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During Sales Presentations, Just Provide Solutions to the Client’s Challenges

Dave Greene
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During Sales Presentations, Just Provide Solutions to the Client’s Challenges

Alright, let’s gather ’round and talk about making sales presentations in this week’s sales meeting. Every seller has their favorite part of the sales process and for me, it is the fourth step, where I get to present solutions to the clients’ problems.

To review, we have identified a solid prospect by doing our pre-search in the first step and then we did the hardest part by getting the meeting with the decision maker. In that meeting, we asked a lot of great questions and then we listened for all of the answers.

Once that information was gathered, it was time to put the pitch together and get ready for the sales presentation.

The very first thing I would suggest doing when you are back on your computer is to write out what the problems or challenges are that you uncovered from the business on the left side of a document. Now, I am ready to work on the solutions I have for each of those challenges, and I am going to write my suggestions right next to the very problem it addresses.

Additionally, if I haven’t figured it out already, I am going to match that client up with specific talent who are open in that category for endorsements and are a good fit from a personality standpoint. I want to bring whoever that is into a meeting and brainstorm potential ideas and work on copy for a live endorsement demo, possibly one tied in with a feature where the client can really own a piece of real estate on the station and within the station’s digital properties.

When writing the copy for the demo or spec ad, this is where you can really impress your client. First off, it obviously needs to be a strong demo, well produced and a bit longer than normal. The secret sauce to this part is to have the host use words the client used.

For example, if you are working with the local hardware store in town that is trying to compete with Home Depot and Lowe’s, they might say things such as, “Our staff has worked here for a combined 75 years, they have part-timers who don’t know the community.” When you put the demo together, have the host basically say the same thing. This shows the client that you listened, but it will also resonate strongly with the client as they might not even remember saying that, but because you know they think it, they’ll want it in the copy.

My goal throughout the entire process is to focus on exactly what was said in the client needs analysis meeting. I jokingly once said to a client before a CNA meeting started, “Anything you say in the CNA can and will be used against you in the presentation.” It’s kind of true, however.

That really comes into play when you go over the problems you uncovered, which will be the second time you have run through the list, because you at least did it once when you recapped your previous conversation with the client when that first meeting was ending. Repeating the main problems again shows the client you cared enough to listen and that you are focused on what they are focused on.

The minute you flip the switch and make it about you, your station, the talent or anything other than what that business owner is concerned about, is the minute you start to lose momentum. Keep repeating the problems and the solutions.

One tip a longtime manager gave me many years ago was to ‘pause for the cause’. What he meant was, you want the client talking. If you go on and on and on about the problem, the solution, how the solution works and explain everything all at once, you might lose the client. Pause at some point and make sure they are with you. Ask a question such as, “Do you see how this would be a good solution for that problem?” Keep them engaged. When they speak, listen and pivot as needed.

While we will talk more about closing the sale next week, it is something you should actually do several times throughout the presentation. Don’t talk for 20-30 minutes and then ask if they are ready to sign at the end. Remember, we want them nodding their head up and down or saying the word ‘Yes’ whenever we can, so have those affirmation questions ready to go.

Once you have all of the information presented and have addressed the problems with the solutions you recommend, recap it all and then, once again, confirm that you hit on the issues that business owner wanted to address.

Now, it is time to present the pricing information. I am never a big fan of walking in and handing someone a twenty-page deck with the pricing information in the back. You already know what is going to happen at that point. The client is going to focus on the pricing and not hear the context of what you are talking about and what you want the client to really hear.

Get them excited about what you have presented, get them thinking they are about to hire their own in-house marketing expert, and all of these solutions presented are going to help start to get that business more on track to where they want it to be. Then talk about what it cost.

If you have done your job well enough, the price won’t matter as much as you think. It will certainly be easier for the client to swallow after hearing about these great ideas and solutions to their challenges. Now, if they want to negotiate price, you are more prepared because you just saw how excited the client was about different parts of the proposal.

So, if the client needs the price to come down, the first thing that would have to come out is whatever it was they were most excited about – or one of the things they were most excited about. See how selling it first can make a difference? Had you tried to sell it and the client saw the price first, it may have been a different reaction.

The bottom line on making the presentation is something I wrote about last week during the client needs analysis. I said I wasn’t sure how you were taught, but when I’m talking to someone about buying something, I want it to be their idea. People are more likely to react positively to something they helped come up with.

Using the CNA to direct directly to the sales presentation makes the next step so much easier.

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.

Bobby Marks is Committed to ESPN While Leaving the Door Open for NBA Return

Derek Futterman
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Bobby Marks is Committed to ESPN While Leaving the Door Open for NBA Return

Although Bobby Marks usually does not reply to users on social media, he felt particularly irked by a recent comment from someone who insinuated that there was a reason he worked for ESPN rather than being part of a front office in the NBA. Marks, a former executive of more than 20 years with the Brooklyn Nets, is a front office insider for ESPN where he gives insight into tasks and responsibilities associated with basketball operations. From evaluating the collective bargaining agreement to explaining strategy surrounding scouting and player development, his perspectives have enriched the knowledge and viewing experience of consumers.

Marks recently signed a four-year extension with ESPN under which he will continue appearing across platforms to discuss matters pertaining to the league. Executives at the network initiated conversations about his future several months before his existing contract was going to expire, and he is appreciative that the two sides were able to reach an agreement in December. When news of the deal became public and he became the subject of purported vitriol, Marks chose to speak on why he is a member of ESPN and went on to implore the user to enjoy their day and do something nice for people.

“There’s a long list of things, not just the six or seven that I listed, as far as, ‘Why ESPN?,’” Marks said. “Do I miss the NBA? Yeah, I miss the NBA at certain points of the year, but I love my job. I love the ability to report on something that I love, whether it be the salary cap or trades or roster building or the Draft or giving back to people who are trying to get into this business.”

Even though Marks can see himself back in the NBA in four to five years from the present moment, he is focused on continuing his work with ESPN. While the premise has remained similar, the role itself has transformed over the last seven years. As a result, he has refined the manner in which he communicates to viewers.

“It’s evolved where I can do SportsCenter in the morning on a Wednesday at 7 a.m. and go through the games from the night before, [such as], ‘Why did Victor [Wembanyama] struggle against Giannis [Antetokounmpo]?,’ and give my perspective there,” Marks explained. “I always say that when you get pigeonholed as a cap guy or if you stagnate in your job, then you always become replaceable, and it’s important to kind of continually evolve and try to add something new to what you do.”

One of the new wrinkles to his job over the last several months has been operating in the newsbreaking space. Adrian Wojnarowski, who is widely regarded as one of the preeminent NBA reporters, retired from ESPN and the journalism industry before the season to join St. Bonaventure University, his alma mater, to become the general manager of the men’s basketball program. Marks described the workflow as being nonstop since that time but also emphasized that he had not taken his foot off the proverbial gas pedal beforehand.

“When Woj left in September, I wasn’t like, ‘Oh man, now my insurance policy’s gone,’ and, ‘I’m going to be the next guy’ and stuff like that,” Marks said. “I had enough confidence in myself because I had such a good relationship already with everyone working in there.”

While Marks and Wojnarowski arrived at ESPN together, there were differences in their roles and the experience they had. In fact, Wojnarowski emphasized to Marks that he should leverage his perspective gleaned from working in the Nets front office and viewing trades from both sides. Marks surmises that he offers a vantage point and sense of security that has pervaded those amid the industry.

“I think a lot of front offices kind of seek me out as an ally, as someone [who is] like a voice or an extension of their front office from a media perspective where I can help them, as far as weather it be a trade that happens or a signing, and I can call them and say, ‘Alright, give me a little background on why you made this trade or why you signed the player,’ and I’m not going to say, ‘Well, oh man, they just made a terrible trade. I don’t know why I would do it,’” Marks explained. “But I could say, ‘Listen, this is why they made the trade. They’re going in a different direction here.’”

While Marks was in a hotel room in Los Angeles, he broke one of the most consequential trades of the offseason that resulted in the New York Knicks acquiring four-time NBA All-Star Karl Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Over the last several months, he has engaged in more reporting opportunities but has articulated that he is a screenwriter who is trying to assist everyone in discovering what is taking place around the league. Despite not being the primary newsbreaker at the network, he is available to perform the task should it become necessary.

“Sometimes I know we get in the business where, ‘Who’s first?,’ and you’re keeping a leaderboard and stuff like that,” Marks said. “I just think people care who’s right. They care about who has the right information. Then with the right information, you can give a perspective on why this team made that trade, how it impacted salary cap – all different things there.”

Marks worked with Tim Bontemps on breaking the Towns trade one week before ESPN had officially hired Shams Charania as its senior NBA insider. Before reporting on the deal, he and Bontemps laughed about whether they could assume Wojnarowski’s role, which involved frequent newsbreaking and divulging inside information. Even though he would have been comfortable with a potential change because of his relationship with teams and agents, he regards Charania as one of the best in the business.

“I worked with Shams for two years [at] Yahoo – I hadn’t worked with him in the last seven years here, but I think the biggest thing [is] trusting each other,” Marks said. “We work for ESPN. The goal at the end of the day is to make ESPN look really good.”

Marks does all of his own research, enabling him to divulge his takeaways and opinions on league matters. For example, the Philadelphia 76ers have struggled to compile wins this season, but president of basketball operations Daryl Morey may not have much flexibility to make trades ahead of the deadline. Even though there are instances where Marks knows the questions he will be asked in advance, one of the most valuable lessons he has learned is to be prepared for anything. The point was illuminated when Marks appeared on the NBA Draft Lottery show with a pre-planned answer but scrambled when the script changed in real time.

“I’ve never watched the video, and I was like a babbling idiot,” Marks said. “The train’s off the tracks – ‘I don’t know what I’m going to say’ – so from that day on, I always tell people, and how I prepare is when I’m on TV, I’m having a conversation like I’m at dinner with my family or I’m at dinner with my friends and we’re just talking, but we’re talking about something that I know and that I can kind of share my opinion on.”

Marks has a friend who frequently watches his television appearances and called him last month to express how well he did on an episode of SportsCenter. Yet at the same time, he also offered criticism and persuaded him to try and have fun on the air, going beyond simply delivering the facts. Despite conversation surrounding somewhat ambiguous rules and exceptions, he tries to exhibit his personality and stay attuned with the storylines, none of which he feels are stale.

“Every day you wake up and there’s going to be something different that happens with the NBA,” Marks said. “What motivates me is like, whenever we get a new collective bargaining agreement, that motivates me because I know that I have something to teach people; I have something to tell people out there.”

The Walt Disney Company recently signed a new 11-year media rights deal with the NBA through which it retained media rights to the NBA Finals and will continue its prime time broadcasts during the regular season. The contract, which is reportedly worth $2.62 billion per season, also involves other playoff broadcasts, the NBA Draft and rights within both the WNBA and NBA G League. Marks viewed it as critical that the company retained its relationship with the NBA and is now working under executive vice president of sports production Mike McQuade, who was promoted to the role under a restructuring of the ESPN content organization last summer.

“My role has kind of evolved more where instead of [me] coming on the week of the trade deadline and then the last week of June, you could probably see me once a week – maybe once a week in the morning and doing a variety of shows,” Marks said. “I did First Take for the first time after Christmas, and that was kind of like my baptism, right? I was like, ‘Man, now I’ve made it.’”

Aside from the traditional broadcast rights, ESPN also received the ability to distribute games on its platforms on the Flagship direct-to-consumer service, which is expected to be released this fall. On top of that, the company has the right to launch a new NBA studio show on game nights focused on whiparound coverage of the league. ESPN has explored a similar venture with the National Hockey League, airing several iterations of the Frozen Frenzy studio show following its premiere two years ago.

“I would love it,” Marks said. “Especially if you’re doing it, whatever, once a week and stuff like that, I think if you produce it right, I think that can be a really fun show.”

Marks figures to be entrenched in NBA coverage on ESPN platforms for the next several years as the company maintains its relationship with the league. Whether he is writing an article from his home or appearing on ESPN NBA Today from Los Angeles, he remains fixated on serving consumers with a mélange of distinctive content that blends information, entertainment and engagement. Moreover, he wants to be the best teammate possible for his colleagues at ESPN and maintain positive relationships with those in the Association.

“Would I be lying if I said I’ve closed the book to ever return to the NBA?” Marks postulated. “No, I don’t think that book is closed, but it’s probably something that’s going to maybe open towards the end of this new contract.”

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.

95.5 KLOS Los Angeles’ Keith Cunningham Has His ‘Bucket List Job’

Jeff Lynn
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95.5 KLOS Los Angeles’ Keith Cunningham Has His ‘Bucket List Job’

Keith Cunningham is VP of Programming, Research, Analytics & Measurement for Meruelo Media’s KLOS, Los Angeles.

He landed the number two spot on Barrett Media’s Top 20 Rock Programmers as voted on by his peers. Classic Rock’s PD’s get announced today. Could he appear on that list too?

KLOS’ Morning team “Heidi & Frank” and Matt Pinfield also landed spots on Barrett Media’s Top Rock Radio Shows. Pinfield was ranked 6th, the morning team finished 17th.

“I am honored to be in really good company,” said Cunningham. “It’s a great list. I’ve worked with a lot of guys and girls on the PD and shows list. You guys did a great job. I’ve seen Rock, and now I’ve seen Alternative, but it’s a really tight list, and I’m honored to be included.”

Cunningham has high praise for his morning show, “Heidi & Frank.”

“My history with Frank goes back to Denver. In the mid to late 90s, he was on air in Denver with Frosty and Jamie White. So, I’ve known Frank for a long time. We took a little sabbatical there for many years when we weren’t working together,” Cunningham shared.

“Heidi is pound-for-pound the funniest woman in radio, and that is her superpower. She reacts faster than anyone. She’s like an improv expert, and on the flip side, Frank is very funny, and they’re both very intelligent and seasoned, experienced broadcast veterans.”

“Frank works just as hard as anyone I’ve come across, especially for morning guys. It’s not uncommon for Frank to still be here at one or two in the afternoon working on the following day’s show, putting together outlines, and pulling audio.”

Cunningham was pleased to see Matt Pinfield’s weekly “New And Improved” recognized on the best shows list.

“He and I work closely together on booking the show each week and working on the countdown within the show. He works as hard as anybody in this industry. It is truly his passion. Rock Music is the core of who he is. I was happy to see his peers acknowledge him and get him on that list; it’s certainly well-deserving.”

And it all sits under a set of legendary call letters. That isn’t lost on Cunningham.

“KLOS was a bucket list job for me, and it would be for a lot of people. I think a lot of things have to line up right in the universe to land at a place like this. Timing is a big part of it.”

“I remember when I first started here, we would have these big staff meetings, and I would usually start off by reminding everyone that at least it was my philosophy that we owed it to all the great men and women who preceded us at KLOS.”

“We owe it to them to keep this radio station on top, strong, relevant, and focused on the community, and being local. There’s this rich tradition of great tremendous talent that has worked at this radio station.”

“We’re doing our best to maintain and keep their legacy as well as create new legacies moving forward so the history and impact of this brand are not lost on any of us. Not a month goes by where we won’t see something someone posts on social with one of the KLOS bumper stickers.”

Speaking of local and being involved with the community I asked Keith how things were going in light of the Los Angeles wildfires.

“It’s been really bad, but slowly but surely, for better or worse, things are getting back to normal from just an operational standpoint. It’s going to take years for the city to truly be back to normal. So many people have lost everything.”

“So yeah, it’s been pretty sad and a really tough time. It’s also been amazing to see the city come together the way it did in that first week. Still to this day, just the outpouring of support that people are giving to the innocent victims, it’s something to see for sure.”

Cunningham is grateful to an ownership and management team that allows it all to come together.

“Thanks to Meruelo Media for letting us do what we do. That certainly includes our President, Otto Padron, and our Senior VP of Audio for the cluster, Pio Ferro. We’re equipped, and able to do what we need to do to keep winning. I could not hop off the phone without giving them props.”

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

How Will Donald Trump’s Second Term Impact CNN and MSNBC’s Ratings?

Garrett Searight
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How Will Donald Trump’s Second Term Impact CNN and MSNBC’s Ratings?

CNN and MSNBC ratings have been down sharply since Donald Trump won the 2024 election.

It makes sense. While Fox News dominates the cable news space with its conservative slant, CNN and MSNBC attract the other side of the political aisle. And when that side was demoralized by Trump’s victory, it tuned out, which left ratings plummeting for the two cable news channels.

But January 20th marked a new page in the cable news networks not named Fox News and Newsmax vs Donald Trump. When the now 47th President recited the Oath of Office, the new era of “What in the actual hell is this guy doing?” that was so prevalent in his first administration was ushered in.

Truthfully, it comes at a good time for CNN and MSNBC. Make no mistake about it — despite the insistence from hosts, analysts, correspondents, and contributors that they don’t care about these things — Donald Trump is good for ratings. One side views him as a demigod who has no faults and can do no wrong, while the other sees the hellbent on personal gain anti-Christ. Few people are neutral on Donald Trump. And it’s an undeniably good thing for these two cable networks.

There was plenty of cannon fodder on Monday as Trump enacted dozens of executive orders and pardoned January 6th criminals in his first actions as President. Additionally, the “totally not a Nazi salute” from Elon Musk has gotten and will continue to get plenty of play from MSNBC and CNN, which will continue to get them bigger audiences.

Because if there’s one thing that’s true of the cable news ecosystem in 2025, it’s that it thrives on outrage and polarization. Actually, that’s true of virtually everything in 2025, but it’s especially true of cable news. The art of pissing the audience off over the most mundane subjects has been perfected by Fox News and adopted by everyone else in the game. Fox News just happens to be the expert at it, while everyone else is still learning to copycat.

But with “the opposition” party going back into strength — not just in the White House, but in both houses of Congress, too — it allows MSNBC and CNN to get back to playing offense in the outrage game. For the past four years, they’ve been forced to play defense with Joe Biden in the White House. Those days, however, are at least temporarily over as Trump sits behind the Resolute desk.

Instead of spending years in “Well, actually, here’s why this isn’t bad” mode, the two networks can now pounce on the things that those in Trump’s inner circle and those who are Trump-adjacent think, say, and do. And when you’re playing offense, you get to constantly but your opponent on their heels. You know where you’re going and they’re the ones who have to figure it out. Which, again — in my opinion — is an undeniably good thing for these two networks.

For years, they’ve had to react to comments from conservative legislators and pundits from their heels. But as we saw in the first go around with Trump, the stakes will be raised. A microscope will be held to everything the administration does. Heck, Trump didn’t take the Oath of Office before he essentially defied Congress and the United States constitution by unilaterally deciding that TikTok was gonna stick around for a while. And that was a story for the C-block, if at all, in cable news shows.

MSNBC and CNN need ratings upticks. And fast. What’s the quickest remedy for those issues? It isn’t high-quality, well-researched, fact-based reporting, as disappointing of a sentence that is to write. It fastest way to get more people to watch is to make them angry. And it feels like an inevitability that we’ll see those strategies put into action in the not-so-distant future.

Does it make for an incredibly long four years? Absolutely. Does it make you question “Can you seriously be pissed off about everything for an entire presidential term? Undeniably. But is it good for the cable news business? 100%.

Let’s be frank, the second Donald Trump administration — despite what any bright-eyed and bushy-tail supporters might think — is going to present a bountiful harvest of outrage opportunities for the likes of CNN and MSNBC. There are few figures in the annals of history that are as polarizing as Donald Trump. And if the networks use the polarization and outrage to their advantage, it might just be what saves each from irrelevance.

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.

New Jersey 101.5 Morning Host Bill Spadea to Exit to Focus on State Governor’s Race

BNM Staff
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New Jersey 101.5 Morning Host Bill Spadea to Exit to Focus on State Governor’s Race

Bill Spadea, host of the morning show at New Jersey 101.5, will exit the Townsquare Media station at the end of the month to focus on his run for governor.

In a story published by POLITICO, Townsquare Media Regional Vice President Brian Lang revealed that Spadea would depart the station on Thursday, January 30th. After Spadea’s exit, the station’s News Director — Eric Scott — will step into the timeslot on an interim basis.

Bill Spadea announced his candidacy for the state’s top office last June. After launching his campaign, challengers Jack Ciattarelli and Jon Bramnick argued that the company and station were guilty of providing in-kind campaign contributions illegally. A ruling by the Election Law Enforcement Commission stated Spadea was still able to host his morning and that it was not a violation of the law.

It is not the first time Spadea has entered the realm of political candidates. In 2004, he ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives. He also ran for State Assembly in 2012, where he was also unsuccessful in winning the election.

To celebrate Spadea’s near decade-long run with the station, New Jersey 101.5 will honor the longtime host at a campaign breakfast on his final show with the outlet.

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.

CBS Draws 42.2 Million Viewers for Ravens-Bills, Down 16% from Last Year Per Report

BSM Staff
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CBS Draws 42.2 Million Viewers for Ravens-Bills, Down 16% from Last Year Per Report

According to a report from Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch, Sunday’s AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills drew an average audience of 42.2 million viewers to CBS. This makes it the most-watched game so far of the NFL season, beating out the 38.8 million on FOX Thanksgiving Day.

Last year, the Sunday Divisional Round late game featured the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, and that game drew more than 50 million, marking a 16% decline year-over-year.

The other Sunday game, which featured the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles, drew 37.8 million average viewers. That window also had a decline from last year when the game drew 40.4 million viewers to see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions.

According to Lewis, “Through the Divisional Round, eight of ten NFL playoff games have declined from last year. That includes three of four games on Divisional Round weekend, the exception being Texans-Chiefs on ESPN/ABC.”

This weekend will see FOX carry the first conference championship game at 3 p.m. ET between the Eagles and the Commanders. CBS will have the AFC Championship game at :30 ET between the Bills and the Chiefs.

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.

CJ Jackson Named PD/PM Drive At E93 And Nights At Magic 103.9 Savannah, GA

BMM Staff
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CJ Jackson Named PD/PM Drive At E93 And Nights At Magic 103.9 Savannah, GA

CJ Jackson has been appointed Program Director and Afternoon Drive at Urban Contemporary E93 WEAS-FM and On-Air Host for Nights at Urban AC Magic 103.9 WTYB-FM Savannah, GA.

This move marks Jackson’s return to Cumulus Savannah, where he was a top-rated nighttime on-air personality at E93 from 2012 to 2015.

Most recently, he was Music Director for Cumulus Charleston, SC.

Eric Mastel, Vice President/Market Manager at Cumulus Savannah, said, “We’re excited to welcome CJ back to Cumulus Savannah. His deep community and client relationships and great passion for this market will elevate our brands.”

Jackson commented: “It feels good to come back to the two stations that gave me my start. I look forward to helping usher in this new era of radio with my Cumulus family.”

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.

Netflix Focused on Delivering Can’t Miss, Special Event Sports Programming

BSM Staff
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Netflix Focused on Delivering Can’t Miss, Special Event Sports Programming

Over the last three months, Netflix has become more involved in the sports space with several documentaries and live presentations. The media conglomerate presented a doubleheader of NFL games on Christmas Day that averaged more than 30 million global viewers, along with a bout between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson that was the most-streamed sporting event of all time. On top of that, the streaming provider acquired U.S. media rights for the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament in 2027 and 2031 and tied for its largest share in the Nielsen Media Research Gauge report for the month of December.

Netflix attained $10.25 billion in quarterly revenue for the fiscal fourth quarter, according to its latest earnings report, indicative of a 16% year-over-year rise. Operating income also proliferated to $2.27 billion, representing a 22.2% year-over-year increase overall. The company added 18.91 million global streaming paid memberships, its largest quarterly increase of the year and year-over-year growth of 15.9%. The company acknowledged the appeal of its live programming slate and divulged that it now has paid memberships surpassing 300 million, while also outlining its approach towards the sports media business.

“We’re not focusing on acquiring rights to large regular season sports packages; rather, our live strategy is all about delivering can’t miss, special-event programming,” Netflix said in its shareholder letter. “This includes not only sports but also exciting comedy specials like Chris Rock: Selective Outrage and The Roast of Tom Brady. Our aim is to deliver big, memorable moments to our members. Although our live programming will likely be a small percentage of our total view hours and content expense, we think the eventized nature will result in outsized value to both our members and our business.”

Net income for the fiscal quarter was $1.87 billion, equating to $4.27 per share, representing a jump from the $938 million it had attained at this time last year. The company is in the midst of its first quarter of the new year with weekly presentations of WWE Raw on Monday nights, marking the first year of a 10-year contract with TKO Group Holdings reportedly worth a total of $5 billion. Netflix will also present the NFL again on Christmas Day in December as part of a three-season deal it signed with the league last May.

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.

ESPN BET Now Officially Live in Washington D.C. Area; Deal with Monumental Sports & Entertainment Officially Begins

BSM Staff
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ESPN BET Now Officially Live in Washington D.C. Area; Deal with Monumental Sports & Entertainment Officially Begins

Fans of Washington D.C.’s sports teams like the Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics can now officially place wagers on their favorite sports teams as ESPN BET, operated by Penn Entertainment, is now officially live in the area. Fans in the District can now access ESPN and Penn’s mobile and web betting platform, daily odds boosts, featured parlays, and more.

“We’re thrilled to launch ESPN BET in our nation’s capital and expand our presence across the Washington metropolitan area,” said Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer, PENN Entertainment. “Along with our partner ESPN, we’re excited to introduce our deeply integrated media and betting experience and further engage with the D.C. area’s passionate sports community.”

ESPN BET offers a unique account linking feature that allows fans to link their ESPN BET and ESPN accounts to track upcoming, live, and settled bets within the ESPN app and on ESPN.com.

In mid-January, PENN and Monumental Sports & Entertainment announced a deal that would designate ESPN BET as a sports betting partner of Monumental and its teams, the Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics. This partnership would integrate ESPN BET lines into Monumental Sports broadcasts, provide in-arena and TV-visible signage for the app, and run commercials on Monumental Sports Network. It also secured market access for the app, which at the time did not have a go-live date.

ESPN BET is now available to Washington D.C.-area players on iOS and Android, and via the web at www.ESPNBET.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.

Pete Medhurst Passes Away Following Battle with Brain Cancer

BSM Staff
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Pete Medhurst Passes Away Following Battle with Brain Cancer

Audacy in Washington D.C. and 106.7 The Fan sadly announced the passing of Pete Medhurst, a longtime employee who passed away Monday night, surrounded by his family, after his short battle with brain cancer.

Medhurst started as an update anchor shortly after 106.7 The Fan’s launch. He served in a variety of roles at The Fan including morning anchor, fill-in host, and Nationals post-game host. He’d eventually also get the chance to become the primary fill-in play-by-play voice for Nationals radio broadcasts.

Medhurst moved into a full-time host role when Audacy acquired The Team 980. Most recently he worked alongside Chris Russell on the show Russell & Medhurst. Pete also spent time with WBAL in Baltimore, serving as the network host for the Ravens Radio Network including hosting the postgame show. He also enjoyed stints as the play-by-play announcer for Navy football, basketball, and several other sports.

“Pete was an incredible broadcaster, who knew every sport, could call every sport, and could communicate his knowledge and passion in virtually any situation, platform, or duration,” Audacy Sports Format VP and 106.7 The Fan Brand Manager Chris Kinard said in a statement. “I don’t think anyone loved sports or knew more about sports and sports broadcasting than Pete. But he loved his family more, and the pride he showed for was so obvious and so admirable. His loss will be felt so deeply by so many here at Audacy DC, and by listeners and sports fans across the region.”

Pete Medhurst is survived by his wife, Brenda, sons Cody and Ryan, and daughter Kelly.

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