Viewership for Major League Baseball’s Midsummer Classic fell to near record-low territory, yet the game continues to dominate among sports All-Star events.
FOX’s broadcast of Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game averaged a 3.8 rating and drew 7.19 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. That figure ties last year’s mark as the lowest-rated All-Star Game on record and ranks as the second-least watched, trailing only the 2022 edition, which managed 7.01 million. Compared to 2023, viewership dipped by 3%.
However, even with another year of declines, baseball still owns the most-watched All-Star event in sports. The All-Star Game topped the list, while Monday’s Home Run Derby on ESPN came in second with 5.73 million viewers. Both events outperformed the NBA All-Star Game on TNT Sports and the NFL’s Pro Bowl Games on ESPN/ABC, which each drew 4.7 million viewers.
For context, the NHL did not hold a traditional All-Star Game this year, instead staging the Four Nations Face-Off. That tournament’s championship game averaged 9.3 million viewers on ESPN in February. If counted, it would place ahead of MLB’s showcase.
Still, the All-Star Game stood as FOX’s most-watched broadcast since the Super Bowl—though that comes with an asterisk, as the network’s non-sports programming consistently underperforms in primetime.
Viewership peaked during the 9:15 p.m. ET quarter-hour with 8.1 million viewers, a stretch that included several marquee matchups. Among the early highlights were reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge facing off against National League rookie sensation Paul Skenes, Freddie Freeman’s return to Atlanta, and Clayton Kershaw’s appearance in the second inning. Later, Mets slugger Pete Alonso delivered a dramatic three-run homer, and the American League staged a late comeback after trailing 6-0.
While the numbers are far removed from the All-Star Game’s heyday, MLB remains a dominant summer ratings force—especially in an era where live sports are increasingly one of the few reliable draws on linear television.
Kings of Summer️⚾️
Highlighted by unique talk-back conversations, innovative tech integrations, an incredible tribute to Hank Aaron & the ABS challenge system's debut, the Midsummer Classic on FOX continues to rank as the most-watched All-Star event in sports. pic.twitter.com/XLoFp7s2gg
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Stay updated by signing up for our newsletters to receive the latest information directly in your inbox.
A broken water heater, a dental bill, or three missed workdays due to illness can quickly become a financial problem, especially when there’s nothing saved to cover it. A $1,000 emergency fund gives you breathing room, even if it won’t solve every crisis. The goal isn’t to build a full safety net overnight. It’s to make sure the next surprise doesn’t send you into credit card debt.
If you’re currently living on a tight income, the idea of setting aside that kind of money may seem unrealistic. But the truth is, it’s possible without making more money. It doesn’t require side gigs or financial acrobatics. It just takes intention, strategy, and a few tough decisions.
For Canadians looking for a smart place to park their emergency funds, Innovation’s No-Fee Chequing Account offers an accessible, zero-fee option with full banking features.
Start With a Defined Goal
Saving “some money” isn’t a plan. “Emergency fund” sounds vague unless there’s a fixed number attached. Set $1,000 as a clear, non-negotiable milestone. It’s a number widely recognized as a practical starting point before building toward three to six months of expenses.
Don’t treat it like long-term savings. This money doesn’t go into mutual funds or retirement accounts. It sits, ready to use, and easily accessible when something urgent comes up. Keeping it separate from daily spending accounts is critical.
Know Exactly Where Your Money Goes
You can’t cut what you can’t see. Track all income and spending over 30 days, using a pen and paper, spreadsheet, or free mobile app. Include every coffee, gas fill-up, and e-transfer. This is data collection. Once you have the numbers, sort expenses into three buckets:
Chances are, you’ll find at least one area where the spending feels too casual for your actual situation.
Apply a Short-Term Spending Freeze
You don’t need to overhaul your life. But you do need a reset period. Implement a 30-day spending freeze on non-essentials. No new clothes. No takeout. No paid apps or delivery fees. Don’t cut essentials, but re-evaluate where your money leaks out unnoticed.
The goal here is to redirect cash, not eliminate comfort. You might find you save $150 or more in just one month. That’s 15% of your goal already done without extra income.
Put Automation to Work
Once you’ve carved out a surplus (however small) set up a recurring transfer. The size doesn’t matter at first. What matters is consistency. $10 per week adds up to $520 in a year. If you can spare $40 a week, you’ll hit $1,000 in six months.
Set the transfer to run the same day your income hits your account. Don’t wait to “see what’s left.” That guarantees nothing will be left. Think of this as a self-imposed bill. Only this one pays your future self.
Use Unexpected Money Immediately
Most people let tax refunds, birthday gifts, or small rebates sit in their main account until they’re spent on autopilot. This is a missed opportunity.
Here’s what to do instead: as soon as you receive an unexpected deposit, move it. A $300 refund can cut your timeline dramatically. Even low-income earners can use tax credits to kick-start savings. But only if you move fast.
Look at What You Can Sell
Most households have at least $200–$400 in unused stuff collecting dust. Sell it on Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, or local swap groups. List it now. Not later. Not “someday.”
You don’t have to be good at sales. You just have to take pictures and post them. Use that cash only for the emergency fund, not groceries or debt.
Trim Recurring Payments
Take 30 minutes to audit your regular withdrawals. Check your account for:
Streaming services you don’t really use
Mobile data plans you rarely max out
Gym memberships with little or no use
App subscriptions on autopay
Cut one or two. Even a $15/month cancellation saves $180/year. That’s nearly 20% of your goal for doing nothing but pressing “unsubscribe.”
Stop Thinking of Emergencies as “If”
Problems will come — it’s just a question of when and how expensive they’ll be. Set hard rules around the fund. You’re not using it to buy Christmas gifts or cover a vet visit unless it’s truly urgent and unavoidable. Don’t dip into it for emotional purchases or “treats.” Having money available doesn’t make every problem an emergency.
Use Visual Tools to Stay on Track
Write “$1,000” on a piece of paper and break it into ten $100 boxes. Cross them off as your balance grows. Small wins matter more than most people think. They help you stick with the process during the dry spells.
Review your progress monthly. If your balance drops, refill it. If you reach your goal, keep going toward a larger cushion. The discipline of the process is more valuable than the number in your account.
The hardest element of a successful sports radio program to create is chemistry. When pairing two complete strangers together to collaborate on content, there is never a guaranteed outcome. There is no formula or equation on how to pair the right individuals together, leaving programmers to lean on gut instinct, needing a touch of luck. Shan Shariff and RJ Choppy, a.k.a. Shan & RJ, on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas needed a house party to find out if they had chemistry together before hitting the DFW metroplex airwaves.
“We did not do a sample show together,” said Shariff. “We went to a house party, and we just got put in the same room. We got interviewed, and the first time we talked for two hours or more was our first show. That was a crazy way, I think, with the way that it was done, or the way that it is done.”
Now entering their 15th year together in morning drive, Shan & RJ has been a destination for sports fans on their morning commute. In a competitive market like Dallas/Fort Worth, the two have found a blend of sports and lifestyle approach to content has been the best formula for success. Instead of leaning into the stereotypes of how sports radio has been done in larger markets, they buck the trend in Big D despite their northeastern roots.
“The city grew so fast, people still think of it [Dallas/Fort Worth] like a small town,” explained Choppy. “You’ve got a lot of people that move here, so they’re not as diehard. If the Cowboys lose or something, it might be a great radio day in New York City or Boston. Here, a Monday after a Cowboys loss, people don’t want to hear it. Other cities relish in the misery. It doesn’t work like that here.”
How Dallas/Fort Worth Sports Radio Differs From Its Peers
A perfect example of this notion was this past spring, when the Dallas Mavericks traded five-time All-Star Luka Dončić in a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. A fan favorite leaving the organization caused online outrage, fan protests, and national pundits questioning the leadership of the franchise.
However, for Shan & RJ the plan of attack and reaction was a complete opposite reaction.
“We did not do dominant numbers during or after the Luka trade. In Boston, Philadelphia, or New York, it would have been dominant,” said Shariff. “Around here the sports mindset turns away if it’s too negative of a story… The Luka thing was devastating here. We took a show poll and people who listen to our show said stop talking about the Mavericks so much.”
The approach of lean back as opposed to lean in may fascinate those in other markets when it comes to owning a story like the trade of Dončić. Over their time working at 105.3 The Fan, Shan & RJ have developed a blueprint that they feel fits the market to super-serve the listener in substance as opposed to headlines.
“When I was at [former Dallas radio station ESPN 103.3FM] previously, there were some really good bosses. Like heavyweights in the industry that didn’t necessarily know the market,” said Choppy. “The playbook there was personalities don’t matter, your content matters. Now, we all have the same content, so what was differentiating? Personalities. Content matters, yes. But personalities matter more.”
The Dallas/Fort Worth radio market is full of talented personalities, and in morning drive especially. 105.3 The Fan has a head-to-head competition every day with the heritage sports radio station The Ticket, with Shan & RJ doing battle with the longest-tenured morning show in the market, The Musers.
Now heading into their 15th year together as a program, the competition between the two programs is tighter now than when the journey began for Shan & RJ. Referencing how the show is reaping the benefits of their longevity, they have noticed over time how the market tends to be somewhat “tribal” when it comes to determining who is the top sports talker in the market.
“When I grew up in DC, I wasn’t married to a station,” explained Shariff. “What you see here is signal allegiance, it’s very tribal. People feel like they’re committing radio treason if they even think that another station’s afternoon show is better. That’s a foreign concept to me. That is a lot of what Dallas radio is all about.”
The Jerry Jones Weekly Interview
The Dallas/Fort Worth market is also home to the Dallas Cowboys, a team that has been dubbed ‘America’s Team’ despite not winning a Super Bowl in nearly 30 years. Shan & RJ also feature a weekly sit-down with Dallas Cowboys owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones.
The outspoken Jones interviews consistently make national headlines, as Jones is one of the more popular faces of the National Football League. With such a unique opportunity to insert the Shan & RJ program into the national narrative, it may come as a surprise how hands-off the Cowboys organization is regarding how the interviews are conducted.
“I think everyone would be shocked at the lack of feedback, back and forth, instruction, or guidelines. In 15 years, we’ve heard from Jerry’s [Jones] PR twice,” said Shariff. “Dan Snyder couldn’t do this interview. I was in [Washington] DC, and he had his own radio stations, Red Zebra, that he was monitoring. I heard more from the Kansas City Chiefs in my one year there than I did my first 14 years here from Jerry Jones. I just can’t give him enough credit.”
Both Shan & RJ said that Jones’ only rule was to not get personal with the line of questioning, which both have held to. As long as the show is talking about the Dallas Cowboys, to Jones that’s all that matters.
“I remember asking about Hard Knocks. The Giants didn’t want it, and all these teams run from it. Jerry Jones wants Hard Knocks,” said Shariff. “He probably would accept it every year if he could. That’s his mindset.”
Critical of How Nielsen Ratings Judge Success
The Jerry Jones weekly interview is a key piece in how Shan & RJ battle their local competition in a race for audience retention and growth. Regarding audience measurement, both Shan & RJ are staunch critics of the current Nielsen measurement system and how it operates. While they do not discuss their feelings about ratings on the air, neither of the tenured radio talents find the current system useful.
“I want to say this while our numbers are really good. It’s not bitterness or anything like that. The people in charge and responsible for this rating system—it’s a bunch of horses**t,” said Shariff.
“The system stinks. It’s not even the system’s bad; it doesn’t even make sense. It’s to the point where you judge yourself based on a random sample, or do you judge yourself based on how you think the show is?” said Choppy.
While both Shan & RJ credit the support of their brand manager Gavin Spittle for judging their program with his ears instead of what Nielsen shows, they both feel the system is continually flawed.
“It is an injustice to people in this business who don’t get the numbers that they deserve, and that have lost jobs because of this random horses**t lottery system,” explained Shariff. “What are we doing here? It’s a joke. People’s livelihoods and their fate are way too dependent on something this flimsy and this random. It’s bull. It’s BS.”
While the current ratings returns are high, Shan & RJ’s reach has grown exponentially higher through a live viewing audience on YouTube and Twitch, while also growing on social utilizing the power of short-form video on Facebook, Instagram and X. The goal is to place in every space possible where a consumer can find them, and more fun creative can be had.
“I love the video part of it. I think it’s great. It brings a completely new element to it. We’re not just a radio station anymore,” said Choppy. “It’s an addition. Somebody who’s listening on the radio still gets the same great experience. Then somebody who’s watching it on YouTube—the added element is just a bonus for them. I love the video element of it. I think it’s great.”
The Long Road Ahead With No End in Sight
What began as perfect strangers being paired with one another has now turned into a lasting partnership with the goal of staying together for the long road ahead. A bond that began at a house party has become one of the more respected programs in morning drive around the country, where fun, sports and that rare chemistry have elevated Shan & RJ on 105.3 The Fan.
“We’re doing something that everybody would want to do who’s sitting in a cubicle. If you can’t be happy doing this, you’re going to find, I think, a lot of things difficult in life,” said Choppy. “The people playing the sport are the lucky ones. The people talking about the sport are the second luckiest. If you can’t be driven by that, you’ll never be driven by anything.”
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.
One of my daughters’ favorite days of the year recently happened — 7-Eleven Day —with free Slurpees, making it an instant summer holiday. Between the sugar rush and app alerts, it’s a can’t miss day in the Rock house.
It got me thinking: Rock Radio and 7-Eleven are fighting similar battles: different-flavored uniforms, but nearly the same war.
Open 24/7. Threats on every corner. Built-in perceptions (good, bad, outdated). National vs. local identities. Convenience-based and impulse behavior. Benchmarks that drive visits. And the customer is really in control – their experience can make or break.
But the real keys to survival and success are almost identical. Let’s “downsize” the commonalities to two key ingredients, like the chili and nacho station in the corner of your 7-Eleven:
Conversion: Cume vs. Core — Art & Science
Location, Location, Location
Zoom out, and you’ll realize: 7-Eleven doesn’t care why you came. They just want you to leave with something. Coffee? Lotto? Pizza at 9 am? No judgment, just transactional conversions.
In RockTernative (think Rock/Alt/Grunge hybrid stations), this is the Cume game: “Come one, come all. We’ve got Rock, Alternative, Grunge, New, Gold, Loud, Poppier, maybe some Fringe. Just get your ass in the store and listen.”
But what about Core?
At 7-Eleven, the Core is made up of customers like me. Showing up four to five days a week for an iced coffee in a Big Gulp cup. It’s not glamorous, but it’s predictable. And while it may only be a few bucks per visit, they count on it.
In Radio, Core listeners typically make up the smallest part of the audience (maybe 20-30%) but drive the majority of listening (up to 70-80%). That’s not theory — that’s been the guiding gospel longer than most of us have been around.
How does this work at 7-Eleven? I asked the manager of my weekday 7-Eleven:
“Who drives more revenue — regulars like me or the one-timers, mass casuals?”
His answer: “Depends on the store.”
That’s radio in a nutshell.
His store lives on casual foot traffic. Cume more than Core. His joint needs heavy volume to afford lights for the sign out front. But as he said, the store one mile down, with less traffic, leans heavily on loyalists — they need their Core to stay alive.
Sounds like RockTernative vs. CHR.
CHR is the 7-Eleven located at the corner of Broadway and Main. No real surprises. Big traffic, easy to get to. Flashy and impossible to miss. Efficient and predictable. Everyone stops there.
RockTernative is more like the off-the-beaten-path version of 7-Eleven. Smaller footprint. Less foot traffic. Some different items. It feels a bit different, but it’s definitely 7-Eleven. If the pizza Rocks, some will go out of their way to visit more frequently and spend more.
Takeaway:
Cume will always be important, and consistency for them is important. Imagine if 7-Eleven didn’t have Big Gulps or coffee next week. That’s like not playing “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
But RockTernative foot traffic will never surpass CHR. Having a very loyal Core that visits almost daily and/or for longer periods is the only path that can lead to the top of the mountain.
At both RockTernative and 7-Eleven, science will help brands reach the Cume ceiling (playing the hits – Big Gulp, Coffee, Pizza, Snacks and Beer).
The art will serve the core and create upsells or longer ATE/TSL (new items, limited-edition flavors, app rewards, morning show features, stunts, and breaking the rules from time to time).
RockTernative needs to maximize cume, but if a brand overlooks the importance of having a loyal Core, the pizza and coffee will be stale by lunch.
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.
People are angry about the Epstein Files not being released yet. But what does that have to do with news/talk radio hosts?
Pretty much everything, truthfully.
For nearly a decade now, news/talk radio hosts have echoed sentiments from President Donald Trump to wide swaths of conservative radio listeners. Many have marched in lockstep with the President in whatever stance he took, capitalizing on the popularity of the politics in the process.
Don’t hate the player, hate the game, as they say. I can’t necessarily knock news/talk radio hosts for aligning themselves so closely with a popular political candidate. Could I personally do it? No. But there’s a reason those hosts are making six figures, and I’m typing this from a spare bedroom in my house.
Since his death by apparent suicide in 2019, Jeffrey Epstein has been a hot-button topic in political circles. And the complete lack of transparency in the release of the Epstein Files has been a gigantic frustration to millions of Americans who want answers. Some want the files as a way to denigrate their political opposition, while others believe that a cabal of coastal elites has been operating as sex fiends patiently waiting for Epstein to provide them with their next underage escapade.
For whatever reason, people want the files released, the point remains the same: the overwhelming majority of Americans want to see the files. They want to see the list. The idea that Ghislaine Maxwell is rotting in a prison cell for helping Jeffrey Epstein sex traffic minors to absolutely no one isn’t lost on folks.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Fox News selectively edited an interview with Trump to make it seem as if he definitively stated he would release the Epstein Files. Now, though, Trump is backtracking.
“I don’t understand it, why they would be so interested,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “He’s dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life. I don’t understand what the interest or what the fascination is. I really don’t.”
In a post to his Truth Social account, Trump said that anyone who believes “the Jeffrey Epstein hoax” isn’t a supporter of his, adding that they “have bought into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker. They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years.”
That comes after Trump took great issue with being asked about the Epstein Files last week, getting snippy with a reporter who dared ask why the files haven’t been released.
Now, I don’t really want to get into why the President of the United States, who was very clearly friends with the disgraced financier for decades, wants to disassociate himself from the scandal and why he’d advocate against the release of the files. I’ll let you connect those dots, which aren’t all that difficult to put together.
But it does put news/talk radio hosts in a hell of a spot, doesn’t it?
On one hand, many have built their brands on being the most ardent supporters of Donald Trump. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen smiling pictures with fawning radio hosts standing beside Trump, smiling at being in the mere proximity of power, while he gives a thumbs up beside the host.
You’ve seen some of those hosts mimic Trump’s statements in recent days. Clay Travis, co-host of The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, said that “This story is not a story. The number one thing to do is just to move on.”
Salem Radio Network host Charlie Kirk responded similarly, saying he was “done talking about Epstein for the time being. I’m gonna trust my friends in the administration. I’m gonna trust my friends in the government to do what needs to be done.”
Now, Kirk insists that he wasn’t done talking about the Epstein Files, despite clearly saying he was done talking about it. His argument was that he hosted a Turning Point USA event over the weekend where others like Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson spoke at length about the topic. And that he was only saying that it was off his radar for that specific show. He’d like everyone to disregard the notion that he said he’d stop talking about the Epstein Files moments after Trump essentially called on his followers to move on from the story.
And that’s where the fork in the road comes. It feels as if, from my perspective, you can either do what the audience wants you to do — which is talk about the Epstein Files, continue to ask why more and more details aren’t being released and why major figures in American society aren’t being held accountable — or you can do what the President wants you to do, and stop talking about it and move on to other items. It can’t be both. That feels like a Catch-22.
Some radio hosts operate with a fundamental misunderstanding of the medium. Topics discussed on your show shouldn’t be what you want to talk about. They should be what the audience wants to hear about. Granted, some hosts have the ability to make what they want to discuss “Topic A” for everyone else, and kudos to them for possessing that skill. But the majority of hosts are simply reacting to the news on their shows. And when the audience decides what is and isn’t news, you’re at their mercy.
So what are news/talk radio hosts going to do? If you’ve blindly followed whatever Trump has said and parroted his stance on whatever the topic du jour is, you’ve built your bed and now it’s time to lie in it, no? But that also makes you a hypocrite, doesn’t it? Because while your brand and style might have been built on being anti-establishment, anti-swamp, or anti-deep state, doesn’t taking your marching orders from those in Washington, D.C., torpedo that argument? Doesn’t acting as a sycophant and doing the bidding of what the most powerful people in the world want you to do make you part of the establishment?
This is one of the first times that the MAGA movement hasn’t been in lockstep with President Trump. And while news/talk radio hosts have gladly courted those listeners, this feels like a do-or-die moment from my perspective. You can’t serve two masters. Are you going to serve your audience, or are you going to serve President Trump, who is very clearly desperate for the Epstein Files story to go away?
That choice is yours and yours alone. But I can’t say I’m envious of those who have to make it.
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.
On a weekday morning in Burlington, Vermont, midday host Mel B is riffing about a night at the local bowling alley. It isn’t a canned bit ripped from a prep sheet; it’s her life.
Program Director Kwame Dankwa not only allows that — he expects it. “You always have to bring an aspect of your life that listeners can see themselves doing,” he says. The rule is simple: be real, be relatable, and never talk over the audience’s head.”
95 Triple X is a heritage Top 40 with mileage that matters. “It’s a heritage station. We celebrated 40 years this past November.”
“It has not been the sole CHR, but it has been the longest-running CHR in the market. And there have been competitors that have come and gone. Our most recent competition left the format last year.”
Longevity has meant something else: a launch pad.
“We have a great track record of sending talent to big markets. That matters in a place the size of Burlington, where young air talent often gets its first meaningful reps.
“People love their radio here in this market, and we’re very fortunate for that. Even though Burlington is a small city, it has a lot of influence from Montreal and a great music scene here. That cross-border energy and local creativity widen the lane for a CHR willing to color outside corporate lines.”
When coaching talent, Dankwa encourages forgetting the old programming advice that “no one cares about your life.”
“To an extent, that’s true,” he says. “But you always have to bring an aspect of your life that listeners can see themselves doing.” That’s the filter he gives his staff. Share the part that mirrors the audience; drop the part that feels like inside baseball.
“In a market this size, it’s not PPM. Burlington is still diary‑measured. The listeners know that a lot of people who will start out here are very new. They’re more forgiving of those types of things than they probably would be in a larger market where people have so many more distractions that they hear something they don’t like, they may not come back.”
And keeping and developing that talent is essential.
“So many people have left the business. We need to redefine how we want to have a relationship with our employees so that we can have the new talent, keep them, and retain them. Because in order for this business to grow, no matter where it’s going, we need some type of talent to run the place.”
95 Triple X excels in building community ties, and that is something that Dankwa has worked hard to develop.
“When I first came back here, there was not as big of a relationship between Triple X and the community. I had to do a lot of handshaking and baby kissing to make that happen. To try and get organizations to partner with us and work with us.”
That meant reaching out to the groups that impact daily life in Burlington.
“Especially the nonprofits, especially other organizations in the city that do certain events that may not have worked with us before. Maybe they tried to, and there was no reach back. I think that people now know that Triple X is a place where they can come and we can help them make things happen. And that’s very important to me.”
The station recently went all in for a listener and reaffirmed that promise.
“There was a young woman named Sophie who was suffering from ocular melanoma. We helped the family do a fundraiser with their GoFundMe. We did that for like a month. Then, on the last weekend, we changed our name to “Sophie 95.5” to bring even more attention to her situation and ocular melanoma. Not only is it cancer, but how rare that type of cancer is.”
Programming in northern New England is a seasonal sport. Is there a summer adjustment for 95 Triple X?
“Oh yeah. I’ll play my newer songs earlier in the day. I will do new imaging for the station to hit the summer vibes here. And this year we’ve been trying to get to all of the ‘beaches’ that we can. We say ‘beaches,’ but it’s actually a big lake. There are parts of the lake where you can’t see the other side.”
The station brands it under the “95 Degrees of Summer” umbrella.
“For three and a half months, it is insufferably hot. We try to take advantage of that because for the other eight and a half months we know what it’s like.”
I asked if he saw the same cyclical trend in Top 40 that others are seeing, and how he feels about an Alternative-leaning phase.
“I remember the last time it was very alt like this, it was 2013 when The Lumineers, Imagine Dragons, and Mumford and Sons were ruling the charts all at once. It was hard even to separate them. But I was like, hey, this is what the people want, give it to them.”
And his thoughts on artists leaning into Country, like Beyoncé and Post Malone.
“Artists are always going to experiment. If you’re an artist and you’re exposed to a lot of different things, a genre jump makes sense.”
“Post Malone changed his whole image up, whereas Beyoncé is still Beyoncé. She just has a Country album. The next album will likely be a Rock album. It just feels like she’s trying different things. And I don’t fault her for that.”
To put a bow on the 95 Triple X winning formula, Dankwa says, “Triple X’s formula is building community relationships and maintaining them. It isn’t always easy. Sometimes it can be stressful. Sometimes it can be hard because you get so burnt out.”
The goal is to make the station feel like a meeting of friends at a local pub.
“You go to your local pub, you see your favorite bartender, and you talk to them, and that’s why these places stay in business. Your pub goes — your bartender goes to another pub — then you may go there. And that’s what we try to do.”
Just as that bartender has regulars, Dankwa wants his staff to build personal followings.
“I want to make sure that everyone on the brand has a brand inside of the brand,” he says.
Dankwa sums it up: “If we’re not showing up for the people who listen to us, then what are we even doing?”
For 95 Triple X, that means more than playing hits — it’s about being present, being human, and giving Burlington a station that feels like it belongs to them.
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.
Regardless of political affiliation, the lines between real news and misinformation have grown beyond blurred and are now almost indetectable. The plethora of online platforms has created a reality in which anyone can distribute “legitimate” content.
Of course, this makes it more challenging to distinguish truth from fabrication or political spin. That leaves every reasonable person with a need to parse genuine from fake more than ever. This begs the question, “How are we supposed to navigate this complex environment?”
Fake news isn’t a new phenomenon, but the speed and scale at which it is able to spread has become mindboggling. Social media, blogs, and even some mainstream platforms can circulate stories that are invented or distorted, with no organization more guilty than the next.
The politicized news may be “technically” factual, but is presented with a bias designed to promote an agenda, which muddles the view. By now, we have all seen how these forms of misinformation can shape or solidify opinions, attempt to sway elections, and erode public trust.
I believe it’s problematic to be able to discern anyone’s affiliations based on their work or the stories they deliver. If you’re old enough to remember Walter Cronkite, Johnny Carson, or any of the classic Hollywood actors, we never knew their subjective opinions.
In fact, Cronkite was a moderate liberal but was viewed as a neutral and trusted journalist for 31 years. Carson’s views are hard to categorize. He held beliefs that, by today’s standards, would suggest he was right in the middle, but again, he never mentioned or discussed them on The Tonight Show during his 30 years as host.
Several factors contribute to our vulnerability to all the fake and politicized news:
Information Overload: The sheer volume of information that makes it to our eyes and ears makes it difficult to determine what is credible and what is not.
Confirmation Bias: We are all prone to lean toward whatever confirms our existing belief structure.
Emotional Manipulation: We are all much more likely to share the hyper-emotionally charged stories that grab our attention, regardless of their truth. Let’s face it – sometimes we even share stories knowing that they are probably not true.
Visual Deception: Enter professional-looking websites, AI or personally generated or doctored images that make false stories appear credible. This can be the most difficult to parse as real or fake.
Given all these challenges, what steps can we take to distinguish between real and fake? Here are some potential strategies I recommend:
Evaluate the Source:
Before accepting anything as “truth,” check the credibility of its source. Established news organizations do have reputations to protect and usually (not always) adhere to journalistic standards, such as fact-checking and editorial oversight.
We should all be leery of unfamiliar sites and those we have heard are infamous for spreading misinformation. An “About Us” page may allow you to check the publisher’s track record and consider the nature of what is written on that page. Try to determine their overall goal. Barrett Media, for example, does an excellent job with its content and works hard at being a trusted resource.
Check for Supporting Evidence:
Real news should always be supported by verifiable facts, data, and quotes from credible sources. Does what you are reading or listening to make bold claims without providing evidence? Or does it only cite anonymous sources? If so, you may be a victim of manipulation. Check other sources for validation from other reputable outlets. If it’s a significant story, you should see others reporting it, as well.
Is it News or Opinion?
Too many modern-day “journalists” blur the line purposely in an attempt to deceive and manipulate. True news presents facts impartially, while opinion pieces are designed to persuade or interpret.
The problem with mainstream media is that it often presents more opinion shows than newscasts. All networks and cable outlets are equally guilty of this. They play toward their respective audiences with that goal in mind. The best we can do is use caution when reading, listening, or viewing commentary.
Check Headlines Carefully:
The term “clickbait” was coined by Jay Geiger in a blog post back in 2006. According to Google, it combines “click,” referring to a mouse click, and “bait,” suggesting an enticing lure for online users. The term gained wider recognition and eventually entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2016.
These types of headlines and sensational images are true hallmarks of fake or politicized news. They tend to exaggerate and misrepresent the article’s content. Images are often taken out of context or digitally altered. Always read beyond the headline and reverse-search images if something seems questionable. Google makes it very easy to do that.
Analyze the Tone:
Fake news is very often emotionally charged, inflammatory, or uses absolute language.
Legitimate journalism should employ measured and precise wording, avoiding overly dramatic phrasing. If it feels like it is trying to provoke anger or fear, proceed with caution. Even politicians themselves, on both sides of the aisle, have become very proficient at this.
Be Aware of Your Own Bias:
Self-awareness is key. Recognize that we all have biases. I try to do this purposefully to challenge my own points of view and find information from a diverse range of resources. This can be a huge challenge for many from all sides of the spectrum. I am also a fan of fact-checking.
There are several reputable organizations, including Snopes, FactCheck.org, and Reuters Fact Check. Sometimes, the more viral a story has become, the greater the risk of it being false.
The ability for us to parse content is becoming a skill. Sadly, schools, workplaces, and communities don’t always play the important roles they should in fostering independent critical thinking.
By prioritizing education in evaluating sources, understanding context, and recognizing manipulation, hopefully, we can spend time and resources on a more truthful reality and future for all.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Stay updated by signing up for our newsletters to receive the latest information directly in your inbox.
Sports programming offers a veritable buffet of options for viewers, but if you are looking for something different on the menu, you might want to try Vibe Check which airs on Disney+ every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Vibe Check debuted in late June as a vehicle to spotlight ESPN’s growing roster of impressive female talent. The core group of hosts includes Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Monica McNutt, Chiney Ogwumike, and Hannah Storm, but also features a rotating panel of participants.
I caught the July 14 edition which aired on ESPN2. The first thing that struck me about this episode of Vibe Check was the trio of panelists and the concept of fish out of water. We seldom see Kelsey Riggs-Cuff, Jen Lada, and Molly McGrath in a conversational studio setting. Riggs-Cuff is most known for her work as an ESPN SportsCenter anchor. Lada is a two-time Emmy winning reporter and is now a key part of ESPN’s venerable and powerful College GameDay show. McGrath is an ESPN/ABC sideline reporter extraordinaire. Seeing these three seated in studio, talking openly and anecdotally was refreshing. It’s good to see such talents try something new.
I liked the way the show opened without a traditional hello and welcome. It was essentially a cold open with the trio just casually talking mid-sentence. The various backgrounds of these three women bring weight to the Vibe Check discourse.
Setting the Scene and the Vibe
Before she became a mainstay on SportsCenter, Riggs joined ESPN for the launch of ACC Network in 2019 and hosted various studio shows. In 2023, she was named the host of ACC Huddle. She has also anchored pregame, halftime, and postgame studio programming, as well as ESPN’s weekday College Football Live.
Lada files stories for ESPN’s SC Featured, Outside the Lines, and E60. She has also guest hosted on a variety of ESPN Radio and television shows including Baseball Tonight, First Take, and SportsCenter.
McGrath previously hosted College Football Live and College Basketball Live. She has reported on ABC’s XFL telecasts and on ABC/ESPN’s Thursday night college football and men’s college basketball broadcasts.
The shared experiences of these three hosts are combined with their collective sports acumen. This was in full evidence as they ripped through several items on Vibe Check. McGrath opened with a riff on the streaking Boston Red Sox, citing a May 2025 comment from Boston manager Alex Cora when the team was struggling. At the time, Cora said that his team was capable of winning 10 straight games. Lada mentioned that she worked with Alex Cora at ESPN a decade ago and brought up the hot topic of whether the Red Sox will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.
Vibe Check offers a wide range of topics and, thankfully, eschews the overdone fare of Lakers and Cowboys, two mediocre teams completely unworthy of the time normally given to them on ESPN chat shows. Instead, Lada brought up Milwaukee Brewers rookie pitcher Jason Misiorowski, who was added to the All-Star roster for the National League. Misiorowski is 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA in only five starts for Milwaukee. A debate ensued as to whether a pitcher with just five starts deserves All-Star recognition. McGrath, playing the antagonist role, said that she understands those teams and players who are upset with Misiorowski’s inclusion.
Showcasing a New Experience With Sports Discussions
Vibe Check provides a different attitude, angle, and aspect to sports talk. Riggs-Cuff, Lada, and McGrath blend extremely well together and regularly break free from sports to just some natural chit-chat as if they were hanging out at an outdoor bar having a couple of drinks. From the studio, Riggs-Cuff threw to a package featuring ESPN’s Elle Duncan, who participated in the Celebrity Softball Game as part of MLB’s All-Star festivities. Duncan provided an inside look at the fun and excitement of the extravaganza.
Coming back from the break, a chat graphic showed some fun texting between the three hosts mentioning that it is just 40 days until the college football season starts. Playing off the college football road trips that all three will be taking soon, Riggs-Cuff asked if the group preferred to carry on or check bags when flying. McGrath said she can’t remember the last time she checked a bag and jokingly said that she questions people who check bags because they risk losing them. These three are extremely comfortable with each other. They have shared experiences in television and are equally versatile in career and conversation. All three talked about the evils, perils, and foils of checking a bag at the airport. Viewers can identify with this, which is so important in this type of program.
The Vibe Check conversation next moved to the subject of SEC football and picks to win the conference in 2025. McGrath went with Texas, citing Steve Sarkisian’s coaching prowess. It was also noted that the Longhorns will face Ohio State in an early season, National Championship tester. Lada warned viewers not to sleep on Alabama, and McGrath opined that LSU’s Brian Kelly is the head coach under the most pressure to win this season. This was a really solid and well-rounded college football discussion.
Embrace Conversation, Not Debate
While there is no specific host on Vibe Check, it is Riggs-Cuff who moves the conversation from one topic to another in a very subtle and calm manner. There is a free-flowing movement to the show that is really enticing. Another subtle aspect of Vibe Check is that throughout the discussion, none of the participants look into the camera. They are not trying to pontificate. Instead, they choose to communicate. The show is a real conversation. Lights and cameras just happen to be there. I like that style. While there is certainly disagreement among the participants, Vibe Check doesn’t denigrate into screaming or yelling, which is another refreshing aspect. The trio talked a little Big Ten football, touching on Penn State, Ohio State, and Oregon with some great insight. As for the ACC, Clemson seemed to be the pick.
When I look at a program, I don’t just focus on what is being said, but the backdrop in which it is being said. The Vibe Check set is very colorful and welcoming to the eye. The casual styles reflected in Riggs-Cuff, Lada, and McGrath also create an atmosphere of comfort and cool. There is a really nice sense of rhythm, feeling, and timing to the program. Speaking of timing, Vibe Check even has a segment called “Give Me a Minute,” where each participant has an opportunity to make a case or talk about a subject for 60 seconds. This segment underlies the relaxed swiftness that defines the show. Topics ranged from salary regulation in college football to ceremonial first pitches to family trips to Disney World. Vibe Check is an appropriate name for this refreshing and entertaining program. If you’re looking for a real sports vibe, it’s a show you should check out for sure.
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.
Ross Brittain’s radio career spans five decades and a remarkable evolution of the industry itself. Starting in college radio at Georgia Tech in the early 1970s, Ross quickly made a name for himself with his sharp wit and humor, landing his first professional job at WIIN in Atlanta.
He later became a key figure in launching one of the most iconic morning shows in American radio history — the Z100 Morning Zoo in New York City — helping redefine morning radio.
Brittain shared with me thoughts on The Morning Zoo, his legendary career and a look at radio’s future.
From College Radio to WIIN Atlanta
For Brittain, the first big break came about because of his wit and spontaneity.
“I was working at the college radio station at Georgia Tech, and because my news inserts and other talk items were so funny, the guys at WIIN Atlanta gave me a job. That was 1973… several years ago, LOL.”
Creating Z100’s Morning Zoo
Following a move to New York City, a collaboration with Scott Shannon transformed the face of morning radio.
“I was let go from WABC-AM in New York because Brian Wilson wanted to do his own show. So, I called up Scott Shannon, who was starting up a new station called Z-100 and said, ‘I could do afternoons!’ He said ‘No, because I don’t think you’re an afternoon jock. But why don’t you come over and help me do the morning show?”
Inside the Morning Zoo Hustle
The Morning Zoo at Z100 combined talent, creativity, and hustle. Each member of the show brought something from their own unique skill set.
“#1 in 64 days? We did a lot of work. Dave Kolin and I did a ton of work after the show, recording bits for the following day. We did a bunch of show prep, writing bits, and probably around five pages of show prep.”
“I also did sound effects, manned the reel-to-reels, and fed bits to the other members of the show. I was like the producer, and Scott was the director, and the PD, who basically had to run the station. J.R. Nelson, our other co-host, doubled as the production director, too.”
“And there were call-ins from John Rio, who did ‘Mr. Leonard,’ the PSA Director, John Bell, and Claire Stevens, who did the news. Everybody had their ‘character’ and specific attributes so that listeners could relate to each of us differently. And the branding was new and badass. No NYC radio station had ever called itself a ‘Flamethrower’ before.”
How Radio Has Changed Since the 1980s
Brittain has observed changes in the industry from the early days of Z100.
“It feels like we had more freedom to have fun and be authentic. Radio stations don’t have the funds to hire a group of people to do a big morning show. Because advertising on that show–or just the regular station—isn’t bringing in the money it would take.”
“And many of the stations that get several people also use them to sell the station or do remotes, etc. Consultants used to understand talent and supported us doing what we did best. More so than in recent years, when it has become a metrics game. The internet also took time away from on-air prep to feeding the content beast.”
What makes for great on-air chemistry?
“Knowing what to bring in a bit or feeding the air talent a great set-up line you know they’ll go off on. Bringing a bit to the table. And while you absolutely have to be thinking ahead and watching the clock and show elements –you HAVE to LISTEN to each other as well.”
Life Behind the Mic: The Reality of Morning Shows
I asked Brittain to tell me something that people don’t know about the life of a radio host. How the early mornings and relentless preparation contrast sharply with the seamless final product on air.
“It’s never great getting up at 4 am to go in and prep a bit for the show before going on. It also means an afternoon nap or going to bed very early, and missing events you’ll probably need to talk about the next day.”
“With any luck, you’ll be able to delegate some of the prep or stream monitoring to other members of the show. Or pick up a prep service to do it for you. And staying on top of social media is a whole other animal.”
What is the one song you loved playing and the one that you never want to hear again?
“The Stones’ ‘19th Nervous Breakdown.’ I played it 19 times in a row during afternoon drive one day and got some great calls. But never again. ‘The Night Chicago Died’ is just a bastard of a song. But I’m from Chicago.”
Photo Facebook
Podcasts, Streaming, and What’s Next for Radio
Does the rise of podcasts and streaming platforms help or hurt traditional radio?
“Please. Podcasts are radio shows, just not on the radio. Better for talk than music, because legal issues don’t let you include entire songs. So, if you can package one of your running bits and upload it daily into a podcast, then advertise it on the show, you may get additional dollars from a sponsor. That way, it doesn’t hurt your audience, and you pick up more ad dollars. But it seems that broadcast radio increasingly supports the stream, not the other way around.”
Ross Brittain’s Most Memorable Guests and Moments
Does Brittain have a favorite show guest?
“Billy Joel. My first guest and I still have an autographed copy of his first album.”
Brittain has navigated some major shifts in the radio industry. From consolidation to syndication and now digital. What has been the most significant change you’ve seen in the industry?
“Two things – consolidation and the internet. Consolidation and the cost-cutting that wiped out local sound. Simulcasting one show to multiple markets took away a major reason to listen: the local angle.”
“Decimating news departments left the air sounding even more sterile. No wonder local advertising started to look elsewhere… like the internet. So, broadcast radio went there, too, and we’re now a streaming product that you can listen to over the air.”
Image 107.1 The Boss Website
You can hear Ross Brittain from 10 am to 3 pm Saturdays on 107.1 The Boss, Monmouth Ocean, New Jersey.
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.
Audacy has announced the lineup for the 2025 edition of its flagship Country music event, “Stars and Strings.” The annual concert will take place on November 6 at Hard Rock Live, located at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, marking its fourth consecutive year at the venue.
The event features performances from top names, including Dierks Bentley, Dasha, and Nate Smith. Plus, Audacy Launch Artists Zach Top and Hudson Westbrook, among others. Hosted by KISS Country 99.9, “Stars and Strings” continues to blend entertainment with a charitable mission.
The event supports Folds of Honor. A nonprofit dedicated to providing scholarships for spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military members and first responders.
“We’re fired up to bring another incredible ‘Stars and Strings’ show to our fans. All while supporting the vital work of Folds of Honor,” said Tim Roberts, Audacy’s Country Format Vice President.
“This event showcases the power of Country music to connect, uplift, and give back to those who serve our nation. We’re looking forward to another memorable night this November.”
Since 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded more than 73,000 educational scholarships to families of fallen or disabled U.S. service members and first responders. The organization directs 91 percent of every dollar raised directly to scholarships, ensuring the educational dreams of military families continue to be realized.
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.
