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ESPN Will Not Renew Formula One Media Rights Deal: Report

BSM Staff
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ESPN Will Not Renew Formula One Media Rights Deal: Report

ESPN has reportedly informed Formula One that it will not be renewing its media rights package, which indicates that the motorsport entity will need to find a new U.S. partner to air the racing series next year. The company has been broadcasting Formula One races since 2018, and its current deal will conclude at the end of the year, which is said to be worth $90 million annually. News of this reported decision by ESPN was first divulged by John Ourand of Puck, who added that F1 took meetings with Netflix and NBC during Super Bowl week in New Orleans, La.

Sources indicated to Luke Smith of The Athletic last week that Netflix was considering making a bid for Formula One rights that would begin in the 2026 season. The company has worked with the racing property before on the Drive to Survive docuseries, a six-season venture produced by Box to Box Films that has granted viewers an inside look at drivers who are part of the racing circuit. Conversely, NBC previously carried Formula One races under a four-year deal that expired in 2016, and Ourand conveyed that it would be a “natural landing pad” for the property.

The reported decision by ESPN comes after last year’s Formula One circuit tied for the second most-viewed season of the property ever on U.S. television, averaging 1.1 million viewers per race across ESPN, ABC and ESPN2. Furthermore, the property reached nearly 30 million fans on ESPN platforms and ended up tying the viewership average it had attained in 2023, although its reach last season was up 22.9% year-over-year to 29.5 million.

The 2022 season is responsible for the all-time record average of 1.2 million viewers, which concluded with Max Verstappen winning the title of World Drivers’ Champion and Red Bull Racing garnering the World Constructor Championship. While Ourand reported that the company liked being in business with Formula One, it made the determination that a price increase was not commensurate to the average viewership wherefore it is said to be moving in another direction.

ESPN is preparing to launch its Flagship direct-to-consumer product in the fall that will allow users to access its linear channels without a traditional pay television subscription. Ourand also subsequently reported that the company is likely to exercise an opt-out clause in its contract with Major League Baseball in an attempt to negotiate a better deal with the league, for which it currently pays around $500 million for a variety of rights. The two sides are reportedly far apart in negotiations to the point where it is “hard to see a middle ground,” according to Ourand.

ESPN is reportedly arguing that MLB has reset the market with streaming deals, while the league contends that the packages with Apple TV and Roku are not the same in terms of quality. MLB has reportedly made it clear that the league would explore the marketplace with the package to other partners, and Ourand revealed that it has gauged interest from Netflix and Amazon if the talks do not result in a deal.

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TNT, truTV Average 1.05 Million Viewers for Canada-Sweden Matchup to Open 4 Nations Face-Off

BSM Staff
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TNT, truTV Average 1.05 Million Viewers for Canada-Sweden Matchup to Open 4 Nations Face-Off

The opening matchup of the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament between Canada and Sweden averaged 1.05 million viewers and a 0.51 rating on TNT and truTV on Wednesday night. The game emanated from Bell Centre in Montréal, Québec and was the most-watched hockey telecast on TNT Sports platforms this season. This matchup also surpassed the New Year’s Eve edition of the Winter Classic between the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks as the largest audience for an NHL game on cable television this season.

The game is fourth among all networks including the NHL season slate, falling behind three games that aired on ABC all either containing the Boston Bruins or New York Rangers. In the week prior, TNT Sports had averaged 537,000 viewers for its broadcast of the Bruins-Rangers game from Madison Square Garden, which was up 30% year-over-year. The matchup also represented the most-viewed non-playoff hockey telecast ever to air on Max. Broadcasters for the game included play-by-play announcer Brendan Burke, analyst Darren Pang and reporter Jackie Redmond. Pregame coverage took place from the Atlanta-based studios with host Liam McHugh and analysts Wayne Gretzky, Paul Bissonette and Anson Carter.

The first game of the night had several ups and downs, starting with forward Nathan MacKinnon scoring a goal 56 seconds into play. Canada had established a two-goal lead after the first period, but the team was able to recover after giving up a tally midway in the second period to defenseman Jonas Brodin. After reestablishing the advantage, Sweden tied the game and forced overtime thanks to a goal by center Joel Eriksson Ek. Canada forward Mitch Marner won the contest with a game-winning goal in overtime, granting the team its first victory of the three-game slate.

The NHL season is currently in a break to allow for this tournament to take place, which comes in advance of the league officially returning to the Olympic Games in 2026. As a result, the league’s All-Star Game and Skills Contests are not taking place this season. TNT Sports is currently in the fourth season of a seven-year media rights deal with the NHL reportedly worth $225 million annually and will broadcast the Stanley Cup Final at the end of the season. League commissioner Gary Bettman also announced on Wednesday that the World Cup of Hockey tournament would be returning in 2028 and held every four years.

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If You Cannot Sell Yourself, You Should Not Be in the Sports Content Business

Dave Greene
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If You Cannot Sell Yourself, You Should Not Be in the Sports Content Business

So, you might have read that I am taking on a new project. I will still be writing for the site and hope to for a long time, however, I have decided to get back into something that is one of my biggest passions in life – St. Louis sports.

Yep, I know you just laughed and said, ‘What St. Louis sports?!?” Things are bleak right now, but pal I’ve been alive for 3 World Series wins, a Super Bowl win and a Stanley Cup. Should the Missouri Tigers basketball team ever make it to a Final Four I will be able to die a very happy sports fan.

After we made the announcement, as you can imagine, my phone, texts, DMs and email lit up. In some ways, this is what we wanted. When we made the decision to do this, we decided to only hire a certain number of people to start and then wait and see who else reached out.

So far, the plan has worked, and a couple people have reached out that are really intriguing possibilities. However, I am not here to write about those, I am here to write about the ‘other’ people who reached out. And, as always, I have examples that will make this easy to understand.

I want to tell you about two specific people who reached out. One is someone who has been out of the business for a couple of years. He is not somebody I know but is someone who many people around me do know and speak pretty highly of.

In his email, he congratulated me, he let me know he had been paying attention to what was going on and was very impressed with the group that we had put together. He then asked me if I would be interested in talking with someone who had some content ideas but would also be willing to go out and sell the content ideas if that was something we allow. (ALLOW!?!)

I told him that I was glad he reached out and that he should reach out to me at the end of next week when I anticipate being able to breathe again. He was very respectful of my time and asked if I wanted to just let him know when it was convenient, and I said it would be best to set up an exact time and then (after I change it a few times) we will connect.

The next morning, I woke up to an email from him, thanking me for getting back to him. He then said that he couldn’t stop thinking about our conversation and had to put everything he was thinking down on paper. He attached it, but said we would just discuss when my schedule allowed. Fortunately for him, I was already on ‘the throne’ for the first time that day and was able to glance at what he had sent.

Let’s just say, this guy gets it. There was thought, there was creativity, there were sellable elements.

Now, on to what was behind door number two. Another fella who has been out of the business did what the kids all talk about and ‘slid into my DMs.’ Even though I couldn’t remember the last time I had talked to this person (we are talking more than two decades), the greeting was like we were best friends, and it was normal to hear from him.

Told me he wanted to ‘jump in.’ He was ready. He’s been looking to get back in. Been thinking about it.

“Let me know,” is how the DM ended.

Let you know, what? What is it you are ready to “jump in” on?

Sell me!

Sell me you!

How on Earth am I supposed to sell you if you can’t sell you?

I was trying to think of what the equivalent of “I am ready to jump back in, let me know” would be on a sales call. I guess it would sound something like, “Hey, Mr. Customer, figured you’d wanna advertise again, you in?”

No, I won’t be ‘letting you know’ anything except for how to lose my contact information. However, I will give you some advice.

And that advice is to put some thought into things when you reach out and want to be a part of something. Put some creativity into it. Let the person on the other side know the WHY. What is you are going to bring to the table? Why can my company not live without you? And what is it that you have done recently for another company that can give me an example of what it is you do.

This is a sales business. Even our content creators are selling every single time they create something. There is a purpose and there is an audience and there is a way to deliver that audience to clients.

If anyone is going to work for me in any capacity, I need to be sold they can sell. And again, hear me when I say that may not mean pitching business to a client to buy advertising. But I still have to believe that they can sell the product in some way, shape or form.

If your selling technique is ‘Holla at me’ you may very well have a long, successful career ‘selling’, but it will most likely be from behind a counter asking customers if they are “going to be using their mobile app today?”

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The Best/Worst Thing I’ve Heard/Watched/Read Recently

I’ve been going down the Howard Stern interviews rabbit hole a lot lately. I usually let some months pass and then I’ll catch up on any that I have missed that I want to listen to. Recently he has had some more sports guests than usual with Stephen A. Smith and Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo appearing together and after the Super Bowl, Saquan Barkley was on.

Stern is always incredibly well prepared for interviews. I know there is a lot of staff that helps with that, but I have given reading material to talent for years and seen them ignore plenty of it. Stern does a deep dive on the person. He does it so that he can have a conversation with the person rather than worrying about what he is going to ask.

You always get the feeling Howard has 30 pages of notes he never even got to about the person because he does such a good job of listening to what is said and takes it from there. Every radio host who does interviews should be forced to listen to Howard do it before they ever get to do it themselves.

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In Case You Missed It

I always enjoy Andy Masur’s pieces on the Anatomy of a Broadcaster or Analyst. Last week we ran his feature on Tom Brady the analyst before he called Super Bowl LIX. Andy breaks it all down in the story and says, overall, he believes Brady is getting better and that while there are things that stand in the way, he is on track to be pretty good at being an analyst.

Masur concluded his article with, “Hopefully Brady continues to show signs of improvement, and he sticks with it. The name, work ethic and credentials, can eventually make him one of the better analysts in the game.”

Loved the feature, disagree with the last statement. To me, Tom Brady is missing something he will never get – a good voice. There are some great analysts who do not have the pipes of James Earl Jones, but to me Brady’s ‘whiny’ voice (not a criticism, just the only way I can think to describe it) will always get in the way.

You can read the full feature by clicking 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.

Industry Guest Column: AFTER After Hours

BSM Staff
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Industry Guest Column: AFTER After Hours

Amy Lawrence spent nine years with ESPN Radio as the only regular female on the air at the time. In 2013, Lawrence landed at CBS and most recently was hosting After Hours with Amy Lawrence from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. ET until she decided to step away.

Amy wrote a blog post about her recent decision and has allowed us to post her words as an Industry Guest Column:

What a clever suggestion from a listener about what to name my next radio venture! As I close a proud chapter in my career, I am astounded at the response. THANK YOU for your interest, for caring about me personally and professionally, and for reaching out to tell me the show will be missed. My decision was not made lightly nor on a whim. It wasn’t simple or easy. Nearly two years of prayer and thoughtful consideration were poured into this change.

photo of Amy Lawrence at the beach

When After Hours with Amy Lawrence moved to weeknights, I told myself I would do five years in that time slot and then figure out the next step. Haha! There WERE several opportunities to change hours, but each time, I opted to stay put. We had solid momentum for over a decade–building the audience and establishing a more personal connection. I enjoyed the creative process, and we were generating new ideas. As a host, I was learning and growing, and I knew the show was “routine” for listeners all over North America. When I signed a 3-year deal in January of 2021, I appreciated the stability and consistency. I don’t regret that choice, but so much has changed since then.

Like many other industries, the media world has faced drastic cuts in the last few years. In radio, entire shows and stations are getting wiped out. I understand the economics, but they can be applied with brutal effects. Fewer and fewer people are being asked to shoulder more and more of the load. After Hours was not immune. In the fall of 2020, we were stripped down to one producer. Coming out of the pandemic, very few people worked in the building at night which meant little support behind the scenes. More than once, we had equipment malfunctions and no engineer available. You can imagine how that went.

You’ve probably heard the metaphor of the duck floating serenely and peacefully on the water while frantically paddling underneath. That was me the last several years. Taking on tasks and responsibilities that wouldn’t normally be mine to manage. But to come anywhere close to my high standards, I had to try. I spent hours each week and precious time each night scrambling to keep it all together and NOT let the added stress affect the on-air product. But eventually, that’s impossible, right? Ultimately, I realized I had to focus more on the content and ME on the air since that’s what matters most to listeners. Sadly, various features, production, imaging, social media, promotion, the YouTube channel all became outdated or stale or suffered from a lack of attention. It hurt me to know the quality of the show was slipping, that the fun elements I loved were falling by the wayside.

I certainly can’t blame producers for wanting different hours, support from managers or the occasional raise. But the revolving door of people working on the show meant non-stop training and dialing back on what we could do. Creative ideas are only as good as the ability to implement them. As discouraged and frustrated as I felt, I did the best I could to maintain the caliber of the show with genuine and frank discussion, humor, off-beat topics and material, engaging interviews and enthusiasm every night. But often, it felt like a battle I couldn’t win.

Amy Lawrence at home with a microphone
picture of Amy Lawrence's cats
photo of Amy Lawrence's desk
photo of Amy Lawrence's dog

As a night owl, the hours weren’t a challenge until the last 18 months. I think the lack of regular sleep and constant flipping my schedule finally took their toll. Even before I got married, I was struggling to keep my priorities in line and maintain a healthy balance. The extra obligations and the non-stop cycle were all-consuming. As far back as summer 2023, I told two managers I couldn’t sign another contract for overnights. I was hopeful the company would take me seriously and see my value as a host. Not the case. I’m not even sure they believed me.

When I received an offer to continue with the status quo last December, I turned it down. I told them I would work through the Super Bowl for the sake of our affiliates and the loyal After Hours audience. When I rejected the offer, a huge weight slid off my shoulders. I’ve had peace about the decision since then. No second-guessing, no wondering if this is the right choice, simply a desire to handle the last 7 weeks with professionalism and a commitment to the craft.

Crazily enough, managing the final month-and-a-half on the overnight schedule has been excruciating. Even after the biggest games or breaking news, it was a struggle to get out of the house. More than once, I’ve wondered how the heck I did this for more than 12 years. Including my stretch at ESPN Radio which was mostly nighttime shifts, I’ve spent nearly two decades as a vampire, ha.🙃

Funny story: when After Hours moved off Friday and Saturday nights to begin 2015, I recall thinking “What’s the big deal about working weekends?” I had Wednesdays and Thursdays off; that was my weekend. But after a couple months, I realized how neat it was to share actual weekends with family and friends, to have more of a social life and be able to teach kiddos at church on Sundays. I believe the same will be true as I leave the overnights. No more staying awake 36+ hours when I travel or returning from trips and going right to work. No more 16-hour stretches of football Sundays into Monday morning shows, phew.

For years, I’ve read articles about how working overnights is detrimental to your health. And for years, I laughed at that idea and determined that I would be the exception to the rule. Training for and running half marathons kept me moving. So did Penny and her strict routine from which she rarely strayed. A few years ago, I went back to reading fiction before bed to settle my mind. That practice continues to bring me joy. But the schedule became more and more demanding with less and less time each week for activities that I love, like playing golf and sitting down at my piano or hanging out with a group of friends.

Since December 2023, my husband and I have navigated opposite schedules and all the challenges that come with working and sleeping at different times. I am grateful for his support and grace and sacrifices with the pets and TV remote, ha. A few months ago, as I considered the end of After Hours, it dawned on me that every decision and move I’ve made since college put career goals first. But after 25 years of praying and waiting for a partner and spouse, it’s a privilege to finally put my personal life first.❤️ The goal is to get healthier in every way: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually AND professionally.

I LOVED my job for the last 12+ years! I am incredibly thankful for the opportunities and experiences, even the sacrifices and the toughest challenges. I will forever consider the jump to CBS Sports Radio the best career decision I ever made. When Mark Chernoff and Eric Spitz hired me in late 2012 and told me they just wanted me to be “Amy,” their confidence changed me as a host. I was determined to reward their faith in me. And of course, I was also driven to prove the doubters wrong. (That’s not a fair fight anymore.😜)

This is also my tribute to the family and friends who lifted me up when the hours and routine were a grind. I can’t tell you how much it means to hear them say they’re proud of me.❣️ They’re the ones who’ve encouraged me to take this leap of faith and who tell me over and over I need to be ready for the next open door and new challenge. The hardest part of this whole process is feeling like I’m letting the listeners down. You’ve counted on me and relied on the show for company, conversation, connection, humor, escape, distraction and so much more. I trust you to find me again when I return to the airwaves. Thank you for the unwavering support. It kept me going for a long time.

I hope you’ll read these words and know my heart and understand why I need change in my personal and professional life. We can still connect via “Twix” @ALawRadio or via the Facebook page. Maybe I can even figure out the YouTube channel and post a video soon, ha. I look forward to sharing news and next steps as we move forward in 2025. Amy Xo

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.

Jade Springart Navigated From Intern To Program Director of Two Iconic Detroit Rock Stations, 101 WRIF and 94.7 WCSX

Charese Fruge
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Jade Springart Navigated From Intern To Program Director of Two Iconic Detroit Rock Stations, 101 WRIF and 94.7 WCSX

It’s hard to imagine that someone in this business has been at one station (or group) all her life. Still, Jade Springart grew up in Detroit, started at Greater Media Detroit (Now Beasley Media Group) as a promotions intern in 2007 for 101 WRIF, 94.7 WCSX, and 105.1 WMGC, and over the years has worked her way up to PD of both WRIF and WCSX.

She’s technically a Unicorn in this business. She’s on air on WRIF from 10:30 am to 3 pm and does a podcast with Andy Green from the “Dave and Chuck the Freak” morning show.

As an intern back in the day, she quickly realized she wanted to be on-air and involved in everything that had to do with the music.

“I did my first on-air shift at WRIF in 2010, did overnights and weekends, became the music director in 2015, took on the full-time midday role in 2020, became PD for WRIF in 2021, and then PD for WCSX in 2024,” she explains.

The two iconic brands Springart oversees, one Active Rock and the other Classic Rock, are very different brands with BIG personalities: WRIF, home to “Dave and Chuck The Freak,” and WCSX, home to “Big Jim’s House.”

And while there is a lot of sharing among the music, to ensure the success of both, “It’s really all about spending enough time with each station and focusing on what makes them unique and different from each other,” says Springart. “It would certainly be helpful to get an extra hour or two in the day, too!”

Springart says working with such big personalities and different entities on both stations is easy when you work with the best in the industry.

“I’m so fortunate,” she says. “We’re all on the same page, and it certainly helps achieve success when everyone is working together towards the same goal. We have a very collaborative environment, too. Having a staff that I trust to handle different tasks is huge.”

Springart says that’s always been the case. “While I’ve certainly experienced a lot of different situations over the course of my 18-year career, I can honestly say that the crew in my inner circle has never been anything less than wonderful.”

“For the most part, I worked with them and learned from them as I was coming up in the industry, and I think they all know my goal has always been to help them/us succeed. Respect was something my predecessor always instilled in us, and that didn’t change as I took over. I feel very fortunate to have had that experience.”

It’s easy to tell just by listening to the two stations, even for a few minutes, that both play a big role in the community. “Locality is a top priority for both WRIF & WCSX,” insists Springart. “With both stations being heritage in Detroit, it is imperative that we connect with our community. It certainly is a major factor in driving success, but it’s also a part of who we are in Detroit Rock City.”

“Both stations also have a heavy focus on Veterans throughout the year as well as many charitable events year-round and during the holidays. There is no better way to reach your audience than to be there with them supporting the causes they support.”

The local music scene in Detroit is also a big priority for WRIF. “We have a local show called ‘Motor City Riffs’ that airs on Sunday nights at 9 pm. It’s been on the air for as long as I can remember (with a short hiatus in there), and it is really well received,” says Springart.

“In fact, every year for our annual Riff Fest, one of our Motor City Riffs bands opens the show. We’re proud to be Detroit Rock City and it’s amazing when a local record gets into regular rotation.”

One of the biggest challenges in the Rock and Alt formats is the massive sharing among stations in the market. The gold that comes back in music research is very much the same and includes a very limited number of hits. That leaves many stations playing a lot of the same gold libraries, which can cause rapid and frequent burnout. I asked Springart how she keeps both stations fresh and relevant.

“I think one of the most important things you can do is focus on locality and imaging,” she says. “I believe that along with talent’s personalities, the station as a whole should take on a persona and personality. For us, we are Detroit. We are grit, hard-workers and proud to be from the Motor City.”

“We have to let the listeners know that we are in touch with what’s happening in our community, whether it’s the Lions, pothole season, the latest happenings at Coney Island (look up Lafayette & American), and more. As far as music goes, yes, we’re both gold-based, but special features always help to break that up. Theme weekends, daily features like the ‘4 Play at Four’ where the listeners pick the songs each day, things like that always keep things lively.”

Another big challenge is the use of AI in the business and the impact it’s having on the industry. “I think AI has its pros and cons. It can definitely be helpful for some things like show prep and writing spec spots, but it’s not a personality,” says Springart.

“I don’t love the idea of ‘AI Jock.’ AI can do a lot of things, but do we need it to emulate being a human with independent opinions? What becomes the point of human existence if AI becomes the artist? Like, I need AI to fold my laundry, I don’t need 47,000 AI cats flooding the Internet…. Real cats exist! LOL.”

“We have done some experimenting with it, and like I said, there are pros and cons. Depending on how we utilize it, it can have a really great impact on our industry (and society as a whole), but we could also be four steps away from living in ‘The Terminator’ (or some other more relevant movie reference).”

I also asked Springart if we missed anything important that keeps her up at night. “How much time do we have? I guess one thing I’d like to say is that despite what Gene Simmons continuously says, rock n’ roll is not dead!”

“There are so many talented and amazing young bands out there. I would love it if we all worked together in the industry to build these bands into the gold of the future. I love it when a song grows organically and continues up the chart and lingers in the top ten and works to hit number one, as opposed to driving a record to number one immediately and then dropping it as soon as it hits.”

“And one more thing, I’d like to extend my gratitude to everyone at Beasley Media Group for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to lead both of these brands in a major market.”

Follow Jade Springart on Instagram: @JadeOnTheRadio, X: @OnAirJade, Facebook: facebook.com/JadeOnTheRadio, and check out her Podcast: https://wrif.com/podcasts/the-jade-andy-show/

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.

Countdown To CRS 2025: Scott Roddy, 103.7 KSON San Diego

Jeff Lynn
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Countdown To CRS 2025: Scott Roddy, 103.7 KSON San Diego

For today’s installment of Countdown To CRS 2025, I spoke with KSON San Diego Program Director and Regional VP/Audacy West Coast Scott Roddy. Roddy recently placed 13th on Barrett Media’s Top 20 Country Program Directors.

For Roddy, the chance to learn and share new ideas ranks high on his CRS list.

“I love to learn. I think that having a sense of wonder about the industry, about the music, about our peers, I think that’s truly what makes great leaders to be open to hearing new ideas, and it’s one of those places that I go that I’m actually quiet because I’m so obnoxious and over the top, but at CRS I love to listen and learn.”

“I remember going, gosh, 25 years ago and sitting in a Coleman study about clock and clock placement and taking furious notes on that. That stayed with me forever, and hearing that everything that goes on the air is a marketing decision, which was songs, the imaging, the way that you set up your clocks.”

Roddy mentioned learning fundamentals early in his career.

“I was learning all of the foundations of radio so many years ago at CRS that you can take into any format, but today, more than at any other time, I believe in the power of local radio, specifically the Country format that can activate its audience better than any other format.”

Roddy also added a pitch for local radio.

“We should concentrate on being ratings proof and showing the value of what our local talent, our local brands, and our local leadership can bring to a market, and we do that in conjunction with the pure plays and the streaming services. I see it as a compliment to each other.”

This year he will host a panel at the seminar.

“It’s ‘30 Sales Ideas In 30 Minutes.’ It’ll be a rapid-fire list of how to ratings proof, things that will activate your audience, entitlements, sponsorships, events, and promotions. A lot of this is one-on-one, but there may be a couple of things here people will say I can do that. I can do that so much better than the way they’re describing it. That’s what this is all about to me.”

“That’s still the heart of CRS, and that’s the heart of what we can share with each other to lift each other up, to be successful, to go beyond the rating point, to show what we can do to truly serve both of our clients, our listeners, and our advertisers. And Jeff, there’s nothing more boring than going to a panel, that’s a list. So I invited the biggest names in voiceover across not just the format or the Country, but the world.”

I suggested that seeing a Program Director conducting a panel on sales ideas might be surprising for some.

“I think we have to remember today, and I may get some flack for this, but we’re as much salespeople today as we are brand managers. We have to; this is my mantra: be ratings-proof. Can we show our advertisers that we can activate an audience? One of the things that you’re going to see there is called ‘Take an Elfie Selfie’ with Ernie the Elf. I did this in a small market a long time ago.”

“We sold it to 10 sponsors. So, the station made $10,000. One winner got a $10,000 shopping spree, $1,000 at each one of these client locations. The way it works is that we had a little Elf made, and we put it on shelves all across these local retailers. And you had to snap an Elfie selfie and upload it to win. We got great, great traction on our website.” 

“There was one client, a very small client who for a year only spent $800 in the small market. I think they bought weather mentions or something a quarter a year, and that was it. That turned into a key account where they were buying $1,000 a month in this market, which was a lot of money. And that’s where you see it grow like that because we show them, look how well we can activate our audience.”

What are a couple of highlights for Roddy over the years?

“A long time ago, the greatest thing that I always took away from CRS was the research notes, which I think are really, really smart.  Be it Coleman, Edison, or NuVoodoo, I always take away from those panels.” 

“I think that I’m a real nuts and bolts; I’m a radio nerd. And so anytime that I can hear something that’s been super successful for somebody else, I want to do that. I want to see if I can do it that well.”

And from a music standpoint?

“I remember going one year to see Big and Rich and they were at the arena. There’s that little rehearsal space in the hall in the back. I’m watching it, and I’m seeing John Rich sweating in his fur coat, and he’s yelling at me from the stage, and I’m doing my fat white guy dance to ‘Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy.’”

“I leave him when I walk out, a rep that I don’t know grabs me, and he hands me a lanyard and says, ‘Hey, come on, get on the bus and come see Keith Urban.’ And I was like, no, Keith was just very public about taking care of his health. I know that he’s out in California for the next month.” 

“They said, no, Keith came back because CRS was so important, and he wanted to perform for radio. And they took us in this little shuttle bus to this bar, which was so cool. It was industrial.”

“And I stood five feet from Keith Urban at his full band. Keith was barefoot, standing on a rug on a riser, and he must’ve rocked out for 90 minutes. It was an amazing experience. It was something I’ll never forget.”

Does Roddy have any advice for a CRS first-timer? 

“Number one, hydrate. Number two, really try to plan to go to as many sessions where you can learn as possible. The diversity breakfast is wonderful.” 

“The ‘Women In Leadership.’ Marci Braun is going to be there. Plan out your learning as much as you can. I don’t make reservations to go to any of the label stuff only because I know I’m going to be pulled in 17 different directions as everybody will be.” 

“So, I kind of do that ad hoc and go to the shows that I want to see because I want to make sure that I can plan to learn as much as I can because the investment that we make is significant. But it’s worth it. Get as much as you can out of the morning as you do the partying and feeling good.”

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 Pulse: Focus On CRS Learning, Community Connections, And Radio Industry Happenings

Jeff Lynn
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The Pulse: Focus On CRS Learning, Community Connections, And Radio Industry Happenings

Next Wednesday, the curtain rises on CRS 2025 at the Omni Nashville Hotel in downtown Nashville.

I hope you are enjoying the “Countdown To CRS” series, which features some of the leading programmers and industry people attending this year’s seminar.

There’s not a lot that can be said that hasn’t already been said, but there are a few thoughts that I would like to pass along.

A few years ago, a friend of mine, who I know to be a smart radio person, came to CRS and completely immersed himself. Unfortunately, the immersion was into the nightlife and fun on Lower Broadway. He slept in until noon every day and didn’t attend any sessions.

I am not judging, but I’m disappointed that he missed so many learning opportunities.

Scott Roddy talks today about how deeply he is into each year’s learning experience and how much he takes back to the markets he oversees.

By all means, have fun. But don’t miss the research presentation, the news on AI, and all the great panels.

The other thing is networking. When I had my first PD job at a very small market, I went to CRS and met people who are still friends to this day.

Make yourself known to the established folks. In all my years at CRS, I had only one bad experience walking up and introducing myself to someone. I’m looking at you….. Ha-ha, you thought I was going to name the person, didn’t you?

Have fun. Get yourself some Hattie B’s Nashville Hot Chicken and have a great seminar.

Community Connections:

It’s St. Jude Radiothon Season.

Connoisseur Media’s 103.1 The Wolf successfully launched its first Country Cares for St. Jude Children’s radiothon on February 6 and 7. The event raised an impressive total of $165,825.

Alpha Media’s “The Big 94.5” WIBW and “Country 106.9” KTPK in Topeka, KS, successfully raised $85,392 during their St. Jude radiothon.

Midwest Communications’ “104.9 The Wolf” WXCL in Peoria, IL, generated $71,025.

In Cleveland, John Carroll University students and community members gathered at Beachland Ballroom for WJCU’s annual Blizzard Bash charity concert. The event successfully raised sufficient funds to provide over 18,000 meals for families in need.

Industry Happenings:

Delilah, who hosts evenings at iHeartMedia’s 106.7 Lite FM in New York, will kick off a special Valentine’s Day celebration by lighting up the Empire State Building on February 14. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11 am (ET).

The Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA), a nonprofit organization committed to supporting broadcasters in times of significant need, has confirmed that Deborah Norville will serve as the emcee for its upcoming Golden Mic Gala. The event is scheduled for Monday, March 10, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

Add Ons:

The 2025 NAB Show is set to transform the media landscape, harnessing artificial intelligence to innovate content creation, distribution, monetization, and audience engagement. This year’s show introduces PropelME, a startup hub spotlighting AI-driven companies poised to reshape the broadcasting, media, and entertainment sectors.

The International Women’s Podcast Awards are returning this June. The awards focus on moments of audio brilliance. IWPA Bursary Fund is offering free entry for applicants worldwide.

Bit Of The Week:

Hit me with your best. The Pulse wants to include your show with the “Bit Of The Week.” If you want to be featured, please send me an mp3 of your best, most recent bit to jeff@barrettmedia.com.

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.

Andrew Fillipponi Continues ‘Swimming Against the Current’ Each Day on ‘The PM Team’ in Pittsburgh

Derek Futterman
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Andrew Fillipponi Continues ‘Swimming Against the Current’ Each Day on ‘The PM Team’ in Pittsburgh

Andrew Fillipponi always thought of his on-air sound as resembling a sports talk radio host who would resonate best in the afternoon drive daypart. As someone with a comprehensive knowledge of the format, he is able to perceive the nuances between programmatic archetypes and feels that although he could adapt to another timeslot, his style fits best at this moment. Fillipponi describes himself as someone who tries to be dynamic and opinionated while eliciting emotive responses and lighthearted revelry for the listening audience. In fact, he has a penchant for the kind of radio mastered by Mike Francesa and Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo in the afternoons on WFAN, a pairing that achieved historic levels of success for nearly two decades.

Fillipponi made it to afternoon drive with 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh in 2018 after previously starring in middays. As part of the move, he started to host with sportswriter Chris Mueller, and the duo worked to showcase chemistry and rapport over the airwaves. The offering has exhibited a strong value proposition to local listeners while also gaining attention nationally. One of these plaudits came after a panel of 46 program directors and corporate executives from audio companies around the country voted The PM Team as the top afternoon sports talk radio program in mid-markets in the Barrett Media Top 20 series for the third consecutive year.

“I think we have talented people,” Fillipponi said. “I don’t say this to be braggadocious or cocky, but I think I’m good at my job, and I think that I’m fortunate enough to work with similarly talented, skilled people who also have mindsets that I think match mine.”

In seven years of eligibility as a duo, Fillipponi and Mueller have garnered a run of consistency in finishing first on the list four times. The show received the most first-place votes in the category, and it also finished 18 points ahead of the program finishing second. Fillipponi considers it humbling to have amassed this triumph again, but he attributes the victory to a variety of colleagues, including brand manager Kraig Riley, market manager Michael Spacciapolli and producer Donny Chedrick. On top of that, Fillipponi does not lose sight of the panel who grants such a distinction, and he is humbled to be acknowledged in this capacity.

“I think I also generally feel proud when I see us ranked there because it puts more stock in I guess what we’re doing,” Fillipponi said. “It makes me feel like there’s a recognition that people hear us and think that they’re doing a really good job, so it’s just great every time something like this pops up and I see us there. It makes me feel good about where the show is headed and where it’s been.”

Fillipponi aims to augment the social currency of doing a show that can catalyze more conversation and foster greater shares of listening. With a deep tradition and bevy of superstar players spanning the marketplace, he does not underestimate the proficiency of the listeners. Rather than dedicating a specific period of time to preparation and research, the genuine reality of the situation is that the job can be somewhat all encompassing.

“I’m always cooking up things I want to say or thoughts that I have on it, so it seems like it might be a ponderous way of life that that’s always on my mind, but I really don’t know anything differently,” Fillipponi said. “That’s just, I guess, my brain chemistry or genetics – I don’t know what it is – but that’s just how I work.”

When Fillipponi arrives at the studio, he informs his colleagues of his thoughts and listens to feedback to help craft a robust on-air product. Within the on-air discussions, he tries to evince different aspects of his personality that includes some of his own personal idiosyncrasies as it pertains to his sports fandom and lifestyle. There are instances where he can relate to media personalities who may view themselves as being isolated in their viewpoints or perspectives, but he is not afraid to bring up dilemmas or other matters that may go against the norm.

“I think anybody who thinks they’re good at this thinks that they have a unique personality and that there’s stuff about them that sets them apart,” Fillipponi said, “and I just feel like I’ve always naturally been someone who kind of swims against the current as far as opinions go, and that’s not purposely done where I’m just trying to be the lone wolf or have the minority opinion.”

Mueller has played a pivotal role in the prosperity of the show, and he is someone who Fillipponi views as nimble, competent and adaptable. Bringing a substantial sense of humor and spontaneity to the timeslot, he enhances the conversations and contributes to the aggregate synergy realized. Since Fillipponi has been paired with Mueller, he is able to gather the direction of a conversation and effectively position the show to have extemporaneous and memorable moments.

“There’s no complacency, there’s no stagnation, there is no just coasting,” Fillipponi articulated. “We talk about sports, and sports are meant to kind of have a lot of those ideals and qualities and attributes to competition, and I think it gets applied to a lot of what I do too, or at least try to do.”

As an undergraduate student at Syracuse University, Fillipponi studied communications and participated in the student-run campus radio station. Several of his former contemporaries have also forged successful careers in the sports media business, including Nick Wright, Damon Amendolara and Danny Parkins. The alumni reunited at the 2024 BSM Summit in New York City to partake in a session about their forays throughout the business.

“That was a pretty unique experience because that’s something that if we were all sitting together in one of our living rooms or at a bar, we probably would have talked about just the state of the business and our own thoughts and opinions on it,” Fillipponi explained, “and then to do it in front of some of the biggest decision makers and power brokers in sports talk radio was pretty surreal.”

Fillipponi and his colleagues are broadcasting in an ecosystem where Nielsen Media Research has reduced its credit threshold to three minutes to receive listening credit in a quarter-hour. Even though he feels it is too early to extrapolate the residual effects, he surmises that it will benefit music stations more than those in spoken word formats. Nonetheless, Fillipponi strives to finish atop ratings tabulations and bolster the listening audience on a variety of platforms while genuinely enjoying his work.

“I’ve been a part of shows where the ratings have been fine, but I’m like, ‘Man, this just does not sound like the kind of show that I want to do,’ and that’s a really hard thing to reconcile with yourself,” Fillipponi said. “Ideally you want to do a show that sounds how you want it to where you can be yourself and it also does big ratings and it’s great for the company locally and bigger picture too.”

Congruous with his approach to producing content that appeals to the radio audience, Fillipponi remains motivated to improve at his craft. Rather than envying the success of his former classmates, he shares in their victories and maintains confidence that he can continue to thrive in the field. Furthermore, he recognizes the expertise and commitment of those on his team at 93.7 The Fan instead of treating his career as a one-person operation. With the show broadcasting in the new year seeking to secure a fourth-straight top finish, Fillipponi is still optimistic about the future of radio and the notoriety it yields

“I run into people all the time that recognize me, either my voice or my face from our YouTube page,” Fillipponi said. “I feel like you still have a lot of agency and a lot of authority from being on traditional, over-the-air radio, and that’s impressive to me because obviously the options in the menu for what people can listen to has expanded so much.”

Despite the enthusiasm about the future though, Fillipponi still remains concerned about the viability of radio continuing to generate the revenue it had engendered over the last three decades. There are questions he holds surrounding whether talented professionals in different marketplaces can provide for their families. Fillipponi cannot speak nationally on this subject, but at the local level, he is energized by the teamwork and alignment of departments to effectuate a common goal.

“I see really encouraging and positive things in Pittsburgh, and I hope that’s a trend that’s company wide and industry wide because you read articles, trade articles, about money that’s shifted from radio to podcast to YouTube to other places,” Fillipponi expressed, “and I hope we can continue to capture what we did in the past and grow that even more in the next 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.

Ratings Roundup: Will Cain More Than Doubles Key Demo Audience for Fox News With New Afternoon Show

Garrett Searight
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Ratings Roundup: Will Cain More Than Doubles Key Demo Audience for Fox News With New Afternoon Show

The Lead

Will Cain has continued to see a strong performance since launching his show in the 4 PM ET timeslot for Fox News last month.

During the week of February 3rd, The Will Cain Show averaged 2.8 million viewers, with 348,000 coming in the Adults 25-54 demographic. That’s an 89% year-over-year increase in total viewers and a 110% gain in the key demographic. Will Cain stepped into the timeslot previously occupied by Neal Cavuto, who departed the network late last year.

Fox News has seen a ratings surge since Donald Trump secured a return to the White House on Election Day 2024.

The network continues to hold the lion’s share of the cable news audience, with 60% of both the total day and primetime viewership being tuned into the network.

During the week of February 3rd, Fox News averaged just over 3 million viewers in the primetime (8-11 PM ET) window. That more than doubled challenger MSNBC, which averaged 1.2 million viewers in the same timeslot. MSNBC was second in the overall cable TV rankings in that category behind Fox News.

CNN finished the week seventh in the primetime rankings with 508,000 total viewers. The network was also fourth in the total day category, as it averaged an audience of 417,000.

Fox News also led the total day viewership sector for all of cable news. It featured an average of 2 million viewers, according to Nielsen, while MSNBC was second with 657,000.

In the Adults 25-54 demographic, Fox News earned the top spot in both the primetime (398,000 viewers) and total day (258,000 viewers) categories. CNN was the second-best cable news network in the total day ratings inside the key demo, earning seventh with 78,000 viewers. MSNBC was close behind in 9th with 72,000 viewers from the sector, on average. The order was reversed in the primetime rankings, with MSNBC earning 8th with 118,000 A25-54 viewers, and CNN finishing 9th with 115,000 from the demo.

Newsmax Up More Than 40% In Primetime to Start February

Newsmax continues to see ratings gains throughout the day, but especially in the primetime hours.

For the first week of February, the cable network averaged 312,000 viewers from 8-11 PM ET. That represents a 43% increase compared to the final week of January, when it saw 208,000 total viewers.

That 312,000 total audience figure was enough to propel Newsmax to 15th place in the overall cable TV ratings. In December, Newsmax was, at times, as far down the list as 26th.

In the total day viewership rankings, the network was 17th with an average audience of 212,000 total viewers.

For the week, Newsmax saw an average of 29,000 viewers from the coveted demographic during primetime, while NewsNation earned 14,000 in that window.

In the total day ratings, Newsmax averaged 18,000, with NewsNation dropping to 10,000.

CBS Evening News Continues Slide

Last week, we shared that the revamped CBS Evening News — now being led by anchors John Dickerson, Maurice DuBois, and Margaret Brennan — had seen a slight dip in the overall ratings since the departure of Norah O’Donnell.

That slide continued during the week of February 3rd.

During the week, the nightly newscast saw a 5% decline in total viewers, dropping from 4.8 million to 4.6 million. The drop wasn’t limited to total viewers, as it also dipped slightly in the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic, down to 666,000 viewers in that segment.

ABC World News Tonight continued its dominance in the category, earning an average of 8.2 million viewers for the week. It also featured 1.2 million viewers from the key demo.

NBC Nightly News, meanwhile, averaged 6.7 million viewers and just over 1 million viewers in the Adults 25-54 demographic for the week.

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 Well Intentioned For Changing Qualifying Time, But Still Missing the Mark By Wide Margin

Pete Mundo
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Nielsen Well Intentioned For Changing Qualifying Time, But Still Missing the Mark By Wide Margin

As those in the radio industry are now aware, Nielsen announced and has now implemented a change to the way it calculates its PPM radio ratings, by shifting the qualifying time from five minutes in a quarter-hour down to three.

In a recent article on Barrett Media, Jon Miller, the Vice President of Audience Insights at Nielsen, explained how the decision to pick three minutes was not an arbitrary one, but rather one that was decided upon after stumbling upon this data point: “Of all of the uncredited occasions that we see in the PPM markets, the median length is three minutes,” Miller shared. “So that was like a blinking red light of like, ‘You know what? Maybe that makes sense to go to that number’, right? This gets us, again, more in line with current digital currencies.”

This is a step in the right direction. We know that attention spans have diminished, people spend less time with their preferred content than ever before and bounce around between an infinite amount of audio options.

Here’s the problem: It doesn’t get Nielsen — and the radio industry as a result — anywhere close to being in line with current digital currencies.

Sure, it’s a step in the right direction, but it’s miles away from how major digital outlets are calculating their metrics. This is nothing to celebrate, but rather highlight the snail’s pace at which metrics are progressing in radio.

According to available information, YouTube counts a view of a video at 30 seconds, and it doesn’t even need to be a consecutive 30 seconds. Facebook and Instagram (Meta) count a video view if you watch it for three seconds. On X, that number is two seconds. TikTok is even more absurd. On TikTok, a view is counted as soon as a video starts playing, meaning even if a user scrolls past immediately, it still registers as a view; essentially, you only need to watch for a fraction of a second for a view to count.

Meantime, for audio-only platforms like podcasts, it’s more about downloads that are tracked, which means a user doesn’t even need to technically listen for it to count as a listen.

So for radio, we’re playing a game that is totally unfair when compared to any of the digital platforms that are competing for the attention of viewers and listeners. To use a sports analogy, digital outlets are left-handed hitters who get to play all their games in Yankee Stadium with a short right field porch, while radio is playing in Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, considered the hardest place to hit home runs in Major League Baseball. Oh, and radio can only have one hand on the bat, while blindfolded. 

Nielsen’s decision to move to three minutes was more about missed opportunities on the platform of radio, rather than looking at it through the lens of where the rest of the media world is, and what is being presented to advertisers as “views” and “listens” around the industry.

Some may see this as complaining, and it may be to a degree, but for an industry that has shot itself in the foot far too many times — in different ways for far too long — we should not celebrate when we happen to fire and just knick off a piece of our baby toe, rather than take off the big toe.

Let’s get this Nielsen number down even further. And do it ASAP.

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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