After more than 50 years at NPR, Susan Stamberg has announced her intention to retire from the public radio organization.
Susan Stamberg originally joined NPR in 1971. She later became the first woman to anchor a national nightly news program, as she hosted All Things Considered for more than a decade before shifting her attention to Weekend Edition Sunday.
Most recently, Stamberg has served as a special correspondent for NPR, mainly covering arts and humanities.
During her long tenure with the outlet, Stamberg has been routinely recognized for her work. She is a member of the Broadcast Hall of Fame as well as the Radio Hall of Fame. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“She is one of the great figures in American broadcast history,” Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon said of his colleague. “Everyone who has ever worked for NPR and its member stations has Susan to thank for making those three letters mean something special to millions of Americans.”
“Easy come, easy go. Love you all,” Stamberg said in her message to employees announcing her retirement.
Stamberg’s final day with the outlet will be on Monday, September 1st.
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.
Centennial Broadcasting is expanding its portfolio with the addition of two stations in Fredericksburg, VA. The company has agreed to purchase Classic Hits 95.9 WGRQ and Country Thunder 104.5 WGRX from Telemedia.
Pending FCC approval, the stations will join the Centennial cluster that includes Hot AC B101.5 WBQB and Talker 1230 WFVA.
Centennial President and CEO Allen Shaw said, “This addition marks an important step in our growth strategy. With their strong community presence and loyal audiences, these stations present a unique opportunity to build on a rich tradition while reinforcing our commitment to the Fredericksburg market-delivering exceptional value to advertisers, engaging our listeners, and serving Fredericksburg and its surrounding communities.”
No sale price was listed. The transaction is expected to close later this year.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Dan Bernstein, one of Chicago’s most recognizable sports voices, is making a bold return to the microphone with the launch of Dan Bernstein Unfiltered, a daily podcast designed to deliver unvarnished commentary and candid insights on the city’s sports scene and more.
To begin with, the first episode will premiere under the new 312 Sports banner on Monday, August 25th. However, Bernstein released a trailer episode on Tuesday following the news of the new podcast.
By Wednesday, the trailer episode had already helped Dan Bernstein Unfiltered rank as high as sixth on Apple’s Sports Podcasts chart in the United States. Furthermore, Gamut Podcast Network vice president and general manager John Goforth shared the news via LinkedIn.
“312 Sports isn’t just one show; it’s the start of something bigger for Chicago sports fans. At the heart of it is our flagship show, Dan Bernstein Unfiltered — a daily, no-holds-barred Chicago sports podcast every weekday morning with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola,” wrote Goforth. “If this is what ‘just the trailer’ looks like, I can’t wait to see where we go from here.”
Bernstein, who spent three decades informing and entertaining Chicago sports fans, described the new podcast as an opportunity to connect with listeners in a direct and honest way. In his view, “Thirty years on Chicago airwaves taught me that fans want honesty above all else. That’s what they can expect from me every day,” he said. “I couldn’t be more excited to get back behind the microphone, dig into Bears camp, and tell my story.”
On the trailer episode, Bernstein stated he’s happy to get the “band back together.”
“We have so much to catch up on. So much has happened. So much is happening. So much is going to happen, and I have plenty to say,” said Bernstein. “I’ve got stories to tell too. No filters, no holding back.”
Significantly, Dan Bernstein Unfiltered marks the launch of the 312 Sports Podcast Network, a new digital platform dedicated to sharp, personality-driven sports coverage rooted deeply in Chicago’s fan culture. As part of the Gamut Podcast Network, 312 Sports aims to be the definitive home for voices that reflect the city’s passion for sports with authenticity and insight.
John Goforth, Vice President and General Manager of 312 Sports and the Gamut Podcast Network, further stressed the network’s mission to resonate with Chicago’s distinct sports audience. “Chicago sports fans deserve a platform that lives and breathes the 312 attitude,” he said. “Starting with Dan sets the bar sky-high for insight and candor. He’s the voice you debate with at the bar because you know he’s done the homework.”
With Dan Bernstein Unfiltered, listeners can expect daily episodes that dive deeply into Chicago’s sports teams and culture, offer unfiltered opinions, and deliver a tone that resonates with the city’s passionate fan base. Moreover, the podcast will provide timely coverage of Bears camp and other hot topics across Chicago sports, creating a digital-first experience for a new generation of sports fans.
In addition, Forward Progress: A Chicago Bears Podcast is scheduled to drop on August 26th, co-hosted by Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola. As professional sports seasons commence, listeners can expect new podcast introductions as well. Each show will pair seasoned local hosts with modern production elements, YouTube video, and interactive live streams to meet fans wherever they listen or watch.
Finally, the show will officially premiere under the new 312 Sports banner on Monday, August 25th. It will be streamed across all major audio platforms as well as YouTube.
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.
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) has selected Presleigh Bearden, Social Media Manager and On-Air Personality for iHeartMedia’s Little Rock and Fayetteville, Arkansas markets, as the 2025 mentee for its Speak Up! program.
The initiative was created in partnership with Media Staffing Network and the late Laurie Kahn. The year-long mentorship is aimed at women working in small to medium radio markets. It focuses on developing confidence and sharpening communication skills. It is inspired by Kahn’s legacy of encouraging women to “speak up” to achieve their goals.
Bearden currently serves as an on-air personality and manages social media for Hot 94.9 in Little Rock and Hot 101.9 in Fayetteville. MIW says she’s an example of how “talks too much in class” can translate into a successful radio career.
“Presleigh’s energy, authenticity, and commitment to her work make her a wonderful fit for the Speak Up! program,” MIW Board President Sheila Kirby said. “She has a clear passion for connecting with her audience and her community, and we’re looking forward to supporting her growth and helping her further develop her skills over the next year.”
For Bearden, the opportunity is both a career milestone and a personal challenge.
“It’s an honor to be chosen for the mentorship!” she said. “I’m so excited to learn and grow and soak up all the wisdom I can this next year. This is such an incredible opportunity to work alongside and learn from women who have paved the way in radio. I’m ready to challenge myself, strengthen my voice, both literally and figuratively, and bring that growth back to my community and my career.”
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.
Versant President of sport Matt Hong says the soon-to-be independent media company plans to keep its streaming relationship with Peacock intact while also exploring flexibility with other platforms. Speaking with CNBC Sports’ Alex Sherman, Hong said the separation from NBCUniversal will open new doors for Versant in terms of distribution partnerships.
“All other things being equal, we’d like to continue to work with and partner with NBCU and Peacock going forward,” Hong said. “One of the unique things about being separate public companies here soon is we’ll be able to potentially partner with Peacock. We’ll also be able to partner with other third-party streamers in situations where a set of rights may or may not work for Peacock, but we want them at Versant.”
Hong spoke about the luxury of no longer having to worry about which streamer the company would have to work with saying, “We’ll have the freedom to partner with some streamers that previously didn’t necessarily have that freedom to partner with.”
That freedom comes at a time when Versant is inheriting a diverse and valuable set of sports rights. The USGA extended their rights agreement with NBCUniversal earlier this week. Starting in 2027, Versant — the independent media company set to spin out from Comcast Corporation — will also hold media rights for the USGA championship on USA Network and Golf Channel through 2032. USA Network will continue to provide U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open coverage, while Golf Channel will air events including the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Amateur, U.S. Junior Amateur, and the Walker and Curtis Cups.
Hong pointed to the company’s holdings across USA Network and Golf Channel as proof that its portfolio can compete with any major sports media player.
“If you look at the rights that we currently have just at Versant, we have a wide variety of top-tier programming that crosses almost every geography and every demo that we could possibly want,” Hong said. “We’ve got NASCAR, we’ve got the PGA Tour, we’ve got the USGA, we’ve got WNBA and WWE. Going forward, those will be Versant properties separate from NBCU. And were we to renew those properties, we’ll do so with Versant. We have programming that I think is competitive with most networks out there. I like what we have, and will continue to be competitive going forward.”
Despite industry chatter about potential mergers among sports rights-heavy media companies, Hong said Versant will take a different approach.
“I don’t know that we will merge with an entity that has sports rights only because we have plenty of programming to help drive our linear business,” Hong said. “I think the future will be inorganic acquisitions, which help diversify our revenue streams. And so it’ll really be continue to invest in our core linear business, and then looking for inorganic opportunities that complement that business.”
With the sports media marketplace shifting toward more direct-to-consumer streaming plays and strategic alliances, Hong’s comments signal that Versant intends to chart its own course. The emphasis will be on maintaining cornerstone relationships like Peacock while also leveraging independence to negotiate with multiple partners.
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 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially approved the acquisition of Alpha Media by Connoisseur Media.
As part of the deal, Connoisseur Media will create a new company to hold its existing licenses. It will then merge with the group that holds Alpha Media’s licenses. When that merger is completed, Connoisseur will then begin a loan agreement to pay off Alpha’s current debt.
Additionally, Alpha Media stockholders will have the ability to purchase up to 5% of stock from Connoisseur until 2029.
The FCC also has stated that the company can keep its Tyler-Longview, Texas stations intact, with questions previously wondering about the ownership limits in the market. Alpha Media previously had a waiver to the rule limiting how many FM radio stations one group could own in a given market.
Connoisseur Media had asked the FCC to continue that waiver under the new ownership, which the commission accepted.
“We find that strict application of Note 4 is not warranted here given the unique circumstances of the underlying Waiver Request and that granting the Waiver Request will serve the public interest,” the FCC stated. “Additionally, we find that granting a waiver of Note 4 for the proposed transaction will not undermine the purpose of the Local Radio Ownership Rule in the Tyler-Longview Market.”
The FCC noted that there was no opposition to the waiver filed by Connoisseur Media.
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.
After the acquisition of Paramount by Skydance was approved, many observers noted that layoffs are likely coming. Paramount President Jeff Shell admitted as much, but said the company plans for the ax to be swift and only fall once.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Shell stated that the hope is that the company will make its decisions, act quickly, and then not be forced to cut staffers again, a seemingly shot at the previous owners of the company.
“We do not want to be a company that has layoffs every quarter,” Shell said. “So, it’s going to be painful. It’s always hard, but we don’t want to be a company that every quarter is laying people off … It is important for us to get done what we’re doing in one big thing and then be done with it.”
Projections from the company show it hopes to cut roughly $2 billion from its budget, with new CEO David Ellison noting that the layoffs and “restructuring” of the company could potentially exceed that target.
Ellison’s Skydance Media purchased Paramount for $8.4 billion in a deal that was officially accepted and completed earlier this month. Since taking over, the company has already agreed to deals north of $9 billion for the rights to properties like UFC and South Park.
In a town hall with staffers, new Paramount leaders stated that employees could expect open and honest communication about the potential cuts as they are enacted, according to Deadline.
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.
Boston sports radio listeners tuning in to 98.5 The Sports Hub on Monday may have noticed that Mike Felger, the outspoken co-host of Felger & Mazz, was off the air earlier this week. His absence was due to reasons far more serious than a long weekend or last-minute vacation.
At the end of Tuesday’s program, Felger shared the story on why he was off the air. He had been in a bicycle accident on Nantucket over the weekend, an incident dramatic enough to require an airlift to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Still, Felger downplayed the severity in recalling the experience on Wednesday’s program, noting he avoided any major injury.
“I was riding my bike like an idiot on Saturday night and I had a bike accident,” Felger said Tuesday. “It happened in a blur. I don’t even know exactly what happened. But I cracked my neck on, I believe, the handlebars.”
Felger said there were no other riders involved, chalking it up to “operator error” after losing his balance. At first, he tried to shrug it off. He went to bed Saturday night assuming it wasn’t serious. On Sunday, at his daughter’s request, he went to Nantucket Cottage Hospital to get the injury checked out.
A CAT scan revealed what doctors described as “air pockets” in his neck — a sign of possible internal injury. That was enough for medical staff to insist he be transferred immediately to a major hospital.
“They said, ‘The helicopter’s on its way.’ I’m like, ‘The helicopter’s on the way? What do you mean the helicopter’s on the way?’” Felger recalled.
Soon after, Felger found himself on board a medical helicopter bound for Mass General Hospital. Felger spent roughly 12 to 18 hours there undergoing additional scans and tests. In the end, doctors found no lasting damage.
“Oh my God am I lucky,” Felger said Wednesday.
Now, following the incident Felger says his outlook on personal health has shifted. Health, family, and personal well-being are moving up the priority list.
“I’m about to take so many sick days, personal days, it’s gonna make your head spin,” Felger joked.
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.
On the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, MMA journalist Ariel Helwani raised concerns about the UFC’s future media presence as it prepares to move from ESPN to Paramount. Helwani pointed to ESPN’s history with former partners and warned the promotion may lose a powerful promotional platform once the deal ends.
“When ESPN is out of business with a sports entity, they essentially stop covering that entity,” Helwani said. “The NHL is the perfect example. They left, they stopped covering them. They’re back, and now they’ve got ancillary shows, analysts, and coverage on SportsCenter. I’m fascinated to see how ESPN treats UFC.”
Helwani said ESPN’s current coverage of the UFC — from weigh-in analysis segments on First Take with former UFC champion Daniel Cormier to social media amplification across Instagram and TikTok — has been invaluable in elevating the sport’s profile.
“Those numbers are insane compared to what CBS/Paramount can do for them,” Helwani noted. “I think the reason why the UFC is getting a billion dollars from Paramount is because of ESPN.”
Unless ESPN extends its relationship with the Professional Fighters League — a distant alternative to the UFC — when their current deal expires in 2026, Helwani believes the network could soon be out of the MMA business entirely.
Helwani credited ESPN with helping fuel the UFC’s growth over the past five years. He pointed to the promotion’s trajectory since leaving SpikeTV and FOX Sports, noting that exposure on ESPN’s platforms has helped UFC fighters become more widely known to casual sports fans, especially younger viewers.
“Think about where they were when they left FOX and think about where they are now in terms of what kids are talking about and how they know UFC stars,” he said. “That’s a huge, huge deal. ESPN elevated them.”
Still, Helwani acknowledged that the UFC has a long track record of making timely media moves. From Spike to FOX to ESPN — and now Paramount — the company has repeatedly aligned itself with networks in need of strong live sports programming.
“When they left Spike and went to FOX, FOX needed them to prop up FS1,” Helwani said. “When they left FOX and went to ESPN, ESPN needed them to prop up ESPN+. Now, they leave ESPN to go to Paramount, and [David] Ellison (Skydance Media CEO) needs them to prop up the new Paramount+.”
According to Helwani, history shows the UFC has delivered in each of those situations, helping its television partners grow their platforms. But the upcoming shift brings a new wrinkle: the elimination of the traditional pay-per-view model in favor of a streaming-driven approach.
“It’s totally different now,” Helwani said. “That whole breakdown has completely changed.”
Whether Paramount can replicate ESPN’s cross-platform reach — and whether the UFC can maintain the same level of mainstream attention without the network’s promotional muscle — remains an open question. For Helwani, it’s a storyline not getting enough attention as the sport prepares for its next broadcast chapter.
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.
Helmet on backwards, jersey inside out, tutu around his waist.
He drives a fast ball to center field.
The crowd rises, yelling.
Just when they think it’s gone, #15 makes a backflip catch.
Fans never forget that. They tell friends. They clip it, share it, replay it.
When was the last time your brand made someone do that?
If you haven’t seen the Bananas play ball, it’s baseball reimagined. Between-the-legs catches, costumes, dancing, wild new rules, a time limit — it’s America’s pastime on entertainment steroids.
Breaking the Mold — And Winning
Baseball purists may not agree, but numbers don’t lie — it’s a homerun.
The Colorado Rockies would have to resurrect Babe Ruth to sell out games this year. The Savannah Bananas? They rode into Denver with bright yellow uniforms, sold out two games, and had ESPN doing SportsCenter live from Coors Field.
What Your Brand Could Learn
Radio and RockTernative could use some bananas in their cocktails.
“Thinking outside the box,” “breaking the rules,” “doing things differently” — easy to say, harder to do. And if done badly, they backfire.
But the Bananas nailed it — they reimagined baseball with entertainment and the fan experiencebeing the core priorities. They know people come for their show, more than the score.
One winning point per inning, not runs
No walks or bunts
Rain Delay Karaoke
Two-hour time limit
Fans can cause outs
Dramatic tiebreakers
They challenged the rules of baseball — and they’re winning.
Time to Rethink Your Brand
What could use a rethink at your brand?
Some things won’t need change — and change for the sake of change is dumb. But challenge the sacred cows. What’s being done because they’ve always been done? Is the “the old way” better than a new, updated way?
What’s irrelevant or just there cuz it’s there?
Traffic and weather on the :20s? Caller 10? Twofer Tuesday? Block Parties? The Flashback feature? Still relevant? Still sticky, revenue drivers? Would the phones melt if they went away?
Once any dead weight has been thrown onto the fire, it’s banana time.
What bananas — for lack of a better term — could be smartly woven into your brand?
Not all bananas need to be grandiose like a Sydney Sweeney takeover. The magic is in creating moments that are memorable without burning the brand.
Moments that bring the fans back to the stadium for tomorrow night’s game.
Examples to Go Bananas
You’ll come up with better ideas for your space, but some examples:
Music Stations:
Binge Sessions: “I feel like binging AC/DC — screw the rules, it’s thunder from down under for the next 20 minutes; whatchya wanna hear?
Random Alphabet Game: “The next three songs — band or title has to start with T — go!”
Talk or morning shows:
Listener Takeovers: Let a listener call the shots — pick the topics, games/bits, maybe airing a past replay she loves.
Reverse Hour: Take every opinion you’d normally have and argue the opposite like you mean it.
The Bananas Show the Way
The Savannah Bananas do something new and fresh every night.
RockTernative can do the same. Sure, “Man in the Box” will always be a homerun ball. But when most songs are only singles or doubles, it’s the plays around them that can drive in more runs or become grand slams of their own.
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.
