an industry trend and disrupting a proven winner.
First Take remains one of ESPN’s biggest successes, and its audience continues to show up for exactly what the program has always promised. When that changes, then it’s time to rethink the strategy. Until then, the smartest move ESPN can make with First Take is the same one every great coach makes with a team on a winning streak: don’t overhaul what’s already winning.
Let the show continue doing what it does best while building around its success.
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.
Notice anything different? If you guessed a redesigned Barrett Media website, congratulations. Similar to a house, a new coat of paint is needed sometimes. Our prior look was sharp but had so much content on the home page that it was hard to find everything. Desktop users had less issues than mobile users, but a strong experience for both matters. It’s easy if you only write six or seven stories per day but as a publisher covering radio/podcasting, television/streaming, advertising, the music industry and more, a tune-up was needed.
This new display features the latest 10 media news stories in the gold boxed area on the right. Many of those stories are also in the sections for Sports, News, Music and Business below. You can also find them by clicking the sections up top in the menu area. In addition, we now display the latest six columns and features in the main area on the main page. If you’re looking for older content, visit the individual writer’s page or use the search bar. Each writer has a profile in the section they write for.
Furthermore, we have lowered the story count in our Sports, News and Music sections from twelve to eight. Business now displays the latest four. Readers previously had to scroll past 31 stories to reach News, 43 to get to Music, and 55 stories to reach Business. There is no perfect number when you create content but we hope this makes it faster and easier to find content.
A Game of Adjustments
Also starting today is our third annual 20 Brands in 20 Days series. This twenty day project features interviews with twenty different brand leaders. Our music editor David Hill is leading the charge. The series begins with Chase Daniels of Audacy Cleveland’s Q104 and Star 102. Check out the first story here when time allows.
Prior to our Summit, a lot changed with online traffic. Google’s announcement in May to make AI Overviews a bigger part of the Search experience had an impact on publishers. After six months of record activity, growth stalled. What we experienced paled in comparison to what others endured. According to Search Engine Journal, some publishers saw click-through rates drop by as much as 89%. With reduced traffic comes lower advertising impressions and financial instability. Fortunately we’ve held steady.
When the Summit ended, I knew this needed attention. I looked at what changed, how our content was performing, how we were promoting and distributing it, and moved our newsletters from MyEmma to beehiiv. The early returns have been positive. Our social media strategy was also tweaked. Dylan Barrett, John Mamola and Garrett Searight have done a nice job since keeping us consistent. We are still exploring ways to improve on X. Some simple platform adjustments go into effect today.
Video
If you’ve followed us for a while, you’ve likely noticed an increased focus on video over the past year. Dylan Barrett joined us last July and one of the first things I told him was to experiment everywhere. We built an identity on nearly every platform, started creating video content daily, and have added even more since the Summit ended. The Barrett Media Minute and The 4-Cast are now offered regularly. We have other video projects forthcoming, and to date, we haven’t even pursued video advertising partnerships. That is because building the product and being consistent come first. Those opportunities will become available in the near future.
We refined our content strategy because according to 2026 data, the average U.S. consumer spends 13 hours and 5 minutes a day interacting with media and technology across all formats. Out of that massive footprint, users spend 16% of their entire 24-hour day strictly watching video. According to BroadbandSearch and market research, video commands 82% to 82.5% of all global and US internet traffic.
It takes time to build something up from zero. Given our niche, we also know our subscribers and watch time metrics won’t equal what traditional media delivers. However, in July, we recorded our first month over one million video views across all platforms. Given our targeted approach, that was outstanding and unexpected. Congrats to Dylan on doing a great job to make us better. Now comes the hard part, doing it again, and reaching two million, three million, and more.
The Road Ahead
Industry audiences value written information and expertise. I have ten years of data to support it. We offer both thanks to an accomplished writing team. As skilled as many are though, owning a lane is vital. The same way fans love Adam Schefter for NFL coverage, Shams Charania for NBA, and Jeff Passan for MLB, we need the same for different audiences. Generalists gain little traction. It will be even tougher in an AI Overviews world.
One of my pet peeves are stories and headlines created for “radio” or “television”. There is no Mrs. Television or Mr. Radio. Who are we writing for and why should they read the story? For example, if we target Rock Radio or Sports Television rather than Radio or TV, a story shifts from being broad to directed to a specific group. Nearly every time, those pieces perform better.
Since we began adding writers in 2018, we’ve hired people to share advice, information and opinions that others can learn from. We’ve had accomplished professionals contribute, and others launch careers here. Many media writers enjoy exploring topics with personal appeal and some cast a wide net, assuming everyone reads their work. The reality is that most readers don’t. They care about what is happening today, and content that mentions them, their brand, their company, and/or colleagues. Our aim is to help people be smarter, better, and more informed. If we do that, they’ll keep reading us.
How many earned media mentions do you need before AI starts mentioning your brand?
Well, it varies based on how often you want to be mentioned.
Today, there are too many brands and content options. Cutting through is hard if you’re not targeting specific audiences. The point of creating and distributing content is to serve it to an audience that values it, and connect partners to it who can grow their businesses by being associated with it. In sports and news, we have a good, targeted approach. Music is harder because there are more stations, formats, labels, and artists. Many publications cover the same stories too. Readership changes from format to format, business to business, and position to position.
Having said that, I am bullish on covering music radio. But, I know that content adjustments and improved targeting are needed. Figuring that out is my next order of business. For today, the website looks cleaner, more video is available, and social media and newsletter upgrades are helping. The challenges never stop, but that makes the job fun and rewarding. Thanks for your continued support.
Six Additional Items
Stephanie Eads and I are heading to Cleveland this week for MSBC 38. If you are attending and want to connect, email me at Jason@BarrettMedia.com. We look forward to seeing industry friends and readers.
Speaking of travel, I’ll be in Los Angeles on business August 18-19. I’m not sure what my schedule will allow time for, but L.A. friends interested in catching up, reach out.
A tip of the cap to 95.7 The Game. The San Francisco sports station celebrated 15-years of serving the Bay Area on Saturday. It feels like just yesterday that we created the call letters, AM/FM promos, and prepared to change the game, pardon the pun. As I told the original staff before launching, change is inevitable, but if we get it right, everyone involved will be a part of history, forever. What a fun ride it was. Matt Nahigian and his team have taken the baton and made an even greater impact since. Congrats to the entire crew, and here’s to 15 more!
It's the 15-year anniversary of 95.7 the Game and nobody is more nostalgic about the milestone than @dandibley, a core member of the station from the launch on Aug. 1, 2011.
Sticking with the Bay Area, nice work by Skip Dillard elevating Andre Yancey to brand manager of 102 JAMS. Andre will remain involved with 94.7 The Block, doing bi-coastal duties. If you attended the Barrett Media Audio Summit, you learned how much Andre loves his work and format. My advice, load up on those miles Andre, and take the redeye flight. It’s the best time to sleep and attack the next day.
NewsNation did an excellent job with its Town Hall on AI last week. The past few specials on the channel have been hosted by Chris Cuomo, including this one. It’s a format Cuomo thrives in. NewsNation has found something here. I hope to see more of it. It’s nice taking a break from the onslaught of news every once in a while to learn about something new.
And finally, congrats to Zimmer Communications and the Mid-West Family on joining forces in Springfield, MO. Local broadcasters with a passion to serve their local communities seem to love the industry that many claim isn’t fruitful. They’re excited to invest further into it, and many are also profitable. But wait, I thought that wasn’t possible!
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.
When you’re the VP of Programming overseeing two major radio brands in the same market, a natural assumption takes hold. You’ll inevitably wage war with yourself. That’s the trap many programmers fall into — stealing cume from one station to feed another. This creates internal competition that ultimately weakens both. But that’s not the game Chase Daniels is playing in Cleveland. As the Vice President of Programming for Audacy Cleveland and day-to-day brand manager for both Q104 and Star 102, Daniels has built something more nuanced. His strategy treats these stations as what he calls “sister stations, not twin stations.” I sat down with Chase early one morning to explore how you position two strong AC/Hot AC formats in the same sandbox without cannibalizing your own audience. What I found was someone thinking several layers deeper than the typical competitive matrix.
The Sister Station Philosophy
“They need to help each other,” Daniels explained when I asked about managing the two brands. “We’re not trying to accomplish things separately — we’re trying to accomplish things together.” On the surface, this sounds like corporate speak. However, when you dig into the execution, clarity emerges. Star 102 targets the ~45 demo, while Q104 leans into positioning about 10 years younger at ~35. That’s intentional. Additionally, the music libraries overlap in currents — songs six months or older — but the overall sound and approach remain distinct. “One station has an older voice guy, one has a younger voice guy. Everything is thought about before it hits the air,” Daniels said. “We try to keep them separate, but they’re sister stations that can help each other win.”
I asked whether Nielsen data confirmed this positioning strategy. He was refreshingly honest in his response. “Nielsen says one thing, usually it’s in line with the vision, but we go in with the angle of targeting different audiences,” he explained. This nuanced approach sets him apart from many program directors. Such thinking reveals real strategic depth and market understanding.
The Talent Matters — A Lot
Star 102’s morning show of Jen and Tim is a masterclass in AC radio. These are former flames who dated years ago. Now married with families, they co-host together seamlessly. Their chemistry is undeniable, and according to Daniels, it’s not accidental. “That show is so well polished that he knows three breaks ahead what she’s going to do, she knows what he’s going to do four breaks ahead. It’s the reason why that audience was so forgiving,” Daniels told me. The show rounds out with Jill Bucco on middays — “arguably one of the best talents in our company and probably in the country” — and he covers afternoon drive, Delilah was added at night a couple of weeks before our conversation.
Q104 runs a different dynamic. Bill Ryan, Alyssa Rose, and Mackenzie Pflum create what Daniels calls “three different generations” on the morning show. Bill’s been married 20-plus years. Alyssa is newly married. Mackenzie is single. That generational mix creates “vastly different opinions on everything.” Furthermore, this perspective plays well for Hot AC audiences appreciating contemporary viewpoints. Jenny Lyte handles middays with that local, relatable touch. Kelly McMahon owns afternoons and pulls double duty. She serves as both imaging director and APD.
When I brought up the old talk about AC being a “forgiving format,” Daniels didn’t dismiss it — he leaned into it. “AC and classic hits audiences want you to be good,” he said. “They can forgive a bad break, a bad song, a bad ad. But they can’t wait for it to be good. If you’re doing it right, they’ll stay. If you’re not, they’ll leave.” This philosophy underpins everything they do on both stations. Clearly, talent selection matters enormously for successful AC radio.
Competing Against Time, Not the Station Next Door
Here’s where Daniels really differentiated himself in my mind. When I asked who Audacy Cleveland’s biggest competitors are, he didn’t rattle off competing stations. “Time,” he said. That’s our competitor.” He paused, then added crucial context. “There are definitely great brands in this market not under our roof that I’d love to get my hands on. But the real fight is for share of ear.” That distinction reveals his strategic sophistication. Radio doesn’t need to fight against itself. Rather, it needs to fight against every other audio option competing for attention. Every platform, streaming service, and podcast is vying for those same ears. This is the real battle.
The 80s Aren’t Going Anywhere
One of my favorite parts centered on music testing and format evolution. Daniels is unapologetic about the 80s being bread and butter for AC and Hot AC formats. “Some people are scared about the 80s, about aging into the 80s or what’s next,” he explained. “But I think 1980 to 1989 is an anomaly, and I don’t think we shy away from it. Kids born in the 90s have money now and remember those songs because they came from movies or commercials.” He gave a perfect example to illustrate this point. His wife, who’s not an 80s listener, knows “I Melt With You” from a Burger King commercial. “We can’t associate years with these things. That decade is different. It’s not something to be scared of,” Daniels concluded.
Meanwhile, he’s also watching the 90s carefully and tracking research results. “Every time we see research, the 90s are absolutely embraced more and more. It doesn’t go backwards,” he noted. The shift toward Gen Z embracing 90s music is real. It’s coming. Currently, it’s not the immediate priority. Star 102 has its focus primarily on 80s positioning right now. Yet the future trajectory is clear. That generational shift will eventually change the music mix. For now, Daniels remains focused on what works.
What’s Next?
Daniels has been in the Cleveland market for a little over three and a half years. When I asked what the next three to four years look like, he was refreshingly candid about his competitive nature. “I have a problem — I’m never happy,” he said with a laugh. “When one station’s number one, I think, ‘Great, how do we get a four-way tie across the demos?’ It’s admittedly a sickness.” Star 102 has been number one for well over a year. Q104 is his next project — getting it to consistent number one/two positioning without robbing Star 102 in the process. “When we make decisions, we think about them very carefully, and then we execute. It’s a great idea till it’s not,” he said. That’s radio in a nutshell. Clearly, Chase Daniels seems to understand this better than most. His approach reflects years of radio experience and market wisdom.
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.
Anyone who has cracked open a live microphone to an audience of any size understands the feeling it provides. People are waiting to hear what defines your unique personality. What makes you different. What makes you someone they can connect with through a shared experience. In today’s era, authenticity wins. Fake or contrived no longer leads to lasting appeal. The challenge for talent is deciding how authentic to be and how much of yourself you’re willing to share with the audience. Long ago, Jason Myrtetus made a promise not just to himself, but to every audience that listened when he opened the microphone.
“I’ve never been one of those kids that always wanted to get into radio. It was never on my radar. It happened by accident. When I moved into spoken word from rock radio, if I was going to have an tenure of a career or success, it had to be through being authentic and real,” explained Myrtetus. “I couldn’t go on and play a character that wasn’t genuine. I vowed early in my career that I would be authentic to I am as a person, and I would be transparent about my life.”
For more than 25 years, that promise has remained constant. It created a window that allowed listeners to understand who he was while giving them an opportunity to connect with him on a deeper level.
In December 2024, that approach led to a journey no one saw coming.
After nearly 18 months of difficult health symptoms with no answers, a trip to the emergency room changed Myrtetus’ life forever.
“It was that trip to the ER where I had to come clean with my wife, myself, and I started to be a bit transparent that something was off with doing the daily Flyers podcast I was doing,” said Myrtetus.
A Unexpected Journey
That ER visit was followed by a colonoscopy that found a cancerous tumor in his colon. The diagnosis stunned Myrtetus because it meant facing a road he never anticipated. However, he faced an important decision. How authentic would he be about his fight with cancer for the devoted audience he had built?
“I looked back and thought I’ve always been authentic. Maybe I could turn this into something good,” noted Myrtetus. “Maybe I can get people to not do what I did and ignore it, or be afraid of a colonoscopy like I did. Give this awful disease a good purpose. Knowing that I could help people prevent it, or lend someone dealing with it some support and letting them know they’re not alone.”
When I went public with my Colorectal Cancer diagnosis the intent was to help people and raise awareness that this is preventable. I partnered with the @NHLFlyers and @PennMedicine to tell my story and help to prevent people from fighting the battle I am currently in. #PuckCancerpic.twitter.com/7InnLjlJek
When he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer, Myrtetus immediately shifted into fight-or-flight mode. His treatment included 10 months of chemotherapy and radiation followed by surgery to remove the cancerous tumor from his colon. That process involved 16 chemotherapy treatments, followed by a month off. He then underwent 28 oral chemotherapy and radiation treatments, with scans and tests in between.
Thankfully, that process brought Myrtetus to NED (no evidence of disease), allowing him to avoid surgery to remove part of his colon at that point. While he initially preferred not to undergo the procedure, a recurrence months later ultimately made surgery unavoidable.
Following months of difficult and painful recovery, Myrtetus said he felt better than he had in years. He continued regular follow-up appointments that included blood work and CT scans of his chest. However, earlier this year, his CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) levels increased, and a CT scan revealed several lung nodules had grown in size.
“With the rising CEA number, we waited six weeks to have another CT scan on July 10 with blood work and a meeting with my oncologist. The nodules continued to grow, but my CEA level went from 47 to 858,” explained Myrtetus. “That was confirmation that I’m now at stage four of colorectal cancer metastatic to the lungs with a prognosis of six months to two years.”
A New Battle
The news was devastating, but Myrtetus refused to let it define his day. Shortly after receiving the diagnosis, he still had a podcast to record: The Eagles Squad Show with Harry Mayes, Marc Farzetta and Louie DiBiase.
“I told them right away about what I had just heard prior to air. There was an audible gasp. It was emotional. Show starts at noon, and I was ready to do the show. They asked why I wanted to do the show. Why wouldn’t I do the show,” explained Myrtetus. “I love doing what I do for a living. I feel good. So, why would I let this take anything away from me.”
The Eagles Squad Show went on as scheduled, but Myrtetus wasn’t ready to publicly share his latest prognosis. Instead, he spent two weeks processing the news with his wife and three children. He also sought professional therapy and leaned on a trusted group of supporters who had helped him through the first stage of his cancer journey.
“I’ve come to terms with my mortality through all of this. But when you hear six months to two years, it’s tough,” said Myrtetus. “I had to process everything to deliver a message to the audience in a way where I could use the right words and get through it.”
Last Tuesday, Myrtetus revealed his prognosis on the Flyers Daily podcast.
“When I got to the day, I was supposed to have an interview taped for Wednesday’s episode of the podcast. It fell through because of scheduling. So, I decided to do it here,” noted Myrtetus. “I didn’t plan it or write anything down. I just opened up the microphone and spoke from my heart.”
Earning The Next Shift
Myrtetus leans on his life as an athlete in approaching this battle. He played hockey from age 4 until 50 and coached the sport for two decades, including many years with his son’s youth hockey team. Hockey shaped the foundation of how he approaches life.
The sport teaches that no shift on the ice is given; every shift is earned. Winning doesn’t always happen, but learning from defeat is essential to future success. Myrtetus won plenty during his playing career, but the lessons from losing have become the fuel for his fight against cancer.
“As an athlete, I liked winning. Winning is very fleeting to me. It’s only good for a moment. Losing is a visceral reaction, and I don’t like losing,” said Myrtetus. “I’m not afraid to die, we all do it. What keeps me fighting is my kids. I’m probably never going to be a grandfather. I never knew either of mine. I want to grow old with my wife. That was a promise I can’t keep. The biggest fear for me is I don’t want to leave them.”
Support for Myrtetus has been overwhelming since he first shared his diagnosis. From that initial announcement to revealing his latest prognosis, he believes the encouragement he’s received has reinforced his decision to remain authentic and use his journey to help others.
“The responses I’ve received, it’s humbling. In our divided world today, especially on social media. This entire journey has renewed my faith in humanity. There are still a lot of really good people out there,” said Myrtetus. “They give me strength like you wouldn’t believe. It’s important. I gave this a purpose, and I feel I’m helping people and they’re helping me.”
As he enters this next stage of his battle, Myrtetus has no plans to change his outlook. He intends to fight for every second of life he can earn while living in the present and appreciating that tomorrow is never guaranteed. He joked that he now enjoys moving slower than a snail, embracing every moment and savoring every experience life has to offer.
Supporting The Battle
More than 25 years ago, Jason Myrtetus made a simple promise to himself. If he was going to sit behind a microphone, he would never pretend to be someone he wasn’t. He would be honest, transparent, and real.
Today, that promise means more than it ever has.
Every podcast, every radio appearance and every conversation is no longer just about hockey. It’s about showing up, embracing each day and reminding people that even in life’s darkest moments, authenticity can create connection, purpose and hope.
The audience that once tuned in for Flyers analysis now returns for something even more meaningful: to stand beside a broadcaster who refuses to stop living while he’s still here.
“Live every day because nothing is a guarantee,” noted Myrtetus. “Don’t ask how you can help, just help. Hubris has pride, and it’s hard to ask for help. Just be a good citizen, and be good to people. Understand there’s a lot of people fighting, it’s affecting a lot of people. Be there for them.”
Myrtetus can’t control what tomorrow brings. None of us can. But every time he opens the microphone, he continues to keep the promise he made all those years ago. In doing so, he’s proving that the most powerful voice in broadcasting isn’t always the loudest. Sometimes, it’s simply the most honest.
If you would like to support Jason Myrtetus’ and his family, any donation is welcome via this GoFundMe page.
To schedule a colonoscopy in your area, click here. For more information on Hockey Fights Cancer, click here.
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.
July 11 was the 92nd anniversary of the start of the FCC. If you forgot to send a card, you’re not alone — I also failed to send greetings, printed or digital.
For a person to reach 92 years old is an accomplishment. For a federal agency, perhaps not so much. The world changes, yet the FCC still lives in a fantasy that ended some time ago.
In past columns, I’ve discussed the concept of “scarcity” that has driven broadcast regulation for decades. Scarcity was relevant when analog broadcasting was the only game in town for electronic media. Broadcasters competed with newspapers and magazines, while advertising competition was spread a bit further with outdoor, the Yellow Pages, and direct mail.
The FCC’s Rationale — and Its Limits
Government had to step in and regulate spectrum usage, and that need still exists. Without the FCC or another government agency, the over-the-air spectrum would move from the 2020s to the 1920s. At that time, anyone could broadcast on any frequency at any time, prior to the passage of the Federal Radio Act of 1927 and the creation of the Federal Radio Commission.
Beyond that, the FCC exists to place limitations on broadcasters who face an increasingly tough competitive environment for the ad dollars that support commercial broadcasting. The same goes for noncommercial broadcasters.
Which companies have the largest share of local ad dollars? Typically, it’s Google, Meta (Facebook), and other digital companies. Do they face the same restrictions and obligations as broadcasters? Go ahead — start laughing now.
The Advertising Dollar Gap
Here’s some context: in the second quarter of 2026, Google took in over $81 billion in advertising revenue (including YouTube). One estimate suggested that 48% of Google’s ad revenue was from the US. That means around $40 billion in Q2 of 2026. In other words, in one quarter, Google’s US advertising revenue was more than double the annual revenue of the entire US radio industry.
Meta reported over $59 billion in ad revenue in Q2. An estimate said Meta derives around 39% of its ad revenue from the US and Canada. So let’s suggest 35% comes from the US.
That’s over $20 billion in one quarter — again, more than the entire US radio industry brings in annually.
Political Whiplash at an Independent Agency
Some in Washington are starting to figure this out. A recent Politico article by John Hendel cited conservative legislators and pundits who think the time is nigh to put the FCC out to pasture. At least as it operates today.
Much of this talk is driven by the actions of Chairman Brendan Carr and his efforts to steer broadcast regulation in a direction consistent with the wishes of President Trump. The goal is less criticism of the President and his policies. The FCC is using the public interest standard built into the Communications Act of 1934. What’s so unusual is the opposition coming from the right, not just the expected criticism from the left.
One person of some stature in Washington, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, in a concurrence supporting the Court’s decision in Trump v. Slaughter — the ruling that gave the President the power to remove commissioners from independent federal agencies — wrote, “And then there’s late-night comedy. Last year, taking objection to a network host’s on-air remarks, the Chairman of the FCC suggested there would be ‘additional work…ahead’ for the agency if broadcasting companies did not ‘find ways to…take action.'” He cited other recent abuses of agency power, such as the SEC taking on climate change in 2024 and the FTC’s attempt to ban noncompete agreements.
Given how independent federal agency power can be channeled, let’s think ahead to 2029.
If a Democrat moves into the White House, what’s to stop a Democrat-controlled FCC from going after conservative talk radio based on Chairman Carr’s actions? Consider that President Biden nominated Gigi Sohn for a seat on the commission, someone who might be considered the political opposite of Brendan Carr. There are two open seats today, and after Trump v. Slaughter, a new president of a different party could simply fire Brendan Carr and Olivia Trusty. Rather than the traditional 3-2 split in favor of the President’s party, why not 5-0?
Time to Deregulate
From a technical standpoint, the airwaves need to be regulated. Beyond that, we’re past the point of needing content regulation.
Let’s imagine the extremes for a moment. What if all controls were lifted and a news/talk or sports talk station immediately played George Carlin’s “Seven Words” cut, then allowed hosts and callers to say whatever they want? Would it succeed? Would local advertisers place dollars on it?
Who knows, but it can’t be much worse than what we see and hear online now.
And the noncommercial band could be loosened up as well. Keep 88.1–91.9 reserved for “educational” purposes, but change the noncommercial rules or scrap them entirely. Some operations would remain noncommercial much like today, but instead of worrying about whether underwriting copy includes a “call to action,” allow stations to decide whether it would make sense to add spots or other sponsorship opportunities.
Some audiences would be upset and perhaps would vote with greater contributions. Others might prefer a few ads and less fundraising.
It’s time for the FCC to go.
A WWHR Farewell
On a different topic, regular readers know that I’m involved with WWHR, Revolution 91.7, the college station at Western Kentucky University. We’re losing one of our favorite people, Spencer Woods, who’s headed to Florida State University to begin work on a doctorate in music.
Spencer knew all the local musicians in Bowling Green, was a member of bands as a keyboardist extraordinaire, and served WWHR as Director of Local Music, our liaison with the music scene here. We’ll miss him and wish him the best in Tallahassee.
Let’s meet again next week.
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.
Brendan Carr has a talking problem, and it’s costing the FCC something it can’t easily get back: credibility. The FCC chairman sat down with Politico’s Dasha Burns last week, and what came out of that interview should worry anyone who cares about the line between regulator and pundit.
Carr wasn’t shy about sharing his personal vision for how news organizations ought to operate. That’s the issue.
When Burns asked whether it’s his job to reorient news and editorial standards, Carr didn’t give a simple no. Instead, he said, “I think it’s something that the news media should want to do on its own. And at the same time, I think it is our job to enforce the rules that are on the books.”
He went on to argue that national programmers are running over local TV stations and that “legacy media should want to do a course correction.” Fair enough, if that’s just Brendan Carr the person talking. But it’s not just Brendan Carr the person. He’s the FCC chairman, and the two roles have blurred into one under his watch.
There are two problems here, and neither one is small.
Carr Can’t Separate the Man From the Title
First, Carr doesn’t seem to grasp the difference between his personal opinion and the official position of the agency he runs. If he personally believes legacy media needs a course correction, that’s his prerogative. I don’t and can’t take issue with his opinions. Plenty of media critics hold similar views, and nobody bats an eye when they say so.
However, Carr isn’t a media critic. He’s the head of a federal agency. And the FCC increasingly operates as though Carr’s personal media philosophy is agency doctrine.
Separating the professional from the personal is part of the job for nearly everyone who holds a position of authority. A cashier at Target can vent about corporate policy without consequence because nobody’s confusing his opinion for store policy. Carr doesn’t get that luxury. Every comment he makes about how news organizations “should” behave carries the implicit threat of enforcement behind it, whether he intends it that way or not. So when he says legacy media should want to change, station owners and programmers don’t hear a suggestion. They hear a warning.
That distinction matters because the FCC’s power isn’t hypothetical. It grants licenses, reviews mergers, and enforces rules that can make or break a broadcaster’s business. Consequently, when the person holding that power keeps blurring his personal opinions with his professional mandate, the entire industry has to guess where the line actually sits. That’s not a healthy way to regulate anything, let alone the media business.
He Knows Exactly What His Words Are Worth
The second problem is arguably worse. Carr clearly understands the weight his words carry, and he uses that leverage anyway. He’s not naive about how the industry parses his statements, and he’s not accidentally stumbling into these comparisons between what he wants and what the FCC will enforce. He knows a passing remark about local stations or programming decisions can ripple through boardrooms overnight.
That kind of awareness, paired with a willingness to keep blurring the line anyway, is what makes this genuinely concerning. A regulator who understands his own influence and still chooses to freelance his opinions on editorial standards isn’t just careless. He’s making a choice, and that choice tells station groups exactly how much independence they actually have left. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is left trying to read tea leaves instead of a rulebook.
To be clear, I don’t think Carr is wrong that some legacy outlets have lost touch with local audiences. That’s a legitimate conversation, and plenty of folks privately agree with him. But there’s a massive difference between a commentator making that case and a regulator implying enforcement is coming if the industry doesn’t fall in line on its own.
Carr keeps collapsing that distinction, and until he stops, the FCC’s credibility as a neutral arbiter is going to keep taking hits right alongside it.
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.
Right now, it’s 85 degrees, listeners are complaining about the heat and humidity, and the last thing anyone wants to hear is “Dominick The Donkey” or “Let it Snow.” But radio doesn’t run on the calendar everyone else uses. It runs months ahead. If you wait until Labor Day to start planning your Q4 strategy, you’re already behind.
The Clock Moves Faster Than You Think
Here’s how it goes every year. You blink, and the kids are back in school. You blink again, and Starbucks has pumpkin spice on the menu. Before you know it, you’re scrambling to answer some of the questions everyone in radio dreads: “Wait, what’s our Halloween promotion this year?” and “What are we giving away for Christmas?”
If you already have a plan locked in, congratulations — you’re ahead of the game, give the staff a Summer Friday for them to skip out early or have a classic radio office pizza party instead. But if you don’t, consider this your wake-up call. Q4 promotions, content calendars, and sponsor packages need attention now, not in six weeks.
Why August Is the Real Deadline
By the time listeners start hearing holiday music in the grocery store or seeing candy canes at their local Target, the window to build something memorable has already closed. Great Q4 promotions take weeks of lead time. Sales teams need runway to pitch sponsors. Programming and promotions need time to conceptualize contests and events that don’t feel recycled. Digital and social teams need assets ready to go before the demand hits.
Get your sales team activated immediately. Sponsors are already fielding pitches from other stations, and the ones who commit early get better placement and better budgets. Waiting means you’re negotiating leftovers.
Steal From Yourself
One thing radio doesn’t do enough of is document success or even spend time gathering constructive feedback. We’re all moving so quickly that by the time something ends, it’s already onto the next. Your station has probably already built the blueprint for a great Q4 — you just haven’t gone back to look at it.
Before you build anything new, ask your team:
What promotion worked last Christmas? Which contest underperformed? Which sponsors renewed without hesitation? Which social posts actually drove engagement? What feedback did listeners give you directly?
You don’t need to reinvent your holiday strategy from scratch. You need to improve what already worked and cut what didn’t. Somewhere in last year’s numbers is a roadmap. Use it.
Don’t Let the Fall Book Distract You Completely
The Fall ratings book matters, and it deserves real focus. That’s not up for debate. But ratings and late Q4 planning aren’t competing priorities — they’re running on parallel tracks. A strong holiday promotion calendar can actually support your book performance by keeping listeners engaged through the busiest, most distracted season of the year.
Don’t let one priority eat the other. Block time now to work on both, even if it’s just an hour a week dedicated to holiday planning while the book stays front and center. Also, try and remember that as much as we are here to drive ratings and revenue, we are also meant to serve our community in a meaningful way.
The Bottom Line
Nobody wants to think about Christmas in August. That’s exactly why the stations who do it anyway end up ahead. Use this stretch of summer heat to your advantage. Pull last year’s data, get feedback from your jocks, promo peeps, and top sellers. Activate your sales team, and start building a Q4 that doesn’t feel thrown together in November. Order some candy canes on Amazon for the team, and block time on your calendars to sit down and firm up your strategy.
By the time everyone else starts panicking, you’ll already be done. Now if I can just get “Dominick The Donkey” out of my head. Hee haw! Hee haw!
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.
We’ve all had “squirrel” moments when a conversation has been utterly derailed by a random thought. However, the other night at Comerica Park in Detroit, an entire major league baseball game had a moment created by an actual squirrel.
An article on Awful Announcing chronicled the mayhem at a recent Tigers game. It started when Orioles third base coach Buck Britton spotted a squirrel hanging out on the field and began tossing him seeds. Naturally, the furry critter wanted to stick around. The squirrel then staked out a spot on the field, just down the line past the coach’s box — a location Tiger’s announcer Jason Benetti noted fans would pay thousands of dollars for.
At some point, management decided that they couldn’t tolerate an animal on the field during a major league game. So they dispatched the ground crew to remove the squirrel. That’s when comedy ensued as nearly twenty members of the Tigers staff struggled for quite a while to actually corral the critter.
The Broadcast Comedy
During the chase, Benetti was inspired and energetically called the play-by-play of the debacle. Meanwhile, the Orioles broadcast team were in stitches laughing. By the time the ground crew caught the squirrel — at which point the crowd started booing — they were nearly in tears.
Beyond being an excuse to share a really funny story, there is a lot to learn from this Keystone Cops parody.
Creating Memorable Moments
You see, the 162-game baseball season is really long. I’m not exactly sure when this game was played, but as of right now both teams are playing sub-five hundred baseball — not exactly killing it. Yet on this night, the fans who attended what would otherwise have been a ho-hum game were treated to something unique. Additionally, the announcers, who have to make every game of the year sound interesting, were really engaged.
At our Classic Rock and Hits and Adult Hits stations, we play the same songs every day, year after year — which is a lot longer than a baseball season. We don’t have the luxury other stations have of exciting young artists keeping the station sounding fresh with new songs. So, I ask you: when was the last time your station had a true squirrel moment?
Now I realize the Tiger’s squirrel-chasing debacle was random. You can’t count on that happening, which is why stations like ours need to create moments like this. Specifically, we need unique deviations in programming that — even though they are planned — make it sound like things at your station have gone off the rails. Listeners who are tuned in at the right moment will leave with a story to tell.
Planning for Spontaneity
Plus, you also get the benefit of moments like this energizing your hosts, much like it did for the Tigers and Orioles broadcast teams. I’m willing to bet Benetti’s call of the squirrel chase — which included him saying, “hemmed in? No, I won’t be hemmed in! I have freedom on my mind!” — was possibly the most passionate moment of the season. Similarly, the joy and laughter from the Oriole’s crew was equally engaging to their listeners.
In many ways, creating squirrel moments like these is really the essence of programming a gold-based radio station. Sure, editing logs and interacting with sales are important tasks. But taking the time to create memorable moments on your station is what sets the medium apart from our competition.
The Art of Programming
I know being a Program Director is more complicated than ever. However, finding time to brainstorm ways to make your station stand out and your announcers sound great is the true art form — and the fun, creative part of the job we all signed up for originally.
Much like the squirrel, don’t let yourself and your station get hemmed in. Try to create some freedom on your station. It’ll make your listeners root for you just like Tiger’s fans did for the squirrel.
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.
