Chris Crowley has left the building. In a Linkedin post, the veteran radio executive shared that his time with iHeartmedia has come to a close. Crowley was alerted last week that his time with the company had come to an end. It marked the end of 34 years in the industry.
Recently, Crowley served as PD of 106.5 The End and 99.7 The Fox in Charlotte. He also oversaw 100.7 WRDU and ALT 95.3 in Raleigh.
Though he says he’s not shutting the door on returning to radio, Crowley acknowledged that his days of packing up and moving are done. If it means the end has arrived, he’s content with what he’s accomplished in over three decades in the business.
Crowley highlighted his time working with the Woody & Wilcox Show. He also singled out Lisa Worden, Garner Goin, and Steve Geoffries for providing valuable insight, guidance, and a willingness to listen. Chris Rozak was also recognized for being the epitome of a team player, and an outstanding colleague.
Before landing in the Queen City, Crowley served as Townsquare Media’s Director of Content in Buffalo, NY. Prior stops during his career have included 92.3 KGON in Portland, 96.5 WCMF and 95.7 The Fan in Rochester, 94.5 The Arrow in Fort Myers, and Alternative 103.7, Star 102.3 and 95.3 The Score in Eugene. Crowley also spent time working for Jacobs Media.
Those interested in reaching out to lend support or to explore future opportunities with Chris can reach him by email here.
Today marks the fourth anniversary of the death of conservative talk radio titan Rush Limbaugh.
To say that Limbaugh made an impact on the industry would be a giant understatement. His program, nationally syndicated by Premiere Networks, launched hundreds of conservative news/talk radio stations centered around the popular program.
And the lasting impact Limbaugh had on the industry is still seen today. He mentored current hosts like Erick Erickson and James Golden, also known as Bo Snerdley. Barrett Media spoke to both hosts on the anniversary of Limbaugh’s death to reminisce about their time with the news/talk radio icon.
“There literally is not a day I don’t sit down behind my microphone and think about him and the advice he’s given me,” said Erickson.
The nationally syndicated host shared that one of the best pieces of advice Limbaugh gave him included finding someone to work on his show that would be willing to tell him when he’s screwing up as a host.
“He advised me on how to find a producer. He told someone they were going to be my agent; they’re still my agent,” said Erickson. “(Limbaugh did) everything you can think of to help me get started, and I’m so profoundly grateful that he was in my life. The very first time my dad ever told me he was proud of me was Rush mentioned me as his friend on the radio. Literally, my dad ran off the road. He called me from a ditch, out of breath. I asked ‘What happened?’ He said he’d run off the road. Why? He heard Rush Limbaugh mention his buddy Erick Erickson. It was a friendship I miss.”
Erickson added that he misses having someone at the level of Rush Limbaugh to rely on for advice and guidance.
“He was always there, even in the middle of the night, if I had a question. And the weird thing about it is, I used to always be able to look over my shoulder if I ever had a question and ask Rush. And now I look over my shoulder and nobody’s there, and I’ve got all these people on the other side looking at me for answers, and I don’t know that I have them,” he admitted. “He was a life force for the entire medium. And I mean, for me personally, I literally would not be doing what I’m doing but for his involvement in my life.”
James Golden, known as Bo Snerdley during his time with Limbaugh, now hosts afternoons at 77 WABC in New York, which is nationally syndicated like Erickson. Similarly to the 95.5 WSB-based host, Golden said he frequently thinks about his former co-worker.
“We had a staff of people that was just amazing. I’ve been texting with some of them today, and there’s a mindset of how fortunate we all were to work with him, to know him, and to be part of that amazing journey that was so successful,” said Golden. “There’s a lot of gratitude, not just all of our staff that I still communicate with, that are just incredibly grateful for having that experience, and we just hold him and continue to hold us in the highest regard. Not just as a broadcaster, not just for his achievements, but for the human being that he was. And that’s the most impactful part the work. The legacy, it is truly amazing.”
Golden added that he learned plenty from Rush Limbaugh about how to host and produce a news/talk radio show. He carries that wisdom to his daily programs to this day.
“He never really gave me advice. Like Rush, I had a love for this broadcast medium. I’ve been in radio — one way or another — since I was 14 years old. Rush used to say ‘Life is show prep.’ He was always thinking forward to that next show and wanting to perform the best that he could,” Golden said. “I’ll tell you what,I was thinking about when he was battling his last battle, he still brought it every single day that he could physically bring his A game. When you’re watching this, and you’re watching this remarkable talent … but the work ethic behind it is was also incredible.
“And so if, anything, those years have inspired me to try to maintain that sense of the work ethic. I love this industry. I love what I do. And I love talk radio, but I also love the things that you don’t see. The fact that sometimes it takes you 10 hours of research before you can come up to do a show that’s over in an hour or three hours. That’s all part of it, and no one else sees that … There was no more inspiring figure in my entire career that I have seen in over 30 years. He never, never, never phoned it in. It was dedication and a love of this industry that led him to become the (greatest of all time) and to really have that sense of excellence and to take pride in it. So just watching that, being a part of that, is something that still informs the way that I do what I do.”
Others in the news/talk radio world shared their memories and admiration for Limbaugh on the anniversary of his death on social media.
We lost a treasure four years ago today..
‘Remembering Rush, here is my pencil drawing I drew not just with my hand, but with my heart.’
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WERS 88.9 has announced Alex Parker will join the station as its new afternoon host and programming assistant.
Parker joins WERS 88.9, the Emerson College radio station, after previously working in on-air and production rols at other stations in Boston like WAAF, WZLX, and WPLM.
“I’m kinda screaming that I get to write this quote right now,” said Parker. “It’s actually surreal to be fulfilling a goal of mine to make it on-air full-time in the city that I adore, at the station that inspired my passion for radio and embraced my love of music. I’m wicked excited to be afforded the opportunity to hang out with the one-of-a-kind WERS listenership on the Boston airwaves.”
“Part of our mission is to provide companionship as we navigate through our hand-picked playlists,” said WERS General Manager Howard Simpson. “Parker is an excellent storyteller. Adding her to the equation means our audience gains the kind of wit, warmth and realness of a trusted friend. I can’t wait for her to get started.”
Parker joins the station after previously serving as a Social Media Content Specialist for Emerson College. She will begin her duties with the radio station on Tuesday.
“Parker is a local who brings a deep love of music, experience in commercial and non-commercial Boston radio, and proficiency in social media,” added WERS Brand Manager Ken West. “She’s ready to connect with the WERS audience through her passion, music knowledge, and fun personality.”
Alex Parker is a 2013 graduate of Emerson College.
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FOX Sports recently presented Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, a matchup that made history as the most-watched event in U.S. television history with an average of 127.7 million viewers. The game broke the previous record that had been set by CBS Sports during last year’s championship game, and it also accrued record-high streaming viewership on Tubi and NFL digital properties. There were several distinctive aspects of the presentation for the game from FOX Sports producer Richie Zyontz and director Rich Russo. Erin Andrews, who was one of the sideline reporters for the game, detailed how some of the interviews came together on the latest edition of the Calm Down podcast.
Andrews told herself not to screw up the pregame interview with Mahomes upon evincing the environment within the stadium. Even though she has spoken with many football players throughout her broadcasting career, she could discern the atmosphere surrounding the game replete with compelling storylines. Despite the accolades and plaudits on the line, she decided to take a step back and alter her tone surrounding interviews, deciding to convey herself as “a lot more chill.”
“I saw some people [say], ‘You could tell Erin in her Jalen Hurts interview was disappointed that Kansas City didn’t win,’” Andrews recalled reading on the internet. “I actually was trying to slow down, be chill, instead of being like, ‘Jalen, what does it mean..!,’ [so] I was trying to be calm because he’s f*****g calm – he’s not crazy and rah-rah.”
Andrews explained how her producer said that out of the tunnel, the network would have her interview Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes while Tom Rinaldi would speak with Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. Since they were both working from Caesars Superdome, FOX NFL Sunday host Charissa Thompson could see Andrews delivering her some of her reports, and having the chance to work alongside a close friend is something she does not take for granted.
“I always point out my favorite part of Super Bowl – and I’ve said it before on here – is getting to do this job alongside, not always actually in person alongside you, but in parallel, and then to stand on the sidelines with you before you’re about to do your first hit,” Thompson said. “…It’s never, ever lost on me that we get to do this job, just as individuals, but then when we get to do it together and I get to watch you on the world’s biggest stage and you just shine bright just like a diamond, I just am always grateful for that, and I love you.”
Thompson remarked that she was going to be damned either way, articulating that had she decided to exhibit more excitement, there would have been people saying that she was too excited. Moreover, she added that she has empathy for the athletes on this point of not being able to win with the audience no matter what. Andrews concurred with this point and also chastised the crowd for deciding to boo award-winning musician Taylor Swift while she was attending the game. Towards the end of the discussion, she talked about the record-setting viewership and how it was indicative of the NFL being a dominant force of consumption in the sports media landscape.
“Football is king,” Andrews said. “One hundred and twenty-seven million viewers when it was really a blowout just says so much about our sport and how much we love it.”
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Mat Mitchell is the Program Director at KS95 KSTP-FM St. Paul Minneapolis. His peers voted him to the number 11 spot in Barrett Media’s Top 20 AC/Hot AC Program Directors.
“It’s such a big honor to be acknowledged and voted by peers in this industry and to see my place on the top 20 next to many peers I personally know and I’ve worked with in other parts of my career,” said Mitchell. “That fills me with a lot of gratitude for a business I still really enjoy.
“I took that as a huge honor. I was really happy and had a big smile once I opened up that e-blast that day.”
Mitchell said he heard from many in the industry.
“I got a lot of heartfelt notes and congratulations from peers in the industry that said, way to go, congratulations. We’re so focused on our day-to-day and what we do, trying to create a great product while maintaining our connection with the community that it was great to stop and come up for air to see that acknowledgment. Thank you for having me on the list and for the wonderful look. I really appreciate it, and I’m honored.”
It was a twin win because KS95’s morning show, “Crisco, Dez & Wes,” made the list of the top shows at number 13.
Mitchells says the show has extraordinary chemistry.
“It hasn’t even been one year since Wes joined the cast and the ensemble of the ‘Crisco Des & Wes Show,’ but in that short period, I’ve seen natural chemistry evolve rapidly. These guys genuinely enjoy being with each other in the studio and outside the studio. They hang out with each other after hours. I think when you get to that point with a cast, you’ve charted your own course.”
The chemistry, the fun, the sense of community, the sense of stepping up is automatic. These guys are already seasoned professionals, but when you add a new cast member, you don’t always have that guarantee of where the show is going to go. We made a smart choice in hiring Wes McCain. Being from the upper Midwest, also from Minnesota, and knowing the neighborhoods and growing up around the community, I think that certainly expedited the process of him figuring out his way with Crisco and Des in a short period of time. Still, the one thing that stands out in particular with this show is it’s just a funny show.”
When you talk to Mitchell, you pick up on his enthusiasm and respect for the brand he now manages. His suggestion to young people wanting to enter the industry is to get in the door.
“Get in the door anyway possible. I think, and I’ve even read this from peers in the industry, that the most plausible point of entry seems to be in promotions. I’ll tell you that I’ve hired several part-time air talent specifically from the promotions department to take on on-air roles and even fill in roles on KS95. It seems to be the farm team or feeder department for somebody who wants to pursue the on-air side. But it goes beyond that.”
“If on-air is not their best suit, a lot of times social media and digital is something where we find a tremendous strength out of those folks. When I started in radio, it wasn’t on the air. I mowed the yard under the transmitters at KLEO in Wichita. Then eventually, I got hired to do part-time board work for the big band station KQAM. It’s just those small incremental steps, be available, be reliable, and be open-minded to multiple departments within the radio group and see where it leads. If you show enough interest, it’ll lead exactly where you need to be.”
I asked Mitchell his thoughts on Nielson’s 3-minute qualifier and if he has seen or plans to make adjustments.
“I haven’t seen a ton of modifications uniquely in this market or markets that I may browse when I look at daily logs in Mediabase. That’s not to say it’s not happening. I’m wondering if people are waiting to see where they stand in real-time based on year-over-year performance. Hopefully, everybody sees an uptick, and it’s a positive thing. There are a few markets where I heard they’re maneuvering stop sets.”
“I wouldn’t say in the complete opposite methodology where we were before but literally placing it inside, splitting right down the middle of the quarter hour and hoping to gain the added carryover quarter-hour from 15 to 30 or 30 to 45. I like that bravery.”
“For KS95, it’s such a signature brand and with unaided awareness. I kept things the way they are now to find out how our performance will be in January and possibly the quarter. That’s not to say I’m landlocked to that decision, either. I’m keeping an eye on what everybody’s doing because again, everybody is a student of radio.
“This is a new piece of education as we start to get this data back in the weekly and how the months and quarters break out, and I know several eyes will be on it and what will soon become a best practice, but I think we’re very early days on what’s to come.”
Mitchell opines that stations with high spot loads may not have anywhere to maneuver.
“It also goes back to the methodology of companies. If some stations or groups run a high amount of spots and there’s really nowhere to redirect or place these stop sets, they may be backed into a corner at this point and just finding out where they stand in real-time based on where they were with the five-minute qualifier.”
In closing, Mitchell expressed his gratitude to Leighton Peck, his predecessor and long-time KS95 Program Director, who passed away earlier this month. (BMM 2/5)
“Leighton’s legacy at KS95 spans across 29 years. He had number-one ratings, multiple Marconi Awards, multiple Crystal Awards, and Service to America Awards, and assembled the best line of personalities in Twin Cities.”
“Radio keen sense and awareness of the immediacy and urgency that this medium can provide. The Hubbard family and the brand team are saddened by the news of his passing. His work at KS95 is still reflected today and serves as a positive memorial moving forward. I’m honored to be the one who got the baton passed to him and to carry on the KS95 legacy. We’re not in the position we’re in now without his contribution.”
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On Sunday night, the NBA introduced a new format for its annual All-Star Game, replacing the traditional East vs. West matchup with a four-team, single-elimination tournament. As soon as the game wrapped up in San Francisco, reactions came in quickly from both players and media members alike. While some embraced the change, several players who participated voiced their frustration, particularly over the frequent breaks that disrupted the game’s rhythm.
Among those echoing these concerns was Boston’s WEEI host Adam Jones, who shared his dissatisfaction during Monday’s Jones & Keefe program. He specifically criticized the new format and the limited amount of actual basketball played.
“Last night, the game was terrible,” Jones remarked bluntly. “The whole thing was awful.”
To reinforce his argument, Jones pointed to statistics he found on Reddit, emphasizing the stark imbalance between gameplay and other broadcast elements, such as commercials and musical performances.
“There were forty-two minutes of basketball in a three-hour show,” Jones explained Monday on WEEI. “There were eighty minutes of ads and forty-two minutes of basketball. That’s what it was.”
The NBA’s revamped format consisted of a mini-tournament featuring four teams and three games. In the semifinals, two teams squared off in one matchup, while the remaining two competed in the other. The winners then advanced to the championship game, where victory was determined by the first team to reach or surpass 40 points.
Leading the charge in the final game, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry guided the winning “Team OGs” — coached by NBA on TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal — to a decisive 41-25 victory over the Global Stars.
Although official ratings have yet to be released, Jones argued that the league should reconsider its approach and revert to the traditional format for a better fan experience.
“The whole thing is stupid,” Jones concluded. “If you’re going to do a traditional All-Star Game, just go back to East and West.”
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While the nation took a break to celebrate President’s Day, the Mac & Bone Show on Charlotte’s WFNZ experienced an unexpected interruption during the third hour of their Monday morning program. The disruption occurred during the eight o’clock commercial break when the morning show was suddenly instructed to evacuate the building.
As the break unfolded, show producer Josh “Fitty” Marlow swiftly cut in to inform listeners of the abrupt change in programming.
“Just to let you know, we’ve been forced to evacuate the building,” Marlow announced on WFNZ. “There’s a fire drill happening right now at the station. We’re going to transition you into CBS Sports Radio, and we hope to be back with you momentarily.”
Roughly 20 minutes later, after local officials cleared the building for re-entry, the Mac & Bone Show resumed its broadcast on WFNZ. Upon their return, the hosts provided an explanation of what had transpired.
“Apparently, somebody—or somehow—the fire alarm got pulled in our building, and we had to evacuate for about 20 minutes,” said show host Chris “Mac” McClain.
WFNZ Program Director Jeff Rickard later confirmed via text to Barrett Media that the building manager had ordered the evacuation. However, he clarified that the fire alarm had ultimately been a false alarm.
Although the incident caused an unexpected pause in programming, it also sparked some humorous reflections from the crew. The hosts joked about how they would have responded if the drill had turned out to be a real emergency.
“I was boots on the ground,” co-host Travis “TBone” Hancock recalled. “I thought, if this building is going to burn down, I’m going to do my part—I’ll go in there, pull people out, try to save them. If this thing is going up in flames, I want to be the guy to do it. Turns out… we had no flames.”
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Sports fans looking for events to watch over the weekend had a variety of compelling games from which to select emanating out of major leagues, including hockey and basketball. Yet the stark comparison between the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off tournament and NBA All-Star Weekend elicited various reactions related to the level of competition and investment by the players. Chicago’s 670 The Score morning host David Haugh acknowledged that while the comparison between the two may not be fair, he conveyed that the hockey was riveting. Conversely, he realized that some may ask why they wasted their time on the NBA All-Star Game, which adopted a new four-team format as viewership continued to decline.
“It’s more in the hockey sense, it is a coming together and unification,” said Haugh. “I do think it’s obvious and unavoidable to compare the effort levels. What you saw Saturday night when guys are playing through injury, like Sidney Crosby, and playing for each other like it’s the biggest game of their careers. Then you find out Sunday at about 5:00, LeBron just checked out.”
The prime time hockey matchup between the United States and Canada started with three fights in nine seconds and displayed a high standard of competition. Many players described the matchup as being among the most important in their careers. Ruthie Polinsky, a host on the Chicago Sports Network who was filling in for Mike Mulligan on Monday, was hoping that the game would have set a tone for those in the NBA to put on a show on Sunday night.
In the end though, she found the game pathetic and embarrassing.
Polinsky proceeded to delineate how the basketball product may demonstrate that those involved are potentially “delusional or oblivious,” and she surmised that they did not pay attention to the action in hockey. In fact, she posted that hockey made sure no one would watch the skill-based competitions during All-Star Weekend on Saturday night, initial viewership figures for which are not yet available.
The audience for the United States-Canada game averaged 4.4 million viewers, marking the most-watched non-Stanley Cup Final telecast since 2019.
“I do think also the hockey could have been last week or next week, and we still would have come out of Sunday night with the same conclusion,” Haugh said. “‘Why don’t these guys care? Why are we watching this?,’ and you remember when it used to matter to the point where Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant would bring their competitive fire to the All-Star event and it would be contagious, and it was a little bit more competitive. It wasn’t playoff level, but it certainly was more watchable than it is now because now, the product is just really embarrassing for the league.”
The contest also marked the final time that TNT Sports is presenting the NBA All-Star Game amid the final year of its media rights deal with the league. NBC Sports will have the rights to the Saturday and Sunday night events under its new 11-year contract with the NBA, reportedly worth $2.45 billion per year. As a result, the heralded Inside the NBA studio show featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Shaquille O’Neal will no longer be on the air for these presentations, although the show will air on ESPN and ABC surrounding other marquee events under a sublicensing agreement.
“Honestly, kudos to TNT because maybe they knew,” Polinsky said. “‘Let’s have something ready to rack here in case this product stinks,’ because I think they knew there was going to be some debate.”
Draymond Green, current forward for the Golden State Warriors and a four-time All-Star, offered sharp criticism towards the new format. Yet his commentary resulted in pushback from Barkley, who explained that Green’s generation was responsible for the league having to experiment with the All-Star Game due to a purported lack of effort. Haugh referred to the presentation as “a game between TNT tributes,” which included nostalgic views of the past that he felt caused people to want to look away because of how the product has changed.
“People will watch because of what he’s going to say next,” Haugh said of Green. “Even if it’s critical of the people sending him checks or making direct deposits, he’s going to be compelling because as good as he is as an NBA player, and he’s probably going to the Hall of Fame, he gives the impression, or at least I think he could be a very good guy in the studio. He’s going to be great.”
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Since 2018, there have been major changes in the US with regard to online casinos and betting. The government repealed the PASPA, which has allowed each state to implement their own gambling laws and regulations. And many did so immediately. However, other states, such as Arizona, have been a lot slower off the mark.
As reported by bettingaz.com, there are currently no real money online casinos available in Arizona at this time. However, players are able to access a growing number of sweeps and social casinos instead. These casinos provide a wide array of options without the need to spend real money.
Playing at AZ online casinos
As there are no real money casinos, players here will have to go to other states in order to gamble. However, as mentioned, there are sweepstakes or sweeps casinos on offer. These casinos award players with free gold coins, and this virtual currency is used to play different casino games including slots, blackjack, roulette, and more. Additionally, if players purchase more gold coins to use, they’re typically awarded sweeps coins as well which can be used to bet with. Collecting sweeps coins means players can convert these into rewards and prizes down the line.
Legalizing casinos in Arizona
With the popularity of online casinos on the rise in other states, and the economic benefits such sites bring, it would not be a surprise to see Arizona legalize and regulate real money casinos in the future. There is definite room for expansion here as both the public and some lawmakers are eager to change this. With this in mind, there are deals with the casino-owning Native American tribes within the state, to include online platforms. As it stands, anyone in Arizona has to go to the one of the land-based tribal casinos if they want to gamble. No current legislative move is being made for online sites.
Where can AZ players play?
Right now, the only places are the tribal casinos. These are operated under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. There are 25 of them in the state, with many casinos found in Prescott, Scottsdale, and Chandler. Each of these casinos has a wide array of games and betting options, which makes it easy to find different games. However, some areas of Arizona, particularly up north, do not have that many casino options. With land-based sites being the only thing available, many players are unable to make the most of these sites.
Legal online gambling
It should be noted though, that while there are no legal online casinos available in AZ, there are other forms of legal online gambling. For instance, online sports betting, online horse race betting, and even daily fantasy sports are all offered online. As such, it seems only inevitable that online casinos will soon make their way to the online platform. It remains to be seen though, and progress is not being made quickly when it comes to this area. For now, only sweeps casinos permit online casino game playing.
Three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade is making it known he is not a fan of how some in sports media have approached their coverage of first-year NBA prospect Bronny James. Wade discussed the 20-year-old second-round draft pick and how he feels he’s been unfairly scrutinized on the latest episode of Wade’s podcast ‘The Check In,’ calling for calm and patience instead of baiting for clicks.
“They have no patience with this young man,” Wade stated. “They have no patience with him, and it sucks because they’re acting like it’s the talent only. It’s not the talent only, it’s he’s good for business.”
James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James, was drafted with the 55th overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft after playing a single season at Southern Cal, averaging 4.8 points and just over two assists per game. Being the son of an NBA legend brought heightened attention during the ramp-up for the NBA Draft, where some analysts projected the younger James as a top-ten draft selection.
After being selected in the second round of the NBA Draft, Bronny’s father, LeBron, signed a two-year agreement to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, coinciding with his son also coming to an agreement with the organization just two days earlier.
Dwyane Wade believes there is too much focus on the negatives regarding Bronny James’ path to the NBA, and instead, there should be more praise for James’ growth as a player for his production in the NBA G-League.
“What I’m saying is there are other narratives that can be pushed,” Wade stated. “Give him a little bit more grace and appreciate what he’s been able to build for himself.”
Wade went on to say that it’s unfair how the media’s coverage is treating Bronny James in the same manner as his father, empathizing with the 20-year-old prospect and appreciating how he’s handled the pressures of growing into his own self.
“It’s hilarious,” said Wade. “Y’all cover him like he is his dad. He’s a 20-year-old kid who’s the 55th pick in the draft that is gonna take time to develop.”
Bronny James currently is playing for the South Bay Lakers in the G-League, averaging 17.3 points and 4.1 assists per game and has played in 17 games for the Lakers this season.
“I can’t imagine what it’s like to pick up your phone and hear all this negativity when you out there trying to chase your dreams as a young kid,” said Dwyane Wade. “Because your dad is LeBron James, and I understand it that, you know what comes with it. I’m not saying no one should cover and talk about the James family, but like, come on, dog.”
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