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From Rock Art Shows to Ticket Stubs: Creative Promotions Radio Can Steal From Classic Rock

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Let’s start this week’s post with a Classic Rock history lesson. I’m sure there are at least a few people reading this who remember 1992 when a gentleman named Scott Siegelbaum partnered with KSLX in Los Angeles for the first ever Rock n Roll Fine Art show. The event was a huge success. It gave the public access and an opportunity to purchase artwork both related to Classic Rock and created by Classic Rock artists.

After a five-year run in Los Angeles, Siegelbaum eventually took the show on the road. He partnered with stations across the country to give listeners a chance to buy unique, rare pieces of art related to the music they love while also generating non-traditional revenue for the stations.

I’m not suggesting that bringing the Rock Art Show back is the key to solving today’s revenue issues. But it wouldn’t be the worst idea either.

What got me thinking about the Rock Art Show is the video Pink Floyd released this week. It’s helping to kick off promotion for the Wish You Were Here boxed set which comes out on December 12th.

The video features the song “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-9, New Stereo Mix)”. It is the first time all the pieces of the song have been together in one mix instead of split in half as bookends to the rest of the tracks on the Wish You Were Here album. The visual is British comedian, actor, and artist Noel Fielding, who has been a Pink Floyd fan since the age of twelve, painting an amazing likeness of Syd Barrett, the subject of the song.

If you haven’t seen the video you should. It’s mesmerizing. If you want to hear Fielding talk more about the painting you can see it here.

This release comes on the heels of “Dear Pink Floyd” a new poem written by Poet Simon Armitage. It was released last month as the first promotion for the boxed set. If you want to hear it, check out this video of Armitage reading the poem for the first time.

I also read an article in NME about a website that allows fans to generate facsimile tickets for any show. The idea came from Tim Burgess, lead singer of the band The Charlatans. He surveyed the group’s two thousand fans on X/Twitter where they expressed enthusiasm for the ability to create mementos of the band’s upcoming tour. Of course, with tickets being digital today, a true stub is not a common thing.

Burgess said the idea led them to look at old tickets where they learned there weren’t many templates that made it possible for the site to create a stub for nearly any show. Unfortunately, the band, and therefore the available templates, are British. But the idea doesn’t seem that impossible to recreate for the United States. If Burgess isn’t working on it, maybe someone can take the idea and create an American version.

I write all of this to hopefully inspire you. Too often in radio we think only in terms of audio when our listeners have five senses, not just hearing. When marketing budgets are low, we must rely on creativity to get attention beyond our existing cume. Maybe thinking in terms of art, like paintings and poetry, or other mementos like ticket stubs could lead to creative ways to create buzz without a budget. Whoever’s in charge of the 50th Anniversary Wish You Were Here boxed set certainly thinks so.

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Black Stone Cherry’s Chris Robertson on the Stories, Struggles, and Sound Behind Their New EP “Celebrate”

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I call them the band that invented the “Bangin’ and Twangin” sound in active rock that so many now emulate. One of the rock format’s true underrated, unsung heroes, Edmonton, Kentucky’s Black Stone Cherry.

My favorite southern tinged hard rocking metal (ish) band of the past 16 years just grabbed the number one most added slot at rock radio last week with their new tune “Celebrate”. A big congratulations is well deserved. It comes just in time for the season of celebrations.

BSC is one of those bands that never disappoints. Back in the day we called it “Southern Rock”. That meant the songs were rich in stories, and featured heavy guitars and the best musicians. They also delivered the goods live.

I saw BSC last Tuesday in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Not only did they deliver, but the “Celebration” vibe was in the room for their 90+ minute set. They blended all of their radio hits with an energetic stage show.

I also recently caught up with Chris Robertson, Black Stone Cherry’s soulful vocalist and frontman. Chris joined me on the Carr Stereo Podcast for a discussion about the new release. The record comes out on March 6, 2026. Chris explains why this EP is special and why “Celebrating Your Damn Self” is something we all need. 

Black Stone Cherry’s Chris Robinson

TC: The new EP is titled “Celebrate”. I know you are a big Bob Marley fan, so I made a connection with that. 

CR: We started writing this stuff, and for the last several releases, we’ve written just pretty much on the bus. Then we get in the studio and put it together the rest of the way. With this stuff, we decided we wanted to get together, not on the bus. So we started getting together at Ben’s house and just writing songs together.

It was really refreshing to do it that way and not to be confined to the back of a bus. There is something different about the new stuff. I haven’t been able to put my finger on it yet, but it just feels different.

It feels like every time we make music, I kind of end up in the same scenario. I don’t know how to describe it, it’s different, but still sounds like us. There’s just a different energy.

I’m glad because it means we’re not repeating ourselves over and over. I’m super excited for people to hear this stuff. I haven’t really got to talk about it with anybody yet, so this is awesome.

TC: Let’s Talk About “Celebrate”. I felt when I heard it, it was very “living in the moment”. Your vocals are so soulful. Bringing it to church, there’s that beautiful light, and that gorgeous hook. There’s just something really magical about “Celebrate”. That’s a standout track.

CR: Yes, that one, we had that music and the music was really driving and really heavy. We had that melody come up in the chorus and the first word that was said was Celebrate. We wanted to write a song about just celebrating every victory, whether it’s being able to get up in the morning and smile or getting through your day at work.

Every victory in life is worth celebrating to some degree. I think we get away from that entirely too much. We need that.

TC: Don’t you feel we need that now?

CR: We harp on ourselves so much. And if we’re not doing it, the next person is going to harp on you. So “celebrate your damn self”

TC: Seven songs is a lot on an EP.  Six new tunes. Then we’ve got this great cover of “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds. I literally listened to it and hit your management company back and said, “I never thought of this song being a metal anthem. I kind of do now.”

CR: I’ve always heard it that way. Like even when I was a kid watching “The Breakfast Club”, I would hear that song. I was like, ‘that’s a rock and roll song, man’.

You know, it’s a pop rock song for the 80s. But I always heard it as a big, heavy rock song.

TC: And Ty Ty’s on it. Tyler from Theory of the Dead Man, Tyler Connelly.

CR: I couldn’t think of anybody better to put on this song.

TC: The EP also delves deeper into emotion and the band’s refined songwriting. The song “Deep” chronicles an extremely painful moment in guitarist Bell Wells’ life. “I’m Fine” which Chris describes as a line we often give, is when everything is NOT really ok. 

CR: I don’t know why it’s taken so long for men to be more vulnerable about mental health and things of that nature. But, the most classic line is, “If you’re not doing good is, I’m fine, man.” That was the whole idea behind the song. 

Nothing is okay, you know, but you tell the world you’re fine. At some point, you get to where you’re tired of trying to hide everything and you’re just, I’m fine. It’ll be fine. It’ll be what it is, you know. I think we’ve all hit that point.


The “Celebrate” EP is rich in storytelling, killer jams and the live show was a perfect kick off to a rocking holiday season. Check out my full in interview with Chris Robertson below.

Celebrate Your Damn Self and Happy Thanksgiving! 

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.

Why Talk Radio Isn’t Capitalizing on the Moment

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If you could design a dream scenario for the talk radio industry, what we’re living through right now would probably qualify.

There’s a constant stream of news which at any other time in history would be talked about for months or even years, but there’s a new one practically every few hours. Keeping up with it is difficult – you have to doomscroll on social media and watch cable news and read newspaper sites and Substacks to know the latest, and it’s kinda mandatory to do so, because so much of it directly affects you and your family, from the bill at the grocery store to your kids’ education.

Talk radio should be a go-to right now, a good option for following the headlines and making sense of it all. And this is what you’ve been dreaming of, right? No shortage of material, everyone has an opinion, tailor-made for an interactive, news-forward medium. No sitting in front of the computer staring into the abyss hoping that you can come up with something, ANYTHING to talk about for two or three hours.

Why, then, is talk radio not really part of the action?

Let’s face it, there’s not one talk radio show that generates any heat regarding what’s going on in the news, or, really, anything at all. Not one syndicated show, not one local show. Sorry, but no civilian is saying “did you hear what (your name here) said about (massive national or local topic)?” No “Rush Room” equivalents. No influential talkers. It’s just, well, there, serving the same core audience it’s been tightly grasping since the ‘70s, as those listeners make their involuntary departures. Figures that the talk radio dream of unlimited great material is here but it might be too late.

Ah, but hasn’t the audience gravitated to podcasts? Aren’t there stars on the rise there? Not really. Sure, people like Joe Rogan have a lot of fans, but most folks don’t listen to his show, and he’s not constantly in the news and certainly not a must-listen outside the brosphere. The issue for podcasts is that they’re outdated the moment they’re recorded. By the time they post, new lead stories have broken, and the one the podcast is focused upon has either come to some kind of resolution or has already faded into the background.

Anecdotally, I used to listen to several political podcasts. I don’t listen to any of them anymore. I’m not looking for analysis of last week’s hot topics. I want to know what’s happening right now, and I suspect that while I’m listening to the podcast, things are afoot that I should know right away.

The assignment for talk radio hosts, producers, and programmers, then, is to find ways to get in on the action. Just talking about the news hasn’t worked; nobody cares if you love or hate Trump. They do care about how the news affects them and their wallets, and you should be directly addressing that, comparing supermarket prices past and present or explaining what redistricting will mean for your state.

But you also need to come up with events and stunts and ways to draw attention to yourself. Maybe it’s organizing protests. I don’t know and nobody’s paying me to come up with this stuff, so it’s up to you. Generate clips that get into people’s doomscrolls rather than the lame celebrity gossip posts corporate generates for you. The world is burning and you’re posting a picture of Ariana Grande on the red carpet? You deserve your irrelevance.

The other thing is to go the other way and talk about anything BUT what’s in the news. A lot of potential listeners need a break from the action, and music may not be their answer. Think about what you talk about in real life when you’re not talking politics, and talk about that on the air. Be a refuge from the real world. Have some fun. Might as well, considering the alternative.

Either way, this should have been an opportunity for talk radio to regain its prominence among the media. That it hasn’t is sad, but there’s still opportunity if you want to go for it. Otherwise, those funerals aren’t just for your remaining listeners. Talk radio, we hardly knew ye….

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Why Didn’t Anyone Stand Up For Mary Bruce As President Trump Attacked Her?

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It’s been a few days since President Donald Trump verbally attacked ABC News’ Mary Bruce, and I still can’t shake one question: Why didn’t anyone in the White House press corps step in?

Not one reporter spoke up. No one repeated her question. No one even tried to slow the moment down. They all just stood there as if this was normal.

And to be clear, the questions Bruce asked were not out of line. They weren’t personal. They weren’t framed with bias. They were standard questions for a president at a formal event. Yet the response she got was a personal attack. That alone should bother anyone who thinks the office of the president should come with some level of professionalism. I know the pushback will be, “Well, what about Obama? What about Biden? What about Clinton?”

My answer is the same now as it has always been: I didn’t stutter. It’s unacceptable no matter who is in the White House.

But the bigger issue is the silence in that room. A group of reporters assembled for the purpose of asking questions saw one of their own get targeted, and no one said a word. Not even a polite, “To follow up on Mary’s question…” Nothing. It’s hard to view that as anything but fear. Fear of losing access. Fear of being singled out next. Or fear of causing a scene. But if the press corps can’t stand up for the basic right to ask a question without being personally attacked, then what are we doing here?

This isn’t about the moment being awkward. It’s about a room full of people who say they’re committed to holding power accountable choosing not to hold power accountable in real time. And it wasn’t even the first insult. Trump had already called another reporter “Piggy.” That should have been the point where reporters stepped in. You can’t claim to be the watchdogs of democracy when you bark only when it’s convenient.

You don’t have to like the reporter next to you, but you respect the job they’re trying to do. If someone in power tries to knock them down for doing that job, you at least show you’re not intimidated. You don’t have to be the hero. You don’t have to turn the briefing room into a protest. But you can at least signal that you heard what happened, that you know the line was crossed, and that you won’t let it go unanswered.

That didn’t happen. And the silence gives the impression that the press corps is more worried about preserving its access than preserving its credibility. Access is only valuable if you use it. If you’re too scared to ask a tough question or too scared to defend a colleague who did, then the privilege of being in that room loses its purpose.

Some reporters will argue that pushing back only fuels Trump. They’ll say they don’t want to become part of the story. But the story already included them. Trump made sure of that the moment he turned his answer into a personal attack. If he can do that without any resistance, why would he stop? Silence doesn’t cool the temperature. It rewards the behavior.

News organizations love to run promos about truth, courage, and accountability. Those slogans look great on screen. They sound great in meetings. But moments like this reveal whether those words mean anything. If the press corps can’t defend one of its own when she’s being singled out by the most powerful person in the country, then there’s a gap between what it says and what it does.

And that gap isn’t encouraging. It makes it harder to feel optimistic about the state of journalism. Because if the people in that room won’t stand up for a colleague, how can anyone expect them to stand up for the public?

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KSL Newsradio Program Director Kevin LaRue Exits Amid Layoffs

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KSL Newsradio program director Kevin LaRue has departed the Bonneville International news/talk station amid layoffs at the organization.

LaRue had been the Program Director of KSL Newsradio 102.7 since 2006. Before joining Bonneville International, he spent more than five years as the Program Director of WFIR in Roanoke.

Between cuts at KSL Newsradio 102.7, KSL.com, and KSL-TV more than 30 positions were eliminated at the Salt Lake City operation.

In a statement, the company says that it has restructured its operations, combining many of its aspects into one entity.

“Since 2009, KSL Newsradio and KSL TV have operated in a different company than KSL.com,” the statement from Bonneville said. “Wednesday, the step was taken to unify all platforms and aspects of the KSL brand under one leadership team.”

Also exiting the news/talk station was Heather Kelly McShane, a reporter and host with the outlet who spent 13 years at the station.

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830 WCCO Raises Nearly $375K in Latest Interrupt Homelessness Radiothon

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830 WCCO recently held its 23rd annual Interrupt Homelessness radiothon to benefit Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities, raising nearly $375,000 in the process.

Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities serves over 2,000 men, women, and children annually by providing
essential needs like food, shelter, and clothing, alongside holistic programs designed to break
the cycles of homelessness and addiction.

“When Minnesota comes together, no one gets left behind. It’s a testament to our amazing fans and incredibly supportive partners at WCCO for lifting those in need through Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities,” said 830 WCCO Brand Manager Brad Lane.

“Our fans’ generosity isn’t just a donation, it’s a gift of dignity, hope, a warm meal and a bed,” Lane continued. “Using the breadth and power of this legacy platform to help the work that UGMTC does; this is what it means to be a good neighbor.”

“Today, we’re highlighting how our holistic services truly interrupt homelessness. I’m struck by how many of the men and women who shared their stories on the air did so because they want others to reach the same place they are now, sober, housed, employed and healing,” said Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities CEO Pam Stegora Axberg.

“Their message to our community was clear: ‘Help make my story possible for someone else.’ And today, thousands of donors answered that call,” she continued. “Together, we are breaking the cycle of homelessness for our neighbors. That’s what makes a day like this so special.”

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Jason Whitlock Wants To Be Remembered as the Best Sports Writer “Ever”

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Jason Whitlock, the outspoken sports journalist known for his bold commentary and unfiltered takes, discussed his legacy this week on The Sage Steele Show, making clear how he wants to be remembered.

“I guess if I want the world to remember, I want the credit that—and this is just a worldly ego thing—but I believe I’m the best sports writer. Maybe ever,” Whitlock said.

Whitlock career spans traditional outlets both in print, radio and television with his current independent media platforms. He reflected on what he believes distinguishes him from his peers. Whitlock specifically pointed to his willingness to tackle controversial social and racial issues. Topics many sports journalists avoid as part of what makes his work unique.

“Most sports writers never take on the super serious issues and explore… make that part of their brand,” Whitlock explained. “There’s issues from Colin Kaepernick to racial issues. I feel like I’ve taken a lot of bold stances. If I were to refine it and remove myself from it and be more Christian, I want to be remembered as, like, ‘Oh man, Whitlock was the boldest sports writer ever’ because of his biblical worldview. Because of his faith in God, and the way his grandmother discipled him. That just made him an elite sports journalist.”

Throughout his conversation, Whitlock did not shy away from claiming personal influence over the current generation of sports writers. He suggested that many are attempting to emulate his style but falling short.

“If you actually look at this era of sports writers, and I apologize for this sounding narcissistic and arrogant. I look out and see all these people trying to mimic what I did, and they’re doing bad versions of it,” he said.

Whitlock has written about sports for several local newspapers including The Herald Times and The Charlotte Observer. During his 16 years as a sports columnist for the Kansas City Star, he was awarded the National Journalism Award by the Scripps Howard Foundation in 2008. He then took his writings to ESPN and AOL Sports, then serving as editor in chief of The Undefeated till 2015.

Currently, Whitlock is the host of his daily Fearless with Jason Whitlock program on BlazeTV.

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Jimmy O’Brien: Jomboy Media Partnership With MLB Took Four Years To Come Together

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Jimmy “Jomboy” O’Brien, co-founder of Jomboy Media, reflected on the company’s first season partnering with Major League Baseball, offering insight into why the deal took years to come together and what the collaboration could mean for sports media.

Speaking on his podcast, More Jomboy, O’Brien said the road to partnership was complicated by restrictions MLB initially placed on content Jomboy Media wanted to produce. “They hindered a lot on the back end, their prerogative. I guess they got a monopoly legally,” he said.

O’Brien explained that while MLB had been interested in working with Jomboy Media for several years, negotiations repeatedly stalled over what he described as “non-starter terms.”

“They wanted it to happen, but it was attempted to happen on what we considered non-starter terms for four years. So every year they would send people our way, and it was like, ‘No, we’re not going,’” O’Brien said. “We had really big support on their side. Finally it went through. But we said no for years, and it limited a lot of stuff [that Jomboy could do]. We were supposed to have a show on ESPN during the Home Run Derby, and it got taken away from us because MLB was like, ‘No.’”

The creator-led content company came to an agreement with Major League Baseball this past June. MLB acquired a minority stake in the baseball-centered digital media brand. The partnership saw Jomboy Media and MLB collaborate on content activations around annual events in the baseball calendar. These included the MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.  

Jomboy Media also was granted access to intellectual property from MLB and individual MLB clubs in order to be integrated across “new apparel, home goods, and more.”.

Despite the challenges coming to an agreement, O’Brien said the first season exceeded expectations. Jomboy Media produced original content across MLB platforms, including highlight breakdowns and fan engagement features, maintaining its independent voice while leveraging the league’s reach.

“It’s fan-driven, they don’t own us at all. We got no money. They bought out other investors,” O’Brien said.

The partnership has also opened doors for future opportunities with other professional sports leagues.

“We’ve already had other leagues and other sports reach out and be like, ‘Hey, we’d love to do this. Like, we’ll offer you rights, and we’re kind of just not really set up yet,’” O’Brien said. “That’s kind of cool. It is a groundbreaking partnership. No league has partnered with a media company in this way.”

O’Brien said the collaboration demonstrates the evolving relationship between traditional sports leagues and independent digital creators. By balancing MLB’s institutional requirements with Jomboy Media’s signature fan-first style, the partnership illustrates how leagues can leverage new media while respecting the content creator’s independence.

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OutKick Sees 8% Increase in Views During October

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OutKick reported month-over-month growth in October 2025 across several Comscore-measured metrics.

The platform recorded 24 million total multiplatform views, an increase of 8% compared to September 2025, along with 20 million multiplatform minutes, up 2% from the previous month. Comscore also measured 4.1 million total desktop and mobile unique visitors for the month.

OutKick registered 14.8 million total digital multiplatform unique visitors in October, ranking 21st among more than 350 sports entities tracked by Comscore.

“OutKick continues to provide in-depth coverage across the sports industry. In October alone, OutKick was tip of the spear on betting allegations against players and coaches in the NBA and broke news on the coaching carousel in college football. This is a direct result of the platforms growth.”

Across social platforms including Facebook, X, and Instagram, OutKick generated more than 807,000 social actions in October, according to Comscore Social. The outlet also accumulated over 12.8 million total video views on Facebook, X, and YouTube.

The company highlighted its October output in areas such as coverage of betting-related investigations in the NBA and college football coaching movement, noting those developments as part of its overall digital activity for the month.

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SportsTalk 790 Elevates Dan Matthews, Cole Thompson To Morning Drive

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iHeartMedia Houston’s SportsTalk 790 announced the debut of its new morning show, The Morning Drive with Dan & Cole, launching Monday, November 24. Houston natives Dan Mathews and Cole Thompson, will guide the live, locally focused program will airing weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

“We’re thrilled to add Cole to mornings, alongside Dan,” said Chris Gordy, Program Director for SportsTalk 790. “Both guys eat, sleep and breathe all things Houston sports, and bring a passion and enthusiasm to kick off each morning right.”

According to a release, the show will center on the Astros, Rockets, and Texans, while also covering major college matchups and top national sports headlines. Listeners can expect a blend of sharp analysis, insider access, and the hosts’ signature hometown passion, delivering energetic and opinionated coverage to start the day.

Cole Thompson brings more than a decade of experience covering Houston sports, with previous stops in Austin and San Antonio. Over the past year, he has produced The A-Team on SportsTalk 790 and hosted The Night Cap.

A University of Alabama graduate, Thompson previously hosted Just Sayin It on SportsMap Radio for three years and currently hosts shows for SEC Unfiltered. Known as a college football junkie with an energetic, out-of-the-box style, Thompson combines instinct-first coverage with a willingness to challenge conventional statistics when his eyes tell a different story.

Dan Mathews, a St. Thomas High School graduate, has been covering Houston sports since 2009. He began his career as an on-air host in Houston, reporting on the Rockets, Texans, and Astros before moving to Atlanta, where he worked for 92.9 The Game and 680 The Fan.

In Atlanta, Mathews served as a host, reporter, and play-by-play broadcaster, covering Mercer University athletics, the Atlanta Braves, and the University of Georgia, while also serving as Executive Producer of The Chuck Oliver Show, which focused on college football.

He returned to Houston in 2023, producing The A-Team, hosting The Night Cap, and joining The Sean Salisbury Show in morning drive. Mathews also regularly hosts pre-game and post-game coverage for the Astros and Rockets on SportsTalk 790.

The launch of The Morning Drive with Dan & Cole marks the latest addition to SportsTalk 790’s weekday lineup, which includes The Matt Thomas Show with Ross from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., The A-Team with Adam Wexler and Adam Clanton from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and The Night Cap with Josh Jordan from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

SportsTalk 790 lost morning voice Sean Salisbury after six years on SportsTalk 790 last month. His time with the radio station came to an abrupt end as he was one of many who were laid off by iHeartMedia nationwide, albeit signing a multi-year contract extension in August.

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