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Scott Husky is President of RWPC, a Corinth, Mississippi-based consulting firm focusing primarily on Country radio.
Husky worked for the late Rusty Walker, and the company name reflects a nod to Rusty Walker Programming and his work.
He is this week’s featured consultant.
Jeff Lynn: What is the current state of Country Radio?
Scott Husky: I think we are currently in somewhat of a transition phase of Country. The music is really good right now, and there is nationwide attention to the format. We have a ton of fresh new artists breaking out, thanks to TikTok and YouTube. The music has variety. Every song doesn’t sound the same. Story songs are coming back some, and that’s the root of Country music.
My biggest fear is that since we have a ton of new artists coming out, we run the risk of becoming a song-based format. Call me old-fashioned, but the central core of the format has always been that it’s an artist-driven format. The listeners want to wrap their arms around the artists, and it’s tough when there are so many of them, and some of them don’t get a chance to mature.
JL: How do you advise clients to handle that overwhelming amount of new music coming out of Nashville?
SH: We have to carefully manage the songs coming out of Nashville. The great music I just spoke of can get lost if we don’t manage it. Certainly, artist separation is not as much an issue as in the past. You can play the same artist within a shorter period of time than a few years ago.
I like to have special features that showcase a new song or group of new songs that’s something that can be done a couple times a day and not just at night. That way, we can expose new songs and tell our listeners that we hear the new stuff but not have to try to rotationally play ALL the new things coming out. With so much coming so fast, it’s hard to develop a passion for a song, and that’s what radio still needs to do: create a passion for the music.
JL: You carry the mantle for the legendary Rusty Walker. What does it mean to you to carry on his work?
SH: It was a dream come true when I was able to begin working with Rusty years ago. I was fortunate enough to be a client for nearly ten years before I joined the team. We still maintain the same philosophy about focusing on the listener, and underpromising and overperforming are our goals. Being associated with one the members of the Mount Rushmore of consultants is an honor that we don’t take lightly. In the past 12 years since his passing, there have been many times where I have said, “I’m gonna ask Rusty…”. The fortunate thing he did for us on the team was allow us to develop our own style. My particular case, since I was a client for so long with some good success (KCYY Y100), allowed me to learn from Rusty before putting it into practice.
JL: How important is the resurgence of 90s music to a current-based Country station?
SH: I think, based on the market situation, some 90s sprinkled in gives some great depth to the station. The younger demo is finding that music, and it’s pretty good. In lots of cases, that music adds dimension but doesn’t necessarily add shares. The issue is really what to do with the early 2000’s.
JL: Considering market differences, generally, what is a good balance of current/recurrent/gold?
SH: Again, market-to-market is different. Competitive situations are different, but I like to balance a little newer today: 30%-40% gold, 60-70% Current/recurrent.
JL: How are you coaching morning teams to extend their brand from just four hours in the morning to across the day? How important is video and podcasting for shows, and does it need to be more than just a repost of the show?
SH: It’s extremely important to extend the brand as listeners are consumers of multiple types of media. I encourage all my mornings shows to create touchpoints throughout the day whether it is via podcast or Facebook or Insta or X interaction.
Just like the music the listener wants to get their arms around the personalities. I think podcasts are key and they can be anything from the “show after the show” where you can let your hair down a bit and continue on with the thread from the day or you can tackle those things that didn’t make it on the show.
I also encourage all talent to use video whenever they can and if they have a special passion or interest I suggest they create a podcast about that passion. That can give the listener another way got get to know the personality.
JL: What are a couple of the best promotions you have seen lately?
SH: This time of year I especially like “Random Acts of Cash” where a listener wins cash and the station donates the same amount to a charity of the listener choice in the listeners name. Generally, I like some of the standards like Secret Sound or Crack the Code. If it has vicarious playing to it, I like it.
JL: Social media is a daily moving target. How are you advising clients to create a strategy?
SH: You are correct about a moving target. The best advice I give is fish where the fish are. Be present on the platforms of choice, TikTok, Insta, and FB, to a certain extent. I believe all things should point back to the station and have a reason for being. I could be wrong, but I don’t like posting things just to post things. Again, video is key.
JL: What is the best piece of career advice ever given to you?
SH: Lead, don’t Tell…..Coach, don’t boss. And always carry a litterbag in your car., it doesn’t take up much room, and when it gets full, you can just throw it out the window anyway (thank Steve Martin)
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Earlier in the year, ESPN and Omaha Productions officially reached a nine-year media rights extension that expands the partnership between both companies. As a part of this deal, the award-winning alternate broadcast, Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, was officially slated for renewal, and both parties committed to collaborating on developing new content across several verticals of distribution. Over the past three years in which the ManningCast had been on the air, the presentation had gone through various iterations and introduced new elements, such as state-of-the-art technology, special editions for NFL playoff games and doubleheaders, and elaborate schedule reveal videos featuring celebrities from sports, pop culture and entertainment.
Omaha Productions, which was co-founded by Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and television executive Jamie Horowitz in 2020, has worked with sports media brands to create compelling and entertaining content accessible through multiple consumption platforms. Manning is a front-facing personality on select ventures and works with his brother, Eli, on editions of the ManningCast.
During the NFL offseason, the company agreed to a deal with eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick to have him appear on the show for the first half of games. Yet the conversations between Belichick and Peyton Manning went beyond this venture and ultimately materialized into a new offering that has established itself as a distinguished source of strategic insights and analytical expertise.
“When we were recruiting Coach Belichick in the offseason, we discussed The Breakdown show idea, and what appealed to both of us was developing something that would educate fans about football in a deeper way than usual,” Manning said. “Coach Belichick is a brilliant Coach and we have received such great feedback on the show from players, former players, and coaches at all levels from high school to the pros.”
Accompanying forthcoming ManningCast episodes concurrent with the traditional presentation of Monday Night Football on ESPN, The Breakdown grants viewers a lens into the nuances of football from the viewpoints of Manning and Belichick. As accomplished professionals in their own right, the former quarterback and head coach dissect game film in a manner akin to NFL team meetings. The multiplatform series, which is produced with NFL Films, divulges some of the observations that are made as franchises scheme formations, routes and alignments to defeat the opponent.
“We try to hit a few different themes on each side of the ball in each episode, so it probably resembles more of an overview of the matchup that a Head Coach or Coordinator would do alongside their Quarterback,” Belichick said. “Peyton, of course, brings the perspective of a Hall of Fame player [while] I try to give fans the view from a Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator perspective.”
New episodes of The Breakdown premiere through ESPN+ on Fridays leading up to upcoming editions of the ManningCast. Additionally, the program also airs on ESPN2 several times before the featured game on Monday Night Football. This show adds to an expansive programming lineup on ESPN networks and ABC that supplements the ongoing NFL media rights deal with The Walt Disney Company. The 10-year pact contains flex scheduling ability from Week 12 to Week 17, an annual divisional round game and Super Bowl broadcasts to conclude the 2026 and 2030 seasons.
“Peyton and Belichick together, discussing football – there is no convincing needed when that is on the table,” said Burke Magnus, president of content at ESPN. “Great part of our relationship with Omaha Productions is we both see eye-to-eye in pushing for impactful and entertaining approaches to educate and entertain fans. An added benefit is the brand extension the show provides to Monday Night Football and Monday Night with Peyton and Eli.”
Throughout their NFL careers, Manning and Belichick were regarded as savants in their profession and amassed the metrics to back it up. As a quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, Manning won two Super Bowl championships and five MVP awards while earning 14 Pro Bowl selections. Furthermore, he retired as the all-time leader in passing yards (71,940), game-winning drives (54) and touchdown passes (539). Even though they were never in the same organization, Manning has profound respect for Belichick, who won six Super Bowl championships over his 24-year tenure as the head coach of the New England Patriots.
“Bill has one of the greatest football minds ever,” Manning said. “I faced him 24 times in my playing career. Some games he won, some games we won, but there was always mutual respect and admiration. I didn’t really get to know him personally until he coached me in the Pro Bowl in 2007. He loves football, he cares about the game and his insights are incredible. I think that’s what fans see when they watch The Breakdown and why it has been so successful.”
In games where Manning faced Belichick, he passed for an average of 267.5 yards per game and eliminated the Patriots from the playoffs three times. Although Manning compiled a winning record in their postseason play, Belichick won 10 out of their 15 regular-season contests when he was the head coach of New England. Fifteen of the 24 overall matchups, including when Belichick was defensive coordinator of the New York Jets, ended as one-score games and were subsequent points of discussion across sports media. Nearly a decade later, Manning and Belichick are on the other side of the equation and apply their knowledge to draw inferences with substantial credibility.
“Peyton and I had a lot of player/coach battles,” Belichick said. “Trying to think a step ahead of Peyton was always a big challenge.”
When Belichick and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways following last season, he departed the organization 15 victories away from breaking Don Shula’s record as the winningest coach in league history. As rumors continue to percolate about a potential return to the sidelines, Belichick has been working within the sports media industry throughout the NFL season presenting his discerning proficiency and tactical wherewithal.
Outside of his appearances on ESPN platforms, which also includes an agreement for a weekly interview on The Pat McAfee Show, he co-hosts the Let’s Go! podcast through SiriusXM, stars and co-produces Coach with Underdog Fantasy. Moreover, he is an analyst on Inside the NFL, which is in its second season airing on The CW.
Belichick films editions of The Breakdown from the NFL Films studios and works with Manning remotely, who co-hosts the program from the same location in which he participates in Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli. Rather than sifting through tape from around the league, the show focuses on the two teams that are set to be featured on Monday Night Football a few days later. In fact, having the episodes center on the ensuing matchup was a subject of the early discussions surrounding the ESPN+ original series.
“Bill and I have tried to make it more of a teaching tape, focused on big-picture football strategy,” Manning said. “Where else can you talk in depth to Bill Belichick, an eight-time Super Bowl Champ, about his approach to blitzing and then talk through exactly how his Patriots used it against us in the years we played them[?]”
While consumers are not generally afforded access to internal team meetings during the season, mass media conglomerates employ former players and experts as analysts who can diminish ambiguity and prognosticate gameplans. On top of that, broadcasters often converse with players, coaches and other key personnel before games, providing background information off which they can accurately contextualize occurrences, formulate opinions and deliver commentary. Blending elements of synthesis, inquiry and repartee, Manning and Belichick authentically depict their mindsets and engage in incisive discussions.
“Peyton and I do our best to bring the viewers inside a film session,” Belichick explained, “and [we] try to show what is working, what is not working, and why.”
Courtesy: ESPN, Omaha Productions, NFL Films
Manning and Belichick review game footage and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of teams on the field, providing a benchmark for their real-time analysis amid the matchup. Even though the ManningCast welcomes guests who sometimes discuss ancillary topics not directly related to the game, an overarching theme of these eclectic interviews is the palpable display of interest and revelry in football. The sport continues to function as the cornerstone of both programs; however, the degree to which they penetrate the full breadth of the action varies between these presentations.
“The Breakdown gives us more of a chance to offer some instruction or teaching moments,” Manning said. “While we’re trying to entertain with both shows, The Breakdown is that show that really goes deeper on football. It’s a football show for avid football fans.”
Over its five years in business, Omaha Productions has worked to become a leader in creating distinctive content that cuts through the clutter. From the creation of documentaries chronicling the lives of professional athletes to unveiling divisions dedicated to branded material and audio, the enterprise aims to serve the industry and enthrall the audience.
The debut of the ManningCast can be surmised as a watershed moment in sports media that disclosed the ingenuity of recurring alternate broadcasts combining shrewd discourse, authentic personality and external contributions. Rather than functioning as purely ancillary content though, The Breakdown has concurrently set itself apart as a distinctive property and archetype to be considered for future NFL programming.
Manning recognizes the value of hosting the show alongside Belichick, an accomplished coach, general manager and coordinator who was tasked with game-planning for a preponderance of the active personnel and teams around the league. Belichick’s path to winning Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots involved facing Anthony Lynn, Andy Reid and Sean McVay, all of whom are still coaching and/or coordinating for NFL franchises.
Yet Belichick, who gained a reputation of being reserved in his press conferences as a coach, has exhibited his passion for football in the media setting. At the same time, he has been able to convey his vast logic by translating film-room parlance into straightforward, clear vernacular.
“No matter if it’s The Breakdown or the ManningCast, if you’re listening to Bill Belichick talk about football, you’re going to get smarter,” Manning said. “He’s witty and has a dry sense of humor, and it’s fun to see him in this new media role.”
The program utilizes visual elements to illustrate what is being discussed, one of which includes clips from previous matchups. Manning and Belichick will draw parallels to instances in their playing careers that are applicable to a given situation, evincing senses of nostalgia and outlining the historical links therein. On an earlier episode of the show, Belichick broke down cornerback Malcolm Butler’s interception in Super Bowl XLIX that secured the Patriots’ victory. Within the examination, he reviewed the defensive scheme and detailed how it was successfully carried out.
“We try to pull a few plays from the NFL Films Vault every week while also breaking down what’s going to win or lose this game for the two teams,” Belichick said, “so it’s supposed to be fun, educational and give you a different perspective on the matchup than you might normally get during the week.”
Courtesy: ESPN, Omaha Productions, NFL Films
Rather than solely talking about the intricacies of the game, Manning and Belichick have diagrammed concepts and schemes using a telestrator. Interspersed during the 30-minute episode, the duo is able to delineate coverage assignments, sketch routes and highlight other signals that may be concealed to those who did not play professional football. Explaining what is taking place with visual aids powered by firsthand knowledge and advanced technology can assist viewers in better grasping the essence of conversation and the minute details that can decide between a touchdown or a turnover.
“Peyton and I want to educate the viewers – the telestrator is a good way for both of us to give our perspective on the same play,” Belichick said. “A quarterback/head coach conversation about preparing for a game, and the execution of play, is how I took my football knowledge to the highest level. We will show our viewers the fundamentals and details of the plays we break down.”
In addition to the game audience, The Breakdown is said to have also become appointment viewing for NFL coaches and quarterbacks. There are even rumors of NFL teams implementing clips from the show into film studies of their own, exhibiting an appreciation and respect for the duo and the opinions given on the program.
“One thing I love about the show is hearing from coaches who have watched it and used it with their players,” Manning said. “We hope to make it smart football instruction, where the viewer can learn something new.”
Manning and Belichick simplify complex elements of the game within their analysis as they strive to write and effectuate a winning formula on The Breakdown. Omaha Productions and ESPN, working in tandem with NFL Films, have provided the resources and materials necessary for the show to air. Combined with its presentation, the program is ultimately powered by an inexorable curiosity to decipher plays and construct an effective course of action ahead of the opening kickoff.
“He has a great offensive mind,” Belichick said of Manning. “I love the opportunity to be his teammate on Breakdown – I love talking football and learning from Peyton – joining him on Breakdown was a no brainer.”
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In April 2021, 104.5 The Zone in Nashville announced former University of Tennessee basketball star and Nashville native Ron Slay would join their afternoon show 3HL. Slay would join hosts Brent Dougherty and Dawn Davenport in the afternoons as the third host on a show that has been around, in various iterations, for many years.
The show started out in middays, hence the name which stands for ‘3 Hour Lunch.’ It now airs weekdays in afternoon drive from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT. This week I chose the popular show to eavesdrop in on.
Daugherty started on the show in late 2008 and would work with OutKick founder Clay Travis and former Tennessee Titans player Blaine Bishop. Davenport, an Auburn grad who has worked sidelines for ESPN since 2013, joined the show in 2017.
When Slay came on board, Program Director Paul Mason had said it was the listeners who had pushed the station to hire him. “3HL is already a great show, and I look forward to seeing it go to even higher levels,” Mason said at the time. As it turned out, Mason and the station listeners nailed the hire.
When the Fall ratings book came out in April this year, 3HL had a streak of 23 consecutive months being No. 1 in the M25-54 demographic. Additionally, the show went from No. 13 in the BSM Top 20 Mid-Market Afternoon Shows list in 2021 to No. 4 in 2022 and No. 2 in 2023.
In June 2023, the hosts all agreed to multi-year contract extensions to ensure the show will be around for several more years. When the contract extensions were announced, Davenport had said, “It’s not very often you find the chemistry and culture that we are lucky enough to have right now at the Zone and on 3HL. We have the best listeners in the country, and I’m so excited our team will be together for the foreseeable future!”
On the Tuesday Nov. 19 episode, Davenport was fighting a lost voice. Her doctor had recommended voice rest, but she fought through and did what she could to contribute. Dougherty and Slay had some fun with this and suggested she hold up signs to show if she agreed or disagreed with what her colleagues were talking about. Davenport suggested she would make a sign with a middle finger on it and hold that up.
Davenport made it clear she wasn’t feeling sick, her voice was just not working. She pointed out her football assignment this coming weekend might involve her working in snowy conditions in West Virginia.
As I listened to this opening part of the show, I couldn’t help but feel like instead of the proverbial ‘two buddies at a bar’ that this was more like a family, with two brothers and a sister at a bar talking sports, along with any other number of subjects that might come up. While the guys were giving Davenport the business, she was throwing it right back. And, at the same time, there was general concern for her wellbeing as she was asked a few times if she should really be listening to her doctor and shutting her voice down.
There is a lot of interaction with those tuning in, through the phone lines and especially through the chat happening on YouTube. The listeners were having fun at Davenport’s expense as well. One suggested her husband must be happy since she was trying to talk as little as possible.
Davenport got the joke but said her husband, a big Indiana fan, was actually not happy because he wanted to talk about the team’s big game coming up against Ohio State and where they might be ranked by the playoff committee.
Several comments were made referring to the raspiness of Davenport’s voice with many saying it sounded “sexy.” Later the voice conversation would lead down a rabbit hole of comparing her voice to how Demi Moore sounds. This led to talking about actress Kathleen Turner, which led to talking about the movie Romancing the Stone, which led to talk of just how good of an actor Michael Douglas was. That was followed by Daugherty asking his cohorts if they had seen the list of best 1980’s movies where Clue was No. 1. Slay had never seen it but was happy to hear his favorite, Scarface, was No. 2 on the list.
It was indeed a Tuesday with no local teams having played the night before. There would be plenty of sports mixed in over the three hours, but the episode was all over the place, in a good kind of way – it covered a lot of ground.
Daugherty runs point on the show and does a solid job of keeping the audience updated on what’s coming up and deciding when it is time to move on to something else. He has strong opinions and a big voice, and he knows the Nashville sports scene inside and out.
Slay is funny, has a great laugh and gives the perspective of someone who played sports at a very high level. In the family dynamic he is definitely the younger brother, often leaning on Daugherty and Davenport for wisdom. At the same time, he’s not afraid to give his opinion and seems to rarely play things down the middle.
Those that tuned in for football talk got plenty of that over the course of the show. Jim Wyatt, who covers the Titans, came on and tried to make sense of their season as they tried to figure out how the team could come out of an upcoming game at Houston with their third win of the season.
A college football section had some great content as the trio talked about the Texas A&M Aggies – Texas Longhorns matchup which was a week and a half away. They talked about all the various scenarios in the SEC and some of the other larger conferences. This then led Davenport to bring up something she had texted the guys about recently, which was the Texas A&M security feed on X @tamupolice. The account addresses any and all security issues in the stadium. As one can imagine the word ‘intoxicated’ shows up a lot and the issues usually ended with something like, ‘subject released to sober friend’. Should be a fun account to follow the day of that Texas game.
Later, other football subjects addressed would include who the Titans might pick near the top of the draft, where the Titans are as a franchise versus the only team scheduled to pick ahead of them at this point, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and their thoughts on Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter.
Slay said, “You cannot compare this guy to anyone, he is 100 snaps a game.” Daugherty noted former Titans receiver Kevin Dyson had said while he doesn’t think Hunter is a great route runner, he could contribute offensively in the NFL, but thinks ultimately, he will be an elite cornerback.
Davenport added she didn’t think people really understood how hard it is to do what Hunter does. “I see it, I feel it every weekend on the sideline and the fact that he is doing it is special.”
Slay compared Hunter’s elite athleticism to that of an Allen Iverson or a Charlie Ward, who played quarterback and point guard. “We can name all of them, this isn’t a long list,” Slay said.
The topic the hosts kept coming back to however, was an important one in its own right. That was the topic of when the first time someone grouped peanut butter and chocolate together. Initial show research said it happened in the 1920’s, however later a caller said he believed it was earlier in the 1900’s.
This is where we learn Daugherty is a peanut M&Ms guy, Slay likes a Payday and Davenport prefers an Almond Joy. Viewers watching on YouTube, Facebook Live, X and Twitch also learned that Davenport likes sunflower seeds which she was eating throughout the show. That sort of had the direct opposite effect of the ‘Demi Moore voice’.
Daugherty had a great line at one point, summing up the type of day it had become on the show. “This is where we are today,” he said. “Damn Titans are 2-8 so we’re talking about chocolate and peanut butter.”
So it goes, at least it was entertaining conversation, didn’t sound forced, and those wanting hardcore sports talk were served well, too, just not as much as they would be on some other days. There was a really good conversation about teams perhaps not wanting to play in conference championship games in college football. Some sound played of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin confirmed that some SEC coaches were thinking they’d rather sit the game out and skip the chance to get the bye week, versus potentially losing and getting knocked out.
This led Davenport to say, “The committee better be careful how they treat the conference championship game losers, or they’re going to become [even less important].” Daugherty would add about the college football season so far, “This year is on crack.”
All in all, you probably shouldn’t be allowed to have as much fun as 3HL does and get paid for it. The chemistry is no doubt what makes the show special and the three also have different backgrounds that give the audience several different perspectives.
Whether it was college football or the NFL, how long someone might want to stay in Alaska or which type of slaw you prefer, 3HL entertains and informs. And as it does it will make you laugh along as well and you’ll feel like you’re just another person sitting at that bar, talking with friends about sports or making fun of Davenport for taking out her own mailbox.
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He is the latest big name in conservative media who will be “moving at the speed of Trump.” Salem Media radio host, Dr. Sebastian Gorka, was tapped over the weekend to serve in President-elect Trump’s second administration as senior director for counterterrorism.
The radio host, who also has a Sunday show on Newsmax, is no stranger to Washington. He served in the previous Trump administration as a deputy assistant and counterterrorism strategist. It is this national security expertise which brought the London-born host to media.
“I started to do interviews for Fox News around the time of the Paris attacks,” Dr. Gorka said. “I got a lot of exposure because of what was happening in France, and that led to a lot of attention from the likes of Sean Hannity and others. So, I did a lot of TV media, then radio media.”
After his time in the administration, Salem offered Dr. Gorka his own radio show, America First. “Radio is live, it’s unscripted,” he said. “And often the host is connecting with the listener in a very intimate fashion. They’re listening to them in their car, while they’re walking the dog, while they’re doing some chores at home. If you’re faking your attitude, your analysis, your demeanor, the three hours of talking will very quickly demonstrate to the listener that it is artifice and that it’s not genuine.”
Dr. Gorka believes this is why conservatives have dominated the talk radio landscape for years. He said, “People don’t want to listen to something that’s hate filled and artificial for hours on end.”
Saying he is as much a consumer as he is a producer of radio, Dr. Gorka attributed his love of radio to his mother, who worked in media. “My mother actually worked for Radio when the BBC was still an institution of integrity,” he recalled. “When she was awake, the radio was on and I’ve kind of inherited that.”
In addition to his daily radio show, Dr. Gorka also hosts the Gorka Reality Check on Newsmax every Sunday. He explained, “Because my TV show is weekly, I can dedicate the whole hour to an issue like trans lunacy, or the border, or the economy, or war in the Middle East, which gives me the luxury to go a little bit deeper than having to cover what happened this morning in the current news cycle.”
Aside from his unique opinions, Dr. Gorka often brings his radio talent to the TV screen, by not using a prompter. “I think the closer you can get television to radio, the more exciting it is,” he said “Also you differentiate yourself. How many cable monologues are there in an evening? There are a lot of them. How many of the panel formats are there out there? Far too many. So, if you’re connecting, it’s the same as politics.”
Dr. Gorka is a big believer that facts are not enough to sway voters (and listeners) but there is a need to grab hold of their emotions as well. “Ben Shapiro is wrong,” he said. “I mean, he built his career on this catchy phrase, ‘Facts don’t care about your feelings.’ Yeah. Okay. But people have feelings and feelings are often what win elections and win arguments. The election on November the 5th wasn’t about tax policy or the fine minutia of how we’re going to fix the border.”
He went on to say, “I give credit to Brendan O’Neil out of the UK from Spiked online. The real reason for this trouncing of Kamala Harris and the Democrats and not just the electoral college, but in the popular vote as well, was an emotional, spiritual one.”
Comparing the 2024 election to Brexit, Dr. Gorka said, “The American people of every skin color [voted for Trump]. 25% of blacks voted for President Trump. People were fed up with being told you need to be ashamed of being in America. It was about pride. It was about, ‘I want to be allowed to love my country again’. That’s an emotional statement.”
This emotion Dr. Gorka sees in American politics is the very same emotion which he believes bring people to their choice of media. “That’s the obverse of what Shapiro has been telling us for years and as such, that’s the important aspect of communication,” he said. “Be it radio, podcasts, TV, you have to connect that you have the truth. If you’re a patriot, if you’re a believer, if you’re a conservative, you have the truth.”
It is this truth which Dr. Gorka says other media outlets lack. “The mainstream legacy lying media are prostitutes for the Democratic party, and they literally have talking points, whether it’s about President Trump, Matt Gaetz, the border or the economy, they’re just propaganda outlets. And that’s why the conservative movement owns talk radio, because we’re prepared to tell the truth.”
He later added, “I say to conservatives, we have the truth. The other side denies the existence of truth, not just the existence of God, but the existence of objective truths. Conservatives and patriots believe in God, believe in family, believe in truth and objective truth and we think that’s enough.”
For those looking to follow in Dr. Gorka’s footsteps, his advice is simple, “Whether they want to work in media or be a brain surgeon, it’s the same piece of advice. Put your stinking phone down for an hour a day, switch it off and pick up a book, preferably written by a dead white guy, who died at least 400 years ago.”
From Plato to Shakespeare, Dr. Gorka believes these writers of the past will help many expand their horizons in the future. “The truth is immutable,” he said. “The truth of mankind and what moves human beings hasn’t changed since the first Cro-Magnon man came out of that cave. Read, read, read. Become an expert in a field. Make yourself indispensable in that field.” He later added, “Become the person who, on a specific issue, is a proven expert and authority. That’s what you want to have.”
Note: This interview took place before President-elect Trump announced Dr. Sebastian Gorka would be joining the Trump Administration
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Amazon’s Prime Video scored an average audience of 14.78 million viewers for its Thursday Night Football matchup featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns, according to the Big Data + Panel from Nielsen Media Research. The game was played through heavy snow and saw the Browns come from behind to win the game 24-19 on a 2-yard touchdown run by Nick Chubb with :57 seconds left.
The game marked an increase of approximately 34% over the last time the two teams played one another on Thursday Night Football. The last game drew just over 11 million back in Sept. 2022. Furthermore, the matchup is the fifth most-watched Thursday Night Football event for the season.
This makes it 13 times that TNF on Prime has averaged more than 13 million viewers since the outlet started airing games in the 2022 season. For this season alone, it is the seventh game over that mark with four games still to air.
Through 11 games, TNF on Prime’s record season is now averaging 14.31 million viewers, pacing 16.2% over the 2023 season-to-date average of 12.31 million. Additionally, the metric is nearly 20.7% ahead of the 2023 full-season average of 11.86 million and 49.3% over the 2022 full-season average of 9.58 million.
For the season to date, TNF on Prime Video’s median age is 48.4, about seven years younger than audiences watching the NFL on linear networks, which is 55.3 years, and almost 15 years younger than the broadcast primetime average age of 62.9.
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Sam Newton has announced his resignation as Program Director for American General Media’s Classic Rock “Coyote 102.5” KIOT and Classic Hits “BIG 98.5” KABG Albuquerque.
He is set to join the Public Affairs Department with the State of New Mexico.
In a staff email, Regional Director of Operations & Programming Bob Lewis described the announcement as “a bittersweet morning in ABQ.” He expressed gratitude for Newton’s contributions over the past seven years, stating, “Sam has been an integral part of the success of KIOT, Classic Hits KABG, and our AGM brands. He has done an exceptional job, and we wish him the best as he embarks on a new chapter in his career.”
Newton’s final day with AGM is scheduled for November 30th.
Lewis announced that the organization intends to swiftly and carefully fill the vacant position to enhance its ratings mission across both brands.
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Norah O’Donnell previously announced she would leave the anchor chair of CBS Evening News after the 2024 election. We now know the concrete date she’ll depart.
O’Donnell will anchor her final edition of the network newscast on Friday, January 24th. That ensures she’ll remain on the job for coverage of the inauguration of Donald Trump, which will take place on Monday, January 20th.
On Monday, January 27th, the CBS Evening News will complete its transition to a New York studio. John Dickerson, Maurice DuBois, and Margaret Brennan will fill the anchor chair vacated by O’Donnell’s departure.
Norah O’Donnell has helmed the chair since July 2019. She will begin her new role as the network’s senior correspondent, which includes producing high-profile interview specials for 60 Minutes in addition to the Evening News.
During her tenure leading the venerable news brand, CBS News has lagged in the ratings behind ABC World News Tonight with David Muir and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. The program anchored by O’Donnell has routinely finished in third place in those hotly contested ratings battles.
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Rudy Martzke, who spent many years covering sports media for USA Today has died at the age of 82. Martzke started at USA Today in 1982 and was there until he retired in 2005.
He was well known for his Rudy’s, where he would praise announcers doing well and critical of those not meeting expectations. Martzke had an account on X which someone was helping populate with news and notes from around sports broadcasting. Those posts stopped on November 10th.
When Martzke wrote his last column for the paper 19 years ago, it read in part:
“While some at times have blistered me with complaints –- Gary Bender, Howard Cosell and even [Pat] Summerall –- my experiences have largely been positive while covering the TV sports business during a period of its greatest growth.” Martzke adds, “The plaudits have come as the Sports on TV column became recognized. There have been features on me in Sports Illustrated and other magazines, a charity Rudy Roast in 2000 [in Biloxi, Mississippi] and a proclamation read to me at the men’s Final Four in St. Louis by NCAA President Myles Brand, who described me as an icon. Can’t do any better than that, I guess.”
Several people have given their thoughts on Martzke passing via social media including former CBS Sports Senior Vice President LeslieAnn Wade who wrote, “Rudy Martzke….ONE OF A KIND. We all have our stories. He was a relentless reporter. A beat reporter who connected direct and deeply knew his beat. His hundreds of spiral notebooks contain the history of sports television and off-the-record quotes would tell the untold story.
“I spent more than 20 years of my life speaking to him multiple times a day…He sharpened my PR skills, tested my temper and…we laughed.”
Very sad about the passing of the great Rudy Martzke. A friend, great sense of humor, bulldog reporter, fellow Badger (and a huge fan), sports media industry legend. Helped many a PR person (definitely me) and others across the industry with their careers…hurt a few, too.
Remembering the most-followed reporter in sports media history, USA Today's Rudy Martzke. We had thousands of discussions; they all seemed to include either aggravation or a good laugh. Here in Bristol with Roger Werner and the man who made everyone laugh, Beano Cook. pic.twitter.com/X4HxBjHBeu
Sorry to hear! I never got to work with him, but heard many tales. When I was starting out in sports business, Rudy was THE GUY. Everyone who covers sports media/TV today owes a debt to Rudy Martzke. https://t.co/46eDh038k7
Sad to hear that Rudy Martzke has passed away. There is a bevy of sports media reporters now but Martzke was the 🐐. He was the primary reason I sought out the USA Today sports page back in the day and helped seed an interest in sports media for me. Thank you, Rudy. #RIP
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Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) won’t be serving as the Attorney General for Donald Trump. But could he have a future in cable news? Nexmax host Greg Kelly thinks it’s a possibility.
Gaetz, who resigned from Congress after being named Trump’s Attorney General nominee, withdrew his name from the process and said he won’t rejoin the new Congress in January.
Which means his future is currently up in arms. On Greg Kelly Reports on Thursday evening, the Newsmax primetime host said the Florida representative could have a home on the upstart cable news outlet.
“He’s got a couple of fallback plans,” said Kelly. “He could always come here and work at Newsmax, as he has done quite a bit over the past couple of years.”
Kelly then played a clip of Gaetz hosting the primetime program on Newsmax, which he helmed on Friday, May 26th, 2023.
“Look, he’s a great guy with a big future, actually, in politics as well,” Kelly concluded.
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Woodward Community Media is set to acquire the stations of Mid-West Family Broadcasting, expanding its recently acquired cluster in Springfield, Illinois, while simultaneously divesting its holdings in Bloomington, Illinois.
EMF, the operator behind the Christian AC “K-Love” and Contemporary Worship “Air 1” networks, is set to debut in the Normal/Bloomington and Springfield markets with the acquisition of two radio stations: “Rock 96.7” WIHN and Variety Hits “96.7 Bob-FM” WCVS-FM.
Each station was purchased for $200,000. The “K-Love” network is expected to begin broadcasting on both signals.
The sale of WCVS-FM was necessary to comply with ownership regulations as Woodward prepares to integrate the one AM and three FMs it acquired earlier this year from Neuhoff Media with the one AM and three FMs currently being purchased from Mid-West Family. This will result in the company exceeding the permissible number of FMs.
In Bloomington, Woodward has announced its intention to divest three stations it previously acquired from Neuhoff. Great Plains Media has commenced operations of Variety Hits “97.9 Bob-FM” WBBE under a local marketing agreement (LMA), expanding its portfolio that already includes Conservative Talk “Cities 92.9” WRPW, Adult Contemporary “Magic 99.5” WZIM, and Country “107.7 The Bull” WIBL/92.1.
Following the sale of WIHN, the only remaining station to be sold is Hot AC “Now 100.7” WWHX in Normal.
