Stephen A. Smith is headed for a well-earned summer break from ESPN and media in general, but not before firing off a pointed message to his media critics—and making it clear that when he returns this fall, he won’t be holding back.
In a nearly 13-minute video posted to his YouTube channel, Smith addressed a wave of criticism he’s received in recent months. From allegations that he was visibly upset over Max Kellerman landing a high-profile boxing assignment, to commentary on him playing solitaire during NBA Finals coverage, the First Take host set the record straight.
“My staff didn’t want me to do this,” Smith opened. “So, out of respect, I’m not going to mention names. But I see the trifling individuals out there talking s**t about me. It’s cute. But I live for this.”
Smith went on to defend his work ethic, pointing out that he’s been on the road 200 days this year and worked over 325 days in the past 12 months. He also shot down the narrative that he had issues with Kellerman beyond a simple professional disagreement about their on-air chemistry.
“I didn’t want to work with him on First Take anymore,” Smith said plainly. “I didn’t want him fired. I didn’t want him unemployed. That brother’s brilliant and deserves a check.”
As for the viral solitaire moment, Smith said he plays the game regularly during downtime and made no apologies. “I do what the hell I want on my platform,” he said, pointing to the hours of coverage he provided across ESPN and ABC before, during, and after the game.
The ESPN star, who recently inked a new deal with ESPN and is set to return to SiriusXM on Sept. 2, hinted that his recent demeanor has been more restrained than fans are used to—and that’s about to change.
“I think I’ve been too PC. I don’t believe I’ve told enough people to kiss my a**,” he said. “That’s going to end.”
Smith credited his team with keeping him grounded but warned that critics trying to generate clicks with misinformation will be confronted more directly going forward.
“You still have me in the headlines,” he said. “Which means you believe I’m relevant. And that really kills you, doesn’t it?”
Smith wrapped by promising a fiery return to First Take, his SiriusXM show, and a new weekly political program this fall.
“I kind of like being pissed off,” he said. “It’s cathartic. Buckle up. Y’all be ready—because I damn sure will be.”
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Paramount Global has reached a settlement with President Donald Trump over his lawsuit against CBS News and its interview with Kamala Harris that aired on 60 Minutes.
The organization agreed to pay $16 million to the future presidential library founded by Trump’s foundation to settle the suit. That’s just over the $15 million figure that ABC News paid to the President’s foundation for a lawsuit he filed against that outlet and its anchor, George Stephanopoulos.
As part of the settlement, 60 Minutes has committed to releasing full transcripts of presidential candidates in the future.
“The Company has agreed that in the future, 60 Minutes will release transcripts of interviews with eligible U.S. presidential candidates after such interviews have aired, subject to redactions as required for legal or national security concerns,” a statement from the network stated.
Additionally, CBS News has not admitted to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
“The settlement does not include a statement of apology or regret,” a statement read.
In the lawsuit, Trump alleged that 60 Minutes had acted improperly in editing the interview with Harris in an attempt to make her look more electable. When he launched the lawsuit, he sought $10 billion in damages initially, before upping that figure to $20 billion.
CBS News continued to claim that it had done nothing wrong and would fight the challenge. In a statement released by Trump’s legal team, they allege that CBS and Paramount Global “realized the strength of this historic case and had no choice but to settle.”
The settlement comes as Paramount Global is in the midst of attempting a merger with Skydance Media. That merger requires government approval.
Additionally, the settlement closes the book on a tumultuous period for CBS News. The outlet’s president, Wendy McMahon, and longtime 60 Minutes Executive Producer Bill Owens both exited hastily over the parent company’s interest in settling the lawsuit.
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It was an eyebrow-raising moment when I received the press release. I was stunned by the headline; I had to read it twice. Bitter rivals becoming teammates on a distribution partnership as the iHeartMedia family welcomed their nasty neighbors in the radio business at Audacy to stream their products on the iHeartRadio app.
Has the world gone mad? Did Leno and Letterman hug it out? Drake and Kendrick caught dabbing it up together at an event? While some may consider this partnership a plus for all involved, I have a question:
How does any iHeart-branded sports radio station benefit from this?
Full disclosure, I ran one of iHeartMedia’s top sports radio brands for over a decade at WDAE in Tampa Bay. Also in full disclosure, I was laid off from the company in November of 2024 as part of its 5% reduction in force. I’m not here to dispute the decision—more to provide insight from a former iHeart programmer.
The IHeartRadio App Is a Monster
From a company standpoint, the iHeartRadio app is the sole focus of the company’s programming growth strategy. It houses every one of the nearly 900 iHeartRadio stations, including all the podcasts and on-demand channels associated with each station. The app also includes a plethora of podcasts, reaching over 35 million monthly users with over 176 million downloads just in the month of May.
The iHeartRadio app is the only multi-genre podcast publisher at scale and is the top podcast publisher globally. It’s bigger than FOX News, Disney, Vox Media, and Barstool Sports combined—all of which you can also hear on the iHeartRadio app.
The app also includes streaming from other traditional radio competitors such as Cox Media Group, Emmis Communications, Cumulus Media, Beasley Media Group, and Salem Media Group. Audacy is just the latest to “join the list.”
IHeartMedia Sports Stations Losing Ground on Their Home Turf
When it comes to the sports radio format alone, iHeartMedia has several quality stations. These include my former home at WDAE (Tampa Bay), as well as KFAN (Minneapolis), AM 570 (Los Angeles), SportsTalk 790 (Houston), 97.3 The Game (Milwaukee), and Sports Radio 93.3 KJR (Seattle). However, in comparison to Audacy, all these stations dwarf next to the likes of WFAN (New York City), 670 The Score (Chicago), WEEI (Boston), 97.1 The Ticket (Detroit), 106.7 The Fan (Washington D.C.), and 94 WIP (Philadelphia), to name a few.
With their addition to the iHeartRadio platform, the big boys of the sports radio industry have knocked down the door because “Papa Pittman” gave them the keys. This adds even more competition for iHeartMedia sports brands to cut through—on their own home turf.
While iHeartMedia will surely benefit from having the Audacy sports radio product streaming on their app, could their own iHeartRadio sports radio family see lost attention and growth?
“We believe in the power of being everywhere, and this partnership is a meaningful step in our strategy to ensure our iconic stations, talent and programming are available wherever and however audio is consumed,” said Chris Oliviero, Chief Business Officer, Audacy.
Oliviero is playing it smart by doing what many considered impossible—Audacy shaking hands with the competition. The difference is, Audacy has already invested assets into ensuring their sports radio products are not only heard in as many places as possible but also seen in as many places as possible.
Without question, the sports radio format has simply meant more to Audacy than to iHeartMedia. Don’t believe me? Let’s take inventory of the radio brands listed above. Six are from iHeartMedia and six from Audacy.
All stations are now represented on the iHeartRadio app with the ability to stream live. All iHeartRadio stations have their podcasts available on the app, and according to the release, all Audacy time-shifted podcasts will also be available.
The six Audacy stations will still be made available as usual on the Audacy app, with stations continuing to promote the app nationwide. Are the six iHeartRadio stations found on the Audacy app? No. So, no “you scratch my back, I scratch yours”?
The six Audacy stations listed above have live and local on-air staff daily, with no weekday prime-time syndication. Of the six iHeartRadio stations, only four meet the same criteria—for several reasons.
The six Audacy stations also stream live on YouTube, with many multicasting on Twitch and the social media platform X. Of the six iHeartRadio stations, three don’t video stream at all. The other three focus their efforts only on select shows or features.
If you look at the total picture of what I just laid out—which company is investing in maximum reach for the future of sports radio?
Will IHeartMedia Learn From Their New Partner Audacy
This move by Oliviero and Audacy reinforces their credo of investing in people to strengthen the brands they own. “Live and local” is not a slogan—it’s a reality. It’s combined with a forward-thinking strategy that includes video podcasting, tapping into the listening boom, and ensuring their product is accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Can you say that about iHeartRadio sports brands?
Referencing Garrett Searight’s column on Tuesday that said this partnership offers a blueprint for radio, I sincerely hope it does—for the health and future of the iHeartMedia sports radio brands that I once represented but could never compete with the level of standard represented by Audacy’s brands.
Maybe added streaming competition will lead to more live and local product from top iHeart sports radio properties, so they can better compete with their Audacy neighbors.
Possibly, we could see shared video assets between companies—where sports talk stations across the iHeartMedia umbrella can play on the same discovery battlefield that the Audacy brands currently dominate.
Hell, why not offer up the Audacy app platform for the iHeartMedia sports radio brands to stream their content on? Wouldn’t that be a true example of how, as Garrett said, “the industry [can] come together to work for the collective good of the radio industry”?
I asked: How do any iHeart-branded sports radio stations benefit from this? That’s how.
You can always learn a thing or two from your competition—but only if you’re willing to watch and listen.
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LOCASH is a platinum-selling Country music duo who are coming off a recent two-week number-one song at Country radio with their song, “Hometown Home.” The song is from their latest album, “Bet The Farm.”
I caught up with Chris Lucas and Preston Brust to discuss music, their relationship with Country radio and starting Galaxy Label Group, the label they launched last year.
First, I wanted them to think back to the first time they heard their song on the radio.
Lucas said, “We were in California driving. We had rented a car, and for some reason, I think we rented a Porsche. We were driving up the Pacific Coast Highway, and on the radio came “I Love This Life.” I couldn’t tell you the exact station. I don’t remember what station it was, but it was on, and we blared it, going up the Pacific Coast Highway.”
The duo has a relationship with Country radio that should be the blueprint and the envy of every up-and-coming artist. When they launched Galaxy Label Group, they sought out radio veteran and respected programmer Kerry Wolfe to lead the promotion team.
“We always wanted our own label, for many years. And we were on BMG, and things were going great. We were having success, and one day we were in a meeting with (Jon) Loba. He says, ‘Man, I kind of feel like this might be the moment for you guys. You’ve got the A&R skills, you’re artists, you have relationships at radio,”’ said Brust.
“He gave us the blessing to do this. So we walked out of BMG that day, and we’re like, are we gonna do this? Are we gonna launch our own label? And we did it. We started putting the team together, and one of our very first phone calls was Kerry Wolfe. He’s one of the first guys we ever met at Country radio, and one of our longest relationships.”
“It just felt so good, and so right. We had been writing some songs for a while. So, we had a nice pile of music to sift through and choose from, and “Hometown Home” kind of raised its hand and said, ‘I want to be the first single.’ And so we’re like, ‘ Okay, let’s roll.’ The next thing you know, we send “Hometown Home” out, and it was just received so well. It became a two-week number one for us.”
Putting it all together meant signing three different agreements to get it going.
“The journey was that we had to sign a deal. But there were actually three deals that went down at once. We had to leave BMG as artists, and we had to launch Galaxy Label Group. Then we had to sign LOCASH to the Galaxy Label Group.”
“So, three deals went down at once, and I remember our attorney came to the Grand Ole Opry. We were playing the Opry that night, and he walked backstage, and he handed us three contracts. He says, ‘This is it,’ so we lined them up across the table and signed all three deals in one fell swoop, and the rest is history.”
The band’s relationship with Country radio was forged with a huge assist from their first promo guy.
“Bill Catino was one of our very first national promo guys who really took us under his wing. You gotta go back many years for that. We were on a different record label way back in the beginning, and he flew with us to our very first radio visit. It was down in Miami.”
“He sat us down and said, ‘hey, before we go to this radio station today, I want to make sure that you understand your career and you understand what you’re doing’. He put in front of us the Mediabase chart, and said, ‘first of all, I want you to be able to read this. I want you to understand what everything means in your world’.”
“He began to teach us line by line what it all meant and how important it was. Who the PDs were and who the MDs were. From that moment forward, we had a very realistic look that these were gonna be our partners.”
“These aren’t just radio stations that you want to play your music. We are gonna work together for many years. So we created real relationships with each and every person that we could. They wanted to know about our lives, and we wanted to know about theirs. We developed long-lasting friendships.”
The technical Gods were not working in our favor, and we lost the connection with Lucas, but Brust and I soldiered on.
CMA Awards are coming up. Not to put Brust on the spot, but I believe that they have been overlooked for some time now and that this should be their year.
“We’ve just tried to work our butts off and show up every day. And try to put out good songs. And like you said, about the relationships, and the pieces will fall where they fall. Sometimes we get nominated, and sometimes we don’t, and it is frustrating sometimes.”
“You gotta put your head down, and keep working. It’s not easy sometimes when you wanna be in a category, and you don’t make it. But man, it feels great to hear you say that, and hopefully one of these years, it’ll be our turn.”
I shared that I was a fan of the Savannah Bananas and asked about LOCASH playing their recent “halftime show” at Raymond James Stadium.
“I remember we were up in Portland, Maine, and Chris got a phone call from somebody with the Bananas organization. Chris left the lunch for a really long time, and I was like, this must really be a serious phone call, cause he was gone for like a solid hour. He comes back from the phone call, and he says, ‘Man, the Savannah Bananas, that was them on the phone, and they want us to do a halftime show at Raymond James Football Stadium.”’
“Of course, we said yes, we couldn’t wait to do it. Chris played baseball a lot of his life anyway, so it’s near and dear to his heart. We both love baseball anyway, and the Bananas, so we flew down there and did the halftime show. It was so cool, because you know, it’s a two-hour show.”
“Right at that one hour mark, all of a sudden, with no warning, the announcer just says, 10, nine, eight, and they said, and here is the very first ever halftime show. We walked in from the center field, and it was just the coolest. The place went crazy, and we continued to do a lot of stuff with them.”
The band recently had a somewhat unexpected collaboration with Beach Boys Mike Love and Bruce Johnston.
“We were sitting around writing that day, and we had this idea for “Beach Boys,” and we just dove right into it. Jared Mullins is a really witty guy and a great songwriter, one of the best, and he says, ‘Man, let’s take the Country to the Beach, Boys.’ And so we were like, oh, we gotta write that.”
“We turned the song in, and our publishers were like, yeah, this is never gonna fly. You got a piece of “I Get Around,” and the Beach Boys are never gonna approve this. We were like, well, please just go after it one time, and see what they say.”
“And then the next thing you know, I was sitting in my driveway one evening, coming home from somewhere, and my phone rings, and it said, no caller ID. I was like, oh boy, it’s gonna be a bill collector. I answered the phone, and it was Mike Love on the other end. And he said, Hey, I got your phone number. This is Mike Love of the Beach Boys, and man, we just really love this song. Not only are we approving it, but what do you think about having us be involved with you on it? And we’re like, let’s. That sounds amazing.”
“We tried and tried to line our schedules up, but those guys work just as hard as us, and we’re going a million different directions. So finally, we said, all right, we’re gonna take the bus on our way to Texas for a gig. And we’re gonna go through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where the Beach Boys are playing tonight.”
“We’re gonna pull in backstage. We’re gonna set up a studio on the bus or backstage, and we’re gonna get those vocals tonight. And so that’s what we did. We drove to Tuscaloosa and set up a studio backstage. Mike and all the boys came in and laid down their parts. And the rest was history.”
Next up for LOCASH is the single “Wrong Hearts,” which is now at Country Radio.
“’Long Hearts’ is off to the fastest start in our career. We’re really excited about it. We’ve almost got a hundred stations on in just five or six weeks already.”
“That’s a big deal for us. We had our biggest add day of our career. And then the second and third goals are to get to a hundred. It’s kind of like a race to a hundred. Just get to a hundred stations because there are 159 reporters. We roll up our sleeves and work from there.”
“So all the goals are happening faster than they’ve ever happened for us. And that just goes to our team. Our team is just so great.”
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The Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2025 was announced on Monday, and Premiere Networks President Julie Talbott was one of several honorees for the prestigious honor.
Talbott is one of 11 inductees to the Radio Hall of Fame in 2025. She said she thought she was being pranked when she found out that she was one of those being enshrined.
“I think the first thing I thought was “Ok, who’s playing the gig? Who’s playing the joke on me? Let’s just get this over with,” she said with a laugh. “It was just kind of a shock. I always think of the Radio Hall of Fame as the best talent on air. So I really forgot about the executives.
“I was tremendously thrilled,” she continued. “Great friends throughout the years and from all different places called me, along with Kraig Kitchin and Dennis Green, to give me this news. It was really fun to have that. It was excitement, absolutely.”
Few people embark on careers with the hopes of one day being included in a respective Hall of Fame. Julie Talbott is no different. She admitted that the thought of going into the Hall “totally would never cross my mind.
“I think all of us in this radio industry are really, really busy. We have about 30 goals every week that we’re trying to get to,” she shared. “Thinking about winning an award or building a career that is award-winning is not anything that would cross my mind, ever.”
Despite it never being on her radar, Talbott admitted receiving the recognition from her peers was something she was touched by.
“It’s truly humbling. It’s really a great honor. I don’t take it lightly,” she said. “These are colleagues. I am thrilled that working with people throughout the years, that they think highly enough of me to bestow this honor on me.”
Julie Talbott started her career in advertising at BBDO, where she spent five years before joining MJI Broadcasting. As COO of the company, she grew the organization from five employees to more than 150.
However, in 1999, Premiere Networks purchased the company. She was later elevated to Executive Vice President of Affiliate Relations in 2003 before ascending to the role of President of Premiere Networks in 2014.
She pointed to the acquisition of MJI Broadcasting as a pivotal role in her career that propelled her to the Radio Hall of Fame.
“That was a game changer for my career,” she said of the move. “Everything that we did at MJI, we wanted it to be unique, we wanted it to be the highest quality, and we wanted to have the number one service of anything that we did. But we had limited resources. We were a small company, and being brought into a company that was growing and had more assets, it really allowed me to expand the goal of wanting to have the number one product in everything.
“Being part of iHeart, Premiere’s primary goal is to provide a number one element in every single format. The acquisition from the Mays family, Clear Channel, and now iHeart really allowed me and the company of Premiere to focus on what our goal is. There have been so many accomplishments because this company has the assets to allow Premiere to do what our real mission is: to provide number one talent that ultimately changes the ratings and the nature of every radio station that we touch.”
When he went into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2021, Dan Patrick likened the honor to having the music begin playing during an award show speech. He joked that it was the industry ushering you off the national stage, saying that your time has been up, you’ve been honored, now it’s time to pass the torch to someone else.
Julie Talbott laughed when asked if she had any of those same feelings. She said the idea of doing anything different than what she’s doing now still hasn’t crossed her mind.
“I don’t really have that many hobbies. I adore my family and my extended family, but working has always been a huge part of my life; that’s a piece that is very fulfilling for me,” she shared. “I think when you find fulfillment in every piece of the puzzle, you just need to keep going until you’re not feeling fulfilled.”
Talbott added that part of her fulfillment remains in eyeing top talent — who work for Premiere Networks and those who don’t — as reasons for why she keeps working as hard as she does.
“Every day is a thrill,” she concluded. “I love it, and hearing it on air is a thrill every day.”
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.
Iconic brands aren’t born in spreadsheets. They come from nailing the essay questions.
We broadcasters love our formulas and formats. We chase measurable metrics and try to calculate our way to greatness. Shameless lemmings, reverse-engineering someone else’s success. “Keep it simple, stupid,” we say. But dumbing it down isn’t the answer.
Spreadsheets aren’t the enemy. Research matters. The more you understand what makes your clock tick, the better. But when you let research run the show, you no longer have a show.
To build a legacy brand, you need a plot. It’s more scriptwriting than accounting. Your brand needs main character energy—complex, deep, and unforgettable.
What does your brand stand for and against? What feelings does it stir? Bonus points if they’re conflicting—like Apple, pulling off both “cool” and “geeky.”
Your identity isn’t your top-of-hour legal. It’s not a slogan. It’s a signal. Does an audience exist that identifies with your identity—or will there be once you identify it? Is your brand tattoo-worthy? Is it impossible for a competitor to out-you, you?
If your brand needs explaining, it’s not fully baked.
The great ones are unmistakable from every angle, in every moment.
Let’s take a real-world trauma: your station gets most of its listening at work. Research says congrats—you’re a “listen at work” station! Let’s call it Your At Work Network! Nine-to-Noon commercial-free sweeps! Sub sandwiches for the whole office!
But… where exactly does your perceptual study imagine these people work? Lumon Industries?
Why do they really choose your station in their soul-sucking cubicle? I’m betting it’s not to be reminded they’re in a soul-sucking cubicle. They’re listening to escape. To feel something else. Not to have you shine a fluorescent light on their fluorescent life.
Serve the story, not the theatre. Veering off script can work—but breaking character is a sin.
So let the competition crank out all the “Mix” this and “Lite” that, offering formulaic bit characters. “All Your Favorites” from whatever bracketed decades. The shallower the terrain, the more your epic brand gets to tower.
Iconic brands aren’t derived from replication. But the backstories of other icons? Pure inspiration.
In the storytelling business, they say there are only seven basic story types.
What’s yours?
#1: If your brand rocks a style not found on the haircut chart
#2: If it doesn’t quite add up in a spreadsheet
#3: If you’re chasing the enchantment that drew you into this business in the first place
#4: If you realize nobody has a passion for the term Hot AC (unless it’s a busted air conditioner)
Then you might be onto something.
Still missing that main character energy? Feeling a bit…derivative?
Maybe it’s time for a script punch-up. Legends don’t come from first drafts.
I might be able to help you with that.
This column was written by Ralph Stewart. Ralph most recently programmed JACK-FM and 94.7 The Wave for Audacy in Los Angeles, previously serving as Operations Manager for Audacy’s Los Angeles cluster. His radio career also includes a stint in Seattle where he programmed All Comedy Radio and Smooth Jazz 106.9 KNUA. He can be reached by email at ralpholine@gmail.com.
Donald Trump is ramping up his historic war with the media. It’s been quite clear for years that he hates mainstream media for constantly covering him negatively. And bringing lawsuits is his greatest weapon for fighting back and keeping them under his control.
When it comes to anti-press lawsuits, the president is flexing his political muscles like never before.
The list of cases he’s filed or threatened to file goes on and on, not including all of the ways he has banned, limited access to, called for the firing of, and bedeviled reporters. He is punishing the media at a time when revenue and viewership are sinking. And when trust in all journalists is at an all-time low. The lawsuits erode that trust even more, making it harder to report solid facts.
Trump threatened to sue The New York Times and CNN last week over their reporting, challenging his claim that the bombs he ordered dropped on Iran obliterated its nuclear program. Escalating his war on the press, he sent legal letters demanding a retraction, saying the stories were false and defamatory. He also called for one CNN reporter who broke the story to be fired, prompting a strong defense from anchor Jake Tapper and the network..
The Times said, “No retraction is needed. No apology will be forthcoming. We told the truth to the best of our ability. We will continue to do so.”
On Sunday morning on Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures show, Maria Bartiromo asked Trump about the possible lawsuits. He said he might try to coerce reporters at CNN and the Times into telling him who their sources are.
“You go up and tell the reporter, ‘National security, who gave it?’ You have to do that,” he said. “And I suspect we’ll be doing things like that.”
Many critics denounce Trump’s use of lawsuits and threats, saying he is intimidating newsrooms, scaring them into not covering anything that contradicts Trump’s worldview. They’re not wrong. He is attempting to frighten or bully information from them that is generally protected under free speech. In the past, reporters have gone to jail rather than identify sources.
In late 2024, Trump sued ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos, who said on air that Trump had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. He said it ten different times. A jury did not find Trump liable for a charge of rape. He was liable for sexual abuse and defamation of Carroll.
In a victory for Trump, ABC News caved and paid $15 million, with $1 million to cover Trump’s legal fees. It happened one day after a judge ordered Stephanopoulos and Trump to testify. Stephanopoulos – once Bill Clinton’s top aide – had to issue a statement expressing regret, and it went up on the website.
In this case, whether or not a lawsuit was the right way to go about getting a correction, Trump was right to fight Stephanopoulos’ egregious mistake, and ABC deserved to pay up.
In a stunning development today, another broadcast network caved to the president’s legal demands. CBS agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit involving the editing of a Kamala Harris interview by 60 Minutes. In the $20-billion suit, he charged that editing a Kamala Harris interview dishonestly made her look better by substituting a tighter answer to the question and amounted to election interference. The editing made the chronically tongue-tied candidate appear more coherent. CBS News has denied any wrongdoing.
CBS News has been in an uproar because parent company Paramount, controlled by Shari Redstone, imposed this settlement on the news division. She is seeking the administration’s approval to sell the company for a huge profit.
In my decades of editing interviews, it was common practice to edit for time. That’s still the case. You can’t interview someone for an hour and use all of the footage. But, it wasn’t fair game to change the context of the interview to make someone look better. And this is where I believe CBS News went wrong in a way that was shameful and unethical. But again, is a multi-billion-dollar suit the way to settle it? It seems excessive.
Also in late 2024, he sued the Des Moines Register, and its owner, the Gannett company, as well as its former pollster for releasing a poll right before the November election, calling it election interference. The poll said that Kamala Harris was predicted to win Iowa by three percentage points. Trump, who won the caucuses by 13.2%, said it violated the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act.
There had been no verdict in the case as it wound through the judicial system. However, Trump recently dropped the lawsuit, but refiled it in state court.
He’s said to have been involved in thousands of lawsuits over the course of his career. Lawsuits take time and money to litigate, and have an impact on media companies’ bottom line. Trump doesn’t need to worry about the drain to his bank account. And while Trump has every right to sue, the question is whether the claims violate the First Amendment.
In a rally in Pennsylvania days before the November election, it seemed like he embraced violence. But the campaign quickly walked it back.
“But all we have really over here is the fake news. And to get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news, and I don’t mind that so much. I don’t mind that.”
“President Trump was stating that the Media was in danger, in that they were protecting him and, therefore, were in great danger themselves…,” Trump Campaign Communications Director Steven Cheung said in a statement.
No other president has wielded the lawsuit sword like Trump. Although there is one precedent. Theodore Roosevelt, while running for president, sued a small town newspaper when its editorial board wrote this: “Roosevelt lies and curses in a most disgusting way; he gets drunk, too, and not that infrequently, and all his intimates know it.” The paper recanted, and Roosevelt — attempting a comeback after serving as president — won the lawsuit but lost the election.
It’s a matter of ongoing debate whether Trump’s lawsuits against the media go too far. Detractors say it has a chilling effect on journalism. Supporters say he is exercising his legal right to hold the media accountable.
As a journalist, I am strongly in favor of protecting the right to report based on facts. But Trump seems to be challenging that in so many of his attacks or defamation suits. There are times, in the case of Stephanopoulos, when getting your facts wrong on the air deserves severe punishment.
I bet some stories never get written now for fear of Trump retaliation.
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.
I had the privilege of sitting in on a podcast recording with a guest who is the editor-in-chief of two prominent magazines. What an amazing conversation. This was a young woman whose perspective on her job, her readers, and her staff was nothing short of inspiring.
Her approach to leadership, decision-making, and editorial direction was profound. It had me reexamining my own approach to running a media outlet—from working with cross-functional teams, to ideation on promotions and sales. And, of course, programming.
When it comes to her staff, her first focus is the hiring process. She prides herself on hiring the right people for the right jobs. The second part of her strategy? Giving them the space to speak up and contribute.
She makes sure they feel heard and supported. During our conversation, she shared a story about an employee who was passionate about including something in an upcoming issue. The editor-in-chief didn’t believe it would get the results the staff member hoped for, but she still said, “I see you’re passionate about this—let’s do it.”
Her rationale? “I think you have to leave room for that 10 to 15 percent of ‘we’re just gonna try something.’ If you come to work and you don’t have at least 15 percent of what you do driven by love or passion, then why are you here?”
I loved that mindset. It reminded me of a boss I had who similarly supported me, to the extent that it helped shape how I approach programming. Once, when the ratings came in, I was concerned about one market that didn’t perform well. I walked into his office to bring it up. His response? “Ken, I know you didn’t wake up stupid this morning. Just get in there and do what you gotta do.” I wouldn’t just call that a confidence boost—it was something more. It gave me the freedom to trust my experience and lean on the data and my experience.
That was another key point the editor-in-chief emphasized: she said, “Show me the data.” While 10 to 15 percent of your work can be driven by passion, 85 to 90 percent needs to be rooted in data. She was speaking my language. Anytime a program director said they wanted to change something, my first question was always, “What do the ratings say?” There’s a reason for the adage: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
She also provided some insight into working with sales—and, in the case of radio, corporate. “We do the things we have to do, so we can do the things we want to do,” she said—another gem.
The biggest takeaway for me? Media is media. While she works in publishing, many of her experiences and challenges mirror those we face in radio. Audience is audience, whether they are listeners, viewers or readers. She may carry the title of editor-in-chief, but in her mind, she’s the CEO—and that’s the same approach I recommend for any program director.
You are the CEO of your station. That means you should be involved as allowed in every aspect of the operation.
To hear more from this incredible leader, check out the Business of the Beat podcast—available wherever you get your podcasts.
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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.
Marty Linck, Brand Director of 95 KSHE and 106.5 The Arch in St. Louis, began his radio career in college on St. Louis Community College’s KCFV. He was the PD and Production Director. That eventually led to some weekend and overnight shifts around town and eventually landed him the midday slot at 99.9 KFAV.
While at KFAV, Linck landed a Production internship at KSHE 95. After the internship ended, he became Imaging Director at 105.7 The Point in 1996. Eventually, he became APD of The Point and then PD for upstart 97 KXOK.
“We competed directly against KSHE and had some great success,” Linck insists. After two years, KSHE’s owner, Emmis, bought Sinclair, and KSHE retained Linck. He eventually became APD at KSHE.
Fast forward a few years, and Linck spent some time in Nashville. Then headed back to St. Louis in 2012 to work for CBS KYKY/KEZK and eventually in network radio for JACK-FM. In 2019, he landed at Hubbard Radio as Brand Content Director for KSHE/WARH. He also handles imaging and promos for four of their stations.
I asked Linck to talk about the fabric of KSHE. “We’re hyper-local during prime hours,” says Linck. “It’s the longest-running Rock station in the world. So we must respect our heritage, but we also have to push things forward.”
“Sure, the songs are 25-55 years old, but we’re not going to sit around and reminisce about REO Speedwagon having played the Checkerdome in 1978 anymore, except during some of our weekend specialty programming.”
“We do four community blood drives a year. And we also do our mobile pop-up ‘KSHE Schtuff Store’ each quarter and sell KSHE merchandise. Lines got out the door at local bars when we show up for hours. It’s insane.”
“Our Schtuff store is our biggest passion project. The revenue pales in comparison to our ad revenue. But when you can sell 500 KSHE flags on Flag Day, and entertain a thousand people over an afternoon, that’s pretty cool.”
“I also think our Sunday programming is unique and makes us stand out. John Ulett, who has worked here for 49 years, hosts the KSHE ‘Klassics’ show on Sunday mornings from 7am-11am. John Ulett and Mark Klose host a one-hour weekly show named ‘Vinyl Exam,’ where they do a deep dive on a classic album each week.”
“Then we have Hubbard’s new syndicated show, ‘Classic Rock U,’ followed by ‘Sammy’s Top Rock Countdown,’ followed by ‘The 7th Day,’ which is six hours of complete albums from 6p-Midnight.”
Linck is extremely proud of his A+ talent on the station. “We’re fortunate to have major market-level talent like AD Rowntree (Mornings), Lern (Middays) is a fantastic talent who is also a member of The Rizzuto Show on sister KPNT. And our newest air talent, Tim Virgin (most recently at WLS-Chicago), has added lots of energy and fun to afternoon drive.”
“This caliber of talent is hard to find! One attribute I look for is a willingness to share their lives with the audience in an authentic and interesting way. I don’t really care so much about voice quality. Just be entertaining, be relatable, and find a way to get your message across efficiently. And work your butt off!”
What’s different about the St. Louis market?
“Everyone thinks their market is incredibly unique. But I think entertainment is entertainment, wherever you are. We might talk a little more about sports than stations in L.A. or anywhere with more entertainment options. We don’t have the beach or mountains to climb, so sports are front and center entertainment options for men and women here.”
As for the music and the gold library, “We share a lot of Classic Hits and some hair bands with our sister station (WARH) and with i-Heart’s KLOU,” admits Linck. “But there are no other full signal FM’s playing AC/DC, Rush, or the like. KSHE rocks pretty hard, which gives us an especially unique vibe. We also share grunge with our sister KPNT, but that’s where the musical similarities end.”
“The imaging, the marketing and the air talent are what keep KSHE fresh. We work hard to tap into topical content choices and try to reflect what’s happening today.”
As for the new three-minute PPM rule, Linck says they’ve moved some stop sets around, but nothing major. It hasn’t moved the needle for either of his stations like he thought it would. “But radio getting more credit overall helps everyone associated with the medium,” he says.
Photo Courtesy Marty Linck
As for what’s missing in the industry right now?
“It’s understandable,” he says. “But there’s no real talent bench anymore. We’ve talked about putting live night and overnight shows back on after the pandemic. But the financial realities have caused us to press pause on the idea right now.”
“I also sometimes find myself focusing on the next day vs. the next year more often than I’d like. That’s a challenge I’d like to wrap my head around and start planning a long-term strategy in addition to the immediate future.
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.
AM 560 The Answer host Amy Jacobson has exited Chicago’s Morning Answer on the Salem Media Group Chicago news/talk station, Barrett Media has learned.
Jacobson originally joined the station in 2010 and has most recently been teamed with Dan Proft in morning drive from 5-9 AM.
The news of Jacobson’s departure comes after she hosted the program as normal on Tuesday morning alongside guest host Chris Krok, who previously hosted at WBAP in Dallas, among other stops.
Last year, both Jacobson and Proft received strong pushback for comments made about Gus Walz, the son of then-Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz. After learning that Walz suffers from ADHD, an anxiety disorder, and a non-verbal learning disorder, the pair backtracked their comments and later showcased an on-air apology for their stances.
Jacobson subsequently left her position as a volleyball coach at a local high school after some angry residents questioned if someone who “mocked a child with a disability or that she sat there silently while somebody else did it and she didn’t speak up about it.”
Before joining AM 560 The Answer, Amy Jacobson was a contributor at WLS-AM 890 after previously working as an anchor/reporter at WMAQ-TV, also in Chicago.
After 15 1/2 years at WIND AM560 radio, due to staffing reductions, today was my last day on the air.
I am still processing this but I am happy to announce I have launched https://t.co/RBJyeJQbpv where I will be hosting a weekly podcast, posting behind-the-scenes blogs,…
Dan Proft remains in morning drive. It is yet to be determined if the station will pair him with anyone or if he will continue to helm the daypart by himself.
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.
