Cox Media Group Orlando has named Jessica Reyes as the new morning host at Bilingual AC WOEX “Hits 96.5.” She succeeds Epi Colon, who had held the role since September 2020.
What We Know: Reyes brings deep Orlando market roots and impressive multi-market experience. She previously co-hosted mornings at Spanish Tropical “Mega 98.1” WNUE and held roles at CHR “101.9 Amp Radio” WQMP. Most recently, she handled middays at “Kaliente 103.1” WFYY. Additionally, she currently voices middays at Fort Myers Broadcasting Hot AC WINK-FM, nights on Spanish CHR “97.7 Latino” WTLQ, and middays on VP Broadcasting’s “Mega 101.7” WTKZ in Allentown.
What They Said: Reyes captured the spirit of her new role perfectly. “Growing up between Jersey, Philly, and Puerto Rico, music in English and conversations in Spanish were just a part of everyday life,” she said. “I can’t wait to spend my mornings with Central Florida, Cafecito in hand, sharing great music, laughs, and positive vibes.” Director of Programming & Branding Raymond Hernandez added that her authentic community connection and local roots made her an outstanding fit for the station.
What Remains Unclear: The fate of outgoing morning host Epi Colon has not been announced. Furthermore, it’s unknown whether any additional programming changes are planned at the station following this transition. Hits 96.5 relaunched in its current Bilingual format only in October 2024.
What It Means: This hire signals Cox’s commitment to authentic, community-driven talent in a growing bilingual market. Orlando’s Latino audience is expanding rapidly, and consequently, stations are prioritizing hosts who reflect that lived experience. Reyes checks every box.
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.
Radio One’s acquisition of K104 and KRNB is nearly complete. Staff cuts are already underway.
What We Know: Two Dallas-area veterans lost their jobs as the deal closes. Keith Solis, APD/MD and afternoon host at Smooth R&B 105.7 KRNB, signed off July 16 after nineteen years at the station. His tenure included roles as local newscaster for the Steve Harvey Morning Show. Cluster promotions specialist Ossie Boddie also departed after fifteen years.
What They Said: Solis reflected on a 43-year career with characteristic grace. “After 19years, today is my last day at Smooth R&B 105.7,” he shared. “While I am disappointed, I am also extremely grateful that God has given me a 43-year career, which included opportunities and experiences that many could only dream of.” Boddie echoed that tone, noting he “got to work with radio legends and people that I consider family.”
What Remains Unclear: It’s not yet known how many additional positions Radio One will eliminate post-acquisition. The full operational structure at both K104 KKDA-FM and KRNB under new ownership also remains to be seen.
What It Means: Consolidation claims casualties. That’s not a surprise — ownership shifts almost always trigger roster cuts. What stands out here is that both Solis and Boddie exited with their passion for the craft fully intact. Forty-three years in, Solis is still looking forward. That kind of perspective is rare. How many more positions disappear before Radio One settles in remains unknown.
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.
Viper Broadcasting has launched Classic Hits “Q101″ on 101.7 KQDZ in St. Louis’ northwest suburbs. The new brand targets listeners with a heavy focus on music from the 1980s and 90s.
What We Know: KQDZ Elsberry, MO is owned by East Central Broadcasting. Previously, Donze Broadcasting operated the station under an LMA agreement. Since March 2025, KQDZ had been simulcasting Classic Rock 93.1 KBDZ out of Perryville. Now, Viper steps in and takes operational control of the outlet.
What’s at Stake: Viper already operates competing Rock station 100.7 The Viper (KFNS-FM) in nearby Troy. Adding Q101 gives the company two distinct heritage-leaning brands in the same regional footprint. The Classic Hits format targets Gen X listeners — a demo with strong spending power. Notably, the station’s retro jingle resings add a deliberate nostalgia-first identity that goes beyond just the music library.
What Remains Unclear: Whether Q101 will feature local personalities or live programming hasn’t been announced. Additionally, how Viper plans to differentiate Q101 from its existing Rock book remains to be seen. The financial terms surrounding the transition from Donze’s LMA arrangement are also unknown.
What It Means: Classic Hits is gaining real momentum as a format nationwide. However, Q101 faces a built-in challenge — KQDZ is a low-power Class A signal at just 3,100 watts. It reaches the northwest suburbs effectively, but covers only a portion of the greater St. Louis market. Still, Viper’s retro-forward approach and dual-brand strategy suggest a focused, community-level play rather than a full-market swing. For operators watching format trends, the move is worth noting regardless of signal size.
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.
I took Stephanie Eads and Dylan Barrett to see Shinedown perform live in Albany, NY on Saturday night. It was the seventh time Stephanie and I have seen them live. Dylan has seen them perform four times. As usual, they sounded great and the entire production was spectacular.
But this column isn’t about the concert. It’s about the way the band values and connects with its audience and what media professionals can learn from it.
Allow me to explain why this should matter if you manage a brand or host a show.
Before the First Note
Before the show, we had the privilege of going backstage. Thank you to Alissa Pollack and Lou Rizzo for the assist. Brent Smith, Shinedown’s vocalist was under an hour from taking the stage when he came by to catch up with a group of 20. Many artists are unreachable that close to showtime. A few treat the pre-show meet up like a burden.
Brent treated it like an opportunity.
He spent time with everyone in the room. Not a quick handshake or ten-second photo assembly. He stopped, talked, asked questions, remembered names and prior experiences, and made everyone in the room feel important.
That’s not a PR move. That’s a philosophy.
What Happened During the Show
From start to finish, Shinedown played hit after hit. They know what their fans like and don’t waste time on tunes that signal a bathroom break or social media distraction. They build their set list thinking about what matters most to their audience.
Secondly, Brent stops multiple times during the show to address the crowd directly. Not with a generic “you’re the best fans in the world” throwaway. With genuine, specific gratitude. He reminds everyone that the band works for the fans and they are in their house. He pointed out that people could spend their Saturday night doing something else and avoiding a rainstorm but instead they chose to spend it with Shinedown. The support is truly appreciated by the entire band.
You can hear and feel the sincerity in every word shared on stage. They are also open throughout the show, sharing personal stories that connect to the songs they’re about to play. On Saturday night, they addressed their bass player Eric being away for mental health reasons, the loss of Brad Arnold from 3 Doors Down, and their interest in helping in the fight against cancer. All of it made the audience feel closer to them.
Shinedown also include their fans in the show. For example, the night prior, a fan had sent the band 66 direct messages asking them to play a specific song. In media circles, a person who calls or messages sixty-six times is deemed crazy or a nuisance. Shinedown treated it differently.
Guitarist Zach Meyers talked about it, showed the texts on the screen, and a camera then zoomed in on the fan. After Brent joked that the fan was needy, he walked over to him and sang the next song with him.
That fan’s passion was celebrated and became a cool social moment. Every fan seeing that clip saw Shinedown valuing their fans in real-time. One simple gesture made it easy for fans to want to buy a ticket, buy an album, and support the band. The best part, Zach and Brent didn’t do anything but be themselves.
Apply This to Your Business
I’ve spent two decades working on shows and building brands, and the past decade covering and consulting the industry. I’ve seen talented people create amazing content and a lot of success, but I’ve also seen many devalue their audience or take them for granted.
Too many personalities, programmers, managers, and executives view the audience as data. They look at ratings points, download numbers, and revenue figures. Some don’t even go to events, shake hands, respond to emails or welcome listeners to their studio. They reduce human beings to a column on a spreadsheet.
That’s a dangerous place to operate from.
More troubling is the attitude some talent develop toward audience interaction. Texts are treated as interruptions. Callers are labeled stupid and unworthy of air time. Tweets are ignored or mocked. The mindset becomes: these people are in the way of the show.
Stop right there.
Those people ARE the show. The texts, calls, and social media messages aren’t distractions. They’re proof that real people care enough about what you do to reach out. That is the entire point of what you’re doing and why it matters. Watch this clip of Daryle “Guru” Johnson calling a listener at 95.7 The Game. This is what it’s all about.
this felt so good Mario was juiced and so was I as we will be golfing together at the Silverado Resort this Monday July 13th !! love my job pic.twitter.com/We1wgwMVLk
That doesn’t mean the audience should program the station or host the show. Shinedown didn’t invite every single person on stage to play the instruments and decide the set list, but they take every opportunity to make sure people feel valued, heard and included. That responsibility is understood and welcomed by the band. Media members should be doing the same.
If an audience feels ignored, unimportant or worse, disrespected, they’ll tune you out. Without them everything you do professionally suffers. I’ve shared this with clients many times, nobody wants to go to an awesome party at a house on the beach and find a do-not-disturb sign on the front door when they arrive. If that happens, you’ll have a much bigger problem than figuring out which guest to book or which sound to use.
The Same Guy in Every Room
I first met Brent Smith at CRS in Nashville earlier this year. He wasn’t performing that night for thousands of fans. We were in a hotel room with a small group of people. He was the exact same person then as he was an hour before going on stage.
The warmth is real. The engagement is genuine. Ask him about radio and he lights up. His consistency in connecting with people isn’t accidental. It’s character.
Now ask yourself this. How many talent are completely different people under the pressure of a show day? How many executives lose themselves in spreadsheets and forget that real people are giving them their time and attention?
The audience doesn’t owe you anything. They choose you. Every single day. They decide whether to listen, subscribe, follow, or leave. You can take them for granted and assume they’ll always be there or you can do things like JJ Watt just did and go the extra mile.
Shinedown understands this better than most ever will. They have built their career on it. In every city they play these responsibilities await. Each time they show up ready to answer the call. They consider it a privilege not a hassle.
You don’t build a loyal, passionate audience by treating your fans as an afterthought. You do it by creating great content, delivering it consistently, and including your fans in the experience.
That lesson doesn’t cost a dime to apply. It only costs your attention and your ego. If Shinedown can do it on a global stage, you can do it in a local market.
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.
The news that Howard Stern is reportedly reducing his SiriusXM schedule from three live shows a week to one will undoubtedly produce another round of obituaries for The Howard Stern Show. The change is expected after Labor Day and reportedly includes staff reductions and greater use of Stern’s enormous archive across his channels.
But for me, the Stern show did not end when he dropped to one day a week. It faded away a long time ago.
The Content Was Never the Real Issue
That is not to suggest Stern became untalented, uninteresting, or incapable of producing compelling radio. He remains one of the most important personalities in the history of the medium. Indeed, his influence can be heard in almost every personality-driven morning show, uncensored podcast, and long-form celebrity interview that followed him.
The issue was never simply the quality of the content.
The issue was the story surrounding it.
The Rebel With a Cause — and an Opponent
During Stern’s terrestrial radio years, the show had a clearly defined protagonist, antagonist, and conflict. Stern was the rebel. The FCC, nervous executives, advertisers, and station owners represented “the man.”
Every broadcast carried the possibility that someone might complain, issue a fine, suspend him, or try to silence the show completely.
Stern was not merely telling jokes or interviewing celebrities. He was fighting something. More importantly, his listeners felt like they were fighting alongside him.
Most people know what it feels like to have an authority figure telling them what they can and cannot do. They understand having a boss watching over their shoulder, a corporation changing the rules, or an institution deciding what is acceptable.
Stern’s fight was bigger and more public, but the emotion was familiar. As a result, he became the everyman standing up to the people in charge.
Listeners wanted him to win.
Villains, Rivalries, and the Energy of Conflict
Sports offer a useful comparison. A rivalry becomes more interesting when there is a powerful opponent. Whether it is the Yankees, the Cowboys, or whichever team represents the establishment, fans need someone to root against. The villain gives the story energy.
Stern had a villain…Then he moved to satellite radio.
The move was revolutionary and financially brilliant. It gave Stern the creative freedom he had spent years demanding. Furthermore, satellite radio was not subject to the same FCC indecency restrictions as terrestrial broadcasting.
He had escaped the people who were trying to control him.
But defeating the enemy also eliminated the conflict.
Freedom Changed the Show — and the Story
Once Stern was free to say virtually anything he wanted, saying it no longer felt quite as dangerous. The forbidden became permitted. The rebel had won, signed a massive contract, and moved inside the castle.
That victory changed the central character of the show.
Stern was no longer the underdog being chased by regulators and frightened radio executives. Instead, he had become one of the most powerful and highly compensated figures in media.
There is nothing wrong with that evolution. No entertainer can remain frozen in the same role forever, and Stern earned his success. But success changes the relationship between a performer and an audience.
The Tension That Made Listeners Tune In
On terrestrial radio, listeners tuned in partly because they did not know whether Stern would cross the line. They wondered what consequences might follow. The restrictions created tension, and tension created storylines.
The FCC breathing down his neck may have frustrated Stern, but it also gave the show stakes.
Creative freedom does not automatically produce better creativity. Sometimes, limitations force performers to become sharper, more imaginative, and more strategic. Stern had to dance near the line without always stepping completely over it. The audience understood the game and appreciated the skill.
Once the line disappeared, so did part of the suspense.
Respectable Was Never the Point
The satellite show still produced memorable moments, and Stern developed into a thoughtful and often excellent celebrity interviewer. His conversations became more introspective, polished, and respectable.
But respectable was never the original magic trick.
The Stern show was once a daily radio insurgency. It felt alive because something was always pushing against it. Consequently, the program existed in conflict with the very medium carrying it.
Today, Stern is the institution.
What the Reduced Schedule Actually Means
Going to one live show per week does not destroy the legacy. Stern has earned the right to work as often or as little as he chooses. In fact, his archive alone is more compelling than the current output of many personalities.
The reduced schedule simply makes official what some longtime listeners have felt for years.
The Howard Stern who changed radio was defined not only by what he said, but by who was trying to stop him from saying it.
When Stern defeated “the man,” he achieved everything he wanted.
He also lost the opponent that helped make the show matter.
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.
There is a drought sweeping the nation, and I’m not talking about a lack of rain. Over the last couple of months, several articles have discussed how America is in the clutches of a fun drought. People are reporting that their lives are lacking in fun. This, I believe, is a place where the world of Classic Rock/Hits and Adult Hits radio can make an impact.
According to a study reported on by Talker Research, nearly 50% of Americans say they don’t have enough fun in their lives. That’s one out of every two of your listeners. A number of factors contribute to this finding. The biggest is simply that people are busy and lack free time.
There is also what economists — yes, actual economists are studying this problem — call “fun-flation.” This refers to a trend where the cost of concerts, amusement parks, and other activities has risen faster than other prices. Even staying home is more expensive, as streaming services and other in-home subscriptions continue to raise prices.
Fun Is Fading — and So Are the Places to Find It
Furthermore, there are simply fewer places for people to have fun. Movie theaters are slowly disappearing. AMC Entertainment — the company that had Nicole Kidman tell you to keep going to the movies — is now terminating leases instead of renewing them. Other theater chains are selling out completely. At this point, mid-sized cities in America are left without a single movie theater.
Beyond theaters, America is down to fewer than 3,200 active bowling alleys, compared to over 12,000 at the sport’s height. Additionally, the country has lost close to 2,000 golf courses over the last twenty years. While our world of Classic Rock/Hits stations can’t make up for all of that, we can certainly employ some strategies to help break the fun drought.
Lack of Free Time
Most people cite a lack of time they can dedicate to having fun as their biggest challenge. Considering radio is one of the few mediums that can reach people while they are doing the least fun thing — working — this seems like a huge opportunity.
To start, I’d like to propose adding fun as a new sound code in your music scheduler. Code songs that are truly fun, and make sure they are spread out evenly. Adult and Classic Hits stations, and to a slightly lesser extent Classic Rock stations, have a lot of these songs. See if you can use them to create fun moments every quarter hour.
Then comes the existential question of whether your hosts — or, in the case of Adult Hits, your station voice — are having fun. There’s no need to recount all the challenges talent face today. However, that’s no excuse for not having fun on the air. And for Program Directors, if you are doing coaching sessions: when was the last time you encouraged a talent to have more fun instead of focusing on the length of their breaks?
Prizes, Events, and Other Silliness
Another obvious place where stations can help fight the fun drought is with contests and prizes. There is no shortage of Classic artists out on tour, but higher ticket prices — added to an increased cost of living — have made these events harder for listeners to attend.
That means the chance to win tickets from your station means more than ever. Which is why I’d challenge you to maximize every pair of tickets. Too often I hear tickets treated like a throwaway prize, instead of using the opportunity to have giveaways that are big, bombastic, and — dare I say — fun.
Remember before PPM when contest promos used to be entertaining? Giveaways had creative names and fun mechanisms that grabbed the listener’s imagination. Now, I’m not advocating a return to 67-second-long promos, but I am pushing to get our collective creative juices flowing again.
Beyond the Tickets
Moreover, it’s time to look beyond tickets for giveaway opportunities. At this point, restaurants — and even fast food — are expensive. Winning a chance to treat the family to a meal means a lot. While we used to joke about not lowering our station to give away burritos, today it’s absolutely worth it.
Stations can also help listeners maximize the free time they do have. It’s not hard to organize a bowling league — if you can find an alley — or a softball team or a tabletop game night for listeners. There are a lot of ways to partner with small businesses and organizations to make these events cost-effective and easy to execute.
Ultimately, our Classic Rock/Hits and Adult Hits stations are uniquely positioned for this challenge. We play fun music with multi-generational appeal. We have fun prizes to give away. We have fun people on staff who can create memorable moments. If anyone can end the fun drought, it’s us.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries.Sign upfor our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Mike Golic thought his ESPN Radio career was over. Six years after signing off from the network he helped build into a national force, the Hall of Fame broadcaster is heading back. Beginning August 3, Golic and his son, Mike Golic Jr., will host The Golics weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET, taking over the time slot vacated following Clinton Yates’ departure in March.
Golic never imagined he’d have the opportunity to return. Despite enjoying more than two decades of success and earning induction into the Radio Hall of Fame with ESPN Radio, he felt the evolution of the format would prevent an opportunity to come back.
“I really didn’t [expect the call to return to come]. Me leaving there really had to do with a couple of executives. Everyone else, I got along incredibly well,” says Golic. “The evolution of sports talk and the younger generation churring through. I felt that was the route they would be going. Maybe I should have had an inkling when ESPN Radio brought back Rich Eisen. Maybe I shouldn’t have been as shocked. The old is new again.”
Following several stops during his time away from ESPN, Golic said he had multiple opportunities on the table after departing FanDuel Sports Network. Two involved working alongside his son, while another centered specifically on Mike Golic Jr.
However, he said the decision-making process did not take long. Both father and son viewed a return to ESPN Radio as their preferred destination throughout the process. The only significant consideration was finding a situation that would allow both Golics to continue their work outside of ESPN.
“It was really working through that process making sure we could continue doing the other stuff we were doing,” said Golic about deciding on his next step. “There’s a lot of that going on where someone may work for one company while doing something else at another. That took the longest through the process, but we were both chuckling thinking it’s kind of cool to come home again.”
Golic said he will continue calling NFL games for Westwood One this football season. That’s in addition to hosting the daily radio show from 10 a.m. to noon ET. As part of the arrangement, Golic Jr. will also continue working in his various roles outside ESPN Radio, including his television work with TNT Sports and his podcast with Sinclair Sports. Golic also notes he plans to take on another role outside ESPN that will be announced at a later date.
An Unexpected Call
When Golic & Golic was canceled earlier this year after only nine months on the air, the decision caught him by surprise. Golic said he did not expect the show to end so quickly as FanDuel Sports Network dealt with bankruptcy. However, a phone call from ESPN executive Mike Foss caught him even more off guard than the conclusion of his time with FanDuel Sports Network.
“It kind of took me by surprise when Mike Foss contacted us and asked if we were interested in the 10 a.m. to noon timeslot,” noted Golic, who explained Foss and Golic Jr.’s relationship dates back to when Foss produced digital programs from Golic Jr.’s home. “I’m not going to lie; it was a little shocking… The draw of the four letters, they just control so much in sports with the platform they have. Deep down, we both knew ESPN would be the right choice.”
Golic views the return to ESPN Radio as more of a continuation of his career than the start of a second act. Following the end of Mike & Mike in 2017, Golic partnered with Trey Wingo and later with his son until his final ESPN show aired in July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For me, I missed the live [sports] radio experience,” said Golic. “That’s what I was used to for so long. Breaking news live. Talking about everything live. Getting instant reaction from the listening audience. Even with social media, the reaction was immediate. I always loved the live aspect and the immediacy of radio.”
The setup for The Golics will differ from Golic’s previous ESPN Radio experience. With Golic living in Arizona and Golic Jr. in Los Angeles, most shows will originate remotely. However, both believe being together in the same studio benefits the quality of the program.
Golic said the first week of the new show will air with both hosts in Los Angeles. Either from NFL Network or ESPN LA studios. There are also plans to return to Bristol during the first week of the NFL season. Over the next couple of weeks, Golic said he has several meetings scheduled with ESPN Radio executives to coordinate studio time whenever either he or Golic Jr. travels for outside commitments.
A Different ESPN Radio
Adapting to new surroundings is something Golic said he learned during his time away from ESPN. He contends radio is not dying but evolving while competing with more content options than ever before.
“Nothing is solely the thing like radio was, but it’s evolved. What I learned is you have to adapt and understand you have to be ready to pivot,” noted Golic. “FanDuel and DraftKings were more on-demand and streaming. It wasn’t radio. So, you need to do what you have to for the medium you’re on. With ESPN Radio, we’ll do a show that’s also a podcast afterwards. Six years was a long time, but it wasn’t a long time. The changes that have come about in the audio and video industry are incredible.”
Change is something Golic said he kept close attention to since leaving ESPN in 2020. Including the turnover within the ESPN Radio lineup. He called the amount of change over the past six years “unfortunate” but expressed optimism about the new lineup launching August 3.
“I always had an interest and kept an eye on all the changes that they made,” said Golic. “You have to have consistency. Find the combination of the daily lineup and hopefully let it mature. Radio is about content first, but there’s an intimacy with radio… You can’t keep changing it up. Hopefully this is a lineup that stays for a while. Letting people get used to these personalities.”
Embracing The Past Moving Forward
Golic said his approach beginning August 3 is not about “reinventing the wheel.” Instead, another opportunity to work alongside his son will build on what he considers the most rewarding experience of his career. He said he remains extremely proud of Golic Jr.’s work ethic and the way he has continued expanding his career across multiple platforms.
The return of Golic to ESPN Radio generated major buzz throughout the industry. Following the announcement, Golic said he received an outpouring of support and congratulatory messages, including texts from his longtime ESPN Radio partner of 17 years, Mike Greenberg.
Previously, both Golic and Greenberg have spoken publicly about the end of their Hall of Fame radio partnership and its aftermath. With Golic returning to ESPN, he understands speculation will naturally follow about a potential reunion.
“It would silly for me to ignore the past if it can become the present. To say that we wouldn’t cross paths, you never know,” said Golic about a possible opportunity to reunite with Greenberg. “I know Greeny stopped doing radio because of Get Up and everything else he’s doing. I would never say never. Obviously, not an every day show. That would never happen because he’s busy with his own show. But, I would never say never.”
Golic noted the two have stayed in touch occasionally since his departure from ESPN in 2020. Greenberg previously said to SiriusXM host Adam Schein in 2025 that he is definitely not finished with radio.
With two weeks remaining before his ESPN Radio return, Golic hopes listeners will embrace him once again. After spending more than two decades hosting four-hour morning shows, he joked that a two-hour midday program feels like “a breeze.” Although he never expected the opportunity to return, he hopes it will be the final chapter of his broadcasting career.
“I can do this for a while, but I’m not going to do it at the expense of people not wanting to listen to me anymore. If that becomes the case, where they feel I’m up there in age and it’s not rating well, I won’t be afraid to say if it’s not doing well I won’t be afraid to step away,” explained Golic. “How the show is received will dictate how much longer I’ll do it… Hopefully, I go a number of years with ESPN and my career ends where it started at ESPN. That would be kind of cool and very satisfying for me.”
For someone who never expected another opportunity to wear the ESPN logo, the return represents more than another job. It’s a chance to reconnect with an audience that followed him for decades and to finish his career on familiar ground. Beginning August 3, one of ESPN Radio’s original voices will once again be behind the microphone, this time alongside the next generation carrying the family name.
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.
The ongoing investigation involving ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller is messy. First and foremost, his health and recovery following a devastating accident should be his primary focus. Hopefully he is on the road to making a full recovery. However, in the weeks since the accident, allegations and investigations have completely overshadowed that recovery.
Following the accident, which resulted in Miller losing an arm and facing a long road back to work, social media and Reddit erupted after his family launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking support for his recovery. At the same time, allegations surfaced claiming Miller failed to pay winners of fantasy football leagues he operated. According to those allegations, the leagues were primarily created to raise money for charity while also offering payouts to first, second, and third-place finishers. Some of the claims date back to before he joined ESPN in 2021, while others involve last season.
ESPN recently released a statement saying it is aware of the allegations and investigation and plans to address the matter with Miller at the appropriate time. However, it raises an important question: Why was an ESPN personality allowed to operate an independent fantasy football league with prize money and a charitable angle away from the brand’s own fantasy football platform?
Miller’s situation illustrates why that situation should always be avoided.
Always Collaborate
Sports brands should always look for ways to engage their audiences. There are plenty of opportunities to connect with fans, reward loyal consumers, and raise money for charitable causes. Fantasy football leagues, golf tournaments, live auctions, youth camps, and countless other initiatives are examples. However, the lesson here is that proper oversight by the company and the talent working together is essential.
There are rules and regulations governing contests involving money and prizes. Media companies need legal, finance, and operations teams to vet, plan, execute, and distribute funds properly when money is exchanged. Not every idea receives approval for that reason. There are multiple layers involved in ensuring contests are legitimate, compliant, and provide an experience that doesn’t leave consumers disappointed.
Based on the allegations, Miller’s operation appears to have been a one-man operation. The leagues reportedly ran through the Sleeper platform rather than an ESPN-branded product. Entry fees allegedly flowed directly to Miller through Venmo and Cash App, while signups were promoted through his personal social media accounts. The charitable beneficiaries were reportedly organizations of his own or those created by family members.
Got asked to do a half season redraft fantasy league so we can give away some Yeti product to the top three winners and raise some $$$ to help folks this winter season.Anyone interested? DMs are open.
Why wouldn’t ESPN partner with one of its own employees on a charitable fantasy football league? ESPN operates one of the largest fantasy football platforms in the industry. While its leagues are free to play, supporting a charitable initiative tied to one of its personalities would seem like a worthwhile endeavor. More importantly, it would allow ESPN’s legal and operations teams to oversee the vetting, planning, execution, and distribution of funds.
This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about learning from the situation.
Protecting Yourself, Your Brand
Talent should remember they represent the brands that employ them. Likewise, independent creators and personalities should understand that processes exist to protect both the brand and the consumer. In either case, the consumer comes first. Delivering a poor experience—or failing to fulfill expectations—damages credibility and erodes trust.
These remain allegations, and Miller deserves the opportunity to respond. Even so, the volume of accusations has created significant scrutiny during what is undoubtedly one of the most difficult periods of his life. Still, it’s fair to wonder why ESPN and Miller apparently never collaborated on an initiative that appears to have aligned with both charitable and business interests.
Should Matt Miller have approached ESPN about partnering on a charitable fantasy football contest using the company’s massive platform? Absolutely. If such a partnership had existed, it likely would have prevented many of the issues that have allegedly occurred during his tenure with the network.
That’s the lesson both talent and media companies should take away. Creative ideas are valuable. Charitable initiatives are even better. Engaging with your audience is essential. But working together to properly vet, plan, execute, and distribute funds is what matters most.
Without those safeguards, it’s fair to ask questions not only of Miller, but also of ESPN. Did the company know these leagues existed? If so, what did it know, and did it take any action? If not, why not?
This story is ultimately bigger than Matt Miller. It’s about the responsibility that comes with representing one of the most recognizable brands in sports media. Fans rarely separate the individual from the company. In their minds, they are one and the same.
That’s why companies always insist that promotions involving money, prizes, or charitable fundraising operate under their oversight—not outside of it. Good intentions are never a substitute for sound governance.
If this situation prompts every sports media company to strengthen its internal policies before the next well-intentioned idea becomes the next headline, then at least one positive lesson will have emerged from an otherwise unfortunate situation.
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.
Last week, two major events took place in the world of audio audience measurement. First, the Cumulus-Nielsen legal battle may have ended after Nielsen lost in the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.
Shortly after the verdict was announced, Cumulus signed up with DTS AutoStage as the initial client for their premium service.
Let’s start with the court case, and, as I’ve done throughout the proceedings, I’ve read the entire 55-page decision so that you don’t have to. As always, the disclaimer that I’m not an attorney holds.
Inside the Court Decision
You may wonder why the court needed 55 pages to boil the decision down to two words: “Cumulus wins.” A court decision requires a recitation of the facts of the case, as well as the legal reasoning behind the decision, citing case law to back up that reasoning. Despite what some may think, “because I said so” is not an acceptable part of a U.S. court decision.
The net result is that two federal courts have now decided that they believe Cumulus can win an antitrust suit against Nielsen’s “Network Policy.” The courts handed the company a preliminary injunction that forces Nielsen to sell the Nationwide service to Cumulus for Westwood One at “a rate that is equal to or lower than the highest annual 2026 rate Nielsen charges any broadcaster (whether network or local) for Nationwide.” Nielsen must do this even if Cumulus does not want Nielsen service in all of its local markets. While I have no insight into pricing, my guess is that this would be equivalent to whatever Premiere Networks pays.
Where does Nielsen go from here? The company could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but that seems unlikely. It could also go through with the full antitrust trial, but the loser pays treble damages, and that’s risky. Most likely, Nielsen and Cumulus will work out a deal for Nationwide and the local markets where Cumulus feels Nielsen data continues to be a profitable investment. That option stops the meter running at some very expensive law firms for both companies.
One point Nielsen made in its filings was the “free rider” argument. In other words, if Cumulus has Nationwide, the company could give the local data to its non-subscribing stations. We all know that if Nielsen data ever appears on a buyer’s desk coming from a non-subscriber, the next step is a copyright infringement lawsuit. But going back to the Arbitron days, I don’t remember a lawsuit for infringement involving internal use of the data.
We’ve all heard of instances where a station employee somehow procured diaries, filled them out, and sent them in. Back in the Arbitron days, this was the purview of Dave Willinski, whom I referred to as “the diary detective.” Dave would tell us that the people most likely to turn a station in for cheating were those recently fired from a radio station, or jilted ex-lovers of station employees. And since a lot of radio people seem to end up on the beach these days, what if one turned in a local cluster for having data for internal use without a subscription?
Cumulus Moves Beyond Nielsen
Shortly after Cumulus won, the company announced a deal with Xperi for the DTS AutoStage premium service. It has also recently announced a deal with The Media Audit in some of its markets as a replacement for the Scarborough qualitative service. That is owned by Nielsen. Based on their court filings, we can assume that Cumulus will be making a joint announcement with Eastlan very soon.
But here’s a question: What if Cumulus tells Nielsen to pound sand in all of its local markets? What if it opted for a combination of DTS AutoStage, The Media Audit, and either Eastlan or nothing else? Let’s consider that for a moment.
If Cumulus could pull it off — in other words, booking similar amounts of agency and local business without Nielsen Audio — does that lead the way for iHeart, Audacy, and the smaller groups to take a pass when Nielsen renewal time comes around? And does that put a major squeeze on the profitability of Nationwide if plenty of markets have no, or only one or two, subscribers? That’s something Rich Tunkel mentioned in his testimony. I don’t foresee an issue in PPM markets. The meter is now fully ingrained in video services, helping to drive higher ratings for live sports. But the diary service is another matter.
What This Means for the Ratings Business
I believe Nielsen’s recently announced initiatives to use a “one-off” survey and databases for sample size are a hedge for a future in which many current diary markets can no longer financially support the service and are shut down. I live in one that I expect will go away after the Spring 2026 survey.
We’re seeing the beginning of the end of the radio ratings business as we’ve known it for six decades. Meanwhile, the federal court decisions in Cumulus v. Nielsen may have been the end of the beginning of a new way of determining who listens to radio. And the currency of the buy/sell process. It won’t happen overnight, but the tectonic plates are shifting, and once there’s momentum, who knows where it will end.
If you’ve spent any time scrolling social media since ABC News and NBC News declined to air President Trump’s speech on Thursday night, you’ve probably run into this argument: “You don’t have to believe the president’s speech. That’s your choice. Not broadcasting it takes that choice away. That’s what communists do.”
I’d push back against that. Hard. The argument actually gets things backward. Communists mandate that state-run media broadcast the president’s every word, and suggesting otherwise is asinine.
There’s a firm difference between being angry that networks skipped the speech and believing they should be legally required to air it. The fact that we’re even having this conversation feels absurd to me. Prominent conservative media figures and Republican lawmakers have argued that ABC, CBS, and NBC should lose their broadcast licenses over the decision, and that call keeps gaining traction online.
A Dangerous Standard
Should the federal government dictate what broadcast news outlets cover? Think about that question for more than half a second, and you’ll see why that’s a bad idea. That’s also not how FCC licenses actually work. ABC doesn’t hold a broadcast license — its affiliate stations do. Sure, ABC (and CBS, and NBC, to boot) have owned-and-operated stations, but that’s not nearly the intended effect pundits are clamoring for. And CNN doesn’t have a license to revoke at all! Anyone who doesn’t know that probably shouldn’t be weighing in on license revocation in the first place.
Cable news operates under an entirely different regulatory framework than broadcast television, and conflating the two only muddies an already messy debate. MS NOW and other cable outlets face zero FCC oversight over their programming decisions, full stop. Networks have skipped presidential addresses before, and the sky didn’t fall then, either. So why does it feel like the end of the world now?
Context matters here, too. Broadcasters make judgment calls on political programming constantly, weighing news value against repetition, campaign-style messaging, and equal-time obligations. Thursday’s decision wasn’t some unprecedented act of defiance. It was an editorial call, the kind newsrooms make every single day. And should continue to be allowed to make!
I understand the moment we’re living in. Everything feels hyper-politicized, and if you believe ABC News, CNN, MS NOW, or NBC News failed their duty on Thursday night, you’re entitled to that opinion. Don’t watch those networks, then. Change the channel. Vote with your remote, and let ratings and advertisers sort out whether the decision was smart business.
The Difference Between Public Interest And Government Mandate
Someone will inevitably respond that broadcast networks carry a duty to serve the public interest, and that’s a fair point worth raising. But there’s a real difference between a viewer reaching that conclusion on their own and the FCC or federal government reaching it for them. One approach respects the marketplace of ideas. The other tramples the First Amendment and hands regulators a weapon they should never hold.
There are very few issues where I think everyone should land on the same side, but this is one of them. Once government officials get to decide which speeches deserve mandatory airtime, they’ll eventually decide which ones don’t. That precedent doesn’t discriminate by party, and it won’t stay contained to one administration.
Calling for punishment of broadcast networks over a skipped speech reeks of authoritarianism, whether the call comes from the left or the right. I don’t want authoritarianism creeping into how we talk about media accountability, and you shouldn’t want it, either. Criticize the networks all you want. Just don’t ask Washington to do it for you.
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.
