As YouTube celebrates two decades since its first video upload, the platform is revealing a new feature that will allow YouTube TV members to build their own multiview with select non-sports content in the next few weeks. The functionality will commence with a small group of channels and expand in the months ahead. At the moment, the app experience is limited to channels broadcasting sports and news, and there are various pre-built templates for viewers categorized in specific manners.
The change will permit customization from the users, although it did not divulge the details surrounding which channels would be available for users at launch.
YouTube TV multiview is supported across different devices, although it is currently limited to the arrangements and channels the service has provided. Other streaming platforms have introduced multiview features previously, such as Fubo, which allows users to select the channels they wish to view through Apple TV and Roku Ultra devices. The DirecTV satellite television service has also featured “mix” channels for sports and news, and it has also tested multiview on its streaming applications through a pop-up channel last year surrounding the 2024 presidential election.
YouTube currently holds the rights to serve as the exclusive home of the NFL Sunday Ticket out-of-market package of games, reportedly paying about $2 billion per annum within a seven-year deal. One of the early criticisms of the service was the lack of custom multiview options, instead operating through selected combinations available for users. The recent NFL season marked the second year of this agreement, and it allowed subscribers more customization to create game combinations of up to four games, along with the NFL RedZone channel as well.
Subscribers of NFL Sunday Ticket filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL alleging that the league overcharged subscribers of the package on DirecTV, working with teams to inflate the price for residential and commercial subscribers. The Los Angeles jury awarded $4.6 billion to the residential class and $96 million to commercial subscribers, and the judge possessed the ability to triple those damages under the U.S. antitrust law.
Yet the federal judge overturned the verdict after concluding that two witness testimony had flawed methodologies and should have been excluded. It should be noted that Google was not part of this lawsuit, but the plaintiffs have appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the subsequent resolution could potentially affect the ongoing deal.
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NewsNation has announced plans for a town hall event hosted by Chris Cuomo to recap the first 100 days of the presidency of Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, April 30th at 8 PM ET, Cuomo will be joined by Bill O’Reilly and Stephen A. Smith for a live event originating from New York City. During the conversation, President Donald Trump will join the two-hour program for a live phone interview.
Other guests scheduled to join the town hall are Sarah Palin, along with Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Democratic Party leaders.
The NewsNation town hall in New York City will include a live studio audience. Those in attendance will be Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.
Before the town hall begins, NewsNation will host a one-hour pre-show called Countdown to the Town Hall. Moderated by NewsNation Now host Anna Kooiman, the program will include appearances from Chris Stirewalt and Blake Burman.
Included in the special programming will be a new polling from Decision Desk HQ about how the public feels about the first 100 days in office for President Donald Trump.
Programming related to the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency will begin on Sunday, April 27th. NewsNation is plotting a four-part series spotlighting the sentiments of voters living along Interstate 80, which stretches from San Francisco and runs through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey before ending just north of New York City.
According to the network, the special series will feature citizens “talking about what they are celebrating, what they are frustrated by, and how their lives have been affected by the new policies and executive orders put in place by President Trump.”
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Mike Golic and Mike Golic Jr. have found a new home on the FanDuel Sports Network. According to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, the father-and-son duo will be teaming up for a sports talk program airing on the network called Golic & Golic, airing weekdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. as the lead-in to the network’s regional games each night.
Additionally, the report states that the show is slated to begin in June on FanDuel Sports Network’s DTC platforms as well.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time, but I have had no more joy than to do it with my son,” said Golic Sr. to The Athletic. “For the last three years at ESPN and a couple of years at the last gig, I’ve had the chance to sit at the bar with my son and just talk sports.”
Following the end of the longstanding Mike & Mike radio program in 2017, Golic Sr. joined fellow former ESPN talent Trey Wingo and Golic Jr. on the morning radio program until 2020, when he stepped away from the network. Meanwhile, his son, Golic Jr., left ESPN in 2022.
Since then, the duo has worked together with stops at DraftKings and several other ventures. In fact, they’ve maintained a consistent partnership ever since both departed from ESPN.
Currently, FanDuel Sports Network boasts 30 agreements with teams from Major League Baseball, the NBA, and the NHL.
“It’s a great team and pool for us to draw from in terms of resources,” said Golic Jr. to The Athletic.
Moreover, the duo will be reuniting with former ESPN executive Norby Williamson, who left the network after nearly four decades and joined Main Street Sports Group in early January of this year.
“I worked with him for a long time,” said Golic Jr. “It’s just a wild thing to have paths cross yet again.”
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Arrington Broadcasting LLC has announced the launch of FOX Sports 1270 AM in Palm Springs, Calif. broadcasting under the KFSQ call letters. The newest affiliate carrying the national radio lineup will broadcast the slate of live sports entertainment programs effective immediately.
Located in the Coachella Valley, the station is being operated by Arrington under a local marketing agreement and carrying the national FOX Sports Radio lineup, but its website is also teasing the addition of a local morning show in the 6 to 9 a.m. PST timeslot.
FOX Sports Radio is managed by Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, and broadcasts shows on more than 630 radio stations to over 11 million listeners.
The weekday programming schedule will feature programs such as Two Pros and a Cup of Joe, The Herd with Colin Cowherd and Covino & Rich among others. In addition, the station will broadcast FOX Sports Radio programming for the entire weekend. Arrington is now operating the station currently owned by KGAY PSP with chief executive officer Bradley Fuhr.
“We’re proud to welcome FOX Sports 1270 AM to the Coachella Valley!,” Arrington said in a statement. “It’s an exciting moment to bring some of the biggest names in sports/talk—Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Doug Gottlieb, and more—right here to Palm Springs. FOX Sports 1270 AM will deliver the best in national sports coverage, while also shining a much-needed spotlight on the incredible talent and stories coming out of the Coachella Valley. From high school standouts to local legends, we’re here to celebrate and elevate our community.”
FOX Sports Radio has added various new affiliates over the last several years around the country, including 97.9 FM in Hartford, Conn., 970 AM in Pittsburgh, Pa., 1300 AM in New Haven Conn. and 106.3 FM in Sheridan, Wyo. last January. One month later, the national radio network added affiliates in Orlando and Jacksonville, Fla., which came after other new outlets in Edmonton, Alberta and Grand Rapids, Mich. introduced the programming to its lineups as well.
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When rabid fans watch the 2025 NFL Draft, they want to be around fellow draftniks – people who live for projections, 40-yard dash times, rumors about off-field problems, and teams’ plans for moving up or down in the draft. They have to love, moreover crave, the angst and emotion while waiting for the newest star to join the roster. If this is you, know that you have a couple of like-minded chums in multimedia form.
Gregg Rosenthal is the host of 40s and Free Agents: NFL Draft Season, a podcast and TV program airing on NFL Network. Throughout all of the pre-draft hype, Rosenthal has been joined by NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah. 40s and Free Agents is a show for hardcore NFL Draft followers – fans who know the players and teams and want some detailed insight on the best athletes and likely selections.
The latest edition of the show was the final production before the NFL Draft emanates from Green Bay on Thursday, April 24.
Rosenthal opened the show joking that Jeremiah had appeared on pretty much every NFL Draft program in the world over the last few weeks. He’s not far from wrong. The omnipresent Jeremiah will offer draft intel to networks, podcasts, radio stations, magazines, newspapers, town meetings, kindergartens, and maternity wards. As a draft expert, he might just be the best in the business. No one combines feelings and facts better than Daniel Jeremiah.
Rosenthal is as much of a draft nerd as Jeremiah and uses this knowledge as a skilled interviewer and setup man. As Rosenthal stated, this pair has been on an offseason journey together from the regular season, playoffs, Super Bowl, NFL Combine, free agency, and now the draft. The big reveal on this particular edition of 40s and Free Agents was that Jeremiah changed the number one player on his list of top 150 draft prospects. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter held the spot but has relinquished it to Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter.
The Insider Look At Travis Hunter & Cam Ward
The combined offensive and defensive talent of Hunter is just too good to pass up, Jeremiah opined. He also based the switch on Hunter’s attitude and positive off-field traits. Jeremiah knows what he is talking about. He served as a territorial scout for the Eagles, Browns, and Ravens, and started three seasons at quarterback for Appalachian State, graduating in 2000. In short, Jeremiah thinks like a GM and a player combined.
Breaking down the top of this year’s draft, Jeremiah pointed to Miami’s Cam Ward as the clear number one quarterback. He then named 6 players who have high ceilings and high floors: Hunter, Carter, Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, Penn State TE Tyler Warren, Michigan TE Colston Loveland, and Michigan DT Mason Graham.
Maybe the best part of the discussion between Rosenthal and Jeremiah was their exchange on draft inflection points, a term brought up by Rosenthal. I loved this phrase to describe those moments or choices in a draft that can change the rest of the selections and the fortunes of a given team. It was an excellent lead-in for Jeremiah who said that the first inflection point in the 2025 draft could be at pick 3 with the New York Giants. Will they take a well-known quarterback like Shedeur Sanders, a surprise QB like Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss, or the best player like Carter?
In a very astute discussion, Rosenthal asked terrific questions and Jeremiah responded that the number 9 choice by New Orleans and pick 21 by Pittsburgh could be other key inflection points. The intelligent but not haughty chit chat between Rosenthal and Jeremiah captured all of the intrigue inherent in the NFL Draft. There are not a lot of visual bells and whistles on 40s and Free Agents, just solid, fact-based draft discussion that whets fans’ appetites for the big event in Green Bay.
Just Like Fans, Insiders Must Be Ready For Anything
Jeremiah warned fans to be ready for draft surprises like Mitchell Trubisky being picked second overall by the Bears in 2017 or Daniel Jones going 6th overall to the Giants in 2019, a choice that Jeremiah predicted would happen. Jeremiah, who will be part of NFL Network’s live draft coverage, also said that draft commentators need to have a deep knowledge base and be prepared to talk about any player at any time.
Jeremiah can definitely do this, and it came in handy when Rosenthal introduced the On the Clock segment putting Jeremiah on a five-minute clock to face some tough draft questions. On the topic of the Saints picking a quarterback, Jeremiah said that they could go for former Ohio State Buckeye Kyle McCord with the 93rd pick. Rosenthal then asked about a player/team combo and Jeremiah came back with Loveland joining the LA Chargers. Next, the pair discussed a good but unlikely two-player combination for the Patriots pairing Jeanty with Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson.
Rosenthal and Jeremiah are ready to rock in terms of draft discussion. These dudes don’t just do their homework; they are the guys who remind the teacher to assign NFL Draft homework to the rest of the class. They have fun too. When Jeremiah ran long on one of his answers, Rosenthal jokingly compared him to Bill Belichick answering a question about special teams.
Coming back from another break, a graphic showed the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2024 draft class with a bunch of players who had an impact on the team’s Super Bowl championship season. This led to a discussion on teams that could use the 2025 draft as a springboard to contention. Rosenthal picked the Giants as a graphic showed that New York has eight picks in the 2025 draft with four of those picks in the top 100. Jeremiah picked the Jets with eight choices in the 2025 draft, six in the first five rounds.
Rosenthal, who has covered the NFL for NBC Sports, Rotoworld.com, and ProFootballTalk.com, has a draft intellect that is through the roof. He presents it in a witty and sarcastic manner that is appealing to watch. Later in the show, he brought up the Jacksonville Jaguars as a middle of the road team that could lift themselves up with their ten picks in this year’s draft. Jeremiah countered with the Chicago Bears who have upgraded several positions over the last year and could use this draft to get over the playoff hump under new head coach Ben Johnson.
As for good teams that still have needs, Jeremiah and Rosenthal talked about the Texans, Packers, and Commanders. When asked about the Bengals, Jeremiah bluntly retorted that offensive players need not apply. This draft is all about defense for Cincinnati.
40s and Free Agents is that rare show that does not need graphics, guests, gags, or glitz. Rosenthal takes the snap and places the football perfectly for Jeremiah to kick it through the uprights. This talented duo would be equally at home making important picks in an NFL team draft room or donning their favorite teams’ jerseys and watching the draft in your living room.
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Meet The Podcasters is a special 9-week series created in partnership with Point to Point Marketing. Our eighth feature is on the head of audio at Omaha Productions, Richelle Markazene. Follow along with the series, and revisit former conversations by checking out the entire category.
Markazene joined Omaha Productions in November of 2021 following a second tour of work with ESPN as a coordinating producer with SportsNation, The Jump, and Jalen & Jacoby. During her time with Omaha Productions, she has leaned on her background in crafting content and working with top talent to help bolster and enhance the audio division of the media company founded by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning.
In this edition of out ‘Meet The Podcasters’ series, we explore Markazene’s role with Omaha Productions, how they continue to strengthen their audio brand utilizing partnerships and recruiting talent, plus how the podcast space continues to grow and reach new audience as each moment passes.
Richelle Markazene spoke with Barrett Media from the Omaha Productions’ offices in Los Angeles.
*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*
John Mamola: Your position is head of audio for Omaha Productions. What’s a typical day in the life of that role at a major media company like Omaha Productions?
Richelle Markazene: One of the coolest things about my role is that there’s really no typical day so to speak. Every day is a little bit different which honestly makes it really fun. I’m assuming that that’s probably a theme for a lot of people you’re talking to in this industry. It’s definitely something I appreciate.
There are certain things that I tend to do a little bit more. I spend a lot of time watching content. What we are creating here at Omaha Productions in audio and outside of audio. Then I keep up with what others are producing. I think it’s important to stay on top of what’s out there, and understand the industry trends as much as we can by keeping an eye on emerging talent, and talent who are already established.
Then a big part of what I do is just connecting with people. That’s the team within Omaha, and partners outside of Omaha. Collaborating and sharing ideas I think is a huge part of anybody’s role, or should be a huge part of anyone’s role in content. That’s certainly been the case since I’ve taken this on.
John Mamola: You’ve worked in the content space for a while between your 11 years with ESPN and the NFL Network. How has the skill set of your experience with those two media brands transferred to your current position with Omaha Productions?
Richelle Markazene: I think that in many ways that good content is good content. I have a ton of experience with linear traditional broadcast, and so whether you’re producing that, or you’re producing for YouTube there’s definitely some crossover.
I think working with teams, working with other people on your staff, other producers, that certainly translates to something that you’re going to do all the time. Then as an extension of that is working with your talent, managing talent, identifying talent. I think that’s something that I’ve worked on in different capacities over the years. It certainly translates.
There are some things that I wasn’t used to. Coming over to a space where there are fewer limitations, or this is such a harsh word, but restrictions. When you’re producing for linear there’s a hard out, and you have to fit in breaks. You’re hitting a certain time and not having to do those things is somewhat freeing.
While there are some differences and definitely a learning curve, I think you experience that with anything that you do. Even in the same field, there are so many things that I could carryover from what I had learned in previous roles.
John Mamola: Omaha Productions has a lot of different tentacles to the company. You’re working in the audio wing, but they also produce content for television, live series, documentaries, and so much more. There are so many different varieties of things that Omaha Productions produces.
How would you say you would describe the focus of the audio wing of Omaha productions as a department versus the ones that people see on their television screens with Peyton and Eli Manning hosting the content?
Richelle Markazene: You mentioned Peyton Manning. One thing that I learned early on is Peyton sets the tone. It’s not just when you’re seeing him on camera. It is so much more the work that he puts in behind the scenes.
He’s deeply committed to the success of every Omaha project and initiative. I knew immediately that the audio team would be no exception. Honestly, he doesn’t just support from afar, he gets involved.
He’s been instrumental in helping to identify talent and recruit talent when necessary. It may not be as well publicized as the ManningCast, but he does make appearances on our shows. He’s always willing to hop on Always College Football with Greg McElroy to talk about Tennessee, especially when Tennessee is going up against Alabama.
When we were bringing Kenny Beecham and the Numbers On The Board guys over, we were brainstorming ideas for an announcement video. One of the ideas involved Peyton and he was game. We asked him to put on some audio gear and pretend that he was a new fill-in audio guy. Just as he always does, he killed the comedic lines and was there for a day of shooting to do that.
For us internally every project is of equal importance and that is set from the top from Peyton. You can feel it across the board.
John Mamola: You’ve mentioned recruiting talent a couple of times. Looking at the Omaha Productions audio roster, three of the five podcasts have heavy current and former ESPN influence between Scott Van Pelt, Mina Kimes and Greg McElroy.
When you’re going into that discussion about recruiting talent to the brand for podcasting, is it solely reliant on the partnership with ESPN or are you allowed to break the barrier of that?
I understand with Numbers On The Board, that’s something a little different than ESPN. How much flexibility do you have when it comes to recruiting talent outside of the current partnership that Omaha Productions has with ESPN?
Richelle Markazene: ESPN is such an amazing partner, and very important to us. It’s an honor to have them. They are our sales and distribution partner.
First and foremost, our main priorities are to be a good collaborator and a good partner. To work with Mike Foss, who oversees podcast efforts among other things. His team of Andrew Han and Justin Craig in audio, Jeremy Fitch in YouTube. We constantly work with them to understand what their content goals are, what their needs are, and then we see where we can fill those.
We put a heavy priority on working with them to fill out our slate. That being said, we do have flexibility. We also see it as our jobs to always be exploring new talent, and seeing what new shows are out there.
Working with ESPN to make a final decision on what that becomes is a part of the slate.
John Mamola: It’s no secret, the podcasting space continues to grow. It gets more saturated every single hour.
With Peyton Manning, Omaha Productions and the partnerships you have with ESPN, a lot of the content that you produce based on the partnerships and the name value you own, I believe helps you cuts through the space.
For a lot of podcasts, it’s hard to cut through because of the saturation. Do you ever see the podcast space getting to a point where it’s too saturated or do you see the challenges even with Omaha Productions finding difficulties cutting through the noise of everything else?
Richelle Markazene: I don’t want to say that the space is saturated. It’s certainly crowded, but I do generally think that there’s a need and a desire for great content. Especially as people are consuming content, even traditional podcasts.
I just recently came across a stat that said there are over 580 million podcast listeners globally. That’s a massive audience. The cool thing for me is the way it’s broken down. It expands across demographics.
What I think is cool, younger people are listening to and watching podcasts. I think that number and knowing that the age range is growing, presents an incredible opportunity.
I don’t mean to say that it doesn’t come with challenges. It is a crowded space and the competition is intense.
While we see the huge opportunity, I think it’s also important to understand that competition is there and keep that in mind as we’re exploring and developing new ideas. We’re always looking for talent or shows that have already made an impact or have the potential to breakthrough quickly in this crowded space. I think you have to be a little more discerning through that process. One trend that is especially exciting, and I think helps, is the rise of video podcasts.
More people are engaging with video versions of the shows, and I see that as a huge opportunity. It gives us a chance to offer a new visual experience to people who are only consuming audio podcasts. It also allows us to reach a viewer who may not want to listen to an audio podcast but would be happy to watch.
Bottom line is it does create a challenge. It is a crowded space, but there are still so many opportunities.
John Mamola: Looking at social media, marketing is how you get these podcasts out to the consumer. How important is it to your success that Omaha Productions is very involved in the social space from both a brand and talent standpoint? How do you coach your talent on what you’re looking for them to do while providing assets to market their podcasts to their audiences?
Richelle Markazene: A lot of them already come with that knowledge. They’ve learned it themselves. Kevin Clark is an example. He is so great in the social space, and so great about understanding how to promote plus market things. He’s been active in the audio space for some time.
With anything else, working with talent is just a constant conversation. It’s asking them how they want to do things, and then also saying what we think what would be great. Then we tap in our social team, led by Natalie Glikes. She’s always involved and willing to help whether it’s our audio group, audio team, or talent one on one. We are providing any of the elements that they want, and any of the elements that we think would help in promoting.
I think it goes beyond just social though.
Getting out there and being on other podcasts/programs really helps as well. I think that’s something for us that was built in as you mentioned. We have several talents who are heavy in the ESPN space. That always helps and we’re willing to help line up appearances and things like that.
It’s always that conversation with talent and taking it case by case. No show or episode is even the same on how you want to promote it.
Beyond that, I just want to say a note about ESPN and their role. They have been instrumental in helping to promote awareness and our shows. Whether it’s through bringing brands and advertisers to our talent that fit them and the shows.
Also, we work closely with Megan Judge and her audio, marketing and events team. That’s been great for us especially the promotion across other podcasts. Something that we’re really excited about that we’ve been doing with her team is live events. It’s just a cool way to bring the podcast to life and allow fans to experience it up close and personal.
Her team has been amazing helping us get out most recently with producing Numbers On The Board live in San Francisco during NBA All-Star weekend. We also had the opportunity to host a live edition of The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny in Los Angeles. The audience included local first responders which was awesome with all the proceeds from that event going to fire relief efforts.
That was something that Mina personally proposed and it was very important to her. It was a tight turnaround, and we enlisted Megan and her team, and were able to make it happen. The energy in those rooms is always electric and amazing.
I think sometimes we may feel a little removed from the fans or listeners because they’re watching or listening to the show on their own. When you see the audience in person, it really is a reminder of how engaging these shows can be, especially when experiencing them in that type of moment.
John Mamola: Omaha Productions is Peyton Manning company. It’s heavy football content, and that’s not to say that Omaha Productions only does football on podcasts, but it does have a lien towards football content.
For the company, is there an added emphasis to go beyond the world of football with the next considerations of shows that the company may add to its slate?
Richelle Markazene: I think we’re already doing that on audio, and it has been a focus from the start. While our slate looks markedly different than it did in 2022 and when we launched, we’ve always spanned across sports. If you look at our slate right now, we have two NFL focused shows with amazing talent, Mina Kimes and Kevin Clark. We also have a college football show, but I guess that’s still falls in football.
We have our NBA podcast, and it’s always been important to us to have an NBA show. Scott Van Pelt, which I see as a true multisport podcast.
Football will always be important, and key to Omaha Productions. Honestly, football is key to a lot of media companies and production companies. We have always looked at our audio part of the company and our audio slate as one that we are not only free too, but also would like to stand outside of a football.
John Mamola: Last question, and I’m asking this of everyone I’ve talked to in this Meet The Podcasters series. What is one thing that you know now about the podcast space specifically that you wish you knew when you first started with Omaha Productions?
Richelle Markazene: We always look at our shows as a visual first approach, so I didn’t realize how multifaceted it would be. It’s so important to focus and understand that there are different types of audiences out there, and what an opportunity that is.
It is very difficult to grow an audio only podcast, but then when you introduce video either on YouTube or Spotify or any of the platforms plus the social piece to it, there really is so much more to it, and the growth piece to it is not easy. There are so many different ways to do this, and so many different ways people consume content. I find that so exciting.
Just because we’re called podcasts doesn’t mean that it has to be audio only. While I knew that, I think as I’ve gone along, I’ve gained a better understanding of that. An understanding that you can take that approach where you want to serve all of the different audiences.
To learn more about Point-To-Point Marketing’s Podcast and Broadcast Audience Development Marketing strategies, contact Tim Bronsil at tim@ptpmarketing.com or 513-702-5072.
Where are we finding Rock and Alternative Radio’s next Tom Brady? Where is the young talent going to come from? The big content stars on TikTok and IG aren’t looking to migrate to Radio. However, there are recruitable upstarts everywhere who could benext.
The NFL draft is upon us, and it’s a great reminder for Rockaholics and Alternaheads that stars of all types, including Brady, were once young before they hoisted Lombardi trophies.
Kurt Cobain was in a CCR tribute band before Nirvana
The Chili Peppers’ first gig, under a different name, was in front of 30 people
KISS played for 10 people and was paid $50 by the Popcorn Club in 1973
That got me thinking, so I looked up some other greats:
Steve Jobs dropped out of college
J.K. Rowling’s past includes being on welfare
George Clooney was a door-to-door salesman
In Radio, Howard Stern worked at his college station, Seacrest was an intern, Rush Limbaugh was known as “Bachelor Jeff” at Top 40, and before becoming Mr. Sportscenter and then the biggest sports personality in radio, Dan Patrick reportedly did TV stunts like painting himself blue to support the Houston Oilers.
So, ya gotta start somewhere, but WHERE? Internship programs are as common as Palm Pilots, and even then, they’re administrative or promotional. Some clusters are fortunate to have part-timers who can grow, but overall, there isn’t clear evidence of an industry plan to develop tomorrow’s talent.
Wacky morning shows may get a mild budget to hire someone named “Stink” whom they can embarrass every morning, and screeners may be allowed to utter a few thoughts at spoken word brands, but opportunities for aspiring talent are scarce.
I’m guilty of overusing comparisons between Sports and Rock Radio because they’re understandable to anyone not living on Mars. Just like big Rock bands often hand-pick their opening acts, NFL teams draft young players from the college ranks with the hopes they’ll become franchise players or faces of the league.
Not all draftees are guaranteed a roster spot, but they’ll at least get a chance to try and prove themselves. First round picks are expected to be stars, just like proven jocks in one market are expected to make an easy transition to the next. But it’s often the late-round draftees, the unknowns, that can create surprise magic.
Tom Brady was a 6th rounder – the 199th pick in 2000. That’s like the store clerks we hear saying “clean-up on aisle 6,” rapidly rising to replace Preston & Steve at WMMR. It’s not totally impossible, and we’ll never know their true potential unless they’re invited to training camp.
The latest Jacobs Media Techsurvey illustrated (again) the importance of personalities. Let this graph sink in.
Economic pressures leading to cost-cutting are understandable. But let’s cut somewhere other than the future talent pool. The long game is over if the industry’s bench is piping in the same veteran voice trackers across the nation for pennies on the dollar to do basic music shifts. Why not improve the futuristic outlook by having promising, young, inexpensive, and motivated rookies honing the craft so they can be tomorrow’s heroes?
While music is very important, the audience has also been telling Radio, year after year, that engaging personalities and shows are equally important. The Jacobs Media Techsurvey also has a fancy graph that shows the perceived benefit of “localism” is on the rise.
In short, Radio isn’t drafting new talent. Night dayparts are largely void of humans unless it’s canned by out-of-towners with “that was, this is.” The historically live midday slot is in jeopardy of becoming extinct. If this is the plan for the future, it’s like not saving money for your kids.
There are some out there trying to develop Rock’s next Tom Brady, but the pipeline isn’t what it once was. Job postings used to generate hundreds of “airchecks, ” not today.
The future CAN be very bright, though. There are a lot of talented youngsters in High School and College – soon-to-be stars – who love Rock & Alt and live the lifestyle. But the funnel has been flipped. They’re not looking at Radio as the BIG opportunity it can be. It’s up to Radio to go back to school and discover who should be next on the team of GOATS.
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.
Starting in the business of journalism 50 years ago, I made a bucket list; one that grew and changed over the years. From a network London bureau posting to covering the White House, to anchoring a network broadcast. But one of those items has never changed: my desire to be good enough and work hard enough to become a 60 Minutes correspondent. The gold standard position of the gold standard broadcast at CBS News.
Believe it or not, I reached all but one of those goals. I came close; I was offered an entry-level position at 60 Minutes II, with promises that if I did well, I could be bumped to the actual 60 Minutes. Instead, I went to 20/20. So when I see what is happening to the Tiffany program at what was the Tiffany network, it makes me profoundly sad.
After all, CBS is where I started at Owned and Operated KCBS Radio. It’s where I emulated Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Mike Wallace, Morley Safer, and Dan Rather. CBS was the dominant news organization, and today little of that legacy lives. CBS Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes are all that is left. And now CBS and its prospective owners threaten their status.
Rather than standing up to President Trump’s attempts to cajole and threaten, CBS management is negotiating a settlement in the lawsuit against it. A frivolous suit, according to First Amendment attorneys and journalism professors across the board, because Mr. Trump did not like the way a Kamala Harris interview was edited.
Press reports say it’s even more than that. Executives at the parent company are infringing on 60 Minutes’ legendary independence, looking over their shoulder at story selection and editorial content. From coverage of Gaza to Presidential politics, there is second-guessing. This is a first.
The show’s vaunted independence is being threatened. The reputation of 60 Minutes as an independent part of CBS is in jeopardy. The news magazine isn’t even in the same building as the rest of CBS, that is how independent it is.
When I went for my interview years ago, I went to the CBS main office on 57th Street and was pointed across the street to a suite of offices above the BMW dealer. Message received.
This week, Executive Producer Bill Owens — a respected journalist, even though he refused to hire me — resigned in protest. He objects to his corporate bosses looking over his shoulder. 60 Minutes has taken on presidents from LBJ to Nixon and now Trump. But CBS seems unwilling to allow that to continue. The corporation that owns CBS is trying to sell, and wants no complications. Also, this week, Lesley Stahl, the most veteran of 60 Minutes correspondents for CBS News, also objected to interference in the editorial process.
60 Minutes is not only prestigious, it is valuable. It often places not only at the top of news program ratings, it often ranks in the top 10 of all TV. A rarity in today’s shrinking viewership.
CBS should be protecting its most valuable asset, not jeopardizing it by forcing out its top producer and worrying its correspondents. After all, if I still had a bucket list today, 60 would still be on the top of it.
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Rowdy Yates is a nationally syndicated Country radio host. Syndicated through SuiteRadio, he hosts “Ridin’ With Rowdy, “Rowdy Ride Home,” and the brand new ‘Rowdy On The Rise.” He is a 2025 inductee into the Country Radio Hall of Fame.
It’s safe to say that Yates was born with a radio gene.
“I guess I am what they call a radio baby, or as the Hollywood types would have called me, a Nepo baby. I’m a second-generation radio guy who grew up in Texas. My father was Joe Holstead. He was known as the Dean of Texas Radio News, primarily a top 40 news guy,” said Yates.
This led to Yates getting his start at a young age, like many of us did then.
“I started like so many of the rest of us did. I was a teenager and got my start north of Fort Worth, where we lived, in a town called Denton, which had a handful of radio stations. My mother would drive me there on Sunday mornings to run the church tapes.”
“I would run the church tapes, and that would also give my mother an opportunity to visit my sister, Tiffany, who was attending school at the University of North Texas. Mom would drive me, and she’d visit my sister, and at noon, she’d come pick me up, and we’d go home. Shortly after, I got my driver’s license and could drive up there myself. I got to do the weather every half an hour, and there was a 30-minute block in which I could spin the big Country hits of the day.”
Yates saw the power of syndication when his father got the opportunity to fill in for Paul Harvey.
“He knew Paul Harvey. My dad got the opportunity in 1985 to become Paul Harvey’s fill-in. So, I got to see firsthand what type of recognition, accolades, and response one man could get when he was on that national stage.’
“Plus, just being a kid who listened to Casey Kasem and Bob Kingsley every weekend, those shows were big. I knew I always wanted to be on the national stage as a radio personality. I just didn’t know how to get there.”
Then Yates got a call from none other than the late Bob Kingsley.
“I was working for KILT (100.3 The Bull Houston), and Bob Kingsley called me and asked me if I would fill in for him one weekend, and I did.”
“Shortly after that, I began to do some one-offs for Westwood One. And I really liked working with Westwood One. A gifted group of people there. They liked me, I liked them. And after doing, I would say, half a dozen little one-hour specials and some stuff behind the scenes, an opportunity came along where they said, we’ve got a weekend show, and frankly, we’re thinking about junking it. The audience is eroded; the affiliates aren’t as stout as they used to be.”
“But if we keep it, would you like to host it?” I said yes, I would. I sent them some ideas and a tape, and they said, okay, if you can get KILT to run it, we’ll keep it. That was the Westwood One Country Gold show.
“I took over for that in 2004 when it had 58 affiliates. And in the span of a few years, we managed to not only turn that show around, but by the time I left or was fired by Dial Global, we were up to like 158 affiliates.”
A chance encounter with Westwood One senior managers left a lasting impression on Yates.
“We were in Hollywood when the Academy of Country Music Awards were still going on at the Universal Amphitheater. Our table was set up right across from the Westwood One table. One of their 24/7 formats was based in California. They sent one of their jocks out there to do artist interviews.”
“These two unbelievably well-dressed men walked in. I recognized them and I knew who they were. It was Ed Salamon and Charlie Cook. And they are the two guys that are setting up the gear for this jock.”
“Ed is standing on a chair, and Charlie is holding his leg so Ed doesn’t fall out of the chair, so that they can hang this banner. And I remember thinking these guys are wearing $2,000 suits, yet they are not so big that they think they’re too good to hang banners or string wires. I remember thinking to myself, I’m going to work for these two guys one of these days if it kills me. That is how impressed I was with them.”
Yates was excited when we discussed his latest offering, “Rowdy On The Rise,” a one-hour program designed as a lead-in to morning drive for affiliates.
“The reason that we created this was because now you have morning personalities that have taken on so much more responsibility beyond their morning show. Yes, they’re the lead morning guy, but they’re also the music director, and you have their partner.
“She’s also the promotions director, and then you have someone else who’s running music logs. They have other responsibilities within the radio station and do not have the time they used to have to invest in the morning show.”
What advice would Yates give someone looking to start and syndicate a show?
“I think that a number of us would be more than happy to reach out to all for advice and give a little bit of guidance. I know that I got it. I know that B-Dub (Bryan B-Dub Washington) certainly got it. Over the years, I’ve established relationships with people who do exactly what I do.”
“It all started with a simple email or a Facebook message, or if somebody passed along a telephone number. So that’s the thing, ask now if you’re convinced that you are ready to do this, what I do, and get out there.”
“The one thing I would say is go ahead and spend the money on the demo because if you don’t grab them with your first impression, you will not have a second. I can’t tell you so many times people have approached us and said, well, once we get on the air and start making money, we’re going to buy that jingle package.”
“Plenty of people in those spaces are willing to help you as well. You might be surprised that an A-list voice guy might do you a couple of freebie drops for your demo.”
“Because he knows he’s going to get some business out of it, if you get picked up. The community is small, but they’re still very giving. I think it is in our best interests to help everyone. Even if it is ushering in somebody who is a direct competitor, because competition can only make you better.”
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.
Welcome to this week’s sales meeting. As some of you may have read recently, I’ll be stepping away from writing for the site after my column tomorrow. Over the last few months, I’ve launched an all-digital sports network for St. Louis, purchased a radio station, and begun working on several other projects. It’s time for me to focus solely on sales within those ventures.
In this final sales column, I want to emphasize what I believe is most important for media salespeople to understand: sales is a numbers game, and there is a formula for success.
I’ve written extensively about what I call the six steps in the media sales process. If you focus on getting better at each step, there’s no way you’ll fail. But if you cut corners, you’ll likely come up short of your financial goals.
And let’s be honest—that’s what this should be about: your financial goals.
If you’ve been in media sales for a few years and you’re not making really good money, it might be time to find something else to do. These are tough jobs, and there are much easier ways to make average money.
But if you want to maximize your financial potential, follow these six steps:
Step 1: Prospect the right clients. Don’t set yourself up for failure right out of the gate. Some sellers see a business and automatically think it’s worth pursuing. But there are plenty of ways to at least try to qualify a business first. If you’re not willing to do a little “presearch,” you’ll waste a lot of time chasing unqualified leads.
Step 2: Get a meeting with a decision-maker. This is what separates good sellers from great ones. As I’ve said many times, this is the hardest part of the job—and your manager can’t do it for you. If a manager has to set your meetings, they don’t need you. And if you think you can do this job from behind a desk, you’re sorely mistaken. You need to network, get out, and make connections. LinkedIn messages and emails alone won’t get it done.
Step 3: Conduct a great client needs analysis. Ask good questions. Listen to the answers.
Step 4: Make a great presentation. It should be entirely based on the information you gathered during the CNA. If you asked the right questions and truly listened, the client gave you everything you need. Remind them what they told you their challenges are, and show them how your offering addresses those exact issues.
Step 5: Close the deal. If you did everything right, this should be straightforward. But this, too, separates the good from the great. Can you turn a “no” into a “yes”? Can you handle objections quickly and confidently? It’s easy when it’s easy—but when it gets tough, do you crater, or do you sell?
Step 6: Service the client. Never be the rep who thinks the job ends when the deal is signed. That’s when the real work begins. From that point on, your focus is the renewal. How do you get it? You stay on top of your clients. You write strong copy, offer fresh ideas, check in, entertain, and build relationships.
These six steps—and the math that supports them—are the formula. The more you ask for, the more you’re going to sell. None of this is easy, but it should at least be simple to understand.
Evaluate yourself. Look at these six steps and identify where you need to improve. Like anything else, the only way to get better is to keep doing it—and to stay committed to getting better at it.
If you’re not willing to commit to every part of the process and truly put in the work, then you’re in the wrong career. And nothing I’ve written in this space will really matter to you.
All the best—and happy selling!
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.
