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Mike Vrabel, Dianna Russini and the Ugly Truth About Social Media in 2026

John Molori
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Mike Vrabel, Dianna Russini and the Ugly Truth About Social Media in 2026

It is clear that Patriots’ head coach Mike Vrabel and sports reporter Dianna Russini are not exiting the public spotlight anytime soon. Overall, the legitimate mainstream media has actually responded fairly professionally to the ongoing saga. There has been very little soap box scolding or vicious judgements. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the unprofessional, uninitiated, and uneducated flock of social media scrubs using AI and low brow humor to mock those involved.

Mike Vrabel is a big boy and Diana Russini is an experienced reporter who understands all-access coverage. They are not neophytes to big time sports and big time sports media. Both have lived in this world for decades.

Still, it galls me to see these cowardly souls tapping away on their mobile devices with no regard for the truth or the families of both particulars. Like all of us, Vrabel and Russini are not perfect. However, they have accomplished much more than these rabid critics ever will. Using memes, fake photos, and contrived videos, these vicious sorts are both offensive and shameful, but I guess this is media in 2026. All you need is a mobile device and no conscience, and you can become a star. There are no limits, checks and balances, or boundaries. You can argue that Vrabel and Russini brought this on themselves, but that does not excuse the malicious posts and insults.

I am hardly against opinion and, as a longtime media writer, have written some fairly harsh critiques. In addition, I am a staunch defender of comedy – a precious territory where political correctness has no business. However, I prefer to hear jokes, critiques, and even insults from people who are professional and informed. I’m not interested in hateful phonies, and fake words and images. There are lines not to be crossed, even if they’ve become quite blurry.

A Tale of Two Media Worlds

There are a lot more important issues in this world than two consenting adults poolside or on a boat, but the bottom-feeding, social media frenzy is absolutely the lowest form of expression. Some of the repulsive posts I’ve seen make TMZ look like the Disney Channel. The creators of this junk are trying to get noticed, amp up their Likes and Follows, and gain enough views for Jimmy Fallon or Dancing with the Stars to come calling. We live in a self-proclaiming society. If the 1970s was the ‘Me Decade,’ then we are squarely in the ‘Look At Me Decade’ with online pleas to click ‘see more’ or the little heart under each negative post.

I am not exonerating Vrabel and Russini because who am I to exonerate anyone’s personal life? It’s none of my business. Reporters go into locker rooms and stick microphones in athletes’ and coaches’ faces. They do countless interviews and have sources everywhere – from owners to popcorn vendors, but how many of the subjects do they know personally? This is multiplied for the social media denizens. At least real reporters actually see or at least communicate with their subjects. The online crew only knows what they see and hear on TV, radio, and podcasts. If Vrabel made a questionable coaching call or if Russini did a weak interview or feature story I’d tell you. That’s my job, but I won’t judge their personal lives.

Vrabel got a lot of heat because he chose to skip the third day of this year’s NFL Draft to seek counseling with his family. Why do you think he did that? I think he did it because at the heart of it all, he is a coach. Even in this horribly uncomfortable position, he wants to create a teaching moment. He could have gone to counseling the following Monday or Tuesday, but chose to do it on the third day of the draft because his players and the public would notice. He is not perfect. I am guessing those who put out insulting videos, BS commentary, and bad taste jokes are not either.

The working media has handled the Vrabel/Russini issue with a velvet gloved sense of class. They have not ignored it nor should they. It is a legitimate news story involving two very high profile individuals. What they have exercised is good judgement. Why? The cynical answer is that they may have their own skeletons that they would prefer to keep in the closet, but more likely, it is because they are real commentators with degrees, experience, and resumes, not just an iPhone. That’s the difference between a professional and a punk, a journalist and a jerk, working media and witless minions.

No Accountability, No Standards, No Excuse

The basement dwellers waiting for DoorDash to arrive via a knock on the bulkhead have no idea what’s going on outside the cellar. They judge others because there is no accountability. Technology is a wonderful thing, but people often misuse it. Many will disagree and say that Vrabel and Russini deserve every bit of the insults they are getting. Even some members of the Boston media have lamented that their local colleagues have not gone hard enough on this subject. Why should they? This has nothing to do with job performance. It’s personal. Neither Vrabel nor Russini committed a crime. Did they make mistakes and poor decisions? Maybe. Do any of us really know the whole story? 100% no.

There’s an old adage that states ‘If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.’ The new adage apparently is, ‘If you don’t have something nice to say, say it and hope millions of people read it and think it is true.’ Freedom of speech does not apply here. I don’t think our forefathers had cyber cruelty in mind when they decreed that people should be allowed to speak freely. I doubt that in between writing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, they said, “Oh, wait a minute, ignorant people should be allowed to trash the lives of others. That’s why we lost all those men at Bunker Hill.”

Most of the really outrageous stuff emanates not from opinion or debate, but from hate and jealousy. The unkind posers lie in wait, just looking for someone with a clean slate to make an error. Then, they pounce, not face-to-face, but hiding behind handles and usernames. Sadly, nothing will fix this problem. So what if they cross a line and go to Facebook jail for a month. They come right back 30 days later with even uglier memes and posts. I hope these individuals never experience pain in their own lives. That might be the only way though they realize that what they are doing is far worse than what they think Vrabel and Russini may have done.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Country Radio’s Super Bowl: How to Actually Win the Summer Concert Season

Kevin Callahan
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Country Radio’s Super Bowl: How to Actually Win the Summer Concert Season

It’s time to put our money where our mouth is. Summer concert season is here, and it is Country radio’s Super Bowl.

Look at the national landscape for Summer 2026. You’ve got Morgan Wallen‘s “Still The Problem” stadium run, or Chris Stapleton hitting the road with Lainey Wilson. But let’s bring it local to where I sit, just north of Saratoga Springs. Look at the lineup rolling through the Albany Med Health System at SPAC this summer: Jelly Roll’s “The Little ASS Shed Tour” on June 18, followed immediately by Riley Green the next night.

We’ve got Tim McGraw in July, Little Big Town and the Outlaw Music Fest rolling through, Luke Bryan’s “Word On The Street Tour” in August, and Parker McCollum closing it out in September.

These aren’t just concerts; they are massive cultural moments for our audience.

This is the ultimate proving ground. The listeners are explicitly begging us to be visible. But here is the reality check: if your station’s game plan is to set up a 10×10 pop-up tent, unfold a plastic table, dump out a box of leftover koozies, and have your talent scroll on their phones for two hours, you are failing. You are handing the audience to someone else.

To be clear, we still use the 10×10 tent and the folding table. Sometimes that is the only footprint a venue will give you. But winning the summer isn’t about the table; it’s about the energy you bring inside and around it. It requires spectacle, content creation, and actual human connection.

Here is how the people who are actually winning do it.

1. The Tailgate is Your Content Engine

Stop treating a concert appearance as a mandatory shift to check off a box. It is a content goldmine.

Look at John and Tammy, the morning show at KSON in San Diego. When a massive country tour rolls into town, they don’t just stand behind a table waiting for people to approach them. They do a bit called “Are You Smarter Than a Tailgater.” They take microphones deep into the parking lot, find the happiest, loudest, most passionate fans, and record them playing trivia.

They are mining the parking lot for audio gold and creating a connection. The next morning, that audio becomes the anchor bit of their show. They didn’t just give away tickets before the show; they entertained the audience during the tailgate and then used it to drive tune-in the morning after. That is how you squeeze every drop of value out of a tour.

2. Outsmart the Venue Rules

We all want to be impossible to ignore. At Pamal in Albany, we have some great assets. We have The Cat Bus, the video truck, and over at Fly 92.3, we even built a giant, interactive human slot machine for major events.

But what happens when the venue rules say, “No vehicles inside the gates”? Do you just give up and go back to the folding table?

No. You find ways to overcome the limitations. If they won’t let the big Cat Bus park at the tailgate, you better believe that bus is going to be slowly rolling up and down the street right outside the venue while everyone is stuck in traffic on their way in, and again on their way out. You create top-of-mind awareness. You figure out how to hijack the ingress and egress so that even if they didn’t see you inside, they undeniably know you were there.

3. The Hook is the Handshake

You can have the biggest bus, the loudest video truck, and the coolest interactive games in the market. But if your talent is hiding from the crowd, you have completely missed the point. The spectacle is just the bait; the hook is the 1-to-1 connection.

Sean and Andrea from The Cat in Albany understand this perfectly. When they go to a show, they are out there pressing the flesh. They are taking pictures, having actual conversations, and looking listeners in the eye. They know that every single handshake is a listener who is going to go back to work the next day and tell their coworkers, “I met Sean and Andrea last night, and they were awesome.” That is your Net Promoter Score in action. You cannot algorithm your way into a handshake. They will actively skip an artist meet-and-greet just to stay in the crowd, because they know the connection with the listener is ten times more valuable than a backstage photo. Do both if you can.

The Playbook for the Summer

The biggest stars in the world are pulling your core listeners into parking lots right now. You have the ultimate home-field advantage.

Audit your concert strategy today. Are you just “showing up,” or are you putting on a show? Outsmart the venue rules. Turn the tailgate into tomorrow’s content. Shake their hands. Want more ideas? Reach out. I’m happy to share. Hint: You don’t need a video truck or a bus!

Let’s get out of the studio. And if I see you out there, feel free to hand me something cold out of the cooler.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Revenue, Relationships, and Survival: The Paul Castronovo Story

David Hill
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Revenue, Relationships, and Survival: The Paul Castronovo Story

Paul Castronovo has outlasted 23 program directors. He has survived corporate mergers, format shifts, the Howard Stern exodus, and the rise of podcasting. At 66, he just signed a new five-year deal at WBGG Miami Big 105.9. While the industry continues shedding talent and cutting costs, Castronovo remains — unbothered, unretired, and unapologetically relevant.

That kind of staying power doesn’t happen by accident.

“Dan Le Batard told me at dinner recently, ‘Dude, you’re the last radio survivor. Ride it out,'” Castronovo recalled. “And he was right.”

The Miami radio landscape is unlike any other in the country. It is not one market — it is two. Miami-Dade and Broward County operate in separate cultural orbits. Management, however, doesn’t always understand that distinction. Castronovo has spent decades navigating those waters, translating both geography and demographics into something resembling unity.

“Miami-Dade County is over 70% Hispanic,” he said bluntly. “If you think you’re just going to talk to white dudes on a classic rock station, that’s like a needle in a haystack.”

So instead of resisting the community, Castronovo joined it. He hired Luis Diaz, a Cuban comedian, for the show. The impact was immediate. The callers started sounding different. The accents shifted. The connection deepened. That’s not a programming gimmick — that’s a genuine market read.

But Castronovo’s survival isn’t just cultural intelligence. It’s also about knowing when to fight and when to bend.

Learning to Unlearn

Early in his career, Castronovo was, by his own admission, a jerk. He had worked in Miami, which gave him a certain confidence — misplaced as it turned out — when bouncing through markets like Nashville, Birmingham, and Orlando. He thought he had all the answers.

“I was a Brooklyn kid. I had kind of a brash know-it-all attitude,” he said. “I had to unlearn that.”

What replaced it wasn’t passivity. Instead, it was strategic collaboration. He learned to manage up — a habit he credits to watching Kid Kraddick work conventions, going to dinner with the industry power players instead of hanging back with the talent crowd.

That lesson has served him well through 23 bosses. Most of them, he said, he befriended. Some were, as he put it, “not from this planet.” Still, he kept showing up.

There was one exception. A recent program director came in convinced the show needed music and fewer comedians. Castronovo fought it. He lost. The ratings tanked. The PD left. Castronovo stripped the music back out, brought the comedians back, and his show climbed back up the ranker.

“Guess who’s number two?” he said with zero subtlety.

The industry should be paying attention to that story. Not just because Castronovo won, but because management so often creates the very problems it is trying to solve. Talent gets blamed. Shows get retooled. The wrong people walk out the door.

Revenue Is the Real Protection

Here is something Castronovo understands that many talent don’t want to admit: revenue is job security.

“I know for a fact that if I wasn’t tied to so many dollars in sales, I wouldn’t have a job,” he said plainly.

For years, he had a partner who made that reality feel less lonely. “Young Ron” Brewer spent decades alongside Castronovo, and their chemistry was the kind you can’t manufacture — built show by show, bit by bit, morning after morning. In 2016, Ron retired from the show, marking the end of an era and the beginning of what became The Paul Castronovo Show. Together they had made each other better, and together they had built something South Florida genuinely loved. Ron later passed away, leaving a hole that no format change or ratings report could adequately measure.

Castronovo gets it — there’s a purity argument to be made about keeping talent removed from the sales side. But in today’s radio environment, that purity is a luxury most stations won’t subsidize.

His approach is simple. He bonds with one or two top salespeople. He takes clients to lunch. He actually goes on vacation with an advertiser who owns a Ford dealership. He has done this for decades. Those clients have been on the air with him for 20 and 30 years.

Compare that to stations running generic content and wondering why clients won’t stay on the books.

The Social Pivot

Castronovo resisted social media at first. His late partner hated it entirely. But Castronovo pushed through, recognizing that the core product hadn’t changed — the show is still about making people laugh — only the delivery mechanism had expanded.

“My social media strategy is: what’s funny? Is it South Florida-based?” he said.

His wife accidentally sparked a viral moment when she photographed a stranger rubbing a bare foot next to her shoe on an airplane. The post hit 40,000 views within an hour. No budget. No campaign. Just a real moment from a real life that his audience immediately connected with.

He also launched a bit called “Troll Call,” modeled on roll call. The show pulls the nastiest comments from their Instagram posts and reads them on air — with the commenter’s username included. It’s self-deprecating. It’s community-driven. And it generates content that costs nothing.

Meanwhile, iHeart is spending nine figures on podcasting. Castronovo is generating comparable engagement by leaning into what he already does well.

The Money Problem Nobody Wants to Discuss

Let’s be clear about something. Castronovo is not making what he once made. His show used to generate $15 million a year in revenue for the station. It no longer does. He acknowledges that directly. He doesn’t sugarcoat it.

“I hate not making the money I used to make,” he said. “But our industry isn’t what it is.”

That honesty is refreshing and somewhat damning at the same time. Joe Rogan — who used to come into the station every six months trying to sell tickets to a local improv — now makes $110 million a year. Jason Bateman and a wave of celebrity podcasters have discovered that audio is a great medium without makeup or commute. Dan Le Batard built a successful podcast empire after leaving terrestrial radio.

And it isn’t just the superstars. Castronovo points to his old friend Steve Harmon, who is piecing together a living through Westwood One, a prep service, and a country countdown show. “That’s all we’re trying to do,” Castronovo said. It’s a sentiment that echoes across an entire generation of radio lifers — people who genuinely love the medium and are finding creative ways to stay in it, with or without the paychecks they once commanded. “You have to really love what you’re doing,” he said simply.

Castronovo is still at the station. Still doing five mornings a week. Still managing clients. Still producing social content. Still mentoring producers.

The question the industry should be asking isn’t why Paul Castronovo stayed. The question is why so many talented people didn’t feel they could.

Why He Keeps Going

Currently, Castronovo works with people who clearly get it. Jason Carr oversees programming from West Palm and is available whenever Castronovo needs anything. Grace Blazer, the regional VP of programming, brings strategic oversight to the broader operation.Mark Chase, an early-career mentor who Castronovo hadn’t worked with in 20 years, recently returned and has been nothing short of a creative spark. Chase texts ideas at 2 a.m. He rotates across five stations. He fundamentally understands talent.

“He gets talent more than anyone I’ve ever worked with,” Castronovo said.

That kind of relationship — built on mutual respect, not command-and-control management — is what the radio industry desperately needs more of. Too many stations have drifted toward treating morning talent like interchangeable commodities. Then they wonder why listenership erodes.

Castronovo’s producer and co-host Mike Anderson completes the picture. Anderson runs the board, screens calls, produces the show, and escorts guests from the parking lot — all while remaining unflappable. As Castronovo put it, “He doesn’t have a Type A personality. There’s enough of that in the room with me.”

Furthermore, Anderson is staying. He is living in Miami with a Cuban girlfriend. He is not leaving.

So why does Paul Castronovo still do it?

“It’s hysterical,” he said. “It’s the greatest job in the world.”

That answer is simple. It’s honest. And notably, it has nothing to do with market share, revenue targets, or quarterly earnings calls.

Radio could learn something from that.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why Your Morning Show Sounds Like Everyone Else’s

Jim Ryan
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Why Your Morning Show Sounds Like Everyone Else’s

I Hate (Most) Morning Show Prep Services.

I woke up Monday morning and did my usual tour of morning shows. That’s what a talent coach does. When I heard three different shows in different parts of the country doing the same phone topic, I screamed. It’s the damn morning show prep service.

There are certainly days when the hot story grabbing America can and should be a phone topic for multiple morning shows. But when it’s a simple evergreen topic — and you even hear it on two shows in the same market — it means someone was too lazy to focus on a topic for their own show.

The National Day Nonsense

But wait, that’s not all. I heard that it was National Nurses Week. That’s fine, as long as you have unique content to salute the hardworking nurses in your audience.

I also heard that it was National Eat What You Want Day (mentioned by more than one show), National Twilight Zone Day, and even Hostess Cupcake Day. (Do you think Hostess could actually be responsible for that one?) Another show told me it was World Ego Awareness Day. STOP — NOBODY CARES!

Birthdays Nobody Asked About

I found a show that talked about Sabrina Carpenter celebrating her 27th birthday. I wonder if that was because their listeners would be calling Sabrina — they have her number, right? — to wish her a happy birthday. You may say that Sabrina is one of the most played artists on radio, so it made sense to talk about her birthday.

But if that’s the case, why did the same show mention that Irving Berlin was also born on this day? Yup, Irving Berlin. His songs aren’t getting a lot of airplay in May. I even believe he’s dead, so nobody will be calling him today.

Prep Services: Idea Starters, Not Content Breaks

I can’t tell you how many barter spots the stations I’ve programmed over the years have run for morning show prep services. I’ve had shows that needed three or more at one time. Many of these services are either useless or are being used improperly. They can be idea starters, but not content breaks as written.

The Three Content Buckets

Content for your show should come from three different buckets: local (if you are a local show, you need to lean on this heavily), pop culture/topical, and personal.

We live in a time where many of your listeners know what’s going on before you tell them. You need to share your take — your unique treatment of today’s topics.

Personal means your life and what you observe. Nate Bargatze has made a boatload of broadcast-friendly millions with his brand of observational comedy.

A Different Take: The Ted Turner Example

I was genuinely excited last week when two of the talents I’m working with had a totally different take on Ted Turner. He was an icon, and if you’re living under a rock, he passed away last week. Most people thought of him as the founder of CNN, the man responsible for TBS, and the former spouse of Jane Fonda.

But one morning host talked about his significant contribution to the world of wrestling. This was a male-targeted rock show, so the topic aligned with their audience and offered a different take on Ted’s contribution to society.

Another show pointed out that Mr. Turner gave us the animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers. It seems Ted Turner was ahead of his time on protecting the environment, and Captain Planet was his effort to teach kids about things like recycling.

Neither of these takes came from a morning show prep sheet.

Use the Internet. Use AI.

Everything you could ever want to find out about is on the internet or on social media. ChatGPT or some other form of AI needs to be part of your prep process — more so than most prep sheets.

I just asked ChatGPT about the worst moments on the radio. It said dead air, songs accidentally restarting, DJs insulting the wrong person on a hot mic, and painfully awkward interviews.

That means I, as a human, have to add one more to that list: talent reading morning show prep services verbatim on the air.

You can all do better than that.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Is Sports Radio Still Attractive To The Former Athlete?

John Mamola
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Is Sports Radio Still Attractive To The Former Athlete?

What is connection without credibility? To be persuasive, you must be believable. To be believable, you must be credible. That equation has guided sports radio for decades, even though most hosts never stepped inside a professional locker room.

The format has always relied on personalities who could connect with fans, but there has long been added value in pairing those voices with someone who actually lived the experience. Former athletes didn’t just bring stories. They brought authority.

Today, though, sports radio faces a new challenge. The issue is no longer whether former athletes want to work in media. Clearly, they do. The issue is whether they still need traditional sports radio to do it.

The answer, increasingly, appears to be no.

The evolution of sports media has created a world where current and former athletes can build entire media businesses without ever walking into a radio station. Podcasting, YouTube, streaming, social video, athlete-led production companies, and direct-to-consumer platforms have eliminated the traditional gatekeepers.

What once required a studio, a station brand, and years of industry development can now be launched with a camera, a microphone, and an existing social following. And for athletes, the math is simple.

Why spend four hours a day in a radio studio discussing games on someone else’s platform when you can own your content, control your schedule, monetize your audience directly, and build equity in your own brand?

That reality has become impossible for traditional sports radio to ignore.

The Value Of Perspective

Months ago, I watched an episode of Al & Jerry’s Postgame Podcast featuring WFAN’s Jerry Recco and Al Dukes discussing what they described as a growing issue for sports radio: current and former athletes simply no longer have much interest in entering the format.

The reasoning wasn’t centered on salary. It centered on time.

That same sentiment has been echoed across the industry. When I interviewed former FS1 analyst and current Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan host Mark Schlereth, he discussed how networks may eventually struggle to recruit former athletes into traditional analyst roles altogether. Not because athletes lack interest in media, but because the modern media landscape gives them better options.

And honestly, it’s hard to argue otherwise.

Having a former athlete attached to your station still delivers immediate benefits. Credibility matters. Perspective matters. Audience familiarity matters. Athletes walk into media with built-in trust, built-in branding, and built-in attention. They don’t need years to establish authority with listeners because fans already associate them with expertise and experience.

But in today’s creator economy, that same credibility has become more valuable outside traditional radio than inside it.

Athlete-Led Content Revolution

For every sports radio station searching for its next personality, there’s an athlete building a YouTube channel, launching a podcast network, signing a direct sponsorship deal, or creating a subscription-based community that they fully own.

And the pipeline isn’t slowing down.

NIL has accelerated personal brand-building at the college level, creating a generation of athletes who already understand audience ownership before they ever turn professional. Many of today’s athletes won’t wait until retirement to enter media. They’re already building platforms while still playing.

That shift should concern sports radio operators.

Not because athletes are replacing broadcasters, but because attention increasingly follows authenticity, access, and firsthand experience. In an overcrowded content ecosystem, credibility cuts through faster than almost anything else.

And sports radio already faces enough challenges competing for audience attention.

The format is battling shrinking budgets, corporate consolidation, syndicated programming, changing listening habits, and an endless supply of digital competition. In many markets, stations are asking fewer people to create more content across radio, podcasting, video, and social media simultaneously.

Against that backdrop, losing athlete participation creates another problem: perception. Because whether fair or unfair, listeners still view athlete voices differently.

Anyone can react to a game. Anyone can debate a trade. Anyone can fire off opinions online.

But firsthand perspective still carries weight.

That doesn’t mean sports radio cannot succeed without former athletes. Plenty of stations continue to thrive with strong broadcasters who connect authentically with audiences. Great radio has never solely depended on athletic resumes.

But credibility remains one of the format’s greatest competitive advantages. And if more athletes continue building independently rather than joining traditional outlets, sports radio risks losing one of its strongest tools for maintaining that credibility long-term.

The battle today isn’t just for ratings. It’s for relevance, attention, and trust. And trust is still built on credibility.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Is The Daily Wire Missing AM/FM Radio Now?

Garrett Searight
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Is The Daily Wire Missing AM/FM Radio Now?

The Daily Wire may be discovering that walking away from news/talk radio was a costlier decision than it initially appeared.

When the company ended its partnership with Westwood One in December 2024 — pulling Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, and Michael Knowles off terrestrial radio — it signaled confidence in the strength of its digital-first model. That confidence may have been misplaced.

I’ll be honest: I’ve already been wrong about this once. At the one-year mark of the split, I wrote that The Daily Wire clearly didn’t need radio. The shows seemed strong enough to stand on their own. But new data has me revisiting that take — and this time, I think the evidence points in a different direction.

According to Social Blade, Ben Shapiro has shed roughly 200,000 YouTube subscribers over the past year. His YouTube views have dropped around 34%. Meanwhile, the company recently laid off a portion of its workforce. Those are meaningful numbers for an operation that positioned itself as the future of conservative media.

A Crowded Digital Space Doesn’t Forgive Easily

Here’s the thing about digital media: it doesn’t care about your reputation. The conservative digital media landscape is more crowded than ever, with new voices, new platforms, and new shows competing for the same eyeballs every single day.

Radio, by contrast, is a far less saturated environment for nationally syndicated content. Getting displaced from a radio lineup stings. Getting lost in a sea of conservative YouTube channels can be fatal to growth.

Losing even a fraction of the promotional power that comes from radio distribution would logically play a factor in any audience decline. Radio gave The Daily Wire something that no algorithm can manufacture — a captive audience, driving to work, with limited choices. That’s not nothing. It’s actually quite a lot.

There are, of course, plenty of variables at play here. Shapiro’s YouTube decline could reflect broader shifts in political media consumption post-2024 election. Audience fatigue is real. Competition is fierce. However, removing a nationwide promotional pipeline doesn’t help any of those problems — it compounds them.

Radio Didn’t Need The Daily Wire Either — But Both Benefited

I wrote in late 2024 that this felt like one of those situations where both sides lose a little bit in the end. News/talk radio lost three prominent conservative voices with built-in audiences. The Daily Wire lost a distribution network that delivered its hosts to millions of ears that might never seek them out online.

That dynamic still holds. News/talk radio didn’t collapse without Shapiro, Walsh, or Knowles. The format is resilient, and programmers found ways to fill those slots. But it would be disingenuous to suggest the format didn’t lose something, too — particularly in markets where those shows performed well and drove listeners toward the stations carrying them.

Still, the more pressing story right now isn’t what radio lost. It’s what The Daily Wire may be realizing. Terrestrial radio offered these shows something digital platforms can’t replicate on demand — discovery. A listener who’d never downloaded a podcast or subscribed to a YouTube channel could stumble into 15 minutes of Ben Shapiro on a Tuesday afternoon and become a fan. That funnel is now closed.

The digital media world rewards those who are already known. Radio helped make them known in the first place. Cutting that cord may have felt like liberation — but the numbers are starting to suggest it was something else entirely.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Connoisseur Media Sells Six South Dakota Stations to Riverfront Broadcasting

Bethany Kent
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Connoisseur Media Sells Six South Dakota Stations to Riverfront Broadcasting

A South Dakota has struck a South Dakota deal, as Connoisseur Media exits the Watertown market.

What We Know: Connoisseur Media has signed an agreement to sell six Watertown-area radio stations to Riverfront Broadcasting, LLC. Specifically, the stations include KLDO-FM, KIXX-FM, KSDR-AM, KSDR-FM, KWAT-AM, and KKSD-FM.

The deal awaits FCC regulatory approval and will likely close in late summer 2026. Notably, Kalil & Co. served as exclusive broker on the transaction.

What They Said: “The Watertown market was not a market we felt Connoisseur could make a material difference in with the focus and approach we bring to radio,” said Jeff Warshaw, Founder and CEO of Connoisseur Media. “We think Riverfront Broadcasting, being a South Dakota based company, understands the local market and can carry on providing local content and will excel in serving the community.”

Building on that, Carolyn Becker, President of Riverfront Broadcasting, added: “We are very happy to bring local ownership and local focus back to these great stations in the Watertown Market. Jeff and the Connoisseur team have taken an approach of selling to local ownership and we are grateful for the opportunity.”

What Remains Unclear: Even so, Connoisseur and Riverfront have not disclosed financial terms. Similarly, neither company has announced staffing or operational changes at the acquired stations.

What It Means: Taken together, this sale continues Connoisseur’s portfolio strategy, which accelerated after its Alpha Media acquisition last September. Meanwhile, Riverfront Broadcasting — a family-owned South Dakota company founded in 2004 — deepens its regional footprint.

As a result, the deal reinforces a broader industry trend toward local ownership in smaller markets. Altogether, it signals that hyperlocal operators are gaining ground.

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Cumulus Selling Classic Country WWFF in Huntsville to Religious Broadcaster

Bethany Kent
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Cumulus Selling Classic Country WWFF in Huntsville to Religious Broadcaster

Cumulus Media is offloading Classic Country WWFF (93.3) in Huntsville, Alabama. The buyer is Radio Training Network, a religious broadcasting group, in a deal valued at approximately $2.45 million.

What We Know: The sale includes WWFF alongside several other Southeast signals. Cumulus originally flipped the station from Adult Hits to “Nash Icon 93.3” back in 2014. The current on-air lineup features Jack Womack, Marty McFly, Sam I Am, Mojo, and Dave Myers. Weekend programming also includes syndicated shows from Kix Brooks, John Ritter, and Steve Harmon.

What They Said: Radio Training Network’s website describes its mission plainly: “We exist to train and equip people for ministry through radio.” Cumulus has not issued a standalone public statement specific to the WWFF transaction at this time.

What Remains Unclear: A closing date for the deal has not been publicly announced. It’s also unclear how quickly Radio Training Network plans to flip the format. Additionally, the fate of the current on-air staff remains unknown. Listeners and industry watchers are watching closely for next steps.

What It Means: This deal signals continued consolidation pressure on mid-market heritage country stations. Cumulus is clearly trimming its Southeast portfolio as financial realities reshape the radio landscape. Meanwhile, Radio Training Network grows its footprint to 13 stations across seven states. For Huntsville’s Classic Country fans, a format change appears inevitable.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Netflix Expanding 2026 NFL Schedule With Three Additional Games

Garrett Searight
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Netflix Expanding 2026 NFL Schedule With Three Additional Games

The final piece of the NFL broadcasting puzzle for 2026 appears to be complete. Netflix is adding additional games to its slate.

What We Know: What had long been rumored is now confirmed. Netflix will broadcast the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams from Melbourne. That game takes place on Thursday, September 10th. The streaming platform has also added a game on Thanksgiving Eve between the Rams and Green Bay Packers. Netflix will also stream a game on Saturday, January 9th. The matchup for that contest has yet-to-be announced. It will also broadcast at least one game on Christmas Day. Additionally, the deal is extended through the 2030 season.

What Remains Unclear: If Netflix will broadcast a doubleheader during the 2026 season on Christmas Day, as it did last year. The network has been coy about whether it is broadcasting one game or two on the holiday. It has simply referred to the window as “Christmas Gameday.” The streaming platform has also not announced broadcast crews for its slate of games.

What’s At Stake: Netflix’s NFL schedule expansion comes as the NFL is under scrutiny for its streaming inventory increasing in recent years. The FCC has stated it is considering an investigation into whether or not the arrangement violates the antitrust exemption the league has.

What It Means: Barring a shock announcement, the schedule from Netflix confirms that there will not be an NFL broadcast on YouTube in 2026. The only conceivable option still outstanding is a second game on Christmas Day that Netflix has all but confirmed to have received.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

The Next Round Accuses SEC Country of Copying Social Media Posts

Garrett Searight
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The Next Round Accuses SEC Country of Copying Social Media Posts

The Next Round has accused SEC Country of directly stealing its social media content.

What We Know: In a post on social media, The Next Round directly accused SEC Country of plagiarism. The company shared several side-by-side instances of content it created that were later repurposed by SEC Country.

What They Said: “As a small sports media company, we rely on content monetization for a good chunk of our income. Whoever runs the SEC Country page has been frequently stealing our content for nearly 2 months now. And recycling it as their own. The pages have a collective following of over 2 million followers (far more than we do). And are using our content to generate more views on their own page, which is hurting our opportunity to monetize. We’re not sure who runs these pages anymore, as SEC Country used to be owned by Cox Media, but know that they do not operate these pages anymore, as they shut down the site in 2018. We work really hard to produce high quality, unique content, and really wish the person(s) stealing it would stop.” -The Next Round statement

What Remains Unclear: If SEC Country will address the situation publicly. As of this publication, the X account for SEC Country has not published any content on Wednesday. SEC Country has not deleted the posts in question.

What It Means: With the rise in monetization on platforms like X and Facebook, the incentive to plagiarize content has never been higher. Couple with the use of AI to recreate content, it’s never been easy to copy the work of someone else. It has become more and more prevalent. And The Next Round calling attention to it is likely to curb others from acting similarly.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

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