620 WVMT has announced the appointment of Dan Feliciano as its new morning show host.
Feliciano will begin hosting the Burlington news/talk station’s morning show on Monday, June 30. He’ll step into the shoes vacated by Kurt Wright, who retired in May. Wright had been leading the program since 2019 with co-host Anthony Neri.
Dan Feliciano should be a familiar name to Vermont news/talk radio listeners. A Navy veteran, Feliciano ran for Governor of the Green Mountain State, as well as State Auditor, previously.
“Dan’s military background, natural curiosity, and analytical mindset, combined with his deep Vermont roots, make him perfectly suited for our morning drive programming,” said Program Director Kwame Dankwa. “His ability to facilitate honest, meaningful conversations will bring a fresh perspective to our listeners.”
Feliciano’s political background mirrors that of former host Kurt Wright. Wright had served as an elected official in multiple capacities — most notably as a member of the Burlington City Council and in the Vermont House of Representatives — before joining 620 WVMT as its morning host.
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WLS-AM 890 has announced it has agreed to a contract extension with Ray Stevens to remain in morning drive on the Cumulus Chicago news/talk station.
Stevens returned to mornings at WLS last June after the station failed to come to a contract agreement with previous morning host, Steve Cochran.
“Ray has been instrumental in bringing Conservative content to morning drive on the Big 89,” said Program Director Stephanie Tichenor. “His energy, his experience, and his ability to deliver the local lens of the right conversation has been invaluable for our listeners. We look forward to the continued growth and success of 890 WLS with Ray Stevens in morning drive.”
“Excited to continue doing wake-ups in my hometown of Chicago,” said Stevens. “I love that WLS management always supports my wild ideas. Ideas that make our city better for every neighborhood and everybody!”
“We have a lot of work to do and we are doing it! Thanks to Marv Nyrun and Stephanie Tichenor for believing in what we do!” Stevens added.
The Ray Stevens Show airs on WLS-AM 890 from 6-9 AM.
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Fox Corporation has announced that it acquired Mexican sports broadcasting platform Caliente TV as the company looks to expand its sports programming slate and bring more customers to its forthcoming streaming service. Longtime industry executive Carlos Martinez will serve as the executive vice president and managing director of Latin America for Fox Corporation. Under his new role, he will be responsible for overseeing broadcast strategy in the region, along with the transition of Caliente TV in Mexico and the launch of the channel in Central America.
“FOX’s investment to acquire Caliente TV reflects our commitment to building a leading sports streaming business in Mexico with massive audience reach, a robust sports rights portfolio and an impressive roster of exclusive sports leagues and talent,” Martinez said in a statement.
Concurrent with this acquisition, FOX will be developing a multiplatform business consisting of introducing a new pay television channel and subscription video on demand (SVOD) platform. This will join the existing Tubi advertising-based video on demand (AVOD) platform responsible for producing and disseminating over 3,000 hours of original sports content.
In addition, the network will gain a portfolio of broadcast rights to utilize across owned and operated platforms. Some of these include the Premier League and the FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, CONCACAF Champions Cup and NASCAR Mexico Series among other entities. The new FOX platforms debuting in Mexico and Central America are expected to employ more than 350 people both directly and indirectly, and it grants FOX broader reach ahead of releasing the Fox One direct-to-consumer streaming service later in the year.
Earlier in the week, data from Nielsen Media Research revealed the viewership share of streaming television surpassed linear offerings for the first time in the United States. Yet Mike Mulvihill, president of insights and analytics for FOX Sports, explained that marquee sporting events continue to hit either multiyear or record highs while on broadcast television and that it only makes sense if thinking about live and on-demand television as distinctive businesses. In addition, FOX recently registered the most-watched Super Bowl broadcast of all time, accruing an average of 127.7 million U.S. viewers on television and streaming platforms as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.
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The world of online gambling has seen tremendous growth in recent years, and with it, the rise of new technologies that promise to revolutionize the industry. One such innovation is the integration of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into online slot games. These digital assets, which represent ownership of a unique item or piece of content, have taken the world by storm several years ago. But could they be the key to the future of slot games?
The Rise of NFTs in Gaming
Non-fungible tokens are a type of cryptocurrency asset that represents ownership of a unique item or piece of content. NFTs are unique and cannot be traded like-for-like, in contrast to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which are interchangeable and have the same value.
How NFTs Could Be Incorporated into Slot Games
NFTs offer a whole new level of interaction between players and online slot games. Rather than just playing for virtual credits or prizes, players could own digital items that represent unique custom-designed slot reels, exclusive bonus rounds, or rare in-game symbols.
These could then be traded, sold, or used to enhance a player’s experience. For instance, a gambler could purchase an NFT that unlocks a unique bonus round or increases their chances of winning a jackpot.
Furthermore, the use of NFTs could introduce a new form of loyalty program. Rather than earning points or rewards, players could accumulate tokens that offer tangible value. These could be linked to real-world rewards, such as exclusive event access or even physical merchandise, and provide an additional incentive for players to keep coming back.
Ways NFTs Could Enhance Slot Game Experience
Ownership of in-game assets: Players can own unique items, like special reels, bonus symbols, and exclusive characters.
Tangible value beyond the game: NFTs let users buy, sell, or trade goods that have actual worth.
Exclusive access: Gamblers can unlock special features, rounds, or themes only available to NFT holders.
Customization: To make their slot machine experience unique, NFT holders could create their own reels, symbols, and themes.
Collectible items: NFTs offer a new level of collectability, with players seeking rare or limited-edition in-game assets.
For players, these tokens could add a layer of excitement and engagement, and give them something tangible to show for their efforts. Owning them could also allow players to participate in secondary markets, where they could trade, buy, or sell in-game assets for real-world value.
For developers, this presents an opportunity to create a more dynamic and engaging gaming experience. By allowing players to own and trade NFTs, developers can foster a sense of community and competition. Moreover, the introduction of NFT-based slot games could open up new revenue streams, as developers can sell rare or exclusive items, or even earn a percentage of sales from secondary markets.
How NFTs Could Transform Slot Game Design
New Gameplay Mechanics
Instead of simply hitting the spin button, players could use their tokens to activate special features, bonus rounds, or mini-games within the slot. The rarity or value of the NFTs could directly affect the outcome, which will make the gameplay more exciting and offer a new layer of strategy. Interested players can also check out slots statistics to see how various slots are performing and which games provide the best rewards.
Collection and Customization
Slot games could leverage customization by allowing players to create their own NFTs, such as personalized reels, symbols, or even entire slot themes. Players could collect and use them in future game rounds or trade them with other players. In addition, rare or special edition tokens could be created for specific events, holidays, or collaborations, which will drive players to collect limited-time items.
New revenue streams: Developers can create and sell rare NFTs, or earn a percentage from secondary market sales.
Increased player engagement: NFT ownership creates deeper player involvement and emotional investment.
Expanding gameplay: Tokens can open doors to new game mechanics and features that are only available to specific NFT holders.
Fostering community: NFTs can create a sense of community, where players can trade or showcase their collections.
Innovative marketing: Tokens allow developers to engage with players in new ways, offering exclusive items and experiences.
These advantages also enable developers to diversify their income sources and expand their brand presence within the online gaming ecosystem. As the NFT market grows, developers can continuously offer new, unique in-game content, keeping players coming back for more.
Key Features of NFT-Based Slot Games
Feature
Description
Benefit for Players
Exclusivity
Players can own unique in-game items such as reels, symbols, or bonuses
Adds value and ownership beyond the game
Secondary market trading
Tokens can be traded, bought, or sold on external marketplaces
Players can earn real-world value from their casino rewards
Unlockable content
NFTs unlock special features, bonus rounds, or mini-games
Enhances gameplay and increases player engagement
Loyalty and reward systems
Tokens act as loyalty rewards, with real-world benefits
Gamers have a stronger bond with the game.
Customizability
Players can design their own NFTs (e.g., symbols, reels, themes)
Personalizes the gaming experience
NFT-based slots have the potential to completely transform the world of online gambling. As blockchain technology continues to evolve and NFTs become more widely accepted, it’s likely that NFT-based slot games will become a significant part of the future of online gaming. For now, players can look forward to the next wave of innovation in the world of slots, where collecting, trading, and owning digital assets could be as important as spinning the reels.
Money is helpful, but for many of us, let’s face it, it can induce a headache. Perhaps the economists and financial experts out there will strongly disagree, but still, most of us need a little help when it comes to sorting out our budget.
Be it the organization of the overall income, expenses, investment, credit score, or simply the budget put aside to be spent at our favourite Paysafe casinos; we would definitely benefit from assistance.
Thankfully, there’s no need to hire a personal financial adviser, as plenty of digital tools available online are dedicated to helping us deal with the burden of keeping track of our spending habits. Read on to learn more about technological solutions for better money management.
Why Do We Need Financial Literacy?
Money might not be the most important thing in life. Nevertheless, it is essential to our material survival in the contemporary world — at least until we invent and popularize another option.
Keeping track of our spending, apart from lending a critical eye, helps us maximize our wealth. Learning how to invest may transform less money into more, even if it doesn’t make us millionaires, and noticing patterns in our spending habits helps us eliminate unnecessary and irresponsible behaviors.
Perhaps you feel like you spend too much on coffee, but you cannot be sure. Similarly, you might think you’re buying more clothes than you actually need. Although excessive spending is sometimes cathartic, if we overdo it, it will harm us in the long run. Relying on digital tools allows us to recognize our financial behavior in order to make more educated corrections that will improve our financial reality.
You don’t know how to start? The CasinoOnlineCA expert team has got you covered. Keep reading to learn more about tools that can help you manage your budget more effectively.
Mobile Finance Aid: Budgeting Apps
Yes, apparently, an app exists for absolutely everything, and finance is no exception. You can download an app and use it as a personal finance aid. Let’s briefly look at some of the most popular apps that provide financial assistance.
Quicken Simplifi
This mobile app provides a clear overview of your finances. It offers multiple ways to organize data, like spending plans, reports, or watchlists. It is ideal for goal-oriented individuals who are saving toward a specific goal or simply want to control and analyze their spending habits in order to improve them. Unfortunately, there is no free version of this app; it comes with a subscription fee.
YNAB (You Need a Budget)
Although a bit more demanding to grasp, this app was made for people who wish to educate themselves on financial responsibility. It focuses on teaching you how to be smarter about money in general and transform your overall financial situation. It includes educational material and allows account sharing.
NerdWallet
If you’re looking for a free app to get you started, here is one. NerdWallet offers articles and tutorials on better money management and allows you to track your transactions. It is a great beginner tool, and since it is free, you can use it as a test.
Bill Organization Apps
If you have issues with remembering all of your bills, there are platforms aimed at organizing all of them. They can even send you reminders. One such app is Prism, through which you can also pay all your bills in a convenient manner.
“Each financial app has its unique features, but their usefulness will depend on your particular needs,” says gambling expert James Segrest, author at CasinoOnlineCA. “If you like the idea of finance management apps but none of the tools highlighted above interest you, there are countless other options. Research the market to find the mobile app closest to your financial needs and goals,” Segrest adds.
Artificial Intelligence
Whatever your stance on AI, you must admit one thing: programs are better at calculating a constellation of tedious numbers than humans. So, why not use artificial intelligence as a powerful tool to help us manage our money?
How does it work?
Well, if you’re using an app, AI will analyze your spending habits and offer smart suggestions and advice. If you gamble at online casinos, the built-in AI algorithms will monitor your profile for suspicious patterns. They even suggest a temporary ban in case you have spent too much or are moving toward a potential addiction. Many casinos will also allow you to set your own daily, weekly, and monthly limits.
Social Media
The world of social media is full of information, useful or not. However, if you find a legitimate expert, channel, or platform, you can learn all about money management for free and start your journey toward better financial literacy.
Still, beware of scams and fake experts who use social media to spread their influence.
Investment Platforms
This is not for everyone, but if you feel confident enough in your financial know-how, you might try investing. Some platforms even offer robot assistants to help manage your portfolio.
If you’re unsure where to start, you might want to try Robinhood. It is a user-friendly platform designed for both beginners and seasoned investors. It allows you to start with small amounts and build up your portfolio from there.
Mobile Banking
Yes, most people have already learned how to use mobile banking. After all, it is helpful in multiple ways. It allows you to monitor your accounts, make instant payments, and avoid going to the actual bank unless absolutely necessary. You might see it more as a payment portal rather than a financial assistance tool, but it certainly is one, as all the information you need to better manage your spending and control your budget is available in one place.
Digital literacy in the modern day and age corresponds to financial behaviour, especially as we tend to blend physical and online spending. The shift has been happening gradually. According to statistics, Canada has a considerable digital population. Among the 93% of internet users in 2023, more than 21 million were also e-commerce users.
This requires a faster and more serious approach to achieving better digital and financial literacy. Admittedly, it is not something that will happen overnight, but small personal steps take us a long way.
Conclusion
Financial responsibility is hard, what with all our accounts, debit and credit cards, and digital subscriptions. It is difficult to keep track of how we spend. Also, without proper knowledge, we can’t change our habits and organize our finances to achieve better credit scores, save more, or reach our material goals.
Technological development has produced many digital tools we can use to critically examine our habits, learn more about money management, and, ultimately, benefit from the transformation.
Mobile banking, various financial apps, investment platforms, and AI tools all provide valuable insight into our spending behaviors, offer educational material for improvement, and help us stick to our desired budget, resulting in a more satisfactory material environment for ourselves and our loved ones. So why not give it a chance?
Regardless of how old you are and what your level of digital and financial literacy is, it is never too late to learn something new.
There has been a lot written about ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith in recent days, weeks, months, years. It’s exactly what he desires. Media! Crown him; it’s what he earned. In the attention economy we all live in, Smith has found the formula to do exactly what everyone wishes they could do: be everywhere for everyone.
“Never underestimate the power of jealousy, and the power of envy to destroy,” said Oliver Stone. Has there been anything said that better describes the impact of Stephen A. Smith on the media landscape? Every comment becomes micro-analyzed. Every photo becomes social media wallpaper. He doesn’t apologize for much, nor should he. Boo him, cheer him, hate him, love him—Stephen A. Smith is the greatest entertainer in media today.
But when is it too much? Let’s come back to that later.
Say what you want about Smith’s rise to the spotlight that he owns today. Nothing was handed to him. He’s done the work to get to the pinnacle of the media landscape. Born in the Bronx, got educated, worked his way up from print media to radio, to television, to digital media.
Smith hustled like so many others, only he was better at gaining the attention of the consumer. ESPN cut him in 2009, and he was out of a job for nearly a full year. He networked well and used the failures of his past for motivation to elevate from being unemployed to a nine-figure contract in less time than LeBron James has played in the NBA.
Was Smith lucky? Luck only happens when preparation meets opportunity.
You Can’t Knock the Hustle
“I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to make money,” said CM Punk in 2023. Stephen A. Smith has not been shy about how he goes about his business. He toldRolling Stone earlier this week that “authenticity is my brand. I mean what I say, and I say what I mean.” Smith never has had the expectation to be loved; it’s not something he cares about when he approaches his job.
Is he a role model for how to grow your brand? Depends on who you ask.
This week, Pete Mundo wrote for Barrett Media that all news/talk radio hosts should look to Smith as a model to follow: build your brand and then fortify it by branching out to audiences outside your base.
Days later, Garrett Searight wrote that Smith isn’t a role model for news/talk radio hosts to emulate. He says Smith never admits when he’s wrong, has an opinion about everything under the sun when he doesn’t need to, and always makes everything about himself.
These contrasting opinions are exactly what makes Smith as valuable as he has become.
Everything Is Politics To Stephen A. Smith
“Sports is the toy department,” said Colin Cowherd on The Ryen Russillo Podcast.
Stephen A. Smith at his core is a sports commentator; he’s not a politician. He’s never claimed to be a politician and never said he wants to be a politician. He’s never said he’s running for office; he’s just keeping his options open. In other news, I’m also keeping my options open on making a competing bid to buy the Tampa Bay Rays and considering moving to an island near the Bahamas.
Stephen A. Smith was so successful at his job in the toy department—why not dabble in the home goods aisle? Take the formula that made you millions in sports and carve an alley in the political lane that every politician and talking head is afraid to do. Talk to both sides.
Smith knows from his relationship with Michael Jordan that both Republicans and Democrats buy sneakers together. Hence, provide a product that expands your audience by not choosing a side. That’s smart business from a man who has nothing to lose, no friends to make, money to earn, and all to gain.
Stephen A. Smith has been preparing his whole life for this moment, and he’s meeting every metric that matters in the attention economy.
The Value of a Man Resides in What He Gives
With all that being said—when does it become too much? Who determines the level of controversy over Q-score?
Is it ESPN? Does Stephen A. Smith need them anymore? He built his production company, Straight Shooter, that he could easily sell to the highest bidder with millions of subscribers already in tow. He’s a best-selling author, podcaster, and would have more doors opened for him by billion-dollar companies if ones closed behind him.
Stephen A. Smith agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract in March of this year, making him the highest-paid talent on ESPN’s roster. Broadcast companies pay the highest amounts to those that bring in the best results. Smith is the main host and executive producer of First Take while also contributing to a number of ESPN programs, including NBA Countdown and SportsCenter, among others.
Smith boasts about First Take being number one for the last 13 years—without Skip Bayless, without Max Kellerman, currently without Shannon Sharpe. According to Rolling Stone, the program brings in daily audiences of around 450,000 to 670,000. Looking at those figures, it’s comparable on the high end with WWE’s NXT, and the low end with Top Chef on Bravo.
For comparison, Smith makes more per year from ESPN than Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, who call Monday Night Football, which averaged over 15 million viewers last year. Maybe that’s unfair, so how about Michael Wilbon or Tony Kornheiser? Combined, both make less than Smith, but their average viewership for Pardon the Interruption is higher than First Take.
While Smith may scream and yell that First Take is number one, it’s hardly a viewership juggernaut. It’s also fair to consider as well—who’s the direct head-to-head competition? As much as I respect FS1 and The Facility, FS1 isn’t nearly in as many homes to even be consumed as First Take on ESPN.
It’s not all about viewership for ESPN; it’s about reach. Stephen A. Smith is a lightning rod that strikes in the morning, and the aftereffects last into the night. His words carry weight; his opinions make headlines. His tweets drive impressions, and his reels live in the algorithm. He is the most searched ESPN personality in an age of content discovery. He’s on ESPN more than any other talent on the network, and he’d want it no other way. That’s the value to ESPN.
With the spotlight comes controversy, and controversy leads to a brighter spotlight. Stephen A. Smith causes controversy for ESPN, but is it enough to warrant second-guessing if Smith is worth the payout?
Sure, Smith questioned if having a baseball player who doesn’t speak English and needs an interpreter is good for the game of baseball.
Of course, Smith was suspended over comments suggesting some women “provoke” domestic violence incidents while discussing Ray Rice’s suspension from the NFL.
Who could forget when he compared the owner of the Phoenix Suns to former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling?
Good afternoon Mr. @MayorPaulYoung. Deeply appreciate your words and the sentiments that came with them. Progress is what life is all about and when it comes to Memphis -where some dear friends of mine reside — I wish for nothing less. The people deserve nothing less. So with… https://t.co/fGb0pf3wZZ
Just this week, Smith referenced crime stats of the city of Memphis because some players (unnamed, of course) have told him they don’t want to play in Memphis because they feel unsafe. Also, he toldRolling Stone that he doesn’t like LeBron James and wrapped up the week playing solitaire at an NBA Finals game that he was covering.
Smith prefers to live in the spotlight, and fortune favors the bold.
If that is true, Stephen A. Smith is making ESPN rich beyond the paycheck he’s earned. Winning the right battles for consumer attention connects bridges to consumption and monetization. Business has been good for ESPN, and therefore, business is good for Stephen A. Smith.
For a talent who has paid his dues, earned his spot, and continues to grow, Stephen A. Smith has proven he is the greatest entertainer in media today.
When will it be too much? It’s time to accept it may never be.
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The news business is alive and well. And it’s even better when you take advantage of obvious opportunities that your competitors are not interested in. In case you missed it, a parade was held on Saturday to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. And Fox News owned the coverage.
During the 6-10 PM ET window, when the military parade was live, Fox News averaged 4.9 million viewers. The network’s coverage peaked with 5.5 million viewers during the 8 PM ET hour.
Fox likely benefited from its core audience being most enthusiastic about this parade. However, they undoubtedly benefited from the fact that ABC, CBS, and NBC pushed their coverage to their streams. At least NBC had an excuse, as they were broadcasting the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament.
Other cable networks broadcasting the parade were Newsmax, C-SPAN, and NewsNation. NewsNation saw a nearly 300% increase in total viewership compared to the same timeframe in previous weeks as it covered the U.S. Army parade. The network averaged just under 200,000 total viewers in the 6-10 PM ET timeslot.
While ABC, CBS, and the other cable networks likely concluded their audiences wouldn’t have an interest in watching the parade wall-to-wall, they let their bias against the administration cloud their judgment.
The parade was mocked by many of the President’s critics as a “President Trump quasi-birthday celebration,” given his birthday was also on Saturday. Some called it a “dark” celebration of military weapons. And there were many other angles taken by those who didn’t think it was appropriate.
While I disagree with those interpretations, that doesn’t matter. This was a missed opportunity for those news networks that chose not to air the parade. They allowed Fox News and NewsNation to capture the entire audience, while also showing an unwillingness to cover the biggest news story of the weekend, despite it being a quiet weekend with little compelling content, except for the U.S. Open. And for the record, Fox News’ coverage beat the U.S. Open ratings, with the golf broadcast averaging 3.4 million viewers on Saturday.
For some background, the U.S. Army parade celebrating its 250th anniversary was organized by America250, a bipartisan initiative created by Congress. The organization was tasked with planning and executing the event as part of a larger commemoration of the Army’s milestone.
Democrats on the America250 commission include Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA). Yes, that Alex Padilla, who was just forcibly removed from a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday after he tried to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
This was not a hyperpartisan, pro-Trump event. As the Commander-in-Chief, he was obviously present and prominent, but this was not a MAGA parade or rally that some had anticipated.
And if the news media wants to claw back some of its credibility, they missed an opportunity to do so. The lesson here for news/talk stations is not to let your bias mask what is in the best interests of your city and would best serve your audience.
Notable networks and cable news channels made this mistake, and rather than covering the big story in a way that would have been palatable to their core viewers, they ceded the entire event to Fox, giving Fox an opportunity to potentially win over a portion of their audience. Same goes for NewsNation, which is desperately trying to compete on the big stage against their larger cable news competitors.
Understanding your audience is one thing, but trying to shield them from notable news moments is a disservice. I’d like to think they’d learn from their mistakes, but there is little evidence to suggest they will. But the rest of us can.
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So here we are heading into the first calendar weekend of summer. For your listening pleasure this weekend, you should try out the following.
From Top 40/Hot AC, let’s start with the just-released today Jonas Brothers / “No Time To Talk.”It’s fun, catchy, and for many, very recognizable, with a Bee Gees/“Stayin’ Alive” vibe.
Next up, Belle Tatum / “Boyfriend” is a good choice to consider. With Mix 106 in Louisville, WURV in Richmond, and Krater 96 in Honolulu jumping in early at Hot-AC.
Seems crazy to me why a song such as Tate McRae / “Revolving Door” is taking as long as it is to catch on massively at Top 40. It’s good to see KDWB in Minneapolis jump in this past week. Joining KIIS/LA and Hot 99.5 in Washington, D.C., who have been there since the beginning. Tate is a hit!
Let’s move into the rock space next.
In the Alternative space, the song catching my ears this week is Lola Young / “One Thing.” It’s receiving quite a bit of love from Sirius XM’s Alt Nation and WEQX in Manchester, VT, and Albany, NY.
In the AAA space this week. Get your ears on Molly Tuttle / “That’s Gonna Leave A Mark.” It is catchy and worth a listen or two!
From the active rock space, a band from Nashville, TN caught my ears this week. Backhand Blue / “Decay” is a song that should be on your radar.
Next up, the Country world Kane Brown / “2 Pair” certainly sounds like a smash to me, and something your ears should be on!
Dustin Lynch / “Easy To Love” has a good hook and is worth your attention if you are a Country programmer. One more from the Country space this week. It’s a fun selection, from Elizabeth Nichols / “I Got A New One.”
Time to move into the Rhythmic space this week, Chris Brown / “Holy Blindfold” is off to a big start at Rhythmic Radio and sounds like an out-of-the-box smash.
Lil Tecca / “Owa Owa” has a cool vibe and a very memorable sample from the Buggles / Video Killed The Radio Star.
One more for this week: give a listen or a few to Anabel Englund’s “King Size,” which has a great groove.
There you go, music you should be paying attention to for this week. Enjoy the ear candy!
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Program Director. Brand Manager. Director of Content. All terms that companies use to describe what used to be known as the Program Director.
Over the years, I have asked and been asked many times what that means when I told someone I was the radio station Program Director. The answer that I typically used to condense it down was, “I am in charge of everything that comes out of the speakers.”
Simple enough answer, right? The fact is that the number of speakers a program director is responsible for has increased significantly over the years.
Earlier this week, I sought a specific radio station online. One that I knew did well in the ratings and was a good corporate citizen. They did great cause marketing and were overall successful.
I was astonished by what I heard. The stream was unlistenable. The levels were inconsistent between music, sweepers and commercials. Reentry between commercials and the morning show was terrible.
The audio was distorted. Before you say it, yes, I tried it on several platforms. It was bad to really bad across all of them. This was after I was forced to endure six minutes of commercial pre-roll before I got to the miserable content.
The morning show was apparently covering some commercial inventory with promos. The problem was that it was the same one every single break. Additionally, there were outdated promos for events that had already happened. The show was either clipped out of the break or upcut coming back in.
Being a Brand Manager means overseeing every aspect of the brand. You need to think of your stream as another radio separate station.
When was the last time you opened your station app? Are you just assuming that the listener is getting a positive experience? How about your YouTube channel? Have you checked your social media lately to ensure you’re on brand?
I spoke with Jimmy Brooks this week at 100.7 The Tiger in Baton Rouge. He and a teammate had just rebuilt and launched the station website. The website is true to the brand, top to bottom. The colors, fonts and content are consistent with what you would expect from the brand.
This level of detail didn’t arise from assuming someone was taking care of the details.
I get it that “Brand Managers” are busier than ever before. If you have a trusted Assistant PD or staff member, there is nothing wrong with assigning the duties. But you must use the old President Reagan philosophy of “Trust but verify.”
In larger companies, web templates often originate from a top-secret location, characterized by a one-size-fits-all mentality. Can we assume that what they are pushing out is what it should be?
Would it surprise you to know that the station where I heard the horrible stream was owned by one of the “big companies?”
When I was programming before the proliferation of streaming, there would be times, especially heading into a holiday weekend, when I would try to schedule all the music and get everything in order for the long weekend. Taking a shortcut would cross my mind.
I had something that would always pull me back to reality though. There is someone in the industry whom I have admired since I began my career. Someone I had the pleasure of working for as I advanced through the industry.
My thought would always be, “What if this is the weekend that John is driving through town and listening to the station?” I wouldn’t want him to think, ‘Wow, Jeff’s station sounds like that?’
With streaming, “John” can listen to your station at any time from anywhere. Don’t make him wonder why your station sounds sloppy.
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It is no secret that burnout is prevalent in the cable news world. We asked NewsNation host Chris Cuomo and Newsmax host Rob Schmitt how they combat it.
When you look at cable news, it is easy to see how burnout would be possible. In a 24-hour news cycle, if you miss one story, you might feel like you miss them all. With the genre now as competitive as its ever been, being on top of your game at all times is imperative.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow combated burnout by simply reducing her schedule to one day per week, focusing on one weekly Monday evening program. Elsewhere in that network’s lineup, Chris Hayes only hosts a program four days per week, as does Jen Psaki, with the hope that reducing the workload by 20% will help keep hosts and behind-the-scenes talent fresh.
NewsNation host Chris Cuomo is the highest-rated host on the network. He admitted that he deals with burnout virtually every day.
“I experience burnout every day in 10 ways,” said Cuomo.
Newsmax host Rob Schmitt — who helms the 7 PM ET timeslot for the network — agreed that being a cable news host can be a grind.
“This is an exhausting job. I think there’s a reason why you see so much burnout in it,” he shared. “It’s a lot of work to come in and rattle off an hour of well-produced content that has a good perspective for people to think things out and let them know what it is they need to know and how they should feel about certain things. It’s a tough job.”
The pressure to perform has been greater than ever. In the olden days of cable news, which some might call its heyday, there were three options: Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. There weren’t options to host your own show independently on YouTube, podcasts, Substack, or any other variety of ways to distribute content.
In many ways, the democratization of that content has been a benefit. But, it has also led to many in the industry feeling as if they need to be “on” at all times.
“You get hooked like anything else that you’re just passionate about,” Schmitt said. “You’re just always kind of checking on the weekends and stuff like that. I’m just scrolling through whatever, flipping through the news sites, flipping through whatever it is. Twitter is a huge tool that I use a lot because it has everything all in one place.”
Is there a surefire way to combat burnout and avoid having that feeling?
According to Chris Cuomo, the way to win the battle is by having a specific mindset.
“The whole trick of it is to coach yourself that it’s worth it to keep keeping on. And then that’s what Let’s Get After It (his podcast) is all about. It’s that you have to have an aggressive disposition. You have to go out and take what you want in life.
“You want to be a good partner? Work on it. Do you wanna be a good parent? Work on it. If you wanna be smart? Work on it … I always tell my kids ‘Choose your hard. It’s hard to be smart. It’s hard to be dumb. Choose your hard.’”
The balance of being passionate about the news cycle — and by proxy, your job — is something that Rob Schmitt admitted he deals with regularly. But, like Cuomo, having a viewpoint that keeps him grounded is what he pointed to as a way to avoid that burnout.
“It doesn’t feel like work, though, until you come in and you’re actually pounding the computer,” he shared. “But, on the weekends, it’s like, ‘This is what I would be doing.’ I’d be scrolling around just messing around on the phone, looking through things, stuff like that. But yeah, even when you’re on vacation, you gotta keep up. There’s no real big off day.”
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