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Joe Rogan, Ben Shapiro, The Daily Earn Top 10 Finishes in Podtrac Podcast of the Year Rankings

BNM Staff
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Joe Rogan, Ben Shapiro, The Daily Earn Top 10 Finishes in Podtrac Podcast of the Year Rankings

Podtrac has released its list of the top 10 global podcasts of 2024, and some familiar names — like Joe Rogan, Ben Shapiro, and The Daily — make appearances.

The Joe Rogan Experience earned the top place on the list, as high-profile interviews with the likes of Donald Trump and JD Vance propelled it to a strong finish.

Meanwhile, The Daily from The New York Times was second on the list, marking the first of six news podcasts in the top 10. NPR News Now and The MeidasTouch Podcast were also featured in the top five at fourth and fifth, respectively.

The Ben Shapiro Show from The Daily Wire was eighth, while FOX News Hourly Update and Up First from NPR rounded out the top 10 list.

The rankings were based on the average monthly downloads and views in 2024 as measured or estimated by Podtrac across all podcast sources.

The entire list is included below:

  1. The Joe Rogan Experience
  2. The Daily
  3. The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett
  4. NPR News Now
  5. The MeidasTouch Podcast
  6. 48 Hours
  7. Crime Junkie
  8. The Ben Shapiro Show
  9. FOX News Hourly Update
  10. UP First from NPR

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TGL on ESPN Coverage to Include Scott Van Pelt, Matt Barrie, Marty Smith

BSM Staff
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TGL on ESPN Coverage to Include Scott Van Pelt, Matt Barrie, Marty Smith

In the first quarter of fiscal 2024, ESPN acquired U.S. media rights for TGL, the golf league founded by TMRW Sports, a company started by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Mike McCarley. The league features six teams of top players from the PGA TOUR competing on Mondays and Tuesdays from SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. As part of a multiyear partnership, the new sports entity is going to be broadcast in prime time television starting early next year, necessitating a slate of broadcasters to present the action.

Throughout the year, viewers will be able to see every shot live on linear television (ESPN or ESPN2), along with the ESPN+ app. The first seven matches of the TGL season will air on ESPN and 16 of them will be in the prime time viewership slot as well. The inaugural season of the league commences on Tuesday, Jan. 7 and concludes towards the end of March, ending with a best-of-three Finals series.

Scott Van Pelt will host pre-match and intermission segments for prime time matches from the SportsCenter studio where he broadcasts in Washington, D.C. Working remotely, he will start the broadcast and also conduct interviews with athletes during play and after the match. Van Pelt has deft experience working in golf coverage, covering the sport for over three decades and serving as the primary host for coverage of the Masters and PGA Championship. Outside of his golf ventures, he is the host of Monday Night Countdown, the weekly SVPod podcast and monthly edition of Bad Beats based on his midnight edition of SportsCenter.

Matt Barrie will work as the play-by-play announcer for TGL, anchoring the coverage from the broadcast booth located at SoFi Stadium. Barrie and his colleagues in the broadcast booth will be able to communicate directly with teams and contribute to shot-by-shot strategy. Barrie has hosted SportsCenter from the Masters and PGA Championship, along with calling featured groups and hole coverage on the course. Additionally, he is the co-anchor for the 2 p.m. EST weekday version of SportsCenter and also calls Thursday night college football games on the network. Barrie is also the host of popular studio programs such as College Football Scoreboard and College Football Final.

Marty Smith, a longtime reporter at ESPN, will serve the role for its coverage of TGL live from SoFi Center. As part of his position, he will have access to team benches and speak with golfers during the match to glean real-time insights towards gameplay. Smith is the host of Marty and McGee on the SEC Network and ESPN Radio, traveling the country during the college football season to campuses around the Southeastern Conference. Akin to his colleagues, Smith has worked on the Masters and PGA Championship broadcasts since 2017.

“Scott, Matt, and Marty have years of experience working together on ESPN’s annual coverage of the Masters and PGA Championship, as well as on SportsCenter and other programming,” Mike McQuade, executive vice president of sports production at ESPN, said in a statement. “They will make a strong team and we’re looking forward to the debut on January 7.”

The league blends golf with technology by utilizing several elements within play to blur the lines between virtual and real-life play. Teams will hit their shots from boxes featuring either grass or sand into a 3,400-square-foot screen. When the teams are inside 50 yards of the hole, they will move to the 22,475-square-foot green using advanced technology to rotate its shape on every hole. Matches will utilize a shot clock, thus forcing teams to make their stroke within 40 seconds, along with advanced audio capabilities, shot data and in-venue lighting and video presentation. Fifteen holes on the course were created by venerated golf course designers and are inspired by realistic golf elements and landscapes.

“We appreciate ESPN’s level of commitment to TGL,” Mike McCarley, founder of TMRW Sports, said in a statement. “SVP, Matt, and Marty bring recognizable star-power from the sports they cover regularly and are familiar to golf fans from ESPN’s coverage of the majors. Plus, their relationships with the top players in the sport will help create a refreshing, fun prime time experience for fans.”

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John Sterling: I Assume Dave Sims, Suzyn Waldman Will Be ‘Great on the Air Together’

BSM Staff
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John Sterling: I Assume Dave Sims, Suzyn Waldman Will Be ‘Great on the Air Together’

John Sterling, the longtime radio play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees, officially retired from his position in mid-April after calling 5,420 regular-season games and 211 postseason contests. Sterling, a member of the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame and 12-time Emmy Award winner, was recognized in a pregame ceremony at Yankee Stadium where the organization thanked him for his work and congratulated him on his retirement. A few months later, Audacy revealed that Sterling was returning to the broadcast booth for the final six games of the regular season and throughout the Yankees’ playoff run.

Although the team fell short of securing a World Series championship, falling in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball fans were excited to have Sterling documenting the action once again. Keith McPherson, radio host on WFAN and an avid Yankees fan, expressed his appreciation to Sterling while interviewing the broadcaster on his Wednesday program. Aside from discussing news surrounding the team, including the departure of outfielder Juan Soto to the crosstown rival New York Mets and signing of pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year contract, McPherson asked Sterling about what it was like to come back and conclude his time in the team’s radio booth.

“[I] went on the road for the playoffs to Kansas City, Cleveland and LA, and the only thing I came out with, Keith, was a desire to never travel again, and I mean that,” Sterling said. “I’ve been chasing after teams for over 53 years, but as far as doing the games, I loved it; it was easy. That’s the easiest thing I do are the ballgames – the easiest thing.”

Sterling expressed he had missed working alongside analyst Suzyn Waldman and the camaraderie that occurs throughout the press box. For the upcoming 2025 season, Waldman will remain on the broadcasts alongside Dave Sims, who has served as a play-by-play announcer for the Seattle Mariners over the last 18 seasons.

McPherson remembers traveling to Seattle for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game and observing how those in the city revered Sims and his indelible impact on the organization. Sims, who is originally from New York, frequently texted with Waldman during the Yankees games and voiced his excitement for the opportunity while appearing last month with Boomer & Gio. Sterling believes that the new broadcast duo will be successful as the Yankees seek to attain a 33rd consecutive winning season.

“I’ve known Dave since he was a writer for the Daily News and I was doing the Nets and he was covering them,” Sterling said. “That was in the ‘70s, which is like 50 years ago, but he’s a very nice guy. He and Suzyn get along especially well, so I would assume they’re going to be great on the air together.”

Sims has been nominated for the Ford C. Frick Award and previously hosted talk shows on both WNBC and WFAN in New York City. Outside of baseball, he has covered the National Football League for Westwood One, along with college basketball for ESPN. Sims will be chronicling Yankees baseball throughout the season on WFAN, which has served as the flagship radio home of the New York Yankees since 2014.

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Amazon Close to Deal With Dirk Nowitzki for NBA Telecasts: Report

BSM Staff
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Amazon Close to Deal With Dirk Nowitzki for NBA Telecasts: Report

Amazon Prime Video is close to a deal to make former NBA star Dirk Nowitzki part of the team that will announce NBA games, according to a report from reporter Marc Stein.

Earlier this year, Amazon signed a deal with the NBA worth $1.8 billion annually that will give it rights to stream games. Prime Video will stream 66 regular season games, including Thursday night doubleheaders in January. It will also have Friday evening doubleheaders and some Saturday after games. On game will stream on Black Friday, following Prime Video’s NFL game on the post-Thanksgiving shopping holiday.

Originally from Germany, Nowitzki played his entire 21-year NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks. He won an NBA Championship with the Mavs in 2011 and retired in 2019.

Nowitzki has been serving as a special advisor to the NBA and does not have much broadcast experience.

Next season, Amazon and NBC will be joining ESPN as the NBA’s key national TV rights holders. Warner Bros. Discovery, which had held NBA rights for decades, lost out in the latest round of negotiations.

NBC Sports is reportedly close to making a deal with former player and TNT announcer Jamal Crawford and is interested in bringing in former Indiana Pacer star Reggie Miller, who also works for TNT.

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.

Bill Belichick, Michael Lombardi Join University of North Carolina Football Program

BSM Staff
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Bill Belichick, Michael Lombardi Join University of North Carolina Football Program

Bill Belichick, an eight-time Super Bowl champion and second on the all-time wins list among coaches in NFL history, has agreed to a five-year deal to become the head football coach at the University of North Carolina. Pending approval from the University Board of Trustees and Board of Governors, Belichick is joining the program to lead the Tar Heels as the team looks to win its first Atlantic Coast Conference title since 1980. Earlier in the year, Belichick and the New England Patriots agreed to mutually part ways after he had served a 24-year tenure as head coach of the team.

Throughout the NFL season, he has been contributing to sports media content, working with companies such as ESPN, Omaha Productions, Underdog Fantasy, NFL Films, The CW and SiriusXM. Belichick is familiar with the institution, attending team meetings and film sessions with his father, Steve, who was an assistant football coach for three years with the organization. It remains unknown whether or not Belichick will be able to continue working in sports media as he awaits approval from entities associated with the University of North Carolina.

“I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill,” Belichick said in a statement. “I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.”

Belichick is not the only member of the sports media industry heading to the Tar Heels with experience working in the NFL. Michael Lombardi, a three-time Super Bowl champion as an executive who spent over three decades across four organizations, is joining Belichick at the school to serve as its general manager. Lombardi has been a host with VSiN since 2018, taking part in programs such as The Lombardi Line and the GM Shuffle. Over the last several months, he has been co-hosting the program in the mornings alongside Dave Ross after previously working in afternoons with Stormy Buonantony.

“I’m excited to join Coach Belichick at North Carolina,” Lombardi said in a statement. “Although leaving my VSiN family will be hard, I’m excited to return to helping build a winning program. I’m forever thankful for all the great people at VSiN, especially Bill Adee and the Musburger family.”

Lombardi will finish out his time with VSiN over the next several weeks as he prepares to reunite with Belichick surrounding the world of football. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport divulged that Lombardi was an “essential” part of bringing Belichick to the University of North Carolina. Belichick has referred to Lombardi as “one of the smartest people” with whom he has ever worked and someone who studies and knows the game of football very well. Outside of his time in the NFL, Lombardi has thrived in sports media, working with entities such as CBS Sports, NFL Network and Showtime, along with writing for NFL.com and Sports Illustrated.

“VSiN and its audience have been fortunate to have Michael Lombardi’s unmatched football insights at their fingertips for the past several years,” Brian Musburger, co-founder of VSiN, said in a statement. “We wish Michael all the best on this new adventure and congratulate him on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The VSiN team looks forward to rooting for him and his new team.”

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.

Al Michaels Expected to Return to Amazon’s ‘TNF’ Next Season: Report

BSM Staff
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Al Michaels Expected to Return to Amazon’s ‘TNF’ Next Season: Report

Sportscaster Al Michaels is expected to return to Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football announcing booth next season, according to a report from The Athletic.

Michaels three year deal expires at the end of the season but sources said the 80-year-old play-by-play veteran has decided to come back on a year by year basis. Michael gets an estimated $15 million a year for his services.

Last year, Michael was outspokenly critical of the quality of the games he was covering on TNF. This year the NFL gave Prime Video a schedule has featured better teams and matchups that have gone down to the wire. 

Michaels is scheduled to call an opening round NFL playoff game on Prime Video after the regular season concludes.

The Athletic said that Amazon and Michaels declined comment.  

Michaels began his network television career in 1971 with NBC Sports. He spent a year with CBS Sports in 1975 before joining ABC Sports in 1977. He returned to NBC Sports in 2006. 

In addition to his high-profile roles on Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Football, Michaels made the famous call when the U.S.A. hockey team beat Russia in the 1980 Olympics  Miracle on Ice and was on camer when an earthquake struck during the 1989 World Series.

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.

James Brown, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, J.J. Watt and Matt Ryan Are Bringing New Life to The NFL Today on CBS

John Molori
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James Brown, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, J.J. Watt and Matt Ryan Are Bringing New Life to The NFL Today on CBS

The NFL Today on CBS was pro football’s first ever live pregame show, and from 1975-1993, it featured a bevy of talent including the now legendary cast of Brent Musburger, Phyllis George, Irv Cross, and Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder. That quartet made The NFL Today the gold standard of NFL pregame programming.

Today’s incarnation of The NFL Today is not the groundbreaking show that Musburger and company took to new heights. Still, the revamped current cast of James Brown, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, J.J. Watt, and Matt Ryan are truly reviving the broadcast.

The program does a really nice job of adding in video b-roll, graphics, locker room looks, interviews, and game highlights, but the strength of The NFL Today is its panelists. Brown is one of sports television’s all-time best maestros showing off his Harvard education with perfect diction and a vocabulary that would rival any Scripps National Spelling Bee or Jeopardy champion. He opened the show by describing Ryan as “perspicacious.”

The always affable Brown seems to be thoroughly entertained by his current cohorts, but I would definitely like to see more from Cowher. He does provide some on point coach speak in dissecting plays and players, but I want him to go deeper. As head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1992-2006, Cowher was one of the most emotional and animated sideline presences of all time. I want to see more of this on The NFL Today.

Burleson has been compared to ex-Giant superstar Michael Strahan for his meteoric rise in television. Not only does he man the anchor desk on The NFL Today, he also is a co-host on the CBS Mornings daily news show. Strahan has similarly spread his television wings as a host of ABC’s Good Morning America, as well as several game shows. But let me make this clear, Nate Burleson is no Michael Strahan. He’s better.

Burleson has a way with words, always offers a clever turn of phrase, and combines ex-wide receiver savvy with tasty morsels of commentary in an almost poetic style. I’ve also been very impressed with the early returns on Matt Ryan in his broadcast career. The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback has transitioned seamlessly to TV. Perhaps only Tony Romo and Jason McCourty have made that tough transition more smoothly.

What really stands out about Ryan is his ability to put that quarterback intellect into words. He lets you know what the most important position on the field is thinking from play to play. He’s also developed a great affinity for narrating game highlights during The NFL Today halftime show. Honestly, it’s as if he is a seasoned sports anchor the way he calls the plays with rhythm and cadence. The producers of The NFL Today have done a great job in schooling all of the ex-NFL personalities in doing highlights – a skill that is harder than it looks.

The December 8 edition of The NFL Today was missing Watt, who has also taken to television quite quickly. The well-spoken, trustworthy, and enthusiastic Brown set the scene for the show as the NFL heads into the homestretch of games. Ryan cut through all the bluster over Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell’s multiple fourth down conversion calls in last week’s game vs. Green Bay.

Ryan said that it was the right strategy for that particular game because the Lions had to be aggressive. Burleson added a nice point that that Campbell is sending a message of confidence to his team that is “bigger than analytics.”

I like the way that each of the panelists plays off each other’s points creating a comfortable and conversational atmosphere. These days, it seems that every NFL pregame show has its own insider reporter. On The NFL Today, it’s Jonathan Jones with his Eye on the NFL segment. Jones provided an interesting morsel saying that, according to a source, ex-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel will definitely get an NFL or college head coaching job in 2025.

In this episode, Burleson left the anchor desk to do an interview with Romo live from Pittsburgh where Romo was calling the Browns-Steelers game. Burleson has become a skilled interviewer asking pertinent and concise questions.

Brown, Cowher, Burleson, and Ryan did a nice stand up analysis of the Seattle Seahawks’ defense focusing on Leonard Williams. Cowher lead the charge on this one tapping into his keen knowledge of NFL defensive schemes and letting that gruff personality flourish. Similarly, the normally charming and erudite Burleson has no trouble getting back into his NFL wide receiver personae delving deep into the X’s and O’s of the game.

The production values on The NFL Today are quite good. I’m talking about the look and feel of the broadcast. There is a relaxed calmness to the show. I really like the segment when the four panelists are seated on leather chairs away from the anchor desk just talking ball. Whether it is Burleson, Cowher, and Brown in fine suits or Ryan in a sport coat and buttoned up golf shirt, these guys look and sound great.

Later in the program, Ryan had a nice interview with Bucs’ QB Baker Mayfield live from Tampa. It was really good quarterback to quarterback repartée. Also in an interview feature, Cowher returned to his old stomping grounds in Pittsburgh for a sit down with Steelers’ quarterback Russell Wilson. The Q and A was interspersed with sound up video of Wilson in action. Following the interview, Burleson made the astute point that Wilson’s success this year and what he does moving forward in Pittsburgh will affect his legacy and perhaps even his Hall of Fame status.

The NFL Today crew was just as on the ball in the postgame, rifling through highlights and commentary of the early games this past Sunday. They adopted a totally different pace and tone from the pregame. The rapid fire back-and-forth points were fun to watch.

While Brown and Cowher bring a lot to the show, it is the combination of Burleson and Ryan that stands out prominently. These guys are really good. Ryan has a bright future in broadcasting with presence and analysis at a truly high level for a relative newcomer.

Brown, Cowher, Burleson, and Ryan do not have the longevity of FOX NFL Sunday’s Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Jimmy Johnson. They don’t have the large-scale production of ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown, nor do they have the Hollywood hijinks of NFL Network’s GameDay Morning show. What they do have is a collection of football savants who focus more on content than comedy, more on savvy than self-promotion, and more on the games than goofing around – a solid strategy in carrying on a lofty legacy.

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 Scary Is Stephen King’s Exit From The Radio Business?

Robby Bridges
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How Scary Is Stephen King’s Exit From The Radio Business?

I think I’ve seen about two dozen articles about Stephen King exiting ownership of his Bangor, Maine, radio stations, and each has been accompanied by some variation of “wow, even a celebrity can’t make a go of it financially in radio today.” (BMM 12/2)

It’s a truly extraordinary phenomenon, with the number of half-truths and opinions presented as fact and straight-up misleading information about the state of radio, particularly online.

I appreciated the positive coverage CBS News gave to Elvis Duran (though a millionaire nationally syndicated iHeart host is probably not indicative of the state of radio) while we live in an information echo system perpetuating the constant drum beat of radio’s death, failing, and demise.

At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, also so abundant online these days, I think there really is a narrative driven by digital media providers to paint traditional outlets as dying at worst or quaint relics at best.

Back to Stephen King, he’s one of a long line of celebrities who have owned radio stations, from Stevie Wonder to Pat Sajak and Buck Owens to Merv Griffin, all with varied success.

Today, like always, station ownership and management are major endeavors with lots of details and moving parts. If an owner isn’t going to be hands-on, they’d better find someone they can trust and still be available to that person.

Yes, radio faces listenership and revenue challenges (almost all of them self-inflicted), and King’s stations in Bangor are no different. Unlike larger Portland to the south, it’s not as cosmopolitan or growing as rapidly in its urban or suburban population.

That’s going to mean an extra level of intensity in finding ears and revenue, and national dollars (down everywhere as radio is so poor at showing Madison Avenue its true value proposition) are going to be next to nonexistent.

Further, from what I read, the master of horror no longer lives in town at least full time, and again, local radio ownership can be driven by relationships. Also, to the point, King is a vocal and outspoken liberal who has made no bones about his opposition to Trump and all things on the right, which can affect who does business with you locally, especially in a politically moderate city sitting in a ruby red metro area.

You and I don’t know King’s finances, personal life, health, or that of his closest associates, but I’d guess that as he nears his 80s, he’s not interested in what is necessary to run his cluster any longer and is not satisfied with the cash ROI he’d get from potential buyers. Turning in the licenses makes it easy for him to wash his hands of the situation quietly and cleanly.

Who knows.

But, as scary as the state of media and the economy feel at this moment, no, Stephen King getting out of radio ownership is not a perfect example of a larger problem. He’s just a guy who writes scary stories and, like the internet, likes to predict radio’s untimely demise.

Don’t believe it still? Check out the Wikipedia page on King that reads: “his advancing age and financial losses from the stations as reasons for the closure,” referring to the radio station sale.

Then click the New York Times article, which simply states, “King had the desire to get his business affairs in order.”

Big difference. See? Less scary with the lights turned on!

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Big Sky College Football Draws Huge Ratings in Small Markets for Scripps

BSM Staff
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It’s not the Super Bowl, but in Big Sky country the annual Brawl of the Wild college football game between in-state rivals Montana and Montana State is the next best thing.

On November 23, the Montana State Bobcats beat the Montana Grizzlies at Bobcat Stadium. Now, the TV ratings are in, and as usual the numbers are staggering.

In the Butte-Bozeman market, KBZK-TV, the CBS affiliate owned by the E.W. Scripps Co., drew a 33.9 rating and 67.1 share for the Brawl of the Wild, according to Comscore, which provides local audience measurement for Scripps. That means that more than two-thirds of the televisions in use at the time in the market were watching the game.

“It’s the largest sporting event every year in Montana,” Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports, told Barrett Media. 

“It’s massive out there and in many of those states, there’s no professional sports team,” Lawlor said. “So there’s no pro sports team in Montana and no pro sports team in Idaho. So when we broadcast their college football games, the audiences are huge and the Saturday before Thanksgiving is always Montana-Montana State.”

In addition to the Butte-Bozeman market, Scripps aired the game in four other Montana markets. Those stations averaged a 32.2 rating among adults 18 plus, and reached 109,092 households in the state.

Montana has been playing Montana State since 1897, making it one of the oldest rivalries in NCAA Division 1 football.. The game had been commonly known as the Cat-Griz game, or the Griz-Cat game, depending on where one lives or where one attended college.

In 1997, the game started to be promoted as The Brawl of the Wild. The winner of the The Brawl of the Wild takes possession of the Great Divide Trophy, which received that name because the schools are on opposite sides of the continental divide. Montana leads the series with 74 wins. Montana State was victorious 43 times and there have been five ties.

This year, Montana State won 34-11 as Adam Jones from Missoula ran for 197 yards and two touchdowns. The team finished its regular season undefeated at 12-0 and 8-0 in the Big Sky Conference. The victory helped the Bobcats earn the No. 1 seed in the upcoming FCS playoffs.. 

Scripps stations aired the Brawl of the Wild in several markets outside Montana including Tucson, Arizona, where it drew a 0.34 rating on KWBA. In Phoenix, the game was watched by 5,188 viewers on KASW, The game also appeared in Santa Barbara, California, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Denver, Colorado.

In total Scripps stations drew an audience of 129,753 viewers, including 116,720 in Montana alone.

Fans also tuned in to pre-game and post-game shows. The post game show for Montana-Montana State drew 57,455 adults 18 plus in Montana, the highest of the season.

Scripps launched its sports division in 2022 as cord-cutting made cable a less-attractive option for teams and leagues. Scripps has the WNBA and the National Women’s Soccer League on its Ion national network. Scripps stations in Las Vegas, Utah and Florida have the local TV rights to the NHL teams in those markets.

As it pursues more deals with big league teams, college sports in out-of-the way regions remain important.

“With these small conferences in places that don’t have pro sports, it seems like their college teams mean everything,” Lawlor notes.

When Montana State played U.C. Davis for the Big Sky championship, Scripps got a 28 rating across the state.

“In those markets, there are great rivalries and so much passion,” Lawlor said. “And the facts that we put that on over-the-air broadcast television, it’s a big deal. And we get some of the best numbers in the county.”

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.

Promo Meeting: Ideas, Concepts And Thought Starters For Music Radio

Jeff Lynn
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Promo Meeting: Ideas, Concepts And Thought Starters For Music Radio

The holidays are here. This is the season when radio stations ramp up events and marketing related to charities, and this year is no exception.

One of the more clever charity umbrella names I’ve heard is from Saga’s WHQG, Milwaukee. This won’t work for everyone, but given that the station’s branding is The Hog, “Lend A Helping Ham” stands out and seamlessly reinforces the brand.

Remember the “Thanksgiving on The Mayflower” promotion, where stations filled a Mayflower van with food? Saga Communications KISM, Bellingham, Washington, put its spin on that with “Pack A Patrol Car.” Teaming up with the local police department, it filled patrol cars with toys, gift cards, and cash donations.

This should be easy to execute, and the sales team will love the idea because they can sell stops at clients’ businesses that can serve as collection sites.

Stations have long used the idea of breaking their format or playlists to raise money by holding a request-a-thon, allowing people to pledge money to have their chosen song on the radio.

A fresh twist is “Toys For Tunes.” Pledge a toy to get a song played. The more obscure or out-of-format the song, the higher the dollar value of the toy.

Kids and pets are the quickest way to bond with listeners. “The 12 Strays Of Christmas” allows your station to have a feel-good promotion with a local animal shelter to help get pets adopted. Approach a pet store or veterinarian to donate a service with each adoption. Adoptable pets create great visuals for social media.

It’s too late for Thanksgiving, but put this on your calendar. Star 102.5 in Des Moines has hosted “Operation Combat Hunger, Tanks for Giving” for many years. When I was competing against them in the market, I was always jealous of the promotional visuals.

They partnered with the local National Guard to acquire tanks and military equipment to create its giving encampment. Listeners could drive through and make their donations. All the time spent building the display made it look huge. It was guaranteed to generate TV coverage and raise money for a good cause.

If you have something unique that you would like to share or have highlighted, I would love to hear from you—email jeff@barrettmedia.com

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

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