Brandon Tierney closed a significant chapter in his broadcasting career last Friday. He signed off from WFAN and immediately turned his focus to a new digital venture, the Unkillable to Unleashed Podcast. Reflecting on his final day at the station, Tierney expressed deep appreciation for the support he received from fans and colleagues.
“I would really, truly like to thank you guys. I felt the love, and it’s been absolutely awesome,” Tierney said during his debut episode of the YouTube show. “You know, I’ve talked about social media and how much I hate it, at least aspects of it. I’ve got to tell you, it was really awesome.”
Despite leaving a prominent role in traditional radio, Tierney was clear that his new program would not dwell on his departure from WFAN.
“Some of you are waiting to hear me bash WFAN. It’s not going to happen. That’s not what I’m about. I love WFAN. I’ve got a lot of love for WFAN. Do I think WFAN made a mistake? Yeah, I absolutely do. I have no problem saying that, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t own WFAN, and I don’t get to make those decisions,” he said.
Tierney described his new YouTube show as a personal and professional mission.
“I am on more of a mission now to build this thing out with you, and to really do it in a way that, quite frankly, I really didn’t know I would ever do. I was always curious about doing a YouTube show,” he said, emphasizing his enthusiasm for the creative freedom digital platforms offer.
BT acknowledged that taking the leap into hosting on YouTube may have initially terrified him. He said that if someone had told him previously that he’d be in his early 50’s with no definable income coming in he’d likely have been scared shitless. But as he approaches the space today, he’s not. In fact, he’s energized.
Reflecting on his final on-air moments at WFAN, Tierney acknowledged the challenges and emotions that accompanied the conclusion of his tenure.
“It was hard to get certain things out, but I am very proud of the way I finished my run at WFAN. The easy thing would have been to tap out,” he said. “That’s not the way that I’m wired. That’s not the way that I’m built. I’m built to finish the race.”
Tierney’s attachment to the WFAN studios was evident in his description of the final moments before leaving.
“I was almost in a trance and didn’t really want to leave the building at that moment. I wanted to soak it in because I’ll still do some shows on WFAN. I’ve got a great relationship with them. I knew that that part of my life, that chapter was shut, that was it. The book was closed,” explained Tierney. “I remember taking a bit of a lap around the floor, just wandering around aimlessly. Basically, I’m like, All right, check, you did it. Let’s go.”
Tierney plans for the new YouTube program to be a daily fixture airing live around 10am ET. As for any fill in roles for Tierney at WFAN, neither WFAN nor Tierney have yet to announce any dates.
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iHeartMedia Conservative Talk 1130 WISN Milwaukee will debut a refreshed weekday lineup beginning Friday, January 2, with notable shifts in its morning and late-morning programming.
Benjamin Yount, currently the 9-11 a.m. host, will move into the coveted morning drive slot from 6-9 a.m., succeeding Jay Weber. Yount first joined WISN in 2020 from WRPW in Bloomington, Illinois, serving as News Director and primary fill-in host before taking over the late morning show earlier this year.
“WISN has always been about serving Wisconsin with smart, honest conversation, and I’m honored to take on morning drive,” Yount said. “Our listeners count on us to start their day informed and engaged, and I’m excited to continue that in a new time slot while keeping the same commitment to strong local coverage.”
Stepping into the 9-11 a.m. slot is Jason Goch, who will also anchor news segments during Yount’s morning show. Goch brings a diverse background in talk and sports radio, including stints at SB Nation Radio, Illinois Radio Network, and Chicago’s 87.7 The Game. He has previously served as a fill-in host at WISN.
“WISN is one of the most respected talk stations in the country, and I’m thrilled to join the lineup,” Goch said. “Midday is a great opportunity to connect with listeners on the issues that matter most, and I’m excited to contribute both on the air and in supporting WISN’s live, local mornings.”
Program Director Jerry Bott described the lineup changes as a strategic move to reinforce WISN’s local programming presence.
“This lineup builds on WISN’s momentum and reflects our focus on serving listeners with strong, credible voices throughout the day,” Bott said. “Benjamin has earned the trust of our audience and brings proven ratings success to morning drive, while Jason is a terrific addition whose experience and versatility strengthen our local programming bench.”
The shift signals iHeartMedia’s continued investment in local talent as part of a broader effort to maintain WISN’s position as a leading conservative talk station in the Milwaukee market. By promoting from within, the station aims to sustain audience engagement during peak listening hours while keeping coverage rooted in regional and national issues that resonate with its Wisconsin audience.
WISN 2026 Weekday Lineup:
6 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Benjamin Yount
9 a.m. – 11 a.m. | Jason Goch
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
2 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Vicki McKenna
3 p.m. – 6 p.m. | Dan O’Donnell
The new lineup follows the previously announced transition of longtime morning host Jay Weber, who will conclude his daily morning show at the end of December and launch a new twice-weekly iHeartPodcast in 2026, while remaining a contributor to WISN and iHeartMedia.
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CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss is facing criticism after she decided to pull a planned 60 Minutes segment examining the Trump administration’s deportation of Venezuelan migrants to a harsh prison in El Salvador. The decision, made just days before the segment was set to air, has sparked questions over the network’s editorial independence and the role of political influence in its reporting.
The correspondent behind the story, Sharyn Alfonsi, sent a memo to colleagues Sunday evening, calling the decision “political” and a case of corporate interference. According to the memo, the segment had been screened five times and cleared by standards and practices as well as network attorneys. Alfonsi argued that the piece was factually sound and that pulling it at the last minute represented a “kill switch” for reporting the administration might find inconvenient.
In a Monday call with staff, Weiss defended her decision, saying the story was “not ready.”
“I want to say something about trust: our trust for each other and our trust with the public,” Weiss said on the call. “The only newsroom I’m interested in running is one where we can have contentious disagreements about the thorniest editorial matters with respect. Crucially, it must be a place where we assume the best intent of our colleagues. Anything else is absolutely unacceptable.”
Weiss continued to defend her position via the call saying, “I held a 60 Minutes story because it was not ready. While the story presented powerful testimony of torture at CECOT, it did not advance the ball—the Times and other outlets have previously done similar work. The public knows that Venezuelans have been subjected to horrific treatment at this prison. To run a story on this subject two months later, we need to do more. And this is 60 Minutes. We need to be able to get the principals on the record and on camera. Our viewers come first. Not the listing schedule or anything else. That’s my north star and I hope it’s yours, too.”
Alfonsi, however, suggested that the segment’s shelving was connected to the administration’s refusal to participate. She argued that waiting for government officials to cooperate would allow the administration to effectively veto reporting it opposed.
The decision to delay the segment has already drawn political scrutiny. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) called for an explanation on X, saying, “This CBS thing does merit an explanation right away. It’s a pretty big deal to pull a story at the request of the White House. And if that’s not what happened everyone should know that too.”
The segment had been scheduled to explore the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants earlier this year. Many were sent to CECOT, one of El Salvador’s harshest prisons. The segment was to feature interviews with deportees describing brutal conditions. In its place, 60 Minutes aired a feature from Nottingham, England. There, correspondent Jon Wertheim spoke with a family of classical musicians.
CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, have faced ongoing tension with former President Trump. He previously sued 60 Minutes over an interview with Kamala Harris, eventually settling for $16 million. Trump has continued to criticize the program and Paramount’s new ownership on social media. This comes as the company pursues a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.
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Main Street Sports Group, the company which owns FanDuel Sports Network, has missed a December rights payment to the St. Louis Cardinals as it works to finalize a potential sale to DAZN, sources told The Sports Business Journal. If the deal does not close by January, Main Street could dissolve its business following the 2025-26 NBA and NHL regular seasons, potentially upending local sports broadcasts.
The scenario would return broadcast rights for 30 professional teams across the NBA, NHL and MLB to the individual franchises, a move that could accelerate national streaming regional sports networks for both basketball and baseball.
Despite the missed payment, Main Street remains in active talks with all 30 teams, including the Cardinals, who have not terminated their rights agreement. A Main Street spokesperson said Saturday to SBJ, “Main Street Sports Group is in discussions with certain team partners around the timing of their rights payments as we progress discussions with strategic partners to further enhance our long-term capital position.”
Sources familiar with the situation said if the DAZN deal collapses, Main Street plans to wind down operations while minimizing disruptions to local game broadcasts, including making final rights fee payments. The company does not intend to file for bankruptcy again, after emerging from Chapter 11 just a year ago.
NBA franchises account for nearly half of Main Street’s sports portfolio, with 13 teams affected, including the Hawks, Hornets, Cavaliers, Pistons, Pacers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Bucks, Timberwolves, Thunder, Magic and Spurs. Executives from those teams participated in a leaguewide call last week with attorneys from Proskauer, the NBA’s lead law firm.
Sources said NBA executives were alerted that the Cardinals had not received their December payment and were warned that future payments, totaling roughly $180 million this season, could be at risk. “For now, no big change, but refine your contingency plans,” one source said.
If Main Street fails to make payments, the NBA has told teams the league would step in. The NextGen platform would provide local streams, likely via League Pass and the NBA app, while teams would need to negotiate short-term over-the-air or direct-to-distributor deals.
The situation is intensifying interest in a national streaming RSN that could combine Main Street teams with others whose games are currently over-the-air, potentially offering a single package to platforms like Amazon, YouTube, Apple or ESPN.
MLB faces a slightly different timeline, with the season starting in March. Teams including the Cardinals, Brewers, Reds, Royals, Tigers, Angels, Marlins and Rays will need to decide whether to have their games produced by MLB or explore independent distribution.
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Paramount on Monday amended its hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, adding an “irrevocable personal guarantee” from Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison to support the $108 billion offer.
The move comes after WBD last week raised concerns about Paramount’s proposal, noting that it had already accepted an $82.7 billion offer from Netflix. Paramount’s revised bid maintains the original $30-per-share valuation.
Ellison, one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, has long backed Skydance, the production company run by his son, David Ellison. While Larry Ellison is involved in the proposed WBD acquisition, the WBD board questioned the transaction’s structure. They cited potential unpredictability due to the Ellison family trust.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Paramount said, “Larry Ellison has agreed to provide an irrevocable personal guarantee of $40.4 billion of the equity financing for the offer and any damages claims against Paramount.”
The company also announced an increase in its breakup fee to $5.8 billion, matching Netflix’s terms. Additionally, Paramount said Ellison would not revoke the family trust. He also would not transfer its assets in a way that could affect the deal.
The Ellison family trust holds approximately 1.16 billion shares of Oracle stock. Paramount noted that all material liabilities tied to the family have been publicly disclosed.
Paramount criticized the handling of the WBD merger process. It asserted that none of the board’s concerns, nor the demand for a personal guarantee, were raised during the 12 weeks before WBD agreed to Netflix’s “inferior transaction,” according to the filing.
The competition for WBD could reshape Hollywood’s entertainment landscape. Paramount’s offer encompasses all of WBD, including legacy cable networks. Netflix’s bid targets only the studio-and-streaming division, which includes Warner Bros. and HBO. WBD had planned to split into two companies in 2026. Netflix intends to respect that strategy before assuming control of the studio-and-streaming assets.
Paramount also extended the deadline for shareholders to respond, moving it from January 8 to January 21.
“Paramount has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to acquiring WBD,” said Paramount CEO David Ellison. “Our $30 per share, fully financed all-cash offer was on December 4, and continues to be, the superior option to maximize value for WBD shareholders. Because of our commitment to investment and growth, our acquisition will be superior for all WBD stakeholders, as a catalyst for greater content production, greater theatrical output, and more consumer choice. We expect the board of directors of WBD to take the necessary steps to secure this value-enhancing transaction and preserve and strengthen an iconic Hollywood treasure for the future.”
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Nielsen’s November 2025 Media Distributor Gauge revealed a television landscape shaped by live sports, strategic streaming releases, and the Thanksgiving holiday, with Paramount and Netflix posting notable gains.
Paramount led the month’s growth, recording a 14% increase in overall viewing and securing its largest share of TV since April. The media company captured 8.9% of total watch-time, climbing to No. 3 in the Media Distributor rankings. Its 0.7-point gain was the largest among all distributors, driven equally by broadcast and streaming properties. CBS affiliates and Paramount+ each rose more than 18%, contributing 0.5 and 0.2 share points, respectively, to Paramount’s total.
Netflix also delivered a strong performance in November, posting a 10% gain and adding 0.3 share points to reach 8.3% of TV viewing. The streamer benefited from the return of its flagship series Stranger Things, which alone accounted for nearly 12 billion viewing minutes. Additional original content, including The Beast in Me and Guillermo del Toro’s reimagined Frankenstein film, contributed nearly 7 billion viewing minutes collectively, highlighting the impact of a deep and diverse content slate.
Hallmark recorded the month’s largest percentage increase via Nielsen, rising 28% in total viewing. Its holiday programming and original series Mistletoe Murders drove 0.2 additional share points, giving Hallmark 1.2% of total TV watch-time.
Despite these shifts, YouTube and Disney retained the top two spots, with 12.9% and 10.5% of total TV, respectively. YouTube’s share remained flat month-over-month, while Disney dropped 0.9 share points. The decline was linked to decreased viewership on ABC affiliates and ESPN due to a carriage dispute with YouTube TV.
NBCUniversal (NBCU) posted a 7% increase in overall viewing, achieving its highest total since October 2024 with 8.8% of TV share. Streaming on Peacock surged 22%, driven by NFL Sunday Night Football, Thanksgiving programming, and the original drama All Her Fault. Peacock reached a non-Olympic monthly record with 1.9% share of television.
FOX experienced uneven swings across its broadcast and cable networks. Broadcast affiliates rose 22%, led by the Thanksgiving Day NFL matchup between Green Bay and Detroit and World Series Games 4–7, with the final game ranking as the sixth most-watched telecast of November. However, cable networks were down, with Fox News Channel falling 9% and FS1 impacted by the absence of the MLB Postseason. Overall, FOX finished with a modest 2.4% gain but ceded 0.3 share points due to broader increases in total TV usage, finishing with 8.1% share.
The November 2025 reporting interval spanned five weeks, from October 27 through November 30, following Nielsen’s broadcast calendar with weekly intervals beginning on Monday.
The Media Distributor Gauge November 2025 (Courtesy Nielsen)
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Cumulus Media has promoted Debra Killick to Vice President and Market Manager for its Melbourne, Florida operations, effective January 1, 2026. She rises from her role as General Sales Manager, a position she has held for more than five years. In that role, she oversaw sales strategy for the cluster’s three radio stations and associated digital brands.
Killick’s promotion places her in charge of one of Cumulus’ key Florida markets. Her role will oversee all programming, sales, and operational functions. The move reflects the company’s continued emphasis on experienced local leadership as it navigates an increasingly digital and client-driven media landscape.
Before joining Cumulus Media, Killick built extensive experience in broadcast and digital sales across several major media companies and markets. Most recently, she served as a Digital Sales Account Manager for the Gannett/USA TODAY Network in Melbourne. Her prior experience includes roles as Local Sales Manager for Sinclair Broadcast Group in Washington, D.C., Vice President of National Sales for Univision in New York, and Local Sales Manager for CBS 4 Television in Boston.
Across more than two decades in media and digital sales, Killick has worked with both local and national advertisers. She’s developed revenue strategies that span traditional broadcasting and emerging platforms. Cumulus executives point to that breadth of experience as a key factor in her selection for the market manager role.
Bob Walker, President of Operations for Cumulus Media, said Killick has consistently shown an ability to adapt to changing local media dynamics. He added that Killick has delivered measurable results for advertisers.
“We are excited to promote Debra to this new role to lead our team in Melbourne,” Walker said. “She is a proven sales leader who has delivered results for her clients and embraced the changing landscape in local media. She has a very client-focused approach to growing our business by helping clients grow theirs.”
Killick said she is eager to take on the expanded leadership responsibilities. She looks forward to continuing to build on the momentum within the Melbourne cluster.
“I’m excited to take on the role of VP/Market Manager at Cumulus Melbourne and collaborate with this highly talented team,” she said. “I look forward to building on the momentum of our much-loved brands and making 2026 our strongest year yet.”
Cumulus Media owns and operates three radio stations in the Melbourne market. They include 107.1 A1A/WAOA-FM, a contemporary hit radio outlet. Another is 102.7 The HitKicker/WHKR-FM, which features a country format. The group also includes 95.9 The Rocket/WROK-FM, a classic rock station.
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Nicole Alvarez is returning to Los Angeles radio, this time on a different dial. After exiting middays at Audacy’s 106.7 KROQ earlier this year following a 22-year run, Alvarez is joining iHeartMedia’s Alt 98.7 as a fill-in host.
Her first appearance on the station is scheduled for today, when she will handle middays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. while Christin Limon is out.
The move brings Alvarez back to the Los Angeles airwaves just months after her departure from KROQ, where she spent more than two decades building one of the market’s most recognizable alternative radio careers. Alvarez joined the legendary station in 2003 and steadily climbed the ranks, working overnights and nights before settling into the midday role she held until August.
During her tenure, Alvarez also tracked programming for additional Audacy alternative stations nationwide. A Miami native, she began her radio career with brief stints at WPLA in Jacksonville and WZTA in Miami before eventually making her mark in Southern California.
Alvarez confirmed the news in a lengthy and emotional Instagram post, reflecting on her departure from KROQ and her next chapter in radio. She described her time away from the air as challenging but necessary, calling it a period that allowed her to reconnect with her passion for music, creativity, and the bond she shares with listeners.
“Losing the ability to speak to you every day taught me just how much that connection means,” Alvarez wrote. “I’m returning in a different way. I had to let go of everything to fully understand what I had.”
While she emphasized that KROQ will always remain a defining chapter of her life, Alvarez made it clear she is energized by the opportunity at Alt 98.7. She referred to the station as her “new home” and said she is grateful for the chance to contribute, learn, and earn the trust of her new colleagues.
“For the first time in a long time, I’m just going to go for it,” she wrote. “This time there is no fight, only my love of the game.”
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A planned 60 Minutes investigative report examining alleged abuses at a high-security El Salvador detention center was pulled less than 48 hours before airtime, igniting internal backlash at CBS News and placing renewed scrutiny on the network’s editorial independence under new leadership.
The segment, which had been scheduled to air Sunday night, focused on conditions at CECOT, a controversial Salvadoran prison where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants in March. According to multiple reports, CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss halted the piece because it lacked an on-the-record response from a Trump administration official.
The decision was made roughly a day and a half before broadcast, an unusually late intervention for the long-running newsmagazine.
The move drew sharp criticism from within 60 Minutes. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who reported the story, sent an email to colleagues Sunday night condemning the call. She wrote that the decision was “not an editorial decision, it is a political one,” arguing that repeated outreach had already been made to the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.
“Government silence is a statement, not a veto,” Alfonsi wrote, warning that allowing officials to block stories by declining comment would amount to a “kill switch” on investigative journalism.
CBS declined to comment beyond noting that the revised programming announcement said the report would air at a later date. A promotional release distributed Friday morning had teased the segment as an inside look at “one of El Salvador’s harshest prisons,” citing accounts of “brutal and tortuous conditions” described by recently released detainees.
That language was later revised, and on-air and social media promos were removed.
The controversy comes amid broader turmoil at CBS News. Earlier this year, the network’s news chief and the top executive at 60 Minutes resigned. The departures came as CBS explored settlement talks tied to a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump. The suit concerned the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with then-Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Paramount ultimately paid Trump $16 million to settle the case. The move helped smooth federal approval for the company’s sale to Skydance Media. The company is led by David Ellison.
Weiss joined CBS News in October after Skydance acquired her digital publication, The Free Press. Her arrival has drawn attention due to her criticism of mainstream media bias. It also reflects Skydance’s commitments to regulators to broaden ideological perspectives at the network.
BREAKING
Sharyn Alfonsi, a correspondent for 60 Minutes, sent an internal email to colleagues stating that CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss “spiked our story” about the Trump administration and the transfer of deportees to a prison in El Salvador.
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Saying goodbye on-air to a radio audience and a job you love is hard. It’s emotional and signals the end of a chapter in your career. As challenging as it may be, others pay attention to how you conduct yourself signing off. Especially executives. They won’t call, text or email you, but thanks to the wonders of social media, most see and remember your final act.
I listened Friday to part of Brandon Tierney’s final show on WFAN. He showed exactly how it should be done. The conversations with Alex Rodriguez and Rick Pitino were awesome but hearing his father call-in as his final caller was special. Hearing BT’s voice shake as he talked about how much WFAN and the audience meant allowed listeners to feel what he was going through. Many listening became fans for life. It was real, honest, emotional and left listeners wondering ‘how could this guy not be part of WFAN moving forward’.
Many of those listeners will continue to love WFAN but they’ll also follow BT anywhere he goes. He’s launching a new show today on YouTube. Without even saying one word on the channel, he’s already had nearly 4K subscribe.
The week prior, I listened to Sal Licata say goodbye to WFAN too. Similar to BT, he was appreciative, reflective, open, and honest. As he spoke his final words on the WFAN midday show, you felt sadness because you didn’t want him to go. The final goodbyes between BT and Sal were genuine and showed why their partnership worked.
Both Brandon and Sal conducted themselves as true professionals amid a difficult and highly publicized situation. If either had expressed frustration and sounded off it’d have been understandable. But they didn’t. They understood the bigger picture. I’m certain their phones will ring and their DMs and inboxes will be full. Talent and successful track records coupled with the ability to rise above difficult circumstances leads to others wanting to do future business with you.
Then on Friday I listened to Doug Gottlieb’s last show on Fox Sports Radio. Once again, well executed and handled with class. Anyone who enjoyed Doug’s show and style left that broadcast feeling like they were saying goodbye to a friend. They were happy for his success coaching basketball and understood why he was stepping away from full-time radio hosting.
Doug made the final show about trips down memory lane and his journey from ESPN Radio to CBS Sports Radio to FSR. He explained why radio meant so much to him and how Jim Rome’s show influenced his desire to do it. Hearing Chuck Wilson, Adam Klug, and Louise Cornetta call in was cool. It felt like a thank you to all who listened and helped him create 23 amazing years in radio. His stories of sacrifice, family, and why he believed in saying yes, showcased why Gottlieb became a respected and trusted voice on national sports radio.
BT and Gottlieb have both spent over two decades entertaining sports radio audiences. They’re pros who will do much more in the media world moving forward. Sal will too. BT and Doug exited Friday, the same day as many at Infinity Sports Network. Ironically, Brandon and Doug were once teammates at CBS Sports Radio, which later became Infinity. They helped launch the network in 2012. Tierney co-hosted mornings with Tiki Barber and Dana Jacobsen while Gottlieb handled afternoons.
But not everyone at their former network signed off in similar fashion.
Bart Winkler’s sign off last week was good for us at Barrett Media because it made for a solid sports media story. It left a bad taste in the mouths of some programming folks though. The amount of texts I received over it surprised me. I didn’t think it was Bart’s best moment but I understood where he was coming from. The end of his show and news of Infinity shutting down was hard for him to accept.
But whether I agreed with Bart or not is irrelevant. It’s about the next opportunity at that point. Why use your final minutes on the air potentially turning off any decision maker who might consider you for future work? Maybe it creates some buzz, clicks, views and a story on Barrett Media, but will that matter in a few weeks when you’re hunting for the next gig?
In his farewell address, Bart said he was bitter because the listeners of the Infinity Sports Network were an afterthought. He said management never considered how they felt. He talked about the past 2 months behind the scenes, why he didn’t understand the need for a new network, and expressed that although radio isn’t dying, it will if the people in charge continue to make decisions based on how to do things cheaper and more effectively.
Talent sometimes are so focused on their show that they don’t look at the full scope of the business. Good executives are always going to seek ways to be more effective while spending less. It works that way in sports, politics, music, media, and many other industries. This is a business not a hobby. The goal is to boost profitability while limiting expense.
Bart Winkler signing off from the Infinity Sports Network – December 18th, 2025 https://t.co/rPjIzXoo02
Were Westwood execs supposed to choose programming based on positive emails or tweets? Westwood One has a stronger brand identity than Infinity and the advantage of being the NFL and NCAA’s radio partner. That gives them options to use for trying to gain more weekday clearance for shows and national dollars from advertising agencies. Audacy keeps the BetMGM side of the partnership which is important, and with Bruce Gilbert guiding WW1, an exec who has led ESPN and Fox Sports Radio and forgotten more about national sports radio than most know, and Armen Williams running programming, they’ll be fine.
Westwood One is introducing a lot of new names to a national stage. Jim Rome is the one name who needs no introduction. It will take time for these shows to catch on, and it’s possible that they won’t. Bruce Gilbert and Armen Williams understand that. But that’s no different than what CBS Sports Radio and Infinity Sports Network did introducing the country to many new voices including Bart’s.
I thought CBS Sports Radio did some great things over the years. They featured a lot of quality talent and sharp programming minds. But to many operators outside of NY, it was perceived as WFAN National. Gregg Giannotti, Tiki Barber, Brandon Tierney, and Shaun Morash graduated from CBSSR to WFAN. Damon Amendolara earned mornings with Mike Babchik at Mad Dog Sports Radio. Maggie Gray moved to CBSSR from WFAN and multiple anchors went back and forth between both brands.
It’s not just about clearing nights and weekends and weekday shows in smaller rural cities. Becoming a larger part of lineups in bigger cities matters too. Fox Sports Radio makes sure that Dan Patrick and Colin Cowherd are cleared in top cities. ESPN Radio pushes Unsportsmanlike and Rich Eisen in similar fashion. The CBS Sports Minutes and guest call-ins were good but the success of Audacy’s local stations made it tougher to gain clearance on big local brands. That limits being able to attract national dollars. I don’t fault Audacy and Cumulus for modifying their approach in the national space to try and grow their business.
Most who flooded social media with messages at the network were reflective and appreciative while acknowledging the uncertainty. I thought Zach Gelb did a great job highlighting CBSSR alumni on his show the past few weeks. Damon Amendolara’s video talking about his time at CBSSR with Shaun Morash, Andrew Bogusch and others was excellent. Bill Reiter’s goodbye was delivered in a classy manner, making it easy to want to follow him on Substack. Maggie Gray and Andrew Perloff kept the focus on their show, reminding folks that it’s ok to say little when noise around you is swirling.
Being sad, confused, concerned, angry, and emotional is natural when a job you love is going away. But part of a public job involves dealing with situations that are stressful and difficult. How you handle them says a lot about your maturity and ability to navigate sensitive business situations. Bart may not have handled this perfectly but he’s a good host. I’m looking forward to seeing him bounce back in the future.
I’ve always advised folks to look at the odds and play the long game. Are you in better shape landing your next media gig with 20 decision makers interested or 10? You can still prevail with 10, but why cut the odds in half if you don’t have to? You can disagree with a decision or direction but how you discuss and deal with it gets noticed.
But hey, don’t take it from me. Maybe just watch Brandon Tierney and Doug Gottlieb. They gave you the blueprint last week.
Quick Hits
Barrett Media Holiday Newsletters: Similar to last year, newsletters this week and next are being sent 1x per day at Noon ET. There are no newsletters on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Writer Changes: If you read Ken Johnson‘s column last week or Perry Simon‘s piece today, you learned that both won’t be with us in 2026. Charese Fruge has also signed off after writing a great feature last week on Heather Bermudez. All three did a great job for us and I hope you enjoyed reading their work. They were consummate professionals who I’d recommend to anyone looking. I wish them the very best moving forward.
Facebook Links: Meta is working on an experiment that could limit the number of links users can post on Facebook. The only way around it would be with a paid Meta Verified subscription. Facebook confirmed the news to TechCrunch. If implemented, it will impact creators and brands posting links from their blogs and other platforms.
Charlamagne Gets the Bag: Congrats to Charlamagne Tha God on his extension with iHeartMedia. Reports have suggested that the number is $200 million over 5-years. If accurate, that’s reportedly double what Stephen A. Smith got at ESPN. That not only reinforces Charlamagne’s value to iHeart, it suggests that his Black Effect Network is a big part of future business, and radio is more than willing to pay top dollar for top performers.
Sid Rosenberg Suspended on X: Platforms are really still doing this immature nonsense? The host of a popular New York City talk radio show, who has been honored and asked to speak on multiple occasions in the nation’s capital by the President should not be unable to communicate with his audience on a platform such as X which claims to be all-about free speech. Hey Elon, how is this still happening?
HOT 97 Morning Drama: A post late Friday on the Hot 97 Facebook page promoted three new hosts joining the radio station. They are Ronndell, Lana and Million. The post did not say if the three would be working mornings or elsewhere on the station. Building up intrigue is fine, and announcing additions during the holidays when less people pay attention has less value. Nonetheless, EBro, Peter and Lauren were installed in mornings for a long time and listeners deserve to know who’s taking the reins next.
Damion “Damizza” Young: I wasn’t familiar with Damion before last week but am glad that I stumbled on to his Instagram account. His video commentaries on the music and radio business are timely and refreshing. Give him a follow if you’re into those specific areas of content.
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