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How Desmond Howard Evolved From Heisman To Veteran on College GameDay

John Mamola
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How Desmond Howard Evolved From Heisman To Veteran on College GameDay

Few programs that surround an individual sport are as appointment viewing as College GameDay on ESPN. For nearly 40 years, the weekly spectacle that GameDay provides covering teams and players from around the country has been a vessel into the world of the sport that’s unmatched. In 2005, College GameDay added its own version of the Heisman Trophy as Desmond Howard joined the program.

The College Football Hall of Famer walked into the proven commodity of College GameDay aware of its impact and ready to contribute.

“This is the way people start their Saturday mornings. It’s like when we were kids. We would start Saturday morning watching cartoons and that would take us into the rest of our day,” said Howard. “College GameDay is the same way, but for adults.”

Howard enters his 21st season as part of the weekly ESPN staple leading into the first kickoffs of the afternoon. He won the 1991 Heisman Trophy winner and Super Bowl XXXI MVP. Howard joined ESPN just a few years after 11 seasons in the NFL. He credits hard work and a focus on pivoting and adjusting to the times. Those are his reasons for his success with the flagship college football program on ESPN.

“I came in with what I consider to be ESPN’s A-team who had fantastic chemistry. never wanting to disrupt their chemistry,” said Howard. “I came in observing and trying to get in where I fit in, and learning from the best in the business. At the same time, I added my own personality and flavor to the analysis that I present.”

Lee Corso’s Impact

In the time that Howard has been with College GameDay, he has shared the stage with former Indiana head football coach Lee Corso. Moreover, Howard attended the University of Michigan, a Big Ten Conference rival of the Hoosiers, when news broke that Corso would be retiring following one final program of College GameDay, Howard reflected on Corso’s impact on the sport of college football.

“Coach Corso is one of the most influential TV personalities the sport of football has ever seen. Not just college, but the sport of football,” noted Howard. “He belongs on the Mount Rushmore with the likes of Keith Jackson and John Madden. They were so influential on the sport of football. To me, that’s the type of influence he’s had throughout his career.”

In Howard’s 20 years working alongside Corso. Howard says there have been many lessons and items he’s learned over that time, as Corso never lost that coaching mentality even while a teammate on screen.

“This is entertainment and not to take yourself too seriously. That’s the most important thing that I learned,” explained Howard. “He’s done a fantastic job of helping me personally understand what the purpose is.”

Moreover, while the College GameDay crew at the time of our interview had yet to have any production meetings, Howard shared his thoughts on how he’d like to see the final episode of Lee Corso’s run be produced.

“It’d be an infomercial. A three-hour celebration of Lee Corso, so we may talk a little football,” noted Howard. “Every 30 minutes, have a different celebrity guest come in and surprise him. Tell us a story about the impact Lee’s had or how he influenced them. We’ve had major celebrity guest pickers, so I would do something of that magnitude and weave it in and out of our show.”

Adapting To Change With Pat McAfee, Nick Saban

With the understanding that Corso’s time with the program was coming to a close, ESPN has added two fresh faces to the program over the past couple of seasons. Pat McAfee was added in 2022, and former Alabama head coach Nick Saban made his debut on the program last year.

The addition of Saban at the time added more credibility to the program with a national championship coaching resume. Questions lingered about whether Saban, who was not known to share much personality with the media, could perform and add to the program.

Howard believed year one for Saban was a fantastic start because of how much Saban showed his intent to be great with it.

“It was a simple equation. He allowed viewers to see a completely different side of him, which blew them away because they didn’t know it existed,” said Howard of Saban’s first year on College GameDay. “I was surprised by the amount of questions he would ask during or after a meeting. He was really dialed in. You could tell how engaged he was in the meetings by the depth of his questions.”

As for the addition of McAfee, Howard relates his presence on the program to a “tornado coming in.” While McAfee’s energy can be overwhelming for some, Howard says his knowledge of the game rings through the screen each and every Saturday.

“I see his knowledge of the sport. Some people get caught up in the messenger. I love the message,” said Howard. “The quality of the information is equally as relevant or entertaining as the messenger.”

Howard credits the production team of College GameDay for crafting the environment with the additions of McAfee and Saban. Ensuring that the flow of the program remains the same. As a result, College GameDay program remains the top show on Saturday mornings, but it does have its competitors.

College GameDay Competition

In July, FOX Sports and Barstool Sports announced a partnership where Barstool founder Dave Portnoy. As part of the partnership, Portnoy would be a featured contributor on Big Noon Kickoff. The program serves as a direct competitor to the College GameDay product, airing some weeks from the same locale throughout the college football season.

It should be noted that Howard admitted he was not aware of the partnership made last month by FOX and Barstool. The Heisman Trophy winner believes however that he doesn’t view the FOX Sports program as competition.

“This must be their move to try and offset what we have with [Pat] McAfee, I’m assuming,” said Howard about the addition of Portnoy to Big Noon Kickoff. “They want to compete. I like those guys. To me, our competitor has been the NBA on TNT because we’re always battling against them for the Sports Emmy. No disrespect to those guys [Big Noon Kickoff], I’m sure they do a fantastic job.”

Regarding Portnoy’s addition to Big Noon Kickoff being what he assumes is a counter to McAfee’s presence on College GameDay, Howard says McAfee, being a former player, brings a wealth of knowledge and information to the stage and the show itself.

The sport of college football demands that wealth of knowledge. There are over 130 teams that play in Division I college football. The ability to absorb the amount of information on players, teams, and coaches is difficult, as Howard compares it to covering the NFL.

“College football is such a monster. I don’t want to say the NFL is easy, but it’s not as challenging as college football,” said Howard.

With the recent announcement of the National Football League acquiring 10% of ESPN in a landmark deal in which the network will take over the NFL Network and NFL RedZone, Howard says that he’s not had any thoughts on being a part of any new look ESPN may provide the NFL Network.

“The state of college football right now, the whole landscape is changing,” explained Howard. “Between conference realignment, NIL, and figuring out the transfer portal, the NFL is a smooth sailing ship.”

College GameDay is once again set to sail on another voyage this season. The path will bid adieu to a legend of the past while forging ahead. Howard is excited to see what a new football season brings entering his 21st season on College GameDay. With hopes the quest is not so fast, my friend.

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.

The Radio Advertising Issue Is Rooted in an ROI Mistake

John Mamola
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The Radio Advertising Issue Is Rooted in an ROI Mistake

On average, people encounter between 6,000 and 10,000 advertisements a day. Think of your typical routine with that in mind: Wake up, check your phone. Advertising. Put on the morning radio or television. Ads. Hop in the car and turn on the radio or Bluetooth. Ads. Drive past buildings on your commute. Ads. On, and on, and on. From sunup to sundown, our lives unfold in a landscape of advertisements that tug at the core of our consumerism.

That’s why it wasn’t surprising to see a new study released Monday showing that 61% of local radio sports ads failed to meet effectiveness standards. The six-month study of more than 5,600 commercials across 108 markets, including the top ten, revealed that only four in ten spots measured up in emotional resonance, brand recall, message clarity, and call-to-action effectiveness.

As radio stations continue grappling with AI becoming more of an option than actual human beings, the takeaway should be simple: Human beings talking to human beings creates better business interaction than any AI offering.

At Barrett Media, we often discuss how to educate, celebrate, and challenge the industry for the better. That mission, started nearly a decade ago by Jason Barrett, has always acknowledged radio’s flaws. But the way, how those flaws are addressed still needs work.

Return To Use What Works Best

The lifeblood of radio lies in the effectiveness of the advertising that sustains it. Clients purchase time for audiences to hear and embrace their messaging. While there are countless key performance indicators to frame success, the bottom line is always the same: What is the client getting back for their investment?

“It’s all about the ROI, stupid,” I was told for years.

If stations accept ad buys but half-ass the creative, the cracks will show quickly—as this latest study proves. Every commercial, regardless of length, should be treated with the utmost importance. It’s what keeps stations in business and employees on payroll.

That’s why leaning into the talent you pay is more important than ever.

In my years in sports radio, endorsements were both the greatest success story and the toughest challenge. Listeners trust talent. They tune out for commercials, but they lean in for voices they know. They follow personalities, not brands. And when talent represents a product, the audience attaches to it.

If six out of ten spots aren’t making an impact, then it’s time to double down on what does: the talent.

Talent Are the Trusted Voice of Radio

Talent are the true creative force inside the building. Production directors have become a luxury, and content hubs and AI tools have stripped away much of the local spark. The result: stations outsource connection with the community while prioritizing the bottom line.

Instead, stations should empower their talent to add value internally. Involve them in client calls and brainstorming sessions. Use their creativity to craft campaigns that cut through the noise. Stop your talent from preparing platforms for layoffs and start preparing your talent to help your clients succeed.

Remember the old adage: the more brains in the room, the better the outcome.

Talent want to feel involved, important, and valued. Sales teams can only go so far with AI tools that have no human connection, no matter how much “training” they receive. Put a creative brain in the room, and watch the results.

No one in the building is more connected to the community than the on-air voices. They know the city, the people, the weather, the culture, and yes—the best place to grab a burrito after a late shift. They reflect the pulse of the market every time they crack the mic.

When it comes to messaging, talent outperform AI.

When it comes to connection, talent extend the hand that builds loyalty.

When it comes to brand recall, talent know how to make a moment memorable.

When it comes to clarity, talent speak the language of listeners—like human beings.

The industry needs a lot to go right in order to thrive. But if paid advertisements are failing to connect with audiences, the business is in far more trouble than we realize.

Radio Needs To Get More Return on Its Investment

The single biggest investment a station makes is in its talent. Are you maximizing your return on that investment? If not, this is the perfect lane to challenge your talent, raise their value, and ultimately strengthen your brand.

There’s a reason endorsements cost more than traditional spots. They work. Programmers should carve out time to monitor brand performance. Talent should constantly refine their reads, finding new ways to connect. Sales managers should involve talent in the process. If a commercial misses the mark, bring the talent in to suggest a fix.

Radio must return to doing what it has always done best: connecting with people. If not, more studies will be conducted, and the results—likely worse—will keep coming.

Listeners are human. Radio needs to lean into its own humanity.

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.

MS NOW and MSNBC: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the Rebrand

Garrett Searight
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MS NOW and MSNBC: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the Rebrand

Goodbye, MSNBC. Hello, MS NOW.

That was the word Monday as MSNBC announced it would rebrand itself to MS NOW. Gone is the peacock logo and the MSNBC brand that the network has used for nearly 30 years. In is…whatever this logo is supposed to signify.

The MS NOW brand is an acronym standing for “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.”

The rebrand comes as NBCUniversal and the new Versant cable company — spun off by the conglomerate — attempt to create a distinction between the two entities.

Previously, MSNBC had shared that it planned to keep the name it has featured for nearly 30 years. However, in a memo to staffers on Monday morning, Versant CEO Mark Lazarus stated that the previous branding of MSNBC was essentially reclaimed by NBCUniversal as the two companies prepare to split.

“The peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family,” Lazarus shared. “This gives us the opportunity to chart our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin.”

From where I sit, I see some good, some bad, and some ugly when it comes to the MSNBC rebrand to MS NOW.

The Good

Separating MSNBC from the NBC News umbrella by rebranding to MS NOW might look questionable at first, but it actually creates an opportunity that should not be ignored. The network has long lived in the shadow of NBC, carrying the weight of a legacy name that often feels at odds with the more opinion-driven, personality-focused content that fills its schedule.

By shedding the traditional brand tie, MS NOW can finally lean into what it already is, and doesn’t have to worry about what effect that might have on its network counterpart.

“Legacy media” has become a dirty phrase, and MS NOW has a chance to skirt that label by embracing its own identity. No longer having to carry the expectation of being tied to the more “serious” wing of NBC News gives it freedom to establish a clearer tone and voice that matches its actual audience. MS NOW can now take on an “insurgent” or “upstart” brand, despite being well-established.

It is almost the best of both worlds. Because in a rapidly changing TV environment, having a new brand that is no longer tied to the anchor of a network news counterpart is probably a good thing.

For years, MSNBC has existed in an awkward middle ground. It wasn’t exactly the prestige outlet NBC wanted it to be, nor was it fully empowered to become a bold, modern media brand. MS NOW is a fresh start. Instead of debating whether it’s “too partisan” or “not traditional enough,” the network can finally decide how it wants to present itself without constant comparison to its parent company.

The Bad

The name stinks. There’s really no way around it. I know there was probably a whole “We can’t throw NBCUniversal under the bus,” but the new leaders of Versant should have just thrown NBCUniversal under the bus.

If another company says “Yeah, you can keep your name and logo after we break up. That’s fine,” you should — logically — think that you’re getting to keep your name and logo in the breakup. And when they come back a few months later and say never mind, you should get to throw them under the bus. Few would argue with that.

So, when the new name and logo debuted, the idea that you’re trying to shoehorn “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World” into the new name is a dumb idea. No one — not an exaggeration, literally no one — is going to call it “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.” It reeks of someone at the top coming up with a bad idea and name, and all the underlings being too afraid to say, “Hey, boss? This idea is terrible.”

In the defense of MSNBC or MS NOW (I don’t know what I’m supposed to call it when, which is another problem in and of itself), it was put into a bad spot by NBCUniversal. Having to come up with an idea on the fly — especially when it comes to a situation as important as this — is never easy. I think that switching from MSNBC to MSNOW would probably be the easiest transition if you kept it all one word. Keep it simple. Keep it easily recognizable. Rebrand in a way that makes it difficult to distinguish that you even changed anything.

While I’m not as negative toward the logo as others — especially those who think that it could be viewed as saying “PMS”, I don’t think it’s really all that great or remarkable, either. Alternatively, of all the branding elements in American television history, the famed peacock logo is probably the most difficult to replace. So, even a brilliant logo and identifier was likely to fall short compared to the peacock. I think simplicity would have went a long way here. Just changing the letters “BC” in MSNBC to “OW”, and dropping the peacock in place of something — virtually anything? — else would have landed better, in my opinion.

The Ugly

NBCUniversal’s decision to strip MSNBC of the NBC News name and the iconic peacock logo makes one thing perfectly clear: the company no longer views MS NOW as an extension of NBC News, but as a direct competitor.

MSNBC’s most prominent anchor, Rachel Maddow, admitted as much in a statement to Variety.

“If there was ever a time for us to change our name, this is it — because we’re not just separating from NBC News in corporate terms, we’re competing with them now,” she said. “So I think the distinction is going to be good for us.”

For years, the illusion seemed that MSNBC and NBC News operated somewhat jointly, but there was certainly no acrimony. Yet, this move signals that the relationship is not as friendly as it once appeared.

When NBCUniversal reclaims its most valuable branding assets, it’s not simply about visual identity. It’s about planting a flag that says MS NOW is going to stand on its own. It is sink or swim time. The days of seamless synergy are gone. Instead, NBC News will protect its traditional brand while MS NOW is pushed to build an audience without leaning on familiar icons.

The competition now becomes more pronounced because MS NOW is essentially forced to prove it can draw and retain viewers without the built-in recognition of NBC News. That doesn’t mean it’s doomed, but it does present new challenges that it probably wasn’t originally prepared to face. It is abundantly clear that the parent company sees two distinct products now, not one big happy family.

Ultimately, this sets up a fascinating dynamic inside NBCUniversal. Is the company worried about the MSNBC brand hurting NBC News? If that was the case, wouldn’t this rebrand have been completed years ago?

While all those questions persist, one aspect of the story is answered by the actions of NBCUniversal. MS NOW isn’t just a cable network with a new name — it’s a challenger brand to NBC News. It has been freed, or maybe forced — to go head-to-head with NBC News rather than ride its coattails. And that split will define whether the rebrand is viewed years from now as a bold success or a costly miscalculation.

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

How Tempo and Flow Drive Hot AC Radio Success

Jim Ryan
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How Tempo and Flow Drive Hot AC Radio Success

Hot AC must be one of the most carefully curated formats in radio. Balancing the energy of Top 40 with the familiarity and accessibility of adult-friendly pop. Programmers must pay close attention not only to the songs themselves, but also to how they are sequenced.

Why Tempo Coding Matters

That’s where tempo coding and sound flow are both critical for success and for maintaining consistency, pacing, and emotional engagement. Tempo coding songs based on their BPM, perceived energy, and mood. For the most part, Hot AC listeners want a mix that feels lively and upbeat, but not overwhelming or chaotic. Without good or any tempo coding, playlists can swing too drastically between extremes, jumping from a high-energy song to a low-tempo ballad.

In other words, a “train wreck” or too many of the same tempo songs being played in a row. This can easily create fatigue, leading to higher levels of tune-out. A well-structured tempo-coded log ensures that each hour of music has a carefully mapped energy curve.

By rotating songs with deliberate attention to tempo, programmers can create balance: high-energy songs spaced with medium-tempo tracks and occasional ballads. By doing the above it also eases the tension and demand on your imaging categories or having to over image an hour to make those transitions smoother! All of this keeps listeners engaged while avoiding “tempo burnout.” It also gives the format the flexibility to serve multiple dayparts effectively!

The Role of Sound Flow

Now, let’s consider sound coding for flow, which goes beyond BPM. It accounts for the overall style of the songs; it is Young Pop, Pop-Rock, Country Pop; however, you decide to characterize your song library is acceptable as long as you are also flexible.

By that I mean at least every quarter for your recurrents and gold, you should review your sound coding and adjust if needed. Perceptions can change over time, and to keep your overall flow to a scheduled music log where you want it, maintenance is critical.

Why Flow Builds Trust

For Hot AC, sound flow is particularly critical because the audience spans a wide demographic—millennials, Gen X, and even older listeners. They expect the station to sound polished, professional, and intentional. A station that masters flow builds trust with its audience; listeners may not consciously analyze why the station feels smooth, but they will notice when it doesn’t.

Listeners rarely tune in for just one song; they stay if the station delivers a continuous, appealing experience. Tempo coding and sound flow help create a subconscious rhythm, giving the listener a sense of journey throughout the hour. The pacing keeps the audience stimulated but not exhausted, while the transitions guide them smoothly from one emotional space to another. This psychological design is what makes a Hot AC station feel like a trusted companion rather than a random playlist.

Competing with Streaming Playlists

In today’s environment, Hot AC competes not just with other radio stations but with streaming platforms and personal playlists. Streaming algorithms often fail to account for subtle human elements of flow. Creating playlists that may be technically correct but emotionally uneven. A radio station that gets tempo coding and sound flow right has the advantage of sounding more curated, more human, and more engaging. That human touch is exactly what keeps listeners coming back.

A Practical Checklist for Tempo and Sound Coding

Below is a practical checklist for Tempo and Sound Coding to consider as you guide your Hot AC station towards being the trusted player in your market.

1. Tempo Coding Setup

  • Assign clear categories to each song:
    • Fast/Upbeat (party tracks, anthems, power pop)
    • Medium/Driving (steady pop/rock, workday energy)
    • Slow/Ballads (emotional, lyrical, softer production)

2. Build the Hourly Energy Curve

  • Start with a medium-to-upbeat track at the top of the hour to grab attention.
  • Alternate between tempos—avoid stacking too many of the same energy level in a row.
  • Place ballads strategically, often once per quarter hour, to provide breathing room without dragging momentum.

3. Prioritize Sound Flow Over Math

  • Don’t rely only on BPM—listen to how songs feel next to each other.
  • Try to avoid harsh contrasts: an acoustic song should not slam into an electronic banger. If it must, then be sure it’s properly “imaged” in between the two.
  • Match transitions by tone: pair songs with similar production styles, vocal ranges, or moods.

4. Plan for Daypart Listening

  • Morning drive: higher energy, motivational, fresh.
  • Workday: balanced mix, fewer extremes, steady rhythm.
  • Evening: Keep energy upbeat for the most part, allow more mood-driven flow.
  • Weekends: brighter and more fun to reflect lifestyle listening.

6. Aircheck Your Logs

  • Do a real-time listen-through of a log (without jock talk or spots).
  • Ask: Does it feel like a journey? Does one song pull me into the next, or does it jar me?
  • Adjust based on actual listening impressions, not just data.

7. Keep the Listener in Mind

  • Listeners don’t think in BPM—they feel in moods and emotions.
  • The goal: every quarter hour should feel intentional, balanced, and emotionally consistent.

The Art in Programming

Getting tempo and sound coding flow correct is critical to overall success and will help make your scheduling a day of music easier when set up properly. It’s not the Science part of a Programmer’s job; it’s the Art in the job. Go ahead and paint away!

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Stay updated by signing up for our newsletters to receive the latest information directly in your inbox.

Why Q4 Is AC Radio’s Prime Promo Season

Kevin Robinson
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Why Q4 Is AC Radio’s Prime Promo Season

The days are long – the years are short. At least according to Gretchen Rubin, author of “The Happiness Project.”

Halfway through 2025 – July 1st – we offered THIS piece on the temptation for Adult Contemporary brands to promotionally sleep through the 2nd quarter.

The calendar marches on — 2025 is slipping away.  Forward-thinking brands have shot their holiday commercial as we collectively shake our heads with Halloween decorations in Costco in July, Halloween garb in Lowe’s in August and Christmas stuff in Hobby Lobby in September.

Opportunities are creeping up on you.

  • Halloween is 10 weeks away.
  • Only 15 weekends until Thanksgiving.
  • Christmas is in 19 Tuesdays – including this one.
  • New Year’s Day?  135 days on the horizon.

If you’re not actively working with your promotional team NOW, creating promotional and sales opportunities, the rest of the year will slip through your fingers.

Every quarter —and at times monthly—we confab with promotional teams and local sellers to brainstorm what’s in the next season for the station and their advertisers.

The promotional Super Bowl for Adult Contemporary radio is the 4th quarter, as it coincides with high listener usage of Christmas music, collaborative promotional partnerships with retail, and the emotional impact of the season.

Also promised in our July 1st piece, here are samples of notes from client ideation sessions for your 4th quarter:

September Ideation

Winery Party Bus

  • Rent a full bus limo for a Saturday afternoon. Your morning team rides with qualified winners and their guests on a winery tour through a nearby Wine Country. Make stops at client restaurants for appetizers between wineries. Offer to pay for Uber for a ride home or drop them off at their home. Qualify listeners by email through your website to build your database. (Must be 21). 

Station – Branded Charging Station

  • Also covered in our July 1st article, work with a U-Pick Orchard or a farm that promotes Agricultural Tourism. They are packed in the fall, and parents take loads of pictures, leading to dead phone batteries. Phone charging stations have come way down in price in the past decade.  Check Amazon. At a minimum, buy a USB power strip and put it near the checkout or bathrooms with a QR code that leads to your website.

School Pledge

  • This might seem remedial or even corny, but the Pledge of Allegiance has made a school comeback. Country stations have been doing this for years. Ask a class or a school to record their pledge and email it to you.  Collect many classes and schools’ pledges and rotate them at 7:30 am daily – when many elementary students are on their way to class. Local advertisers love being connected to patriotic themes.

October Ideation

Election 2025

  • With a few Federal Special Elections as exceptions, this fall’s polling races are mostly local—and as they say, all politics are local. Develop and air PSAs with key dates for voter registration, mail-in ballot deadlines and early voting locations in your state. Check with your state broadcast association, as they may already have production in their arsenal with this type of messaging. Also, spotlight PSAs recruiting poll workers for your county. Some counties even have funds set aside to buy airtime for that message

Listener Designed Seasonal Logos

  • Ask listeners to create a logo for every season (Fall – Halloween – Thanksgiving – Christmas – New Year’s – Winter) and use their logo on all your digital and social platforms for the season. Have artists use YOUR logo as the base. Sponsors also get placement on the seasonal logos.  Winners selected get prizes from local retailers OR station swag, with Canva and like AI programs, it’s easy to do.

Halloween

  • Hold a virtual costume contest through your app or website. Costumes must be homemade. Create different categories for adults, children and pets. Have local celebrities or politicians do the judging. Give away Costco–sized bags of candy as prizes or local sponsor merchandise. Hottest costumes for 2025 continue to be Taylor Swift-inspired, Barbie/Ken and TikTok’s Ibiza Final Boss.

(Add this to your standard Spooky Song Weekend, Trick-or-Treat Safety Sponsorships, Haunted House Ticket Giveaways and remotes.)

November Ideation

Kards For Kids

  • Have listeners create homemade cards for kids and send them to the station. Morning shows read some of them on the air. Talent then delivers to the children’s wing of the local hospital. Take pics – with permission – and post online. Sell to a local hospital or any affinity group looking for great holiday PR. 

Food Drives

  • Instead of a dedicated Food Drive, partner with your local food pantry to have them be at EVERY one of your events – big and small – through December, collecting non-perishable items. Food pantries have marketing dollars. See if you can get some of their budget in your cluster. Develop a plan to do this year-round, as people in need stay hungry – year-round.

Small Business Saturday

  • This year, SBS is on November 29th.  Great way to reinforce LOCAL for your clients. Dedicate a web page highlighting participating local businesses and their special SBS deals for that day. Get local Chambers involved and create spots that highlight several businesses at a discount in one :60. Most local businesses cannot afford a full radio campaign.  This creates an affordable entry point. Cyber Monday is December 1st.

(Add this to your Turkey Hotline Survival Tips, Turkey or Ticket Giveaway, Bowling for Turkeys and Thanksgiving Weekend Kickoff with Christmas commercial-free hours during peak shopping times).

December Ideation

Christmas Parades

  • THIS is the time you should be preparing for Christmas Parades. Work with your local Town Planner (or like platform) to identify local Christmas parades. If you need a permit, now is the time to apply. Pass out candy in sponsor-themed bags on the route. It’s something that SiriusXM and Spotify can’t do. Sponsor families get their family on a float, handing out candy.

The 12 Strays of Christmas

  • Designed to get shelter pets adopted by featuring one adoptable pet each day leading up to Christmas. Partner with your local shelter or humane society to highlight 12 different adoptable pets, each with their own story and personality. A highly sponsorable promotion, and Christmas is a hot time for pet adoption. Partner with local pet stores, your local Wal-Mart (managers have a budget for things like this) or veterinarians to offer discounted services for adoptions

Christmas Choirs

  • Have your jingle provider send you sheet music of your package. Post a PDF of the jingle on your website. Encourage local school and church choirs to sing your jingle with a holiday feel. Run them with audio attribution throughout the season, even after you stop Christmas music. Tons of local organizations end up talking about this on your AC station.

(Add this to your standard Christmas Wish, 12 Days of Christmas, Santa’s Secret Stash, Toy Drives and Santa Tracking.)

We get so far into the forest when we’re handling the day-to-day of building a superior product and hitting short-term sales goals, we mentally slip on future planning.

Before you know it, the “Black Hole” that is the 1st quarter will be in our windshield.

We’ll have promotional guidance for you, then, too.

But first – get going on 4th quarter 2025!

*Special thanks to client stations for ideation and the creative minds behind the promotional efforts of Kensington Digital Media, Midwest Communications, Federated Media, Midwest Family of Companies, Saga Communications and CPR Promotions Paige Nienaber (among others).

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Stay updated by signing up for our newsletters to receive the latest information directly in your inbox.

Why The BNM Summit Is a Game-Changer for News/Talk Radio Professionals

Peter Thiele
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Why The BNM Summit Is a Game-Changer for News/Talk Radio Professionals

Isn’t an industry conference just a social gathering? Can you learn something? Will this help my show or station? Can networking with industry leaders help me succeed? The answer to all of these questions is yes. The BNM Summit is two weeks away, and it is important for you to attend. This is the premier event for the news talk radio industry.

Isn’t an industry conference just a social gathering? The quick answer is yes. But it is much more than that. It allows a market president, program director, or host to rub shoulders with the best and brightest in the industry. You will spend time with people like you who speak your language. You will make new friends and perhaps even more.

Can you learn something? I started in news talk radio when I was a kid. I didn’t want to play music. I have learned from the greats of this industry. In the last two years, I have learned several things at this conference. What the BNM Summit provides are ideas. We are all in the radio station working every day, and sometimes you need to hear the perspective of others. Jason Barrett does an excellent job with the panels, which is not an easy task. Some conferences just rinse and repeat what they did in years past. This is not that kind of conference.

I have brought ideas home to my station and put my own spin on them. Some ideas are just so good, you will want to play Grand Theft Radio. We all walk into these things with preconceived notions. I suggest you leave your ego at the door. If you compare the ideas to things you have already tried, you are missing the point. If there is a similar idea, speak with the person introducing the concept and ask questions. You may pick up a new wrinkle to make that promotion or on-air feature even better.

There may be a session that opens your eyes to something you have attempted and failed at. We all have social media goals—have you ever thought you were spinning your wheels? I have. You may learn something that gives you a fresh angle. I like sharing things that fail, and here’s why: you get ideas that were never considered. If you share promotions that were either executed poorly or outright failures, you will gain a lot of respect with this group. Leave your ego at the door. We are all peers, and someone in that room may give you something amazing.

Will this help my station or show? The answer is yes. Some of the best hosts and programmers in the U.S. will be in that room. I often ask why a station is doing something one way and not another. These programmers will share the context of an idea. You may be surprised by why program directors do things differently than you ever considered. Now, I am not saying that all ideas are good for your show or station. There are market-specific promotions that would never work in your community. But you will get ideas. If you are standing in front of an industry leader, ask a question and then listen.

Can networking with industry leaders help you succeed? If you are a programmer who does not come from a company that requires carrying certain network programming, you may build a relationship with leaders of affiliate relations departments. I will tell you that shaking someone’s hand is very advantageous. If these people know your face and you have built a personal bond, this may help you with station promotions and relationships with the syndicated shows on your station.

If you truly want to grow in your career, it is important to attend events where you can pick up new ideas or confirm that your ideas are sound. Here is one of the cool things to know: you will find people who have been there and done that. If you ask a question, it will be answered. Now, will the answer be right for your market or station? Perhaps not, but you will hear about ideas that work. Jason, Stephanie, and their team have worked hard to make sure this event is executed properly.

If you have not been to a conference in a while, this is truly the one to attend. I have made several new friends at the last two editions of the BNM Summit. You will be energized. You will be inspired. Are all the sessions hits? No. But the majority are excellent. If you attend and ask me, I will tell you where to get the best New York cheesecake, how to pick a great Italian restaurant, and which three steakhouses are worth visiting. I worked in the New York City market for almost seven years. I have some local intelligence to make this trip even better.

I want to see you in New York. I want to meet you, and I’ll introduce you to some of the great people attending if you would like me to do that.

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.

Nielsen Channels Lynyrd Skynyrd With ‘Gimme 3 Years, Gimme 3 Years, Mister’

Dr. Ed Cohen
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Nielsen Channels Lynyrd Skynyrd With ‘Gimme 3 Years, Gimme 3 Years, Mister’

The year was 1973, and Lynyrd Skynyrd released their first album, including a song called “Gimme Three Steps” that I’ll bet is still in the rotation on many classic rock stations. More than 50 years later, Nielsen is channeling that song into a methodological change.

While the word had been going around, the formal announcement was sent to subscribers on August 8. During the Arbitron days, almost any methodological change was referred to as an “enhancement”. The company did almost as many enhancements as a busy plastic surgeon.

Many years ago, I was the research director for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, then owned by Cox. I reported to our sales manager, Howard Zeiden, alias “The Z Man,” who was a wonderful character. While I’m certain he didn’t coin the phrase, he always said, “When they say it’s not about the money, it’s about the money.” If you read between the lines of the Nielsen release, you can bet it’s about the money.

Nielsen’s release state,s “Due to a variety of factors, we are finding that the time required to recruit a new home has increased.” If releases like this were truly honest, it would read something like “People are less likely to participate in the PPM panel today, so our costs have gone up. We have to find ways to cut costs.”

I’ve written before about the decline in response rates to all sorts of surveys. If you doubt me, you’re welcome to get in touch with the now-former head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. She’s not busy these days and can offer insight from her experience.

Let’s assume this was a cost-driven move. Nielsen is like any other company and is on the lookout for expense reductions wherever possible. The real questions revolve around the effects on the ratings.

Nielsen’s release states that around 36% of panelists stick around until the end of their tenure, which is supposed to be 24 months, but can be extended to as long as 26 months. Here a non-exhaustive list of questions that Nielsen should answer and I suppose the MRC Audio Committee asked them, but those deliberations are confidential:

  • ·Are the demographics of the households that last for full two years similar or different than the rest of the sample? In what ways, because it’s nearly impossible that they look the same? How do they differ by any of the PPM weighting variables (age/sex, race/ethnicity, geography, employment status, presence of children, and in some markets, language usage among Hispanics)?
  • Does the full two year tenure percentage vary by market? 36% is an average of 48 markets. What is the range? What is the current number for each individual market?
  • Has that 36% average changed over time? Increased or decreased?
  • What are the average listening levels for the people who stay for two years versus those who drop out earlier? How do these levels differ? Use sales dayparts, not the total week.
  • How do listening levels look by demo across tenure? For example, do levels stay steady, increase, or drop off at 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, etc.? How do these changes compare with overall levels, which have been declining across time?
  • How many stations, on average, are used by the long-term panelists compared to the short-term ones? Again, let’s see the results across time.
  • What do the cumes look like across time?
  • Does this change mean that Nielsen will reduce the number of employees who handle recruitment? If so, will Nielsen drop more experienced recruiters who are probably paid more than newbies?

Ideally, this change will have no real effect on the ratings, but as anyone who has worked with PPM data over the years knows, a few meters can make a huge difference. The tyranny of the average quarter-hour measure at a time when only a few percent of a market listen to radio at any given time can affect careers. PURs of 3 or 4 for P25-54 M-F 6A-7P are not uncommon, so a couple of regular listeners with meters could keep a station near the top for an extra year. Conversely, other stations will be back in the pack for longer. Nielsen will say those are the breaks of the game.

The real issue here is not so much the extra year, but the metrics. If all we had was cume, an extra year wouldn’t matter a great deal and I’d be fine with the change. Unfortunately, we’re still using the same sales and programming metric going back to the days of the NBC Red and Blue networks.

For that reason alone, I’d like to see Nielsen go public with more data supporting this change. I’m not holding my breath on that one, but one can ask. It’s not as if other companies are clamoring to get into the radio ratings business, so why not go public? Non-subscribers will still not have a say, not that the subscribers can easily change Nielsen decisions.

While Nielsen may be channeling their inner Lynyrd Skynyrd for the panel, the last line of the chorus was “And you’ll never see me no more”. Until Nielsen discovers that “it ain’t no fun staring straight down a forty-four” (figuratively, not literally), I expect we’ll be seeing Nielsen back at The Jug again, looking for more ways to cut costs.

Let’s meet again next week.

Gary Myers Announces Weekend Program Coming to ESPN New York

BSM Staff
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Gary Myers Announces Weekend Program Coming to ESPN New York

Sports author and longtime NFL insider Gary Myers is returning to the airwaves this fall with a brand-new program on ESPN New York. Myers announced on social media that he will host a weekly NFL show on every Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. beginning Sept. 6.

“Exciting personal news: I will be hosting an NFL show on ESPN New York 880AM from 12-3 pm every Saturday beginning Sept. 6,” Myers wrote. “I plan to make this the best NFL radio show in NY and the go-to place to hear timely guests, insightful Giants, Jets and league-wide info and your calls!”

The addition marks another chapter in a distinguished career that has spanned newspapers, television, radio, and books. Myers spent nearly 30 years at the New York Daily News covering the Giants and Jets, while also making regular appearances on HBO’s Inside the NFL. In recent years, he has authored several books, including Once a Giant, a deep dive into the 1986 Super Bowl champion Giants and their enduring bond.

Now, Myers will bring that wealth of knowledge and rolodex of contacts to ESPN New York’s weekend lineup. Myers’ credibility in the New York market provides instant value as Giants and Jets coverage remains a centerpiece, and Myers is promising to deliver a mix of insider reporting, guest interviews, and listener engagement.

Since leaving the New York Daily News in 2018, Myers has been working on various projects including writing books and consulting on a documentary about Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Myers’ publication entitled Brady vs. Belichick: The Dynasty Debate is set to release on September 16. The publication draws on Myers’ unique and unparalleled access to Belichick and Brady over the course of the two decades, as well as myriad players, coaches, personnel and family, to get to the bottom of this argument and resolve it once and for all.

ESPN New York hosts Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg shared their excitement in the news of Myers joined the ESPN New York airwaves. La Greca tweeting “Love having Gary back as a teammate,” while Rosenberg shared his congratulations as well. The station has not yet announced whether the program will be made available on ESPN New York’s digital platforms or as a podcast as of yet.

In addition to being an NFL writer and columnist during his career, Myers was also the NFL insider for HBO’s Inside The NFL from 1989 to 2001. This marks Myers’ first media role on television or radio since his time working on the YES Network from 2002-2014.

With nearly four decades covering the league, Myers is aiming to create a destination show that blends institutional knowledge with the real-time urgency fans crave every weekend.

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.

J Steele Named VP of Programming at Zelus Phoenix

BMM Staff
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J Steele Named VP of Programming at Zelus Phoenix

Jonathan “J” Steele has been named Vice President of Programming for Zelus Media Group in Phoenix.

Steele is Brand Manager for Rhythmic Top 40 Power 98.3 and will pick up Hot AC 97.5 & 103.9. Steele will continue to co-host “J & Jay In The Morning” on Power 98.3.

Steele said, “I’m incredibly honored to step into this new chapter with Zelus Media Group. Power 98.3 and Hot 97.5 are two brands that mean a lot to me personally and professionally, and I’m excited to help continue shape their future while continuing to wake up Phoenix every morning with J & Jay.”

Zelus CEO/President Michael Cutchall said, “Jonathan’s creativity, leadership, and deep understanding of our audiences make him the perfect choice to lead programming for our Phoenix brands. His ability to balance on-air talent with strategic vision is a rare combination, and we look forward to the continued growth and innovation he will bring.”

Former Hot 97.5 & 103.9 Brand Manager Michael Gallagher is taking on expanded duties as Operations Manager for the company.

Congratulate Steele 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.

Galaxy Label Group Adds Mitch Mills, Elevates Cheryl Broz in Promotions

BMM Staff
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Galaxy Label Group Adds Mitch Mills, Elevates Cheryl Broz in Promotions

Galaxy Label Group, the label launched by LOCASH’s Preston Brust and Chris Lucas, has made two major personnel changes.

Cheryl Broz has been promoted to Vice President of Operations. She had been handling National Field Promotion but will now take on a larger role that also includes digital initiatives and overall marketing. Broz’s career includes time with Crave, Columbia, Arista, EMI, Island-Def Jam, and Curb Records before joining Galaxy in 2024.

“Cheryl continues to be an emerging industry leader with her keen vision of today’s music marketplace,” Brust said. “Her decades of resume and relationships combined with her modern understanding of discovery make her a slam dunk for leadership on the Galaxy rocket ship!”

The label has also hired Mitch Mills as National Director of Promotion. Mills brings more than 20 years of experience. He was most recently with Atlantic/Elektra, along with leadership roles at Motown Records and a career start at Vanguard Records. He will report to Kerry Wolfe, VP of Promotion. Mills will be responsible for promotion efforts across Hot AC, Pop, and Country formats.

“Mitch came to us from a vast resume of major labels and will head up the Galaxy Label Group New York office,” Lucas said. “He has a natural ability for crossing music from format to format and knows the paths to finding new fans through innovative exposure strategies. Mitch’s level of energy and positivity is infectious.”

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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