Garrett Bush has announced that his weekend radio show, The Barber Shop, is coming to an end following the conclusion of the Cleveland Browns season. Bush had been hosting the show since 2011 and has also been behind the microphone for Cleveland Browns Tailgate on the station as well. Outside of his radio hosting ventures, he is also a co-host of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show distributed across various digital platforms. Bush revealed the news about the weekend program in a social media post on X early Friday morning.
“I put everything into the show for 13 years but it was time for me to prioritize growth, balance & Family,” Bush said. “Thank you all for your continued support!”
The end of the weekend show is the latest in several changes that have taken place at 92.3 The Fan over the last several months, including the addition of Jonathan Peterlin to afternoon drive to host with Nick Wilson. Dustin Fox exited the afternoon drive timeslot towards the end of the summer, prompting a change in the daypart. Additionally, Keith Britton was promoted to become the brand manager of the outlet this past October following the departure of Andy Roth.
The Audacy-owned station has been the flagship radio home for Cleveland Browns football since 2013 and airs shoulder programming surrounding the games. The Saturday schedule begins with Cleveland Browns Weekend at 6 a.m. EST followed by the nationally disseminated Kickoff with Boomer and Valenti show. Bush hosts The Barber Shop on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. before Infinity Sports Network and college football games generally occupy the rest of the day.
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Former WTOP Program Director Jim Farley died earlier this year during a medical procedure at the age of 75. The station remembered the former leader by dedicating its main studio in his honor.
On Wednesday, WTOP renamed its main air studio as “The Jim Farley Glass Enclosed Nerve Center”, a moniker Farley often used to remind those taking the air on the Washington D.C. all-news station to remember that radio was “theatre of the mind.”
“When Jim came here, it just changed things immediately,” WTOP Senior Vice President and General Manager Joel Oxley told those assembled to witness the dedication. “It was just such an injection of enthusiasm and creativity and ideas, ideas, ideas.”
Jim Farley worked at the station from 1996 until his 2013 retirement.
Current Director of News and Programming Julia Ziegler worked with Farley when she joined the station in 2002 before ascending to her current role. She shared that her wish is for all of those who step through the studio at the Hubbard Radio station will remember the lessons of Farley.
“Jim Farley taught us all so much,” she said. “The ‘first get it right, then get it first’ is one of those many phrases I know I will take with me forever.”
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RCA Broadcasting has finalized the acquisition of silent 99.7 KVUT Tyler, Texas, from the University of Texas at Tyler for $100,000.
The University of Texas at Tyler purchased the radio station in June 2020 with plans to introduce a new Public Radio brand. However, this initiative ended in May when the university halted station operations, which had been broadcasting a combination of Public/News Talk and Jazz programming.
The station has officially begun simulcasting with co-owned Classic Hits 1370 KFRO and 94.1 Longview, now branded as KFRO-FM. This agreement enhances KFRO’s outreach throughout the Tyler/Longview market, with 99.7 FM serving Tyler and areas to the south, including Jacksonville.
The station has transitioned to an all-Christmas format for the remainder of December.
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After decades with ABC News, Executive Producer Marc Burstein has announced he’ll retire from the network after the inauguration of Donald Trump in January.
Burstein originally joined ABC News in the 1980s and worked on Good Morning America and ABC World News Tonight before ascending to the role of Executive Producer of the network’s special event programming in 1997.
“I’ve had an extraordinary run and for the last 27 years it’s been my honor and a privilege to lead the special events team covering the most significant events of our time,” Burstein said in a memo to staffers, which was originally reported by Variety. “It’s meant that not a day has gone by that I don’t go to sleep without first checking that my phone is charged and the ringer is on high.
“After producing literally thousands of special reports and countless planned events, the time has come for me to step away and sleep at night. How does one know when the time is right? To be honest, I don’t know. But it feels right. Another presidential election is behind us and a new headquarters building is ahead of us. After the inauguration next month, I will be retiring from ABC News.”
Officially, his final day will be on Friday, January 31st. Burstein was recently diagnosed with cancer, fast-tracking his retirement. He’ll continue to work as a consultant for ABC News in retirement.
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In the world of gaming, it’s no longer all about gameplay. Though mastering a game, winning tournaments, and others are crucial, there’s a growing trend that gets gamers’ attention in every corner of the earth—personalization. Esports has gone so far beyond merely playing the game; instead, it creates identity, builds looks, and develops individual style. Customization from characters up to skins has become a humongous part of what the game has become.
But how did we get here? Let’s dive into the origins of personalization in esports and why it’s changing the game.
1. The Evolution of Customization
When we first started playing video games, customization options were pretty limited. People could tweak certain aspects of the character in early video games, such as the color of the outfit or the design of its weapon. The thought of really personalizing a gaming experience was far from reality back then. Fast forward to today, the landscape has completely changed.
This has allowed players to change nearly every aspect of their character – be it their avatar’s looks, the skins they wear, and the weapons they use. Whether it’s RPG, Battle Royale, or CoD (Call of Duty), customization options have become an essential part of the game.
2. Role of Skins in Esports
Some of the most popular ways the players have customized their gameplay is through skins. In today’s gaming world, skins refer to digital items that give a cosmetic upgrade. However, they are also a tool through which players differentiate themselves, express themselves, and portray themselves in a unique community. That one skin can change anything from how a weapon might look in the game to what your avatar might look to other players from yours and can add just a personal little flair to the gameplay.
For example, take Call of Duty (CoD). It has been a staple in gaming for years now, and much of its appeal lies in its range of skins and options, which let users customize their games to be just as they want them to be. From elaborate weapon skins to make your guns look like they belong in some sort of futuristic sci-fi world and from gritty soldier outfits to sleek, high-tech gear on the character skins, choices are endless. In a competitive arena like CoD, suitable skin can even make you feel like a pro.
As personalization is in demand, most players are eager to buy CoD skins to enhance their game. These skins make a player stand out from the crowd of competitors but also serve as a status symbol, meaning a player has invested their time and money into their gaming identity. Whether the excitement of personalization or a need to show off a unique style, skins have become a staple part of the CoD community and the broader esports ecosystem.
3. The Psychology of Personalization
What is it about personalization that resonates so deeply with gamers? Psychology says that this taps into a basic human need – self-expression. Having the ability to personalize a character in any game enables players to have ownership over their digital selves. It’s no longer just playing a game. It’s more about creating a version of yourself within the virtual world. You may be a competitive gamer or a laid-back one. Either way, you can let that shine through in your character’s appearance.
In Esports players, personalization goes one step further. It’s about creating an identity in the gaming community. Players are not just game participants. They are brands. That is especially true for streamers and pro players. Custom skins adorn their heads, new, special avatars are constructed for each, and exclusive merchandise is designed to keep up with the online alter ego. Fans may even carry off similar skins or even just buy the same cosmetic goods, which, in turn, contribute toward attachment and loyalty among online gamers.
4. Growing Market in the Gaming Industry
This rise of personalized skins in esports has led to the emergence of a growing market. Whether it is an individual game or a third-party platform, revenue generated from the sale of in-game skins has made the gaming industry a multi-billion dollar business. Companies like Epic Games, the developers of Fortnite, and Activision, who created Call of Duty, cashed in on this opportunity. The companies sell premium skins, battle passes, and other cosmetic products as part of their monetization strategy for their games.
Even game developers profit. The demand for skins has given rise to a secondary market in which players buy and sell skins to one another, at times for large amounts of money. This created a new type of influencer, content creator, and esports professional who makes money from displaying rare or limited edition skins.. In many ways, skins have become aform of digital currency in the gaming world.
If you are interested in buying CoD skins or just want to get your hands on something unique, it’s easier than ever to find a marketplace that offers these exclusive digital items. The allure of having rare skin goes way beyond aesthetics; you are joining an elite class within the game community. And there’s always something new with updates, new skins, and special events, so players have constant reasons to collect.
5. Future of Personalization in Esports
The more the esports industry grows, the more personalization will be incorporated into the entire gaming experience. The possibilities are endless, from more dynamic skin options that change in real-time based on player actions to deeper integrations with social media that allow for even more individual expression.
In the future, we might see skins that are not just cosmetic but also impact gameplay somehow, whether through unique abilities or customizable weapons that affect strategy. Esports could become an even more immersive experience where your digital identity directly ties into your in-game success.
Conclusion
Personalization, driven by the rise of skin’s popularity, alters how consumers interact with their favorite games. What was once a different approach towards changing a character’s look has now become an integral part of gaming. It enables players to express themselves and create unique identities, but also possibly take part in a broader digital economy. And as esports continue to evolve, one thing is for sure: personalization is here to stay, and it’s leveling up the game in ways we never could have imagined.
No matter if you just play from time to time or are an aspiring esports pro, the ability to tailor your experience is a thrilling and vital component of gaming today. So, what are you waiting for? Start out exploring the world of customization and take your gaming identity to the next level!
Hallmark Channel’s Kansas City Chiefs movie reminding people of the romance between singer Taylor Swift and tight end Travis Kelce was the most-watched cable movie of the year, the network said, citing data from Nielsen.
Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story drew nearly 4 million unduplicated total viewers. The movie was part of a Merry Christmas Weekend programming stunt that reached 8.4 million unduplicated total viewers over Thanksgiving Day, Black, Friday and Saturday, the network said.
In addition to being the most-watched cable movie across all key demos, A Chiefs Love Story was also the most-watched cable program on Saturday among households, total viewers, women and persons 18 and up, 25-54 18-49 and 18 to 34.
With its distinctive holiday programming, Hallmark Channel is usually among the highest-rated channels during the fourth quarter and because of the highly touted movie, 2024 is no exception. Because of Swift fans following the team, in addition to its three recent Super Bowl championships, the Chiefs are the biggest draw among NFL teams.
A Chiefs Love Story contributed to making Hallmark Channel the most-watch entertainment cable network in Thanksgiving week, which is a distinction it has held for 12 straight years among women 18 and up as well as the 11th straight year as the leader among women 25-54.
In addition, it is the 10th straight year Hallmark Channel was the leader among households and total viewers and the 9th straight year as No.1 with women 18 to 49.
Produced for Hallmark Channel by the NFL , Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story stars Hunter King, as a woman whose family is competing to win a contest crowing the team’s biggest fam. She falls for the Chiefs director of fan engagement, played by Tyler Hynes.
Donna Kelce, mother of Travis and retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, now an ESPN commentator, appears in the film. Also making cameos are Chiefs coach Andy Reid and several other Chiefs players.
A week ago, the Lifetime cable channel ran an original move inspired by the Swift-Kelce relationship called Christmas in the Spotlight. Also this weekend Telemundo will be running a docu-series on Kansas City Chiefs fans in Mexico before Universo–also owned by NBCUniversal–airs the Chiefs game versus the Los Angeles Chargers.
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Bill Melton, the Chicago White Sox slugger who was also a broadcaster for the team, died Thursday at the age of 79.
Melton, who played for the Sox from 1968 to 1975, became an analyst for pregame and postgame shows for Chicago TV station WGN in 1998. He also appeared on Comcast SportsNet and NBC Sports Chicago until he retired in 2020.
Known as “Beltin’ Bill Melton,” the third baseman led the American League with 33 home runs in 1971. He was also an All Star that season.
Over the course of his MLB career, Melton had a .253 batting average and 160 home runs. After leaving Chicago, he played for the California Angels and the Cleveland team then known as the Indians.
“Bill Melton enjoyed two tremendous careers with the White Sox,” said White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf in a statement
“His first came as a celebrated home run king for White Sox teams in the early 1970s, where ‘Beltin Bill’ brought power to a franchise that played its home games in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. Photos of Bill wearing his home run crown and others of him posing with ballpark organist Nancy Faust still generate smiles to this day,” Reinsdorf said. “Bill’s second career came as a well-liked and respected pre and postgame television analyst, where on a nightly basis Sox fans saw his passion for the team, win or lose. Bill was a friend to many at the White Sox and around baseball, and his booming voice will be missed. Our sympathies go out to his wife Tess, and all of their family and friends.”
On Twitter, another White Sox slugger turned broadcaster, Frank “Big Hurt” Thomas, said “Bill and I shared many nights in studio talking baseball. He really knew how to light up a room. I loved his humor and stories. When he dropped Laddy on you you knew something funny was coming. God Bless Rest in peace.”
Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of former @whitesox Gr8 Bill Melton … “Beltin” Bill was my favorite player as a kid … grew up a @whitesox fan … was incredibly rewarding to work with Bill in the beginning of my broadcast career at Comcast Sports Net Chicago in… pic.twitter.com/3jObdwH9hq
After his playing career ended, Melton returned to Chicago as a team ambassador and part-time scout. When Michael Jordan left the Chicago Bulls to play baseball in 1993, Melton worked with Jordan as a hitting instructor.
Melton is survived by his wife, Tess, son, Billy, daughter, Jennifer, a grandson in addition to many extended family members.
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Over the past decades, horse racing has evolved from a purely male domain to a sport where women compete on par. This is only due to the female trailblazers and their long-haul fight for the right to step onto the racetrack. Here’s an exciting story of breaking barriers in horse racing.
Introduction
Historically, the horse racing industry has been masculine, with men playing the key roles, whether grooming, training, or riding horses. Women were not allowed to join jockey clubs and enter races; all they could do was attend a racetrack dressed up for the show’s visual appeal.
The rudiments of gender equality in racing emerged in the late 1960s as restrictions were lifted on female participation in the sport in different parts of the world. And it wasn’t until a few years later that women became eligible to compete with men in top-level horse racing events.
Since then, women’s impact on the industry has significantly grown. They rack up major trophies and earn widespread acclaim as riders, trainers, owners, and other participants. By fostering gender diversity, the sport has taken on a whole new dimension of competitiveness and thrill.
Equestriennes, like women in sports overall, forced their way through deep-rooted stereotypes and blatant discrimination. Their first attempts to break onto the racecourse faced pushback with mockery and protests from the men’s side. Yet, they maintained unwavering determination.
There are quite a few names of the women pioneers in racing whose audacious feats set the stage for the next generations of female jockeys and others in the industry. Below are some of the trailblazers who revolutionized the sport and contributed to the women’s ascent.
Laska Durnell won the 1904 Kentucky Derby as the first female horse owner.
Wantha Davis beat Johnny Longden, a US male multiple-champion jockey, in 1949.
Norah Wilmot became the first official female trainer of a winning racehorse in 1966.
Kathy Kusner sued a US racing commission and obtained a jockey’s license in 1968.
Diane Crump became the first female entrant of a parimutuel race in the US in 1969.
The pioneering female jockeys struggled to be accepted in the male-only sport. Only a year before Diane Crump was allowed to participate in a race, Penny Ann Early failed to ride in a racing series at Churchill Downs as the male contenders boycotted the races because of her.
Nevertheless, women withstood the devastating criticism and numerous bans and rose to the top of the industry, as evidenced by a host of stellar female jockeys, among whom are:
Julie Krone, the Triple Crown triumphant.
Rosie Napravnik, the Kentucky Oaks winner.
Michelle Payne, the Melbourne Cup champion.
Rachael Blackmore, the Grand National winner.
Men still noticeably outnumber women, but the industry has recently witnessed a slight but steady shift toward female representation. Today, women perform on an equal footing with male riders at world-class equestrian competitions and receive well-deserved recognition.
Female jockeys are great options for value bets, as their true odds of winning are often higher than bookies quote. You can bet profitably on established and promising female talents at 1xBet.
Apart from having brilliant riding skills, women have proven being excellent horse trainers. The way to training was paved by Ellen Chaloner, who was officially permitted to train horses in 1886 after her husband, an eminent jockey and trainer, died. Ellen achieved several wins with her runners.
Despite being turned down repeatedly, Mary Hirsch finally obtained a trainer’s license in 1935, creating a precedent for many other women. In 1983, Jenny Pitman led her horse to a Grand National victory, the first such achievement by a woman, and repeated the feat in 1995.
The list of phenomenal female horse trainers goes on and on. Deep affection for their charges and overwhelming dedication to their job help women excel in training. Hence, the likes of Kathy Ritvo, Gai Waterhouse, Parvati Byramji, and Jena Antonucci have ruled the roost these days.
The Role of Female Owners in Horse Racing
By owning premier runners, women have made an invaluable contribution to the sport. Starting from a winning owner, Laska Durnell, female ownerships have produced a sheer amount of champions and, what’s more, have taken the industry to new social and economic heights.
Racehorse aficionados know Penny Chenery, who owned the iconic Triple Crown winner Secretariat. Marylou Whitney, Stella Thayer, and other prominent owners popularized the sport, drew sizable investments, and took great care of horses during and after their racing careers.
Barriers to Further Progress and Challenges Ahead
Despite the recent tangible progress in eliminating gender disparity, the horse racing industry is yet to overcome inequality and bias toward women. Female riders still lack representation, have fewer earning opportunities, and experience prejudiced and even misogynistic attitudes.
Considerable efforts on national and international levels are required to break the barriers and change the perception of women in the industry. Today’s mission behind the industry-related institutions and communities is to empower and engage female participants in equestrianism.
However, positive trends do exist. Racing organizations and initiatives help fight inequality and promote inclusivity in the sport. Women begin to garner financial, institutional, and media support from dedicated associations and networks. If the trends persist, the future will be bright.
Finally, young girls passionate about horses and equestrian sports have remarkable examples in front of them. By looking up to female horse racing stars, such as Rosie Napravnik and Rachael Blackmore, they have a good chance to pursue a successful jockey career.
Conclusion
Due to the incredible perseverance and immense talent of female jockeys, trainers, and owners, the modern world of horse racing is more diverse, competitive, prosperous, and thrilling than it once was. Although the sport is still imbalanced gender-wise, equality is an achievable goal.
Value is what someone is willing to pay for something. So, for anyone saying the reported 6-year, $120 million deal is too much for ESPN to pay Stephen A. Smith, they need to re-read that first sentence. ESPN doesn’t have to do this, they are choosing to do this, so all congratulations to Stephen A. for getting what he wanted all along – to be the big dog both on the air and at the bank.
I will say it was rather humorous to read what Smith told The Athletic about the report of a deal being close – “I don’t talk about my contract negotiations. Never have. Never will.” Sure, he may not talk publicly about the specifics of his negotiations, but running around telling anyone that will listen, “It’s my turn,” saying he expects to be the highest paid personality at ESPN isn’t exactly the same as being silent about negotiations.
The first thing I thought of when I read that quote were the group of memes that get circulated about not telling anyone if you won the lottery…but there would be hints!
I don’t think I would be the first person to say that while supremely talented, Stephen A.’s BS meter runs a smidge higher than most. That’s his schtick and good for him for turning that into millions and millions of dollars.
His stuff isn’t necessarily my cup of tea, I don’t like being yelled at or watching others yell at one another, so I mostly take in his content on short-form videos posted on social and that is usually about enough for me. The problem even with that though is I see clips from First Take, clips from his podcast, clips from NBA shows, clips from his newfound political analyst career and on and on. Now, it sounds like he will be creating even more content with a production company and we already kind of got a glimpse at one of those projects, with the Up For Debate: The Evolution of Sports Media project on ESPN+ which, if anything, proved not everything Stephen A. Smith is a part of turns to gold.
So, this is what I am getting at. Is anyone else concerned that Stephen A. Smith may be at his peak now. Or that the amount of Stephen A. Smith we get already is more than enough and any more of him will oversaturate it and bring his value down?
I root for any talent to get as much money as they possibly can, especially when it is from a big corporate company. Take all their money. However, I am deeply invested in the success of ESPN – what I consider to be one of the best things to ever happen to sports fans. So, that is my worry here, is that eventually, like a long-term player contract in any major sport, the team (in this case the company), will regret this down the road. It all looks good today, but will ESPN be happy paying $20 million per year in years four through six?
This is where the risk comes in. The risk of overexposure, the risk of complacency after signing the mega deal (not likely as we do know Stephen A. Smith is one of the hardest working people in the business, I doubt that changes much), the risk of the other talent who will now want more money (be it people already working for them or others they may want to poach from another network) and the risk that he will be even further out of the 25-54 demo as this deal goes along – he will turn 60 in year 3.
Tough to really compare this situation to anyone else because there really is no comparison. And that may be the very reason ESPN sees this as a great investment – Stephen A. Smith in a lot of ways is one of one.
The question is, can he stay at the top? Can he really do all of the other things that he wants to do and remain focused enough on his ESPN commitments to have it all pay off for the company?
The Best/Worst Thing I’ve Heard/Watched/Read Recently
I spent some time over Thanksgiving week in New York and always like to listen to local sports talk radio when I am on the road. While you would expect the No. 1 market to have great programming, I am not sure that fits every show on the two major sports stations, but I do know that the WFAN morning show and the ESPN NY afternoon show (for now) are both about as good as you can expect.
I have written about The Michael Kay Show before, and to me, that is a New York sports talk show, complete with just about everything you would expect that to be. Some of the calls they take will make me laugh out loud and the person isn’t trying in the least to be funny. The three hosts have great chemistry, and Kay is one of the best to ever do it. If reports are true and Kay leaves the show to go solo earlier in the day, I will be glad I got to tune in and listen for a few days before it came to an end.
On WFAN, Boomer Esiason gives you great opinions along with the insight of a former professional athlete. The concern always is that a former athlete will only know their own sport well enough, but that is far from the case with Boomer, he really knows his stuff. Additionally, you can tell he appreciates the ‘locker room’ vibe of the show.
His partner Gregg Giannotti, in my opinion, is phenomenal. There’s something about the way Gio says things, whether he is providing information, giving what is generally a very strong opinion about something, or just bantering back and forth with the guys, that makes you want to keep listening. He is that perfect mix of both funny and serious and runs point very well, always seeming to have a good feel for when to let something breathe a bit and knowing when to cut something off before it goes completely off the rails.
Both shows kept me very entertained while I was in town and that is all a sports radio listener can ask for.
My colleague Peter Thiele on the news side of Barrett Media had an interesting column earlier this week. What he wrote about applies to all talent, so I wanted to make sure we posted about it on the sports side as well.
The crux of the column was that hosts need to be very aware of the revenue that is tied directly to them and their show as well as what the expectations are from the company. They need to look at things the way corporate does, which is to only look at the income versus the expense.
Thiele wrote, “The paradigm has changed. You can no longer live in ignorance over the billing assigned to your show. If you work for one of the larger companies that has debt, the bean counters are looking for things that lose the company money. Your job is a gift from your employer. There was a time when hosts did their work, and the sales department sold. The sales department and programming department had separate floors and rarely interacted unless it was for an endorsement lunch. Even the hand off for copy was rarely direct. I know a lot of hosts who love it that way. Ok crew, those days are gone.”
Peter offers some additional tips and while I disagree that anyone should offer to give salary back (it’s a revenue problem, focus on that!), it is a great thing for hosts to think about while they are still employed.
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There’s been plenty written on Barrett Media recently about the push towards video and the developing strategy for radio stations and shows around video. They’re all columns worth your time, as it’s just another data point to consider when understanding the shift in media consumption as we get set to head into 2025.
YouTube remains the second-largest search engine in the world after Google. So, it’s not just a place to watch goofy viral videos. It’s a place where people can search for information or entertainment related to topics you might talk about on your show.
As Barrett Media wrote this week: “Podcasts continue to increase in popularity, and along with it,YouTube sees an uptick in listeners, besting Spotify and Apple Podcasts as the biggest platforms. According to newdata from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights, 34% of weekly podcast listeners point to YouTube as their primary listening platform. That figure represents an increase from 2023 when 28% of similar respondents identified it as their primary source of listening. Elsewhere, 17% of respondents said Spotify was their preferred listening platform, with 11% claiming Apple Podcasts was their top platform.”
Now many podcasts can be found on YouTube as simply an audio file with either limited, or no real video component. That’s Step 1.
But Step 2 is developing your show to have at least a semblance of a video component. That could be live streaming. It could be long-form interviews or monologues sliced up for easily consumable content. It could also mean a short-form video that plays as a YouTube short, Instagram, or Facebook reel. In a perfect world, it’s all of the above.
But no matter what, this is a critical part of our future that we all need to focus on sooner rather than later. It is a priority for us at KCMO Talk Radio, as it has been for many News/Talk and Sports Talk brands as of late.
But just as important is how hosts and producers can ensure they maximize their talents and prospects for the future based on industry trends.
One of the questions I keep hearing industry-wide is, “Who’s going to edit/produce on the video side?”
Every person working in radio would be wise to learn how to video edit and cut, just like we all learned how to use Adobe Audition, or any of its competitors, to cut audio (I never worked in a reel-to-reel world). But in an industry that needs to evolve rapidly, we can either learn the skill sets necessary to move the business forward or die on the vine and then go to social media to complain about the industry.
Then, there’s the graphics work that should not be overlooked. As Barrett Media’s piece also added, “Additionally, for podcast discovery on YouTube, 53% of those surveyed between the ages of 18-34 say they have chosen a podcast based on the thumbnail image.”
Thumbnail images can make or break anything on YouTube. It’s another skill set that will never let you down in the digital age we are living through.
These are challenging times, and while learning these new skills doesn’t guarantee job security, they’re valuable skills that are in high demand and translate to almost any other industry in today’s workforce. Marketing companies, ad agencies, and other traditional and emerging media outlets are all looking for people who possess this skill. There’s literally no downside.
So, start learning, and start now, whether it’s Adobe Premier, VidCut, Instagram’s Video Editor, Canva, Photoshop or anything else of its ilk. Even an hour a week. And by the spring, you’ll be a completely different content creator. And for the better.
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