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5 Easy to Execute Classic Rock Radio Ideas

Mike Stern
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5 Easy to Execute Classic Rock Radio Ideas

Welcome back. Hope you had a great holiday weekend. I can’t believe I’m saying this but, with Labor Day over and the kids back in school everywhere, it’s time to focus on finishing the year strong. I’m not sure how that’s even possible but it’s real so it seems like a great time to share some secret free advice to help you get there. So just for you, here are five easy-to-execute ideas your radio station can use between now and the holidays.

Celebrate The Bands We Barely Knew

Thursday September 25th is National One-Hit Wonder Day. It should be a great excuse to highlight a lot of great tracks on your station. Start early in the week with a social post about the greatest one-hit wonders of the Classic Rock-era. Let people post their suggestions and chime in for their favorites. Then feature these songs all through the day. All you need is a little production and a smile while you play the usual suspects plus a few that don’t normally make rotation. My vote is for “My Sharona” to make an appearance.

Light a Candle for Eddie

Hard to believe October 6th will mark five years since we lost Eddie Van Halen. This one is hard to talk about but not hard to program. The easy way is playing songs at the top of every hour or more. But consider going further. Play an entire Van Halen album at some point and edit together all of Eddie’s best solos into a one-of-a-kind mix. Don’t forget to change the colors on your website to match his guitar. Post the same pattern on your socials.

The Boss Goes to the Movies

This one is a little tougher to deal with. On October 24th, the Bruce Springsteen biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere hits the theaters. Once of the biggest stars in the Classic Rock world, Springsteen’s outspoken political stance has, without a doubt, had a big effect on his status. Depending on what part of the country you are in, this is either a great chance to do something around a major artist or a small, background promotion. Either way, keep in mind two things: Springsteen still sells out arenas in markets all over the country and these biopics do tend to breathe new life into older acts. Plan accordingly.

Celebrate the Heroes

Very few groups profile as positively with Classic Rock fans as veterans and first responders. Don’t miss the opportunity to lean in by preparing a good promotional effort around First Responders Day on Tuesday October 28th. I realize it’s close to Halloween but nothing will localize your stations more than finding a great way to honor the people in your community who run toward dangerous situations instead of away from them. Send pizza, do shout outs, find a way to say Thank You.

Bang the Drum All Day

One more easy to celebrate holiday that fits our format perfectly is National Drummer Day, which crashes onto your calendar on Saturday, November 15th. That makes it a great excuse to go off script over the weekend and feature songs with great drum solos. A little later in the day, when listening levels are lower, maybe even break out “Moby Dick” or “YYZ” which is something we never do but your listeners love. Not matter what, the production absolutely needs to feature the iconic moment from “In the Air Tonight.”

Greenday's Tre
Photo Credit: Imagn courtesy of Scott Ash/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA TODAY NETWORK

I realize that none of these are the most ground-breaking ideas. They do however check a few important boxes. They fit the Classic Rock format, are easy to execute with minimal effort, and don’t cost anything. Plus, they are free. Put them on your calendar now and write some lines for your voice talent before the fall really ramps up. You’ll have easy opportunities to make your station sound more vibrant than just another day of playing the music log.

The All-Christmas Flip Timing Is Key for AC Radio Success

Kevin Robinson
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The All-Christmas Flip Timing Is Key for AC Radio Success

Somewhere in the history of mankind, someone had to be the first person to eat an egg. That person cracked the egg, saw the watery whites and the round milky yolk, and said, “I’m going to put this in my mouth.” People around that person must have thought he or she went loony.

A similar reaction came when the first Adult Contemporary station—decades back—went All-Christmas. Certainly, the programmer must be loony? Depending on which radio archive you research, the answers vary on who went first.

Phoenix’s KMEO-AM flipped to All-Christmas in 1989, the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas of the same year. Other records indicate that the first FM radio station to go All-Christmas is credited to WWYZ/Hartford in 1998. Recent trade publications claim that in 2003, KEZK/St. Louis was the first major-market station to normalize the All-Christmas trend. Prepare for spirited discussion following this piece as to who took the first All-Christmas crown.

Clearly, boxcar-type numbers follow stations when they flip the All-Christmas switch. Nearly every Adult Contemporary brand has adopted the All-Christmas banner.

The debate as to when to go All-Christmas is all over the place. If you go too early—say November 1—you will hear the boo-birds on the phone and read about it on your social media platforms.

If you wait until late in November, you risk being the second station to flip—as we know, first in wins.

Keys To A Christmas Flip Success Story

After discussions with AC programmers all over the country, there are flexible best practices and opinions as to All-Christmas timing. This includes when to stop the All-Christmas format and return to your regular programming.

That is—everyone has a different answer.

Here’s what we’ve learned:

  • First in wins. The AC brand that launches first (mostly) wins the season.
  • The vast majority of AC brands launch sometime the week of Thanksgiving.
  • If you are the All-Christmas market leader, you need to be prepared to go All-Christmas every day after Halloween in case a competitor launches before you do.
  • Flipping back to regular programming varies from midnight Christmas Day to New Year’s Eve.
  • An early snowfall assists people in mentally adapting to an early All-Christmas format flip.

We specifically turned to a handful of Adult Contemporary programming champions for their thoughts on the All-Christmas flip.

Ask The Expert – Steve King (NRG Media)

Steve King – Courtesy Of Steve King

First up is Steve King, who successfully blows the doors off Christmas ratings with his All-Christmas approach for NRG Media in Nebraska.

“We normally launch Christmas the week of Thanksgiving. It has fluctuated over the years, but that sometimes depends on the weather. If we see that the weather is going to look wintery (snow, cold and overcast), we will go early to bring spirits up and embrace the special feel of when we see snow for the first time,” said King. “We have gone earlier, but we have seen mixed results. We find the week of Thanksgiving and Black Friday have worked out best and have seen a nice ratings spike because of it. The weeks leading into Christmas we treat as an anticipation with teasing and spiking of songs prior to. We have, in some years, done a ‘Christmas Preview Weekend,’ which has been successful for retailers getting in the habit of making us their soundtrack for shopping.”

Since B107.3 owns the Christmas position, “We put a bow on it and go back to regular programming the day after Christmas.”

When it comes to a special sauce, “I am like my grandma who would give me a recipe for her cookies and stuffing but leave out that key ingredient that you know is missing but still tastes great,” said King. “I will share the one thing I tell the staff: make the station’s sound smell like the holidays. Lean into the warmth of the good memories, as well as the love of family and friends, present and past.”

Steve King has worked in formats from Active Rock to AC. He has held down the OM/PD chair from major to small markets, occasionally simultaneously, for three decades. Steve is currently OM/PD with NRG Media for Lincoln and Omaha, NE. Reach Steve at SteveKing@nrgmedia.com.

Ask The Expert – Jim Lawson (KOSI – Denver)

Jim Lawson – Courtesy Of Jim Lawson

Jim Lawson put up lights-out numbers during the holiday season for Bonneville International’s KOSI in Denver. Now Jim is a partner in the Collective Heads consultancy firm. Here are his thoughts:

“When should a station flip to Christmas music is always the debate at stations who use this programming tactic. Listeners have said in research—around or after Thanksgiving. However, Christmas stations want the lift the music brings to impact the fall quarterly, which it does… significantly,” notes Lawson. “The problem is by the time we reach Thanksgiving, the Nielsen calendar is not in sync with the yearly calendar. If a station flips on or the week of Thanksgiving this year, that is Nielsen’s December week 4. Not a lot of time to impact the monthly, never mind the quarter.”

He continued to say “Considering it takes 5-7 days to churn the audience, I recommend early in the second week of the December book, the week of November 11 this year. Or, if you have the patience to handle the vocal minority who will complain, flip on the first day of the book, November 7.”

Lawson added “That will give you the time to impact the December book and most likely bring in the quarter. As for when to return to regular programming, most stations go back to their regular format at midnight on December 26. After some experimenting and tracking the daily ratings, I recommend giving the listeners one extra day—December 26—and then flip back to your regular format. In my experience, while there is a drop in listenership on the day after Christmas, the Cume and AQH are still significantly above the average and then begin to drop on the 27th.”

Jim Lawson is a partner in Collective Heads, an audio programming and marketing consultancy. He was also program director of KOSI Denver, and SVP/Programming–Colorado for iHeartMedia. Reach Jim at JLaw@CollectiveHeads.io.

It’s a completely different All-Christmas animal with non-commercial radio brands. Your donors pay to be attached to your normal programming. A premature flip could disenfranchise your donor base.

In a future piece, we’ll discuss your Christmas List—and All-Christmas counter-programming for those blasted by a cross-town competitive All-Christmas tsunami.

Market-leading Adult Contemporary brands—be at the ready with your list and imaging, as your competitor could flip any day.

Last year, Louisville’s True Oldies WLRS-AM turned on All-Christmas October 1.

You never know.

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 News/Talk Radio Should Stop Chasing Logos and Start Serving the Audience

Peter Thiele
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Why News/Talk Radio Should Stop Chasing Logos and Start Serving the Audience

This past week has been filled with chagrin over the rebranding versus the traditional branding of Cracker Barrel. Being upfront, I used to enjoy going to Cracker Barrel. The octogenarians who eat there make me feel really young. I began thinking about bad rebrands in radio. It really is all about the biscuits, gravy, and butter. Which leads to the question: Does your news/talk radio station need to be rebranded?

With the evolution of the media marketplace, this could certainly be necessary. Sadly, in modern radio, we don’t have the gift of solid research on the regular. Cracker Barrel used to be one of my regular stops. I worked practically across the street from a Cracker Barrel for seven years. It was simply awesome. Traditionally, I have gone to Cracker Barrel for breakfast food. Here is a confession: I could eat eggs with every meal. I am guessing that a third of meals sold from lunch on are in the breakfast lane at Cracker Barrel.

What is the most popular thing on your radio station’s menu? Before you say it’s your highest-rated show, could it be the “biscuits on the side”? Last time I visited Cracker Barrel, I ordered Uncle Hershel’s Breakfast. The biscuits were delivered first. Instead of four large, fluffy biscuits arranged around a large bowl of amazing gravy, I received two small, crunchy biscuits with a small bowl of gravy. The biscuits are not the main thing with Uncle Hershel’s Breakfast, but it was a sign of what was coming my way.

Researching today’s article, I found a video on X by a guy who said he had worked in the kitchen at Cracker Barrel for the last eight years. He said the biscuits are no longer made at the restaurant — they are delivered frozen and “warmed up.” I guess that is why the biscuits now suck.

I was driving through a place I used to live and heard the traffic reporter mispronounce a local road. For that particular radio station, traffic is a big deal. The traffic reporter, apparently reporting from another city, didn’t know how to say the name of the road. Yes, this traffic report was like a reheated biscuit. It is not the main reason people tune in to that radio station, but traffic reports are important for the station’s CUME. How are your radio station’s biscuits? This could apply to a station of any format. If you are a CHR station playing Grand Funk Railroad, you are alienating your audience.

The main course: Uncle Hershel’s Breakfast comes with two sides of your choice. I am a traditionalist on this option—fried cinnamon apples and hashbrown casserole. There are other options, but I stick with these. What else is your audience expecting from you? Are you delivering on that? Are your options out of date? Are you spending a lot of time on movie reviews while ignoring other entertainment options that are more popular with your audience? This is especially true if your station is one of those heritage news-talk stations that has been doing the same things for decades. Are some of these things still needed?

Uncle Hershel’s Breakfast comes with two eggs and your choice of meat. You can get a couple of types of ham, a couple of types of catfish, various chicken options, or steak. Cracker Barrel used to offer pork chops, but no longer. Uncle Hershel’s Breakfast used to fill your plate. That is no longer the case. When I roll into a Cracker Barrel, I have a man-sized appetite and expect to leave with a happy heart and a full tummy. How is your radio station’s menu? Are you cutting back on things your audience desires?

A rebrand will not solve a lousy menu. Does Cracker Barrel need to be fixed? Probably — every business must adapt or die. From an outsider’s perspective, it seems like there is a corporate initiative to change the culture of the restaurant’s brand. Are they right? Could it be as simple as freshly baking the biscuits and delivering on customer expectations? My last two visits to Cracker Barrel have been very underwhelming. Say what you will about Waffle House—if you’ve tied one on and taken an Uber there, you get a great meal and the lovely opportunity to toss a chair at a fellow drunk.

There have been several radio station rebrands in the news-talk space. I often think of WGST in Atlanta. That station lost Neal Boortz to WSB and replaced him with a young talk show host from Alabama named Sean Hannity. WGST later lost Hannity to Fox News, and even though they had a solid morning show and afternoon show with Rush Limbaugh, they rebranded as Planet Radio. It was a stupid idea and was gone in less than a year.

I think every brand needs to be tweaked due to changes in the market—and boy, do we have a lot of competition. Radio stations, streaming services, podcasts, YouTube, and more can make our job daunting. May I suggest focusing on why the audience is there and meeting those expectations? If the food sucks, Cracker Barrel will not succeed with a new logo. And if your station sucks, a rebrand without an actual plan will fall flat.

It really is all about the biscuits, gravy, and butter. Which leads to the question: Does your news/talk radio station need to be rebranded?

How Dave Ramsey, Mike Gallagher, Erick Erickson, and Joe Pags Learned to Deal with Criticism

Garrett Searight
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How Dave Ramsey, Mike Gallagher, Erick Erickson, and Joe Pags Learned to Deal with Criticism

Few, if anyone, likes to deal with or accept criticism. The same can be said for nationally syndicated radio hosts like Dave Ramsey, Mike Gallagher, Erick Erickson, and Joe Pags.

For some folks, the ability to block out negativity from the audience came naturally. For others, they admitted it’s a work in progress.

But for Dave Ramsey, he said he learned how to combat criticism through his life experiences. He said he “desperately wanted to be the guy that everyone was impressed with” during his 20s.

But his rise to becoming a millionaire before declaring for bankruptcy, as well as his Christian faith, helped him find what is valuable and what isn’t any longer.

“I’m perfectly ok if someone doesn’t like me, or doesn’t agree with me, or doesn’t like my persona, or thinks that it ought to be done another way. That’s perfectly fine,” said Ramsey. “I really don’t care. And it comes from that I cared too much in the old days. It’s not going to change someone trolling us or writing a negative Reddit page or creating a career out of Dave Ramsey clickbait or whatever they’re doing. It really doesn’t change anything we do.”

Erick Erickson, meanwhile, shared that it’s human nature to either want to be liked or to settle any differences with those who disagree with you. But learning that, no matter what, some aren’t going to like you has been a process.

“I’ve had to learn, and I think most people have to learn,” he said. “Because I think most people’s personalities, generally, if someone’s got a problem with you, you want to try to placate that, give that person a hearing, and figure out what you’ve done. What I’m learning is that there are a lot of malcontented people.

“Learning to discern valid criticism from people who don’t like you and are never going to like you is a skill you have to learn,” continued Erickson. “But also with the people whose criticism you hear about, you’ve also got to understand that sometimes they’re just not going to agree, and you’ve got to have a sense of ‘Did you really screw up or not?’ More often than not — particularly due to social media — most criticism is less valid than it used to be.”

Mike Gallagher has been in the talk radio space for more than 40 years. But he admitted that taking pushback for his stances is an ongoing battle.

“I don’t think any of us are oblivious to criticism. We all pretend we don’t give a damn, but — let’s face it — we do,” he said. “Decades of getting beat up by critics should produce a thicker skin. And I’d like to think I have a thicker skin than I did when I started out. But look, we’re in the business of pleasing our audience. We want to give what they want and if you’re not getting the audience what they want, you’re probably not fulfilling the responsibility you have to your employer. That’s a big part of the cycle that we’re always in — to make sure that we’re true to ourselves, we express what we believe, but we don’t piss off half the audience.

“That, sometimes, is a delicate balance. How long does it take? I think I’m still learning how to take it,” he admitted.

Joe Pags falls into the camp of those whose proverbial give a damn is busted. He said dealing with criticism came rather naturally to him.

“I think that I was born with a gene that doesn’t make me nervous and doesn’t take insults and worry about them,” he admitted. He added that he’s always open to constructive criticism. But he doesn’t let naysayers or critics get under his skin.

“I still have to press that button and be as good as I possibly can be to deliver some entertainment, some sort of a getaway for those who are listening,” he shared. “I can’t get into my feelings about somebody doesn’t like how I sound today, or somebody doesn’t like the word I use, or somebody doesn’t like my heritage. That doesn’t bother me … I’m always open to making (The Joe Pags Show) better, but if the criticism is truly from a negative place, I don’t have much time for it.”

A recurring theme was recognizing who is and isn’t criticizing in good faith.

“You gotta weed off the people that are angry, and just let that roll off your back,” said Gallagher. “But that’s that’s still an ongoing process.”

“If somebody comes up and they’ve got a problem and they’re being foolish, why would I waste my time with that?” Joe Pags stated.

“People are just angry, and if you don’t tell them exactly what they want, they’re going to be mad at you,” Erickson concluded. “I mean, some people you try and just can’t help.”

Ramsey said that his key to dealing with the criticism is putting himself in the shoes of those lambasting him, which he viewed as exhausting.

“I just have to look at those poor guys and go, ‘Gosh, it’d be awful to not have your own thing, and the only thing you had was ripping somebody else’s thing.’ That’s your only thing? That’s the only thing you do? The only thing you burn calories on is tearing other people down? And look at what it got you. You live in your mother’s basement. I mean, it’s just sad in a way.”

Ramsey admitted that — like anyone else — he does get his feelings hurt at times. But then dives into the data that, for instance, his book “The Total Money Makeover” has more than 20,000 reviews on Amazon. Of those reviews, the book has a 4.7-star rating. He joked that if someone didn’t like the book and left a negative review, then they’re “just wrong.”

He added that he no longer reads the comments or reviews related to his projects because they show “why some species kill their young.”

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

What Does CBS Evening News Need to Do to Rejoin the Nightly Newscast Ratings Battle?

Garrett Searight
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What Does CBS Evening News Need to Do to Rejoin the Nightly Newscast Ratings Battle?

CBS Evening News has always carried the weight of history. For decades, the program was a dominant force in television journalism, anchored by names that helped define the medium. But in recent years, especially since Norah O’Donnell’s departure, the show has slipped further from the top of the ratings conversation. And that shouldn’t surprise anyone—because when a program doesn’t know what it wants to be, viewers quickly figure that out.

The challenge CBS faces isn’t just that NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas and ABC World News Tonight with David Muir are formidable competitors. It’s that both of those broadcasts have an identity. Muir’s program is urgent, polished, and accessible, designed to keep pace with the hyper-speed of social media headlines.

Llamas, meanwhile, has leaned into being a steady, authoritative figure while still looking and sounding fresh for an audience that consumes news differently than their parents and grandparents. CBS, on the other hand, has spent 2024 experimenting with different looks, different presentations, and different tones. Since January, it has changed its presentation twice, before eventually deciding to revert back to a style that closely mirrors what ABC and NBC are already doing.

And that’s the problem. If you’re going to look like your competitors, you’d better be at least as good as them. Right now, CBS Evening News is neither.

The show’s identity crisis has been glaring. When O’Donnell was in the chair, CBS attempted to position her as the authoritative anchor in the Cronkite tradition, delivering the news with gravitas. Whether or not that worked is debatable, but at least it was a strategy. Post-O’Donnell, the show has been caught between trying to look modern, attempting a more news-magazine approach, and trying to reclaim its heritage. Those aren’t inherently bad goals — but when they change every couple of months, it sends the message that CBS isn’t confident in its own product.

Meanwhile, audiences are creatures of habit. They want to know what they’re getting every night when they tune in. David Muir isn’t suddenly going to reinvent himself next month. Tom Llamas isn’t going to completely overhaul NBC’s broadcast in October. Viewers know what those shows are and why they tune in. CBS can’t say the same.

Here’s the blunt truth: no one is going to beat ABC or NBC by offering a slightly worse version of what they’re already doing. “Almost as good” doesn’t sell. If the viewers wanted Muir’s style, they’d just watch Muir. If they wanted Llamas, they’d watch Llamas. CBS Evening News has to carve out something different —something that separates it from the pack — if it ever wants to be competitive again.

That doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel. It doesn’t mean filling the program with gimmicks or desperately chasing a younger demographic that probably isn’t going to sit down for a network evening newscast anyway. What it does mean is leaning into what CBS can uniquely provide. CBS has the infrastructure, the reporting talent, and the credibility to emphasize deeper, more substantive reporting. Rather than racing through headlines in 22 minutes to keep pace with ABC, CBS could position itself as the show that goes a layer deeper, that explains why a story matters, not just what happened.

In a media landscape dominated by hot takes, viral clips, and doomscrolling, there’s a massive audience that would appreciate a thoughtful, well-paced, intelligent evening newscast. CBS could own that lane if it had the courage to commit to it. Instead, it seems paralyzed by the fear of losing ground, so it tries to mimic what’s working for the competition. And every time CBS takes another step in that direction, the show becomes less distinct—and therefore less valuable to viewers.

The irony is that CBS still carries the credibility of its brand name. For all the struggles, when people think of CBS News, they still think of Murrow and Cronkite. They still associate the network with serious journalism. That reputation is an advantage. But it only matters if CBS leans into it, not if it waters it down by offering a B-minus imitation of the competition.

CBS Evening News doesn’t need another set redesign. It doesn’t need to change its graphics package again. It doesn’t need to hire a consultant who tells them to “look more like ABC” or “sound more like NBC.” What it needs is a strategy. A real one. Something clear, something definable, something that viewers can immediately recognize as CBS.

Help, conceivably, is on the way. Last week, the network named Kim Harvey as the new Executive Producer of the nightly newscast. She replaces Guy Campanile, a veteran 60 Minutes producer who oversaw the reinvention of the show earlier this year. As I noted in one of the early iterations of the program, I actually liked the more in-depth approach of the nightly newscast, opposed to the “how much can we cram into 21 minutes” style ABC and NBC News employ at 6 PM ET.

But the numbers speak for themselves. What was once more than 5 million viewers per night just this year has dwindled to less than 4 million and is approaching 3.75 million. That’s not something you can just write off.

If CBS has the courage to stop following and start leading, the ratings can bounce back. But until that happens, the show will remain exactly where it is now—stuck in third place, without an identity, wondering why viewers continue to choose its competitors.

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.

Rinat Akhmetov: Industry, Technology, and International Development

Sponsored Post
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Rinat Akhmetov: Industry, Technology, and International Development

Metinvest Group is starting construction of a new metallurgical plant in the Italian city of Pembino. The project is being implemented jointly with Danieli on a parity basis. The planned capacity of the plant is 2.7 million tons of steel per year. Construction is scheduled to start at the end of 2025, with production set to begin in 2027.

This facility will serve as a testing ground for technological solutions that will then be implemented at Ukrainian plants Zaporizhstal and Kametstal. The initiative creates an additional load on the capacity of Ukrainian mining and processing companies, strengthening vertical integration. Financing is planned through loans – at least 70% of the total amount.

Danieli sees participation in the project as an opportunity to demonstrate its engineering and manufacturing technologies. 

Innovations – digital solutions in production

In parallel with international initiatives, Metinvest is developing digital transformation in Ukraine. The Zaporizhstal plant has implemented the ForgeCheck tool, based on artificial intelligence. It detects defects in slabs and reduces energy consumption and the number of complaints. The economic effect of implementing the system can reach $250,000 per year.

According to Maxim Balanyuk, head of R&D at Metinvest Digital, the company has been testing various AI-based solutions since 2021. In 2025, it plans to launch the second generation of the tool into the industrial cycle.

Support for Ukraine

Since the beginning of the war, Rinat Akhmetov has allocated 11.3 billion hryvnias to support the country. The funds were used for humanitarian and military needs, restoration of energy infrastructure, and assistance to victims. The initiatives include:

  • the transfer of body armor, drones, dugouts, and medical equipment as part of the Steel Front project;
  • large-scale supply of vehicles, charging stations, special equipment, and over 5,000 UAVs;
  • the production of lightweight bulletproof vests made of Metinvest’s own steel (more than 150,000 units);
  • the development of steel field shelters (“kryivkas”), with over 300 already delivered to the Armed Forces;
  • protective screens for military equipment and mobile “Lancet catchers” against kamikaze drones;
  • the creation of more than 250 mock-ups of military equipment to mislead the enemy;
  • financing the restoration of the energy system through the Battle for Light campaign (107 million euros raised with the support of the EU and the US);
  • the work of the Azovstal Heart program, which supports the defenders of Mariupol and their families;
  • humanitarian aid through the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation – food, medicine, housing, rehabilitation;
  • charitable initiatives of the Shakhtar football club.

These actions complement the strategic activities of his companies, maintaining a balance between current support and long-term investments in the economy.

Rinat Akhmetov remains one of the most prominent figures combining industrial development with targeted support. His approach is not only about building new enterprises and introducing technologies, but also about systematic work to ensure the country’s stability during difficult times.

First 2026 Local Adverting Forecast From BIA Advisory Services Shows Slight Uptick

BNM Staff
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First 2026 Local Adverting Forecast From BIA Advisory Services Shows Slight Uptick

After a cautious 2025 outlook, BIA Advisory Services is signaling a more encouraging forecast for broadcasters heading into 2026.

Radio, which had been dealing with modest declines, is expected to see over-the-air revenue rebound while digital continues its steady climb.

The biggest driver? Politics. BIA estimates $7.9 billion in political advertising will flow through local media during the 2026 election cycle — one of the largest in recent history. With all 435 House seats, 35 Senate contests, 36 gubernatorial races, and 30 attorney general offices up for grabs, campaigns are expected to flood the market in search of local reach.

In a webinar alongside Marketron CEO Jimshade Chaudhari, BIA’s VP of Forecasting and Data Analysis, Senan Mele, outlined what broadcasters can expect. Radio’s over-the-air revenue is projected to grow 1.83% year-over-year in 2026, a reversal of the declines forecast for 2025. Meanwhile, radio digital revenue — already one of the industry’s brightest spots — is projected to climb 5.01% in 2026 after a 4.5% bump in 2025.

Chaudhari stressed that broadcasters must get aggressive now, calling the upcoming election cycle “too large an opportunity to overlook.” He suggested sellers should be bundling OTA, digital, and CTV offerings while refining inventory strategies to maximize demand.

Radio continues to hold a unique advantage in local advertising. Nielsen data shows advertisers still see a $10 return for every dollar spent on radio campaigns, cementing its role as a cost-effective channel.

And even before 2026 arrives, broadcasters could get a holiday boost. BIA projects U.S. retail sales to rise 1.2% during the 2025 holiday season, with advertisers planning campaigns earlier than usual to reach shoppers ahead of a later Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

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.

FOX Sports To Honor Lee Corso Including Final Headgear Selection at Ohio State

BSM Staff
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FOX Sports To Honor Lee Corso Including Final Headgear Selection at Ohio State

For nearly four decades, Lee Corso’s headgear picks have defined the crescendo of ESPN’s College GameDay. On Saturday, the tradition will take a historic turn. In an unprecedented move, FOX Sports will also televise Corso’s final headgear selection. They will honor him during their Big Noon Kickoff program on Saturday, according to a report by Brett McMurphy of On3.

McMurphy reports that Big Noon Kickoff will carry the final headgear selection moment live from inside Ohio Stadium. This will be prior to the showdown between Texas and Ohio State. The broadcast on FOX Sports will not use ESPN’s feed. Instead, Ohio State will display Corso’s pick on the stadium Jumbotron. This allows fans inside and viewers at home to experience the moment simultaneously.

The request to air the final headgear moment was made by FOX Sports, and ESPN approved the request according to a source with knowledge speaking with Barrett Media.

“You will be able to see and experience what the fans inside the stadium are experiencing,” a source familiar with the plans said to On3.

The final headgear pick is set to occur shortly before Saturday’s noon kickoff on FOX Sports. Beyond showing the segment, FOX Sports is also expected to air a tribute to Corso during its pregame coverage. Longtime storytellers Tom Rinaldi and Chris Fallica, who both previously worked with Corso at ESPN, will help honor the 90-year-old analyst.

Corso has been synonymous with ESPN’s College GameDay since joining the show in 1987. His oversized mascot heads, introduced in 1996, turned a pregame pick into must-watch television. This helped fuel the program’s rise into one of the most influential shows in sports. While rivals have built competing platforms, the headgear moment remained exclusively tied to ESPN’s brand—until now.

By televising Corso’s finale, FOX Sports acknowledges that his tradition transcends network borders.

The tradition that defined his legacy—wearing a mascot head to predict the winner of the day’s biggest game—began in 1996 in Columbus, Ohio. That day, Corso picked Ohio State by donning Brutus Buckeye’s head. Since then, he has made 430 headgear picks. He chose the Buckeyes a record 45 times.

For Corso, the finale will be both celebratory and poignant. After battling health issues in recent years, he scaled back appearances but insisted on continuing the headgear ritual. Each selection since then has carried added weight. This builds anticipation for this final act on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

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.

Jeff Zillgitt Leaving USA Today After Three Decades

BSM Staff
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Jeff Zillgitt Leaving USA Today After Three Decades

Jeff Zillgitt, one of the most respected NBA writers in sports journalism, is leaving USA Today after three decades. The veteran NBA reporter announced he is taking a company buyout, closing the chapter on a career that began in 1995 and took him across the globe covering the biggest events in sports.

Zillgitt shared the news in a personal blog post, reflecting on a journey that started in Monroe, Michigan. At just 12 years old, he bought his first copy of USA Today from a newspaper box across the street from his elementary school. Thirteen years later, he joined the paper and never looked back.

“All I ever wanted to do was be a newspaper person,” Zillgitt wrote. “I got to live out the dream of a lifetime here.”

His resume underscores that point. During his career, Zillgitt covered 18 NBA Finals, eight Olympics, seven World Series, six Super Bowls, six Final Fours, and two college football national championship games. He also traveled internationally, filing stories everywhere from Paris, France, to small-town America.

Yet the decision to step away wasn’t solely professional. Zillgitt has battled serious health challenges over the past decade, including metastatic stomach cancer. He recently underwent radiation treatment in addition to ongoing infusions, and he credited the support of his colleagues and readers with helping him through difficult stretches.

“This job and colleagues have helped me through dark days and made it possible for me to get from there to here,” Zillgitt wrote. “The support and kindness have been overwhelming and have enriched my life.”

The buyout gives Zillgitt a chance to reset. While he has no immediate plans beyond a few freelance assignments, he said he intends to travel, fly-fish in Montana, relax on the beach, and take in some live music. Eventually, he expects to continue telling stories in some form.

“I don’t have anything lined up,” he noted, “but I still have stories to tell.”

In 2015, Zillgitt was part of a USA TODAY team that was honored in the Associated Press Sports Editors “Investigative” writing contest. He has broken news, covered the NBA’s biggest moments and conducted one-on-one interviews with the game’s most important participants, including Adam Silver, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant

As he departs, Zillgitt leaves behind not only an impressive body of work but also a reputation for professionalism and kindness. He made it clear he will continue rooting for USA Today’s success and remains open to conversations about journalism over coffee in his Northern Virginia community.

“I am fortunate and lucky,” Zillgitt said. “It was an honor, privilege and joy to work here.”

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

Hot 97 Revamps Schedule, Funkmaster Flex Gets New Slot

BMM Staff
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Hot 97 Revamps Schedule, Funkmaster Flex Gets New Slot

As hinted earlier, Funkmaster Flex is not leaving Hip Hop Hot 97 in New York, but changing his timeslot. He is moving to 5 to 10 pm, as first reported by TMZ.

This is part of an overall revamp of the station’s lineup, with TT Torrez and DJ Enuff exiting the station.

The new lineup features “Ebro in the Morning,” which will air from 5 to 11. DJ Drewski from 11 am to 1 pm, Nessa will handle 1 to 5 pm, then Flex in his new timeslot.

DJ Enuff posted on Instagram, thanking listeners for “27 unforgettable years.”

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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