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Chicago Sports Media Reacts To Passing of Ryne Sandberg

BSM Staff
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Chicago Sports Media Reacts To Passing of Ryne Sandberg

Ryne Sandberg, the Hall of Fame second baseman who helped redefine the position with his power and defense throughout the 1980s and 1990s, died Monday night at 65 following a battle with metastatic prostate cancer, the Chicago Cubs announced Monday.

The longtime Cubs star publicly revealed his diagnosis in January 2024 and initially shared encouraging news of remission that May on 670 The Score. However, by year’s end, Sandberg revealed that the cancer had returned and spread to other organs.

“Ryne Sandberg was a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved figure throughout Major League Baseball,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “He was a five-tool player who excelled in every facet of the game thanks to his power, speed and work ethic.”

Sandberg spent all but one of his 16 big-league seasons with Chicago and became a face of the franchise during a stretch when Wrigley Field transformed into a summer baseball destination. A 10-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner, Sandberg brought both flash and steadiness to second base — and earned the respect of peers, fans, and baseball historians alike.

A native of Spokane, Washington, Sandberg was a 20th-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1978. He appeared in just 13 games for the club before being traded to Chicago alongside Larry Bowa in a now-infamous deal for Iván de Jesús.

Sandberg retired with 282 career home runs — a major-league record for second basemen at the time — along with 2,386 hits, 344 stolen bases and a .282 batting average. He also captured seven Silver Slugger awards, still the most ever at his position.

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005, Sandberg remained close to the game. He managed in the Cubs and Phillies organizations, served as a broadcaster, and held an ambassador role with the Cubs in his later years.

Following the news, Chicago based sports media began a massive outpouring of memories for the Cubs hall of famer.

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

NFL Offices Targeted in New York City Shooting Monday Evening

BSM Staff
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NFL Offices Targeted in New York City Shooting Monday Evening

A tragic shooting at a Manhattan high-rise Monday evening has left four people dead and others wounded, including an off-duty NYPD officer, and city officials now believe the gunman may have been targeting the headquarters of the NFL.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed early Tuesday that investigators believe 43-year-old Shane Tamura intended to reach the NFL’s offices at 345 Park Avenue but mistakenly entered the wrong elevator bank. Tamura opened fire in the lobby before making his way up to the 33rd floor, where he killed another person and ultimately took his own life.

“He seemed to have blamed the NFL,” Mayor Adams told local media. “The NFL headquarters was located in the building, and he mistakenly went up the wrong elevator bank.”

Tamura, a California native who played high school football nearly two decades ago, reportedly left behind a handwritten note referencing the NFL and claiming he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. The note requested that his brain be studied after his death, according to two individuals familiar with the investigation.

While authorities have not confirmed a definitive motive, the references in the note are leading police to examine whether Tamura’s alleged grievance with the league motivated his deadly actions.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement to league employees early Tuesday morning announcing that one league employee was seriously injured in the attack, and is currently in the hospital in stable condition.

“We are deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers who responded to this threat quickly and decisively, and to Office Islam, who gave his life to protect others,” wrote Goodell.

Goodell noted there would be an increased security presence for days and weeks to come at 345 Park Avenue in New York City.

In surveillance footage, Tamura is seen exiting a double-parked BMW around 6:30 p.m. Monday carrying an M4-style rifle. Police said he stormed the lobby and immediately opened fire, fatally shooting Officer Didarul Islam, 36, who was working a security detail. Islam, an immigrant from Bangladesh, had served in the NYPD for more than three years.

“He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm’s way. He made the ultimate sacrifice,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a Tuesday news conference. “He died as he lived. A hero.”

Tamura then shot a woman seeking cover, a lobby security guard, and another man before heading to the 33rd floor. There, he shot and killed a staff member from Rudin Management before turning the weapon on himself, police said.

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to piece together Tamura’s movements and digital history.

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

What Happy Gilmore 2 Can Teach Cable News About the Danger of Nostalgia

Garrett Searight
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What Happy Gilmore 2 Can Teach Cable News About the Danger of Nostalgia

Happy Gilmore 2 is getting roasted by critics, and honestly, it’s not hard to see why. It’s the latest example of how relying too heavily on nostalgia can leave audiences disappointed. The movie might make a few bucks based on name recognition, but long-term, it’s a bad bet. And that’s a lesson cable news should be paying close attention to.

Cable news has been leaning on nostalgia for years. Look at the lineups at networks like Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN. What do you see? Familiar faces. Predictable formats. A tone that echoes what worked in the early 2000s. Executives may think, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

But what if it is broken and they just don’t want to admit it?

The problem with Happy Gilmore 2 is that it wasn’t made because there was an incredible new story to tell. It was made because people loved the first one. That’s it. It’s a cash-in. A way to tap into memories of Bob Barker fistfights and one-liners about Subway sandwiches. Its content was created purely to feed off something that once worked.

Cable news can fall into the same trap: rely on an uber-familiar host, run back the familiar format, use the same elements that were cutting-edge in 2007. It’s all part of a formula that bets people want comfort over innovation, excitement, and interesting content. But that bet doesn’t always pay off.

Just like with movies, audiences evolve. Their attention spans are shorter, their standards are higher, and their options are endless. It’s not enough to be familiar anymore. You have to be good. Happy Gilmore 2 drew watches in more than 4 million households in some estimates. But will anyone be talking about it in a month? Unlikely. Will anyone be demanding that Netflix make a Happy Gilmore 3? Doubtful.

And the same can be said for a primetime cable show that relies on the same topics, the same format, the same — well, everything — night after night.

The nostalgia trap isn’t just lazy. It’s dangerous. When a brand stops pushing forward and starts leaning back, it sends a message. That message? “We’ve got nothing new to say, so here’s more of what you already liked.” That might work in the short term, but it kills any momentum for the future.

You’d rather see a network try and fail than never swing at all. Happy Gilmore 2 is the kind of swing that doesn’t aim for something new — it just tries to recreate an old home run.

Nostalgia, in moderation, isn’t a bad thing. But building an entire strategy around it is a losing game. Audiences are too savvy. They can smell when something is manufactured to manipulate their memories instead of offering something real.

The media landscape is changing faster than ever. Streaming is dominant. Podcasts are everywhere. Social platforms break news before any cable outlet gets a chance. And yet, some cable networks are acting like it’s still 2003. That’s a surefire way to get left behind.

To be clear, this isn’t a call to blow everything up. The core principles still matter. But how are those principles delivered? That’s where cable news needs to innovate. Because if the only thing a viewer gets is the same talking heads saying the same things they’ve heard for 20 years, they’re tuning out.

At risk of sounding too hyperbolic, Happy Gilmore 2 is a bit of a canary in the coal mine. It tells us that name recognition and warm memories don’t equal quality. More importantly, they don’t guarantee loyalty. Just because someone loved you once doesn’t mean they’ll stick around if you’re mailing it in today. Audiences today simply have too many choices to accept the same old, same old.

Cable news should take that lesson to heart. Instead of trying to simply rely on the magic of familiar faces, it should be working on what’s next. That means investing in new voices, new formats, and new ways of storytelling. The audience that grew up watching cable news every night is aging out. The next generation isn’t looking for a reboot — they want originality. Something they can’t get anywhere else.

It’s not enough to have a “greatest hits” lineup anymore. You need a fresh album. And if cable news keeps leaning on nostalgia the way Hollywood does, it might find itself just as irrelevant.

Happy Gilmore 2 was made because it was easy. It was safe. But in the end, it wasn’t good. That’s a trap every content creator — whether they’re in movies, television, podcasting, or radio — needs to avoid.

Cable news still matters. But only if it remembers that audiences don’t just want something old they vaguely remember liking. They want something worth watching.

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

Radio’s Real Problem Isn’t Digital — It’s the Narrative

Bob Lawrence
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Radio’s Real Problem Isn’t Digital — It’s the Narrative

No one believes in on-air talent more than I do. Being raised on the greatest radio on the planet. I grew up in New York City with world-class talent. Whenever I traveled, I would scan the dial to try and hear the amazing Philly, Chicago, Memphis, Cincy and Detroit talent of the same generation.

Those of you not yet old enough to appreciate the depth of these talented individuals may have been more influenced by others throughout the ‘80s who were scattered across the nation. As we moved into the 1990s, the list of remarkable talent grew thinner, and few really needed to wonder why.

The ’90s Shift: What Happened to Talent?

Was it a result of the Telecom Bill of 1996 that, in some ways, turned the broadcast industry into a banking business?  Perhaps it was researchers and consultants who overly focused on TSL and the “play-the-hits” mentality of the times that may have squeezed talent too tightly between the music? I was equally culpable when I owned Pinnacle Media Worldwide.

PPM, Playlists & the Rise of Brevity

When PPM emerged, the industry determined that people were measured in shorter, real-time increments, which translated to less time for anything other than the most compelling content from talent. We learned that authenticity, along with brevity, was most valuable, and TSL (time exposed) was literally being measured every second.

In hindsight, this philosophy set the way for our future “pure play” competitors to change the radio narrative and allow them to paint us into a corner. Leaving us with a music battle we simply couldn’t win.

Platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, etc. introduced listeners of the new millennium to the new world of “OnDemand”. Traditional radio was now left without farm teams and pools of talent from which to choose.

As the years progressed and technology improved geometrically, Millennial influencers (those we call air talent) began moving to social media channels to create content on Vines, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. They realized they could make more money on these social media channels.

Let’s add the advent of the iPod at the turn of the century, which meant the demise of the Sony Walkman, which had a built-in radio. Soon to follow was the disappearance of the boom box and transistor radio.

Eventually, we had an entirely new generation growing up for the first time without a bedside or countertop radio. Today, aside from a car radio, we would be hard-pressed to purchase an actual radio from anywhere other than Amazon. This pushed what was the traditional hardware of “radio” into the Mesozoic age.

In reality, though, radio’s growth and metamorphosis have continued to flourish in this high-tech age as well. Before the widespread adoption of broadband in the early 2000s, radio wasn’t streaming much; now, virtually every station streams online and via an app or platform.

Radio utilizes social media, smart speakers, creates podcasts, is accessible on smartphones, tablets, & computers, and produces videos (although science has proven that audio captures a listener far more effectively than video).  The truth is that radio is still, by far, the most listened to ad-supported and ad-free audio platform available.

The Data Proves It: Radio Still Dominates

There’s absolutely nothing intrinsically wrong with digital, but we have let streaming and pure play platforms minimize our value as an audio delivery system, and we have let our own advertising/marketing clients fall victim to the propaganda set by our competitors that the benefits of digital advertising make radio/audio obsolete

It is simply not true! It’s a fake narrative that our consumers (listeners and advertisers) have bought into. It baffles me that many automotive makers and dealerships have moved to digital, even to sell their service-oriented offerings.

When the share of ad-supported audio TSL in the car among adults 18+ is 86% for radio, versus 7% podcasts, 4% SiriusXM and 4% Spotify/Pandora combined. Is that CRAZY!? That is among the automaker’s own consumers. (Edison Research “Share of Ear” Q1 2024)  

Tell the Right Story. Reclaim the Narrative  

It is troubling that, as an industry, we have failed to respond in a timely manner and have allowed a false narrative to emerge regarding who we are and what we do. In reality, radio has always had a wonderful story to tell. And we still do! 

Audio, and more specifically radio, continues to create terrific content and advertising that moves people. Without any doubt, it remains the most effective way to influence the mind and capture the heart.

And THAT is a foolproof way to gain commitment from any consumer.  

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

How Mike Golic Jr. is Building a New Sports Media Playbook in 2025

John Mamola
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How Mike Golic Jr. is Building a New Sports Media Playbook in 2025

Play like a champion today. The saying used by former Notre Dame head football coach Lou Holtz was set to inspire his players to perform to their absolute best when they hit the field for the Fighting Irish. Mike Golic Jr. wore the green and gold for four years in South Bend, IN, and still has passion for his alma mater to this day. So much so, the former player turned broadcaster has begun a new path to continue playing like a champion with a new podcast called The Echoes: A Podcast on Notre Dame.

“We want to take you under the helmet and inside the huddle, but also in the message boards,” said Golic Jr., reflecting on the focus for the new podcast with Sinclair Media. “I think we’ll have a lot of bases covered in the way that should be fun.”

The 35-year-old Golic Jr. is no stranger to working in sports media, calling himself a former undrafted free agent still to this day. He shares the same name as his father, whom he has followed in his professional footsteps, beginning his sports media journey at ESPN Radio. Now, nearly a decade later, he explained how those connections in Bristol, CT, led to an opportunity with The Echoes.

“I talked to Rich Cooke [Vice President, Sinclair Inc.] about it a little bit at the Super Bowl this year about what they were trying to put together,” said Golic Jr. “For me, Notre Dame is always something I’m very passionate about. It’s such a big part of my friendship with Jessica [Smetana], who is a monster Notre Dame fan in her own right.”

Smetana, also a Notre Dame graduate, serves as a co-host on The Echoes alongside Golic Jr. Both have navigated the sports media gauntlet over their careers with several stops along the way but were brought together through their love for everything Notre Dame. Smetana previously worked with Mike Golic Sr. when both senior and junior moved away from ESPN to the DraftKings Network in 2022.

“Jess [Smetana] is such an easy hang on air. I’ve always joked that there are certain people that just get you comfortable in those settings,” said Golic Jr. “Having that background and friendship, especially in this area for so long, it was like we have done it plenty of times before.”

Navigating Through an Active Year In 2025

It has been an eventful 2025 so far for Mike Golic Jr. He began the year hosting with his father on GoJo & Golic through the DraftKings Network but left as their contracts were not renewed. Following a couple of months in search of his next steps, an opportunity came about through FanDuel Sports Network and former ESPN executive Norby Williamson.

Golic & Golic was announced in late April as the latest edition of the father-and-son combo returning to work together. The show debuted in June, serving as the cornerstone of the network’s weekday afternoon lineup.

“It’s been a lot of learning for me ever since February 2022 when I left ESPN. That had been a place that I had known my entire life,” said Golic Jr. “I got to ESPN, and layoffs had never been a reality during my dad’s career. I think we had five rounds of layoffs in the six years that I was there. We’ve seen it industry-wide. I really try not to take for granted the fact that I have people that are still willing to give me opportunities in an industry where there are fewer of those with each passing year.”

While this isn’t his first time creating content on television, Golic Jr. noted it’s the first time he’s producing content for television in a long time. He says this is the first television show he’s worked on where he’s working off a shot sheet and other elements that he saw his colleagues at ESPN use. Golic Jr. credits the amount of support the program has received from FanDuel Sports Network and is cherishing the opportunity to once again share the stage with his father.

“The opportunity to keep working with Dad has been awesome in this new setting. I’ve seen him fired up about how it’s going and having a lot of fun with it,” said Golic Jr. “Coming into my career, getting to work with my dad meant something different than it does now. I have more of an appreciation. We got to do it at ESPN, and then that opportunity was taken away from us when Golic & Wingo ended. We weren’t sure if we were going to get it back.”

Golic Jr. understands the uniqueness of the position both he and his father are in as they get another opportunity to work together. He says the plan for him is to continue working with his father while also branching out and navigating his own opportunities for his career, such as The Echoes.

“As long as we’ve got that opportunity to do it, people are still enjoying that, and still want to give us an opportunity, we’re going to take it and run with it,” said Golic Jr. “I will have plenty of time in my career where that is no longer an option, and that’s not something I get to do.”

Adapting To The Changing Sports Media Field of Play

There has been much change in the sports media landscape during the past decade. For Golic Jr., his journey has led him to opportunities in both traditional and non-traditional media settings. From ESPN and DraftKings to FanDuel Sports Network and his new podcasting venture with Sinclair, the understanding of having a lot of tools in the toolbox to survive is always top of mind.

“The thing I learned early on about all the different platforms is you’ve got to be different things on each one of those. That’s the challenge that was always fun to me,” referenced Golic Jr. “The connective tissue between those of us who cover sports and the fans should always kind of be at the heart of all of this, no matter what the platform is.”

With more fans flocking to independent creators over traditional broadcast networks for sports content, Golic Jr. understands that connection well. He recalled the gratification in seeing the number of messages and stories his father received following his exit from ESPN Radio as an example of that. With the ease of entry at an all-time low, Golic Jr. notes that change is constant in sports media, with licensing deals becoming more the norm with independent creators.

“Podcasting and YouTube — all these places where people can get grassroots reps on their own — are becoming viable pipelines for talent,” said Golic Jr. “I still hope that there are places for people to continue to develop inside the walls, like the opportunities that I have. Things change all the time in terms of the process that leads to the results that people all want at the end of the day, which is entertainment. Hopefully this does show a viable path for independent creators.”

Always humble and never taking any opportunity for granted, Mike Golic Jr. is excited and thankful for finding another day with a new possibility to connect with a place he considers a second home in South Bend — a chance to play like a champion once again.

“Years ago, Bomani Jones always made this abundantly clear: You win with quality no matter what. You’ve got to make sure that when people tune in, they’re going to have a good time and they’re going to learn something,” said Golic Jr. “Our plan is to be able to zoom the lens out. We understand the thru line is always going to be Notre Dame football. That’s the ‘big dog’ on campus. Football is king, but our hopes are getting to kind of share in the entire Notre Dame experience with everybody.”

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

Is Specialization Making Young Sports Talk Hosts Boring?

Demetri Ravanos
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Is Specialization Making Young Sports Talk Hosts Boring?

When I was in the editor’s role at BSM and would talk to producers or college students that wanted to figure out how to position themselves for a hosting job, I would always ask them to tell me what they are into outside of sports. Honestly, it was shocking how often I would hear, “Nothing really.” I would always answer that assertion by saying, “Then you are too boring to work for me.”

Anyone can start a show now. Sports talk radio has been an institution since before the parents of some of the kids in college to study sports broadcasting were even born. YouTube and podcasts have been around since before a lot of those kids were born. This is a viable career path that you can train for and get educated in now.

The specialization is good—to a point. What I have noticed when I talk to men and women in their 20s in this space is that so few of them have ever had a reason to develop a personality and interests outside of sports.

I can name a lot of people that are 30 or under who can do the Xs and Os of sports talk very well. What I cannot name is a lot of people in that age group who sound like someone I would want to hang out with.

There is nothing wrong with knowing what you want to do and where you want to be and focusing on it. For those of us born in the ’80s and before, even if you knew you wanted to talk about sports for a living, the path to a job like that was winding. Now that the path is a straight line, I fear that young talent are missing out on the conversations and experiences that teach you how to go from a sports talk radio guy to a guy on sports talk radio.

No One Has Paid Their Dues

Overall, I think it’s a good thing that you can launch a YouTube channel and just start talking about sports. Practice makes perfect, right? If your goal is to grow into a star, there is no better practice.

But becoming a viable sports talk radio talent used to involve being exposed to all kinds of things. Maybe you took an on-air shift at a music station to get more mic time. Maybe you started out as a writer, learning to tell stories and develop sources. Maybe you rose through the various levels of producer positions and learned to think about entertainment over information.

All of those experiences build a more well-rounded talent. I fear without those pit stops, a man or woman who has only been focused on talking about sports arrives at their destination incomplete. They can talk, but struggle to connect with the audience on a human level.

There’s No Lane To Stay in Anymore

The other day, I came across the very first thing I ever wrote for Barrett Media. This was before I was a columnist—before JB even hired a single columnist.

It was about the importance of letting your audience know about you as a person. They know you like sports. They expect you can tell them every stat and have an opinion on every game. A lot of them can probably do that too. Being able to talk about everything else is how you make a real connection.

Live in the sports world, but don’t be afraid to travel. That has always been my advice to shows and talents that I work with. Being a living sports encyclopedia has value, but when was the last time you read an encyclopedia for fun?

ESPN knows it’s true. Go look at an episode of SportsCenter from this week versus one from the same week 25 years ago. There is so much less sports talk. Even if the talent isn’t Kenny Mayne or Stuart Scott, the current version of SportsCenter is prioritizing entertainment—maybe too much sometimes—but there is ball-busting, talk about music and movies, and focus on the truly absurd parts of sports.

Sports fans can handle so much more than we give them credit for. I worry that the people who have been laser-focused on the sports world throughout their entire career don’t think about that, and risk their shows turning into a recitation of facts instead of big, personality-driven affairs.

Who Is Giving You Feedback?

It makes sense that seasoned radio and TV talent are attracted to podcasting and YouTube when they’re thinking about their next move. A lot of them have been micromanaged by their boss and constrained by rules from their boss’s boss.

If you know how to do a show, YouTube and podcasts make sense for a next move. They make sense for getting reps too, but if you’re a young person trying to build up tape, those reps mean a little bit less unless you are actively seeking out coaching and feedback. Hosts of these digital shows have to be proactive in seeking that out. Some are; I have spoken with plenty of them.

Plenty are not, though. It doesn’t mean that you’re seeing a bunch of morons prone to mistakes. It means no one is pushing them in new directions and encouraging them to find new angles or try new ways of presenting their content.

Struggle, rejection, and setbacks are important in the media business. They are the fires that harden and shape people who want to be on the air in TV and radio. Suffering struggle, rejection, and setback can force someone to reevaluate their approach and assess what really matters to them—and what they do best.

No one likes going through it, and I guess I applaud the young people who have found a way around it. I’m not totally sure it’s good for us as an industry, but in a world where the entry-level positions in radio are being replaced by AI and columnists are going the way of the dodo, I don’t know that there is an alternative. It’s up to the people who hire these young men and women to make it clear that there is a whole social—and I don’t mean social media—education that they missed out on. That means there is work to be done before they can truly reach their ceiling.

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

Hot AC Success on a Budget: Music & Promo Hacks

Jim Ryan
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Hot AC Success on a Budget: Music & Promo Hacks

Today’s reality for the majority of markets is that budgets are tighter, and programmers are asked to do more with less. That does not mean Hot AC stations still cannot do the things to stay competitive and win!

The good news? You don’t need a massive budget to achieve meaningful music research and compelling promotions. What you need is creativity, digital savvy, community connections, and strategic focus.

Here’s how Hot AC radio can stretch every dollar while still delivering strong results. When it comes to music research, consider the following.

Use Digital Listening Data Creatively


Streaming metrics from services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Shazam aren’t exclusive to big corporations. Publicly available playlists, trending charts, and social media conversations give invaluable insight into what’s resonating. Track local Spotify Viral Charts and cross-reference with your on-air playlist. Look for patterns—what’s gaining traction, what’s fading, and what aligns with the Hot AC core.

Plug Into Your Audience


Your station’s most valuable resource is your existing audience. Use free tools like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey to create music surveys. Keep them short, 30 seconds max to complete, and promote them on-air, via email newsletters, and across social media. Ask listeners to rate a handful of songs, rank their favorites, or choose from potential adds.

Monitor Social Media Feedback


Social listening is a free and highly effective form of music research. Look at comments on your own station’s posts. Especially those featuring music clips or artist announcements. Additionally, watch what local influencers and music fans are sharing or saying on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X.

Leverage DJ and Listener Input


Encourage your on-air talent to collect feedback through call-ins, texts, and socials. Use their platforms to ask listeners: “Which new song do you love right now?” or “What’s one artist you wish we played more of?” It’s casual, conversational research. And it costs nothing.

Another element that has seen the budget axe is the Promotion end of the business.

Here, too, there are ways to effectively pull this off and sound big without the budget to match and maybe even see some ROI, which will make the bean counters happy!

Hyper-Local Partnerships


Team up with local businesses that want exposure but don’t have a big ad budget either. Co-sponsor giveaways with salons, restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, or gyms. In exchange for a few gift cards or free passes, offer them on-air mentions and digital love. Everyone wins, and your station stays promotionally visible without spending cash. This could also lead to new business when those businesses see how effective your station is at attracting new and returning customers.

Use Social Media To Your Advantage


Promotions don’t need to be big and flashy. “Caption This” contests, “Finish the Lyrics” games, and “Vote for the Throwback” posts generate engagement and excitement using just your content team and a smartphone. Spotlight listeners by reposting their content or hosting “Fan of the Week” shout-outs. Social media is your low-cost promotional engine.

Pop-Up Experiences


Instead of expensive remote broadcasts, consider simple “street team” appearances. Send a couple of team members or talent out with a boom box, branded gear, and some small freebies (stickers, lanyards, snacks). Show up at local parks, farmers markets, or sports events. Tag it with a creative name and grab photos for your socials.

Promote Artist Content Creatively


Rather than relying on costly artist visits, use exclusive audio or video messages from musicians. Many labels will provide custom liners or shout-outs for stations, especially if requested creatively. Most smartphones have a “notes” feature that records clean audio, so you don’t need a professional studio to pull this off!

Run Low-Cost, High-Impact Contests


Simple, repeatable contest mechanics can yield great ROI. “Song of the Day” cue-to-call contests, “Guess the Throwback,” or “Morning Mystery Music Clip” games engage listeners without requiring major prizes. Tie in listener recognition on-air mentions, leaderboard rankings, or a “Top Fan” title.

Take what’s worked before and update it with new music or twists. A “Workday Winddown” feature can spotlight new tracks and include listener shout-outs. Repurpose old promotional ideas with fresh branding or seasonal relevance. You can also invite user-generated content for both music feedback and promotions. Listener reviews, favorite lyrics, or TikTok dance videos around a trending Hot AC song become free and authentic promotion.

The takeaway this week is that being budget-conscious doesn’t mean sacrificing quality for Hot AC stations. The combination of strategic music research and nimble promotional thinking can build loyalty and keep the playlist sharp without draining the bank account.

By grabbing your local connections, leaning into digital tools, and staying creatively scrappy, your station can maintain its pulse on the audience—and stay ahead of the curve.

I may have used this before, but it still very much applies. I’m talking about what Brad Pitt’s character, Billy Beane, said in the movie “Moneyball”- “Adapt or Die”!

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

20 Brands In 20 Days: JT Springer, 100.3 JACK-FM Dallas

Jeff Lynn
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20 Brands In 20 Days: JT Springer, 100.3 JACK-FM Dallas

By any measure, 100.3 JACK-FM in Dallas is a different kind of radio station, and that’s exactly the way JT Springer likes it. As the station’s longtime Brand Manager and morning show host, Springer has spent more than a decade helping define what JACK sounds like in North Texas.

And if you’re surprised to see Bon Jovi, Tupac, Phil Collins and Soundgarden all on the same playlist, well, that’s sort of the point.

“We have the incredible luxury of a great brand that’s been around for a really long time,” Springer said. “All the props in the world to Gary Wall and what he built and created. But I think at the end of the day, it ultimately comes down to local research.”

For Springer, who’s been with the station since 2013 and in mornings since 2015, JACK-FM’s identity as a “Variety Rock” outlet is fluid by design.

“There have been times we’ve been more pop and dance leaning. And right now, with that sort of balance between those ‘80s Rock and Pop rock standards that have been with the format a really long time.”

“And then those ‘90s rock songs are really strong right now. Then also the luxury to be able to throw those ‘90s Hip Hop songs in, which are booming at the format right now.”

While it might have once sounded strange to place Eminem or Tupac next to Classic Rock icons, Springer believes today’s listeners are beyond rigid genre walls.

“Those songs, for the most part, have always imaged rock. There’s a pick and choose to it too. You don’t always play everything that tests great. You’ve got to make sure it fits. And those that we are really hammering certainly do for us.”

Music Is the Star

Unlike most morning shows, Springer’s isn’t built on bits, sidekicks, or celebrity interviews. In true JACK fashion, it’s about letting the music speak first.

“I’ve been on this station on the air since 2013. I started doing mornings in 2015, so this is my 10th year this month doing mornings,” he said. “It’s not a typical morning show. It’s certainly not a talk show. What has helped me last as long as I have is that I realize that I’m not the star. The music is the star, will always be the star of the station.”

What Springer brings is local flavor.

“I’m from here. I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve never worked anywhere else. I don’t crack the mic unless I have something that I think is worthy of interrupting ‘Don’t Stop Believin.’ And it better be important to someone who is in Dallas-Fort Worth.”

Self-Deprecating and Proud of It

JACK-FM’s on-air imaging has long leaned into its irreverent, sarcastic identity, and Springer’s proud to keep that tradition alive.

“Self-deprecating is still the name of the game. What makes it fun for me is that I get to do all the writing. So not only self-deprecating for the station, but we’ll often have Howard Cogan, our tremendous voice artist, intro me, making fun of me.”

Cogan, the instantly recognizable voice behind JACK’s snarky liners, has become a core part of the station’s personality.

“I’ve been so lucky to work with him. There has never been even a single thought of using anyone else. He’s been more open than any voice person I’ve worked with in my career. I mean, down to, ‘Hey JT, get on the mic and say the phrasing you want me to say.’ Super cool and no ego to it, which is just beautiful.”

Reacting in Real Time

JACK’s irreverence doesn’t mean it can’t shift into a serious gear when the moment calls for it. When the news broke that Ozzy Osbourne had passed, it meant a shift.

“I just came right back and cracked the mic as fast as I could get up here and took calls and played Ozzy songs. I do a feature every morning at 7:20  called “The 720 Game,” where every single song is a request. And the listeners take over in situations like that. We’ve had about five Ozzy songs out of eight, I think.”

Springer’s first taste of that kind of responsibility came early in his morning show tenure.

“Prince was my first one. It was like I had barely been on the air and had to crack the mic live and tell an audience of eight million people that Prince died. So unfortunately, I’ve had some practice at it.”

In those moments, Springer leans on the same philosophy that guides him every day.

“It just always goes back to the music and the listeners if you can incorporate them.”

“The 720 Game:” Where Requests and Spelling Collide

“The 720 Game” has become a signature part of JACK’s morning strategy and is a surprising hit with families.

“It’s a feature that’s existed in a lot of different ways over the years. Barrel of Monkeys, Last Letter Game, people have called it in the past. No one had really done it in the market.”

Springer gave it a quirky JACK twist. “Every song is a request. The next song’s supposed to start with the last letter of the last song. For a while, I had a veto. So, I could veto any song choice, but I could only replace it with Rick Astley.”

What started as a strategy to boost 7 a.m. ratings turned into something more.

“It’s really family involved, which I had never really planned on. People driving their kids to school during that hour started calling in. It gave them some bonding. It’s spelling, right? So young kids catch on.”

The station even hosts an annual “720 Game” party, and the response has been overwhelming.

“The first time we did one of these parties, we had all these kids. And people there with their families. The line was out the door.”

Social Media, Contesting, and the Format’s Future

Springer’s approach to social is simple: keep it local and true to JACK’s voice.

“Facebook is the main focus. Usually it’s three or four local stories a day, and I’ll just write the caption for the Facebook post as if I’d be writing it for a sweeper on the air.”

As for contesting, Springer is open to both cash and concert tickets, with a slight preference for the latter.

“I haven’t changed how I do things. If I think it’s a big enough show for the brand, then we’re giving away the concert tickets on air and making a big deal out of it. That’s always how I’ve done it.”

Looking ahead, Springer is bullish on Adult Variety Hits.

“We’re in a fantastic spot. Especially since COVID, I think the last five years, I’m more and more thankful that I am with this format. If you want ratings, then being at a variety station is just about as good as it can get.”

Living the Dream

Springer’s career in Dallas radio is a rare story—a local kid who never had to leave home to build a legacy.

“I’m super grateful that I’ve had this career, I’ve been able to grow while the industry has contracted. And to get to do it in my home market, where I grew up. I was certain I was going to have to move somewhere else to get opportunities. I never did.”

“I’m living the dream. I can’t imagine it getting better, and I’m super thankful for it.”

Listen to 100.3 JACK-FM here.

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

How the Nielsen Audio Analyzer Can Help Unlock Market-Level Insights

Dr. Ed Cohen
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How the Nielsen Audio Analyzer Can Help Unlock Market-Level Insights

Branding a product or service is always a challenge. Nielsen knows that better than most.

Does the name make sense for what the product does? If the product is to be used in multiple countries, does the name have a negative connotation in another language? For example, the Chevrolet Nova could mean “no go” in Spanish (“no va”), but despite that, the car sold well in Spanish-speaking countries.

Sometimes, the world changes, and you’re stuck. Do you remember the weight-reduction candy called Ayds? Along came the AIDS disease, and that was the end of Ayds. Along the same line, Arbitron once had an analysis package called AID (Arbitron Information on Demand). When I was operations manager at WSPA-FM in Spartanburg, I filled out a survey about AID and received a free T-shirt that said, “I Bring AID.” Not something you wanted to wear after AIDS hit, and Arbitron allowed the AID trademark to expire in 1997.

Back in the Arbitron days, our demographer, Dan Estersohn, came up with a good idea for a product. If you wanted to know what counties or ZIP codes were in a market, you could simply look it up in Arbitron software. Perhaps you wanted to look up a county and find out where it landed in a metro or DMA. It was named the Arbitron Audio Analyzer, and today, it’s the Nielsen Audio Analyzer.

Just one problem existed—to the best of anyone’s knowledge, the Audio Analyzer doesn’t analyze any audio.

If you are a subscriber and don’t have access to it, you should get it. You can access it from the Nielsen portal, and it’s a useful tool, even if you don’t use it frequently. For people who work with multiple markets, it can be very helpful.

In the days before the CPRs (Control Panel Report) for PPM markets, I used the Audio Analyzer to find strong and weak ZIP codes for Cumulus stations. I’d pull an Analyzer report with all the ZIPs, which I exported to an Excel file. At that point, I’d try to get into a Zen mode for the next step.

Here’s why: In the PPM Analysis Tool, you could recreate the market at the ZIP code level. Just do a custom definition using all the ZIP codes from the Analyzer. Occasionally, some ZIPs would not show up in AT, perhaps because they were business ZIPs, but this step was typically easy.

Now for the fun part. If you wanted to see where a competitor station was doing well, just run their estimates for the daypart/demo combination of your choice—for example, P25-54 for Monday–Friday, 6 AM–7 PM. Then remove one ZIP code and run it again. Did the AQH and cume decline? No? Put that ZIP back in and take out the next one. Continue until you’ve run every ZIP code in the market.

For smaller markets, this activity didn’t take too long—for example, in Memphis or Salt Lake City. However, New York and Los Angeles required a great deal of patience, something I don’t always possess. Those metros have hundreds of ZIP codes, so going through them one by one is about as exciting as reading a trade press column about going through ZIP codes one by one.

However, the value was that I could report the strongest ZIP codes for a competitor. As any PPM market programmer knows, a couple of big meters can make the numbers jump. Even after the CPR was introduced, I was still running some of these because, well, Cumulus wasn’t known to splash the cash around, and obtaining CPRs for other stations in the markets cost money.

The Audio Analyzer has value for diary markets as well. Do you know all the ZIPs in your market? And what if your market definition changes? For example, some markets may change definitions without adding or subtracting counties. Nielsen could determine that a particular county should be split for race/ethnic reasons, and you should know what ZIPs are included in an HDBA, HDHA, or the remainder of the county.

It’s not something you’ll consult every week or even every month, but the Audio Analyzer—even with a nonsensical name—can have value for you. If you don’t have it, ask to gain access through the Nielsen portal. I don’t believe there’s a charge, but then again, Nielsen is not known for giving out much of anything for free.

At least Arbitron was known for giving out free screwdrivers, which I believe was a fun idea from the brilliant mind of the late Sherm Brodey (full disclosure: I have three of them with two different logos). Nevertheless, ask your rep for access.

Let’s meet again next week.

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

How Every News/Talk Radio PD Should Grade Their Hosts on Selecting Topic A

Peter Thiele
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How Every News/Talk Radio PD Should Grade Their Hosts on Selecting Topic A

The deaths of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Ozzy Osbourne, and Hulk Hogan rocked Gen X last week. News/talk radio handled it well in some cases, and in other cases, not so well.

Gen X is essentially the generation following the baby boomers. The boomers were the children of World War II veterans. The youngest Generation X members were born in 1980. The deaths of Ozzy Osbourne, Hulk Hogan, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner were a shot across the “you are no longer young” bow.

At my station, we broke into programming to announce the passings of Hulk Hogan and Ozzy Osbourne.

If you were not talking about these deaths, you missed the core mission of our format. Your station’s target demographic is likely somewhere between 45 and 60. All of these deaths were of figures from your audience’s formative years. Hogan and Osbourne were seemingly always in the national consciousness. These two men were important to your audience. Ozzy and Hogan were constantly in the news.

Both men were flawed and had some really bad moments. Ozzy’s was more the stuff of lore — he urinated on the Alamo and bit the head off a bat. Hogan had an awful, public divorce, his son’s drunk driving drag race led to permanent injuries for a friend, his daughter cut him off, and more. Ozzy and Hogan also made the mistake of putting their families front and center on a reality show. Forcing your child into public discourse can be quite damaging. We’ve all read articles, posts, or books about the tragic circumstances that follow many child stars.

The Osbourne kids certainly had some rough patches, but seemed to pull it together. Hogan’s kids have either cut him off or seem directionless. In my educated opinion, children largely cannot handle the pressures of celebrity. In radio, we’ve had the opportunity to meet celebrities. I’ve found that some famous people look at others as commodities—because they themselves have been treated that way.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. Warner seemed to be a unicorn among child stars. He adjusted to adulthood, acting, and didn’t appear to have any issues. He was never arrested and seemed to have it together. Warner was recently married and had a young daughter. His wife and child were never paraded in public. The Cosby Show was the highest-rated TV show for five years. This was back when network TV had viewers—an average of 30 million per episode. In 2025, if a TV show has 10 million viewers, it’s a huge hit. Warner was a central figure in your audience’s lives.

Did you talk about these men?

One of the attributes of a great talk show host is that they know a little something about everything. Not only does a great talk show host have a broad pool of knowledge, but they also have opinions on everything. Without calling out names, 20 years ago, I was programming a station and got some Eric Clapton tickets to give away. My afternoon guy could break down tax and education policy with the precision of a Ginsu knife cutting through a tomato.

Sadly, he had zero idea who Eric Clapton was. This host was 50 and would have been 20 when Clapton was entering his peak. I asked him what concert he last attended. He replied, “I saw Helen Reddy with my first wife.” I learned something: this guy didn’t understand the lives of the audience.

Our job is to reflect the lives of our listeners. Some hosts can break down every political happening in D.C., at the state level, or locally. But there is more to life than politics. In fact, most people are not that locked into the political wranglings of the day. These people have spouses, kids, and aging parents. They also have concerns about work and finances. If we’re not speaking about the things that impact our listeners, we come across as one-dimensional. That’s not good for our role.

News/talk radio stations must be focused on Topic A. It’s the biggest thing going on at that very moment. Sometimes people get overly concerned about being local. You are local. You’re giving the local reaction to every issue. Being local doesn’t mean you must focus on city council meetings. I can assure you there is little interest in city council meetings.

Even when your city is weighing whether to raise taxes, the number of people who attend those meetings is less than 0.01% of your community. Should people be interested? Yes. But they’re not. Do you know what your city was interested in? The deaths of Ozzy Osbourne, Hulk Hogan, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. These were universally Topic A. Everyone had an opinion or memory. Do you know who didn’t? Probably those over the age of 75.

If you’re a host who isn’t particularly culturally aware, what do you do? Your program director probably has a detailed bio of your station’s target demographic. Let’s say you love classical music and don’t care for contemporary pop culture. Study it anyway, for your station’s audience. We lost three amazing people who had a strong impact on our existence. It’s your job to know who those people are.

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

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