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Off-Mic, Part 4: Generating Income While You Pivot

BMM Staff
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Off-Mic, Part 4: Generating Income While You Pivot

Off-Mic is a special 5-part series, created by Corey Dylan for Barrett Media. This series examines how to adjust if faced with unexpected job loss. Corey becomes a radio free agent later this month and is exploring her new way forward. Interested groups are encouraged to reach out by email at Contact@CoreyDylan.com. To submit ideas to Barrett Media for future considerations, please contact Jason@BarrettMedia.com. We can’t promise we will publish what’s turned in but we do review all submissions.

Let’s talk about paying the bills while you rebuild your career foundation.

Diversify Your Income

The gig economy rewards versatility and radio professionals have it in spades. Consider the following:

  • Voiceover work (commercials, e-learning, corporate narration, medical, animation, etc.)
  • Podcast editing or production
  • Freelance writing or social media strategy (sites like Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr)
  • Event hosting and emceeing
  • Talent coaching or on-camera training
  • Write an e-book. I wrote a book called “The Beginners Guide To Getting Into Voiceover”
  • Create a digital course
  • Start selling things you no longer need on Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, eBay, OfferUP
  • Rent out a room, parking, a room perfect for a photo session, or storage space you may have access to
  • Web Design

Start with short-term contracts. They often lead to lasting opportunities.

Think Like a Business

Set aside 30% of income for taxes. Use separate business accounts. Track invoices. Learn basic accounting or use a platform like Quickbooks. I’ve used it to track VO clients in the past and it’s an easy tool to keep track of invoices and outstanding payments. You are now your own enterprise.

Keep Learning

Take an online course in digital marketing, video editing, or AI audio production. Staying current gives you a competitive edge and new income streams. Everyone from Harvard to Stanford offers free courses on a long list of subjects. EdX, Coursera, Udemy, etc all offer courses you have to pay for in a variety of subjects like AI and you can earn a certification from a connected school or university.

Takeaway

Earning while you pivot isn’t just survival. It’s exploration. Freelance work can reveal passions you didn’t know you had. Many laid-off broadcasters are now thriving creators, producers, or consultants. I’ll say it again; The booming creator economy (projected over $400 billion by 2027) has room for every storyteller who knows how to engage an audience. And for every radio employee who thinks they’re “too old” to start over or build something new, there’s someone who has been working in their field just as long and they too are trying to figure out a path forward.

I’ve created a YouTube series called “Social Media Smart” where I’m teaching anyone over 40 how to use social media to stay relevant in the workplace, position themselves as a thought leader, and grow their careers. You can check it out down below.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why Paul Finebaum Remains the Most Fearless Voice in College Football

John Molori
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Why Paul Finebaum Remains the Most Fearless Voice in College Football

With the college football playoffs on the horizon, there is no better time to write about the media personality most associated with the collegiate game. Multimedia personality Paul Finebaum has become a college pigskin fixture known as the “Voice of the SEC.” Finebaum made his bones over two decades hosting a radio talk show in Alabama. Since 2014, he has been the prominent figure on the ESPN-owned SEC Network with his The Paul Finebaum Show.

Finebaum brings viewers all of his passion, anger, rancor, humor, and knowledge of SEC football and college football in general every day from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. EST on SEC Network. He can be described as controversial, parochial, and critical, but has become omnipresent at ESPN – a regular participant on many of the network’s shows especially when college football tops the news. Finebaum has created a tremendous network of coaches and sources. He has also burned some bridges with these coaches and sources with his candor. I’ve heard the highest level of NCAA football coaches praise Finebaum one week and despise him the next, which probably means he is doing his job.

Paul Finebaum hardly looks like a TV star. He looks more like a bespectacled Mr. Spacely from the Jetsons cartoon. Finebaum may resemble an accountant, but in truth, he is more accountable. The dude is up front with his views and hides from no one. Finebaum is what he is – the single most fearless college football commentator in the business. You don’t have to like Paul Finebaum, but you have to respect him. He is a veteran of the college football world. He has seen the game change over time and has commented on every single aspect of these changes.

Finebaum is more than a star, he is a star maker. Over the course of his career at ESPN, he has provided a forum for other college football commentators to ply their wares. Foundation ESPN talent Laura Rutledge came to a level of prominence as a guest on The Paul Finebaum Show. The open to Finebaum’s show is probably the most eclectic, fun, and varied on television with shots of players, coaches, mascots, and even Finebaum himself dancing. He even has his own theme song “Call Paul” sung by American Idol legend Taylor Hicks. It is a raucous and rowdy open to a sometimes raucous and rowdy show.

Finebaum always cares about his audience, but that doesn’t mean he always cares what they think. He doesn’t kiss butt, polish apples, or lick boots. He is confident, provocative, and one of the truly must-listens and must-watches on television. Finebaum has his own strong opinions, but he’s not afraid to listen to those of others while jousting and debating. He can play both curmudgeon and court jester, protagonist and prince, flame-thrower and fan. Finebaum is a college football chameleon. You want commentary? He’s your guy. You want inside info? He’s your guy. You want deep knowledge of the sport cultivated over decades? He’s your guy.

On The Paul Finebaum Show, the eponymous host changes roles throughout the program. He sets the tone for argument, but also lays back and enjoys the thoughts of others. I caught his December 8, 2025 show, which began with Finebaum ripping through some college football news. One of the stories was written by nbcsports.com writer Nicole Auerbach with the headline “The College Football Playoff committee ‘really screwed up’ this time.” Auerbach then joined Finebaum live via phone to talk about the article and the hits and misses of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Committee. Auerbach, incidentally, has developed into a tremendous on-air sports talent on multimedia platforms. She has a strong social media presence and continues to rise as a writer and commentator. Auerbach is always informed, on point, and vital in her comments.

Finebaum is also a media throwback. The Paul Finebaum Show still takes live calls from listeners during his show. This is refreshing as most mainstream sports talk shows, even the ones that air live, have completely eliminated the fan from the discourse. Conversely, Finebaum has constructed his own persona not only as the voice of the SEC, but as the voice of the college football fan.

Paul Finebaum is less glitz and more grit, less show biz and more straight talk, less frills and more facts. He takes calls from all over the country, listening to fans’ opinions, gripes, and comments. He’s not afraid to go toe-to-toe with them either. From Tuscaloosa to Tennessee, Arizona to Alabama, they call, they speak, they argue, and they enjoy the show. This is truly a fan-first college football show. Finebaum is great at interviewing celebrity guests, but at the core, he is about the grass roots of college football.

I love the way that Finebaum serves as the conductor on the train that is The Paul Finebaum Show. He has an almost a monotone and relaxed demeanor. Yet he can fly off the handle at any moment if the right buttons are pushed. This episode’s debate mostly centered around the agrees and disagrees with the CFP committee and their choices for the upcoming 12-team playoff. Finebaum just let the callers vent.

One caller, Zak from Rhode Island, really hit the nail on the head in complimenting Finebaum. To paraphrase, he talked about how Finebaum’s show brings college football fans a lot of joy and how it is inclusive, allowing a diverse collage of fans to voice their views. The caller also said that Finebaum brings dignity and respect to all of his callers, and he is correct. Whether it is a caller, a social media commentator, or a guest on the show, Finebaum is always ready to debate, but not denigrate. He is an old school media gentleman. He’s totally into an argument, but not in a way that becomes nasty or uncomfortable.

Later in this episode, Finebaum welcomed Hicks to the show as well as WWE wrestler AJ Styles, the latter to talk about the upcoming Saturday Night’s Main Event on Peacock featuring John Cena‘s final match. Finebaum’s guest list is as diverse as his callers who chime in from the deep south and industrial north, the most rural of areas and the most bustling of big cities.

The Paul Finebaum Show also shows clips from other shows and uses the topics as a springboard for discussion with callers. On this particular show, he ran a piece of an interview with Georgia head coach Kirby Smart from ESPN’s College Football Playoff Selection Show. These clips are a nice touch, serving as effective transitions from one topic to another. You may deify or despise him, adore or abhor him, but one thing is certain. If you are not watching and listening to Paul Finebaum, consider yourself one of those teams left out of the playoffs and missing out on all the fun and fanfare of college football.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Christmas in Focus: What Radio Programmers Should Know About Serving Black Audiences

Ken Johnson
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Christmas in Focus: What Radio Programmers Should Know About Serving Black Audiences

It’s Christmas time, but it really doesn’t feel like it. Stores like Target are taking it on the chin from African American consumers. That same group has its sights set on other outlets for forsaking efforts to be inclusive of the community. Not to mention ICE invading the streets of the community, wrestling American citizens to the ground, taking them away with no contact with their families. Yet you’re expected to play “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” on repeat. It feels like anything but Christmas.

I don’t relish playing the Grinch at Christmas time. What I do want to do is encourage you not to take a business-as-usual position. You don’t want to have your station’s head in the sand. A challenge, yes—but challenges can be good.

So what can you do to be in the season and the moment?

The first thing to consider is category architecture. How much Christmas music should you play, and when? A gradual ramp-up of music as we get closer to Christmas has always been the plan for urban radio. We’ve seen the race to be the first in the market with all Christmas music, seemingly to get stores in holiday mode and playing Christmas songs. I’m not sure how much that happens anymore though.

What got me on this subject was seeing a post on social media from a programmer suggesting full throttle on Christmas music now, staying clear of new Christmas titles, and ignoring the cries about playing the same Christmas songs over and over. Now, this is not about calling anyone out or saying someone is wrong. I do, however, think—there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

The old adage that you can’t please everybody is absolutely true. But you have to take the temperature of your audience. While some people will make it through the holiday fine, others will find it very hard. Some may not be feeling “Joy to the World,” and a little bit of hope may help. That could come in the form of something fresh in the way of new Christmas music.

What I’ve found in new Christmas releases from established artists is that they put the Black experience in the songs they write and perform. The O’Jays, Patti LaBelle, Kem, Ledisi, Boyz II Men—they’ve all made some amazing Christmas songs, not just the traditional titles.

These are times your listeners might not want to remember. Tapping into community traditions and culture may take the sting off trying days while still touching those who may not be as challenged this holiday.

Either way you go, I wish you a happy holiday. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. Reach out on LinkedIn or at Ken@KenJohnsonMedia.com.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why News/Talk Radio Leaders Shouldn’t Fear Diving Into the World of Digital Content

Garrett Searight
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Why News/Talk Radio Leaders Shouldn’t Fear Diving Into the World of Digital Content

News/talk radio executives have a choice to make in 2026. They can either keep waiting for the “right moment” to jump into digital video and on-demand content, or they can accept reality and start building a long-term foundation today.

The industry has talked for years about the importance of digital, but many leaders still treat it like an optional bonus rather than a core part of the business.

Some of that hesitation comes from a simple fear: they know they won’t be great at it right away. It feels safer to stick with what they’ve mastered. It also feels safer to avoid making mistakes in public on platforms like YouTube, Rumble, TikTok, or any of the other digital avenues audiences are using every day. But let me ask you something. What are you excellent at the moment you start doing it?

Hardly anyone is great immediately at anything. That applies to riding a bike, delivering a monologue, cooking dinner, or running a station. Digital content is no different. You won’t be excellent at video when you shoot your first one. You won’t be excellent at podcasts when you publish your first episode. You won’t be excellent at building a YouTube strategy when you sketch out your first plan. That’s fine. Excellence comes after reps, after mistakes, after course corrections, and after time.

The pace of that improvement speeds up only when you begin. Waiting does nothing but delay the moment where progress becomes noticeable. The longer you avoid digital work, the longer you postpone the benefits of doing it consistently. And the benefits are growing. They’re not shrinking. They’re not plateauing. They’re not fading into the background, so radio can return to the front of the line.

Ask yourself a simple question. Do you see any scenario in the next five or ten years where people use their phones less? Do you believe audiences will spend less time on the internet? I don’t. You don’t. Nobody paying attention does. Mobile consumption will rise. Digital viewing will rise. On-demand audio will rise. Younger listeners aren’t going to suddenly abandon streaming video so they can discover AM radio for the first time.

So why would any station leader continue avoiding digital content? If your shows aren’t already on YouTube or Rumble, what’s the holdup? If your team isn’t producing full, on-demand audio for every hour, what is the excuse? If you haven’t begun creating hyper-local podcasts that strengthen your brand, deepen your journalism, and serve your community, what are you waiting for?

You should be pushing your company to budget for digital in 2026. You should be training your hosts to think visually and think on demand. You should be fighting for the resources to hire a video producer or a podcast editor. The stations that win over the next decade will be the stations that adapt now, not the stations that hide from the new expectations of the job.

You don’t have to be excellent today. You have to be committed today. Excellence will follow as long as the commitment comes first. Start immediately. Do everything you can to move digital from the wish list to the priority list. You will not regret 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.

Inside Josh Hammer’s Journey From Newspaper-Obsessed Kid to National Commentator

Krystina Alarcon Carroll
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Inside Josh Hammer’s Journey From Newspaper-Obsessed Kid to National Commentator

Earlier this year, Newsweek and Salem Media Group reached an agreement to distribute The Josh Hammer Show.

It’s a match with great “synergy,” Newsweek’s Senior Editor-at-large, Josh Hammer, told Barrett Media.

“I’m a longtime big fan personally of Salem media properties. I’m an Orthodox Jew. I very much care deeply about authentic religious, traditional social conservatism, and trying to convey and espouse those norms.”

In fact, espousing these norms is a big part of his podcast, “trying to kind of re-anchor the American right of center at a time where a lot of things seemingly are in flux, trying to kind of re-anchor it in timeless eternal principles and eternal truths.”

Hammer, who published his first book, “Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West,” this year, noted, “None of the show is scripted,” and intends to keep it that way.

His rise to conservative stardom and editorial influence began when he was a small child reading the paper with his grandfather. “It was my grandfather’s influence, probably more than anything else, that kind of shaped my appreciation of the role of media to shape stories,” Hammer said.

His grandfather was a lawyer turned newspaper publisher who owned a few regional outlets. “I have very fun childhood memories of poring over the Sunday New York Times with him, and I remember him introducing me to the concept of the editorial newspaper.”

Hammer was so enthralled with newspapers that he’d even look for the local papers on his family vacations “just to kind of see what the local newspaper looked like, what they were reporting on.”

Constantly immersed in media plus his love of law, Hammer went to Duke University, then the University of Chicago Law School. He worked as a clerk for a federal appeals court judge and published pieces of constitutional scholarship before joining the ranks of the Daily Wire and the Blaze. Then, in 2020, he joined Newsweek.

“I was hired initially to be the op-ed editor, which was in May 2020, around the same time that I started writing a weekly syndicated column. So kind of as my whole opinion commentary was going to the next phase,” Hammer, who is the cofounder of Jews Against Soros, recalled.

By the time The Josh Hammer Show launched in February of 2022, he was a well-established member of the conservative media circuit. “We immediately knew that we had to, at some point, partner with someone who could try to take us to the next level.”

Enter Lee Habeeb, the Vice President of Content for the Salem Media Group, the founder of American Private Radio, and the creator and founder/host of Our American Stories. “We kind of had this natural connection with Lee,” Hammer noted of his colleague. Habeeb and Hammer first met when Hammer joined Newsweek years before. “[My podcast was] able to kind of get on Salem’s radar and I think our first conversation with them happened in 2024.”

Hammer, who has years of experience editing op-eds beyond his Newsweek stint, brings his writing flair to listeners via his podcast. “One is, I think the most important thing that an editor is going to look for is an interesting, innovative argument. You’re not particularly interested in just republishing something that’s been said countless times before,” he explained when asked what makes a good op-ed.

Hammer, who is also Senior Counsel for the Article Three Project, added, “If you don’t have the reader’s attention within the first two to three sentences of reading the op-ed, that’s not going to go particularly well. Then you want to quickly transition into your actual argument. You want to have the ability to back that up, whether it’s with facts or interviews or data, whatever it is there. So these are the kinds of things that we look for.”

With these basic principles in mind, it is easy to see why Hammer does not need to “pull punches” and can boldly “just say what I think, very much including when that means taking on folks on my own so-called side.”

For those looking to follow in Hammer’s footsteps, he believes all you need is conviction and a little bit of confidence. “You have to have the genuine conviction and confidence that what you’re saying is you ardently believe it to be not only true, but valuable, because there’s no point in doing the broader kind of information commentary space as a profession unless you are truly ardently convinced that what you are saying is not just your personal truth, but is the capital T truth.”

He added that this truth “therefore has deep meaning for not just you personally, or not just your family, but for some broader community at large. So I think that’s number one.”

Once you’ve hit that mark, all you need to do is get your content out there. “It’s actually easier these days than it’s probably ever been. I mean, anybody can get on social media. Anybody can open a sub-stack. Anybody can open a YouTube channel,” Hammer affirmed. “There are virtually no barriers to entry these days, which is both a blessing and a curse, by the way.”

Lastly, Hammer believes “You should try to network as much as possible.” This networking is essential. “I can’t tell you the number of ways that my career has taken a fortuitous turn simply because I had made some connection and knew someone who reached out to me or offered something at the right time,” Hammer noted. “I have more stories like that than I could possibly count, and that’s kind of just the nature of the world. So that human angle is deeply important, really, no matter what your career is.”

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.

WFAN Confirms Return of Craig Carton, Moves for Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber in 2026 Lineup

BSM Staff
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WFAN Confirms Return of Craig Carton, Moves for Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber in 2026 Lineup

It’s officially official: Craig Carton is back on WFAN. But his return doesn’t leave the station without Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber, though.

The Audacy New York sports station confirmed that Carton is back with the station, pairing alongside Chris McMonigle, as Barrett Media had previously reported.

It marks the third stint for Craig Carton with WFAN, returning to the brand after leaving in 2023 to host a morning show with FS1. That program, however, was canceled earlier this year, allowing him to return to the sports talk station.

“WFAN has always been home to me,” said Carton. “Having the opportunity to return and rejoin the best sports talk station in the world is an opportunity I am eagerly looking forward to and beyond excited for.” 

“Craig Carton’s return reaffirms WFAN’s position as New York’s premier sports destination for big personalities, compelling conversation and highly engaging content that is difficult to ignore,” added Audacy Chief Business Officer and New York Market President Chris Oliviero. “Our 2026 lineup has familiar marquee voices all day and all night, guaranteeing that whenever you tune into The Fan, you will be smack dab in the middle of the New York sports culture.”   

With the addition of Carton to afternoon drive, the existing show — featuring Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber — will move to the 10 AM-2 PM window. That displaces hosts Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata.

The station — which features local programming 24 hours per day — did not reveal who would be replacing McMonigle in the 12-5 AM window.

The revamped WFAN schedule includes:

5–6 AM: The Warm-Up Show with Al Dukes & Jerry Recco
6-10 AM: Boomer & Gio
10 AM-2 PM: Evan & Tiki with Shaun Morash
2-7 PM: The Carton Show with Craig Carton & Chris McMonigle
7 PM– 12 AM: After Hours with Tommy Lugauer

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.

Tucker Carlson Calls CBS News’ Bari Weiss ‘an Idiot’: She Couldn’t ‘Rise Above Secretary’ in a Meritocracy

BNM Staff
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Tucker Carlson Calls CBS News’ Bari Weiss ‘an Idiot’: She Couldn’t ‘Rise Above Secretary’ in a Meritocracy

It feels safe to say that Tucker Carlson doesn’t respect the work of CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss.

During an appeace on This Past Week w/ Theo Von, Carlson delivered attacks on Weiss, arguing that she didn’t earn her way to her position.

He said that Weiss’s relationship with billionaire Bill Ackman set her up where she is today.

“If you pay close enough attention and you realize that the people running everything are stupid, then you think, ‘Well, actually, the system is truly rigged on behalf of people who do not deserve these positions at all.’ It’s not just that I disagree with Bari Weiss or she’s calling me names or I’ll call her names or whatever. In no meritocracy would Bari Weiss rise above secretary,” said Carlson.

“And I mean that. I’ve been in this business my whole life. I’ve been in this business since Bari Weiss was breastfeeding. There’s no world in which Bari Weiss rises to the top of a news network except a rigged world. That’s it. Does that make sense? It’s shocking to me.”

Carlson continued by pointing out that Weiss didn’t know who Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was when she criticized Tulsi Gabbard for meeting with him in 2017.

“She’s an idiot — and we’re gonna put her in charge of CBS News just to show that individual merit, energy, creativity — which is the most important thing — is what a healthy society rewards because we are designed to create things,” he added.

“Bari Weiss, the single least creative human being, the single most robotic — what are the talking points, then repeating them — that person winds up at the top of the pyramid. That is what offends me. It’s not that she loves Israel. I don’t give a (expletive) what she thinks of Israel. It’s not that she criticizes me. Obviously, I don’t really care.”

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 WFAN, ESPN New York, and 105.7 The Fan Reacted to Pete Alonso Leaving New York Mets for Baltimore Orioles

BSM Staff
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How WFAN, ESPN New York, and 105.7 The Fan Reacted to Pete Alonso Leaving New York Mets for Baltimore Orioles

There was major MLB free agency news on Wednesday, as longtime New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso signed a deal with the Baltimore Orioles. The news was a hot-button topic on WFAN, ESPN New York, and 105.7 The Fan.

The news broken by ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan revealed that Alonso had inked a five-year, $155 million deal to join the Baltimore Orioles beginning in 2026.

WFAN

On WFAN, the news broke as Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata were on the air.

“Met fans are gonna lose their minds,” Tierney said as the news came in. “I respect that. For me, there’s a better way to build a team. But Met fans, I feel you.”

Remember, the industry source that I talked about weeks ago was saying the Mets aren’t going to budge this time,” Licata added. “Nobody wanted to hear that. It’s a reality. The Mets had their line in the sand. At three years, he started to get the feeling that there would be at least one team to go higher based on what Schwarber got yesterday. Not surprising to see Pete get five years, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who signed him. Doesn’t matter how much he got. Bottom line is, Pete Alonso is no longer New York Met.”

ESPN New York

Michael Kay reacted to the news to begin his show on Wednesday afternoon, sharing that he felt sorry for fans of the Mets.

“It’s another bad day for Met fans,” said Kay. “Moments ago, our very own Jeff Passan reporting that the Orioles and Pete Alonso are in agreement, working on final details of a five-year, $155 million contract. So you don’t have to get out the calculators, that’s $31 million a year. It was obvious. We’ve been saying this for a couple of weeks to you, the Mets were not going over three years for Pete Alonso. At most, I thought that they would push it to four. Well, when the Orioles went to five years, $155 million, the Mets tapped out and said, ‘We are out.’

Kay added that he believed the team signed the first baseman last year due to insistence from the fan base, but wouldn’t be swayed into doing it again.

“(Mets owner) Steve Cohen is very, very aware of what the Met fans want,” said Kay. “I believe that last year they signed Alonso because of what the Met fans showered on Steve Cohen at their event at Citi Field. They made it known that they wanted Alonso back, and Cohen stepped in and gave him that two-year deal, which is essentially a one-year deal.”

105.7 The Fan

In Baltimore, the reaction was remarkably different, as one might expect. On 105.7 The Fan, Vinny & Haynie host Bob Haynie shared his excitement for the move.

“This is a huge deal,” Haynie said. “This, to me, is a bigger splash than Kyle Schwarber, who is a DH. And this is some pretty significant news. I didn’t think they bust one like this when down in Orlando, but Pete Alonso is coming to Baltimore.”

Haynie added that he imagines that the station will still receive phone calls from angry listeners who believe the Baltimore Orioles haven’t done enough to be competitive.

“I’m assuming that there are still some fans out there that will bitch and complain about this one, because that’s what fans do,” Haynie said. “They’re never satisfied. Just give them a little more.”

He concluded by calling the free agent signing “one of the biggest” the franchise has made “in quite some time.”

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.

103.5 WIMZ Adds Jay Mac and Drake Meredith to Replace John Boy & Billy in Morning Drive

BMM Staff
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103.5 WIMZ Adds Jay Mac and Drake Meredith to Replace John Boy & Billy in Morning Drive

With the retirement of John Boy & Billy later this month, 103.5 WIMZ is going local, adding Jay Mac and Drake Meredith to morning drive.

The new duo will debut on Monday, January 5th.

Currently, Jay Mac works the night shift for the Midwest Communications Knoxville classic rock station. He has spent the past 15 years with 103.5 WIMZ.

Meanwhile, Meredith has worked at the station since 2019, hosting a weekend how.

“With wonderful memories of The Night Show, and a heart full of gratitude and love, I am absolutely thrilled to say ‘Good Morning, East Tennessee!’” Mac said. “Buckle Up, buttercup, this is going to be one wild and crazy ride!”

The announcement of the new morning show comes after The John Boy & Billy Show announced that they would end the program at the end of the calendar year. The Premiere Networks show hit national syndication in 1993, reaching more than 100 affiliates at its peak. The end of the show comes after the station departed its former flagship home — 99.7 The Fox in Charlotte — last year.

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.

Joe Buck Awarded 2026 Ford C. Frick Award From Baseball Hall of Fame

BSM Staff
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Joe Buck Awarded 2026 Ford C. Frick Award From Baseball Hall of Fame

Joe Buck is going to the Baseball Hall of Fame after being awarded the 2026 Ford C. Frick Award.

Buck becomes the 50th winner of the award. His father, legendary broadcaster Jack Buck, also won the award in 1987. They become the first father-son duo to ever be honored with the award.

The 56-year-old Buck becomes the second youngest winner of the award, trailing only Vin Scully, who was bestowed the honor in 1982 when he was 54.

“Joe Buck authored his own historic legacy while following in the footsteps of his father on a path to Cooperstown,” said National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum President Josh Rawitch. “During an era of unprecedented audience growth throughout the game, Joe was the voice of the World Series and the All-Star Game, calling the biggest moments in baseball for more than a quarter of a century. He was a Saturday staple in homes across America while still serving as the voice of his hometown St. Louis Cardinals.”

In 1991, Joe Buck joined his father on St. Louis Cardinals broadcasts, a position he held through 2007. In 1994, he joined FOX Sports as an NFL announcer before later adding the MLB to his plate. He became the youngest World Series voice since Scully in 1953 when Buck was tabbed by the network to call the Fall Classic in 1996.

Buck called baseball games for Fox from 1996 until he left the network in 2021. In total, he called 26 League Championship Series, 21 All-Star Games, in addition to announcing the World Series and the Saturday game of the week package.

The 10 finalists were: Brian Anderson, Skip Caray, Rene Cardenas, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Duane Kuiper, John Rooney, Dan Shulman, John Sterling, and Buck.

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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