Cristina Daglas, an executive editor at ESPN with responsibilities that include overseeing the company website, is reportedly no longer working at the network following a human resources investigation. Employees were reported to have been informed of the decision on Wednesday, according to a report from Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports filed in the afternoon.
It was previously reported that Daglas was placed on administrative leave in January following multiple complaints about her submitted to H.R., the specific nature of which is not known.
Towards the end of March, Daglas’ attorney accidentally sent a cease and desist letter intended for the ESPN human resources department to Front Office Sports. The document was said to have indicated that Daglas had been subjected to “a series of protracted, hours-long interrogations under the guise of an ‘investigation’ that appears to be both endless and aimless.”
Senior deputy editor Elizabeth Baugh was also reportedly placed on administrative leave by ESPN in connection with the investigation pertaining to Daglas, but she left the company in March to become head of marketing, communications and branding for Ring Magazine.
Daglas graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and she later earned her master’s degree in journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Throughout her time with the company starting in 2014, she has worked across various editorial functions, including with the digital division and leading coverage as the Chicago Cubs franchise won its first World Series championship in 108 years. Daglas became the first female MLB deputy editor in company history and proceeded to work in a similar role on ESPN NBA coverage later on.
Outside of her work with ESPN, Daglas was listed as being an adjunct professor for the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. Cal State Fullerton had also stated that she was going to serve as a journalism instructor last year teaching a class premised on sports reporting. Before working with the network, Daglas reported for Isthmus and The Capital Times, and she proceeded to work in editor positions with both D Magazine and Milwaukee Magazine.
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Bellios was pronounced dead over the weekend after being found at the home of a friend for whom she was dog sitting. The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office has said that the cause of death is pending an investigation.
Bellios served as a co-host of the station’s Morning Buzz program from 2013 to 2021, when she departed.
Other radio stops during her career included Mix 94.1 in the Rubber City, as well as time at WHBC in nearby Canton.
“Everyone at the station, myself included, was always happy to talk to her. She was a really nice person and had a great personality,” former colleague Jim Isabella told the Beacon Journal about Bellios. “She was just the type of person who enjoyed people and she was just easy to be around.”
“She was a true professional who made a pact with me to rise above the pettiness that others tried to instigate,” added former WNIR host Maggie Fuller. “She was a kind and loving person who will be missed by Akron listeners and the many who loved her.”
Angela Bellios was 53 years old.
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With the recent news of MASN offering direct-to-consumer functionalities for viewers to watch Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals broadcasts without a traditional cable subscription, 29 out of the 30 Major League Baseball franchises have entered into the space. Yet the Houston Astros, who are the only remaining team that does not provide this ability for its audience, will not be entering the space this season because of existing deals pertaining to Space City Home Network and its distributors. The company currently has contracts with DirecTV and Comcast through 2032, and its deal with FuboTV is slated to expire at an earlier date, according to Michael Shapiro of the Houston Chronicle.
Shapiro explained that while launching direct-to-consumer streaming would not “immediately invalidate the DirecTV and Comcast deals,” there is the possibility of a similar fallout ensuing soon. The likelihood is that both distributors would legally be permitted to “tear up the existing deals” following this time and later return to the network at a reduced price. Although cord cutting continues to take place in the market, Shapiro notes that the cable business is a “much more profitable engine for teams compared to DTC products.”
“Due to long-term affiliation agreements that have been a consistent mainstay of the RSN through the many ownership iterations since 2010, we are not able to provide direct-to-consumer streaming at this time,” Space City Home Network said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle. “As always, we will continue to work to provide our fans with the best viewing options, including broad-based streaming when appropriate.”
The Houston Astros and Houston Rockets launched Space City Home Network in October 2023, but both teams are affected by this current fate. With both teams not available through direct-to-consumer products, fans are not afforded the ability to view games without subscriptions to cable services that carry the product.
A source cited in the Houston Chronicle report indicates that Comcast and DirecTV are facing “massive subscriber loss” and that the mathematics would eventually indicate the launch of a direct-to-consumer product and subsequent return to the two cable providers for less money. Before purchasing the regional sports network and rebranding the product, the Astros and Rockets were televised on AT&T SportsNet Southwest. Warner Bros. Discovery, however, chose to exit the RSN business, leading several teams to begin work on finding a new broadcast home.
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ESPN has signed longtime host Rece Davis to a multi-year contract extension, ensuring the award-winning broadcaster will remain a central figure in the network’s college sports coverage. Davis, a 30-year veteran of ESPN, will continue to anchor both the College GameDay football and men’s basketball franchises, as well as studio coverage for the College Football Playoff, ABC’s NFL Draft presentation, and ESPN’s shows at the NCAA Division I Men’s Final Four.
In addition to his hosting duties, Davis will remain a play-by-play voice for both football and basketball games. The extension solidifies his role at ESPN well into a fourth decade, underscoring his legacy as one of the industry’s most respected and versatile talents.
Reflecting on his tenure, Davis said, “As the great Chris Berman texted me after hearing I would continue at ESPN, ‘there’s no place like home.’ ESPN has been home for 30 years. Home isn’t just a place you’ve been for a long time. ESPN is home because of the camaraderie, friendships and shared pursuit of excellence we enjoy on College GameDay and the other projects with which I’m involved.”
Since taking the reins of College GameDay in 2015, Davis has helped guide the show to its three most-watched seasons and four Sports Emmys for Best Weekly Studio Show. The live, three-hour program has become a staple of Saturday mornings for college football fans across the country, with Davis earning five nominations for Outstanding Sports Personality – Studio Host.
“Rece is a trusted voice, a true professional and a tremendous teammate whose presence makes us better every day,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN President of Content. “He’s ingrained in the college sports landscape and we’re proud to have him lead our GameDay team for years to come. One of Rece’s many strengths is his versatility, and we look forward to having him contribute to a wide variety of marquee events as part of his new agreement with ESPN.”
Moreover, Davis has hosted College GameDay, ESPN’s long-running men’s college basketball show, since it began in 2005. This year, the show marked its 21st season. In total, he visited 19 campuses during the 2024-25 academic year, playing a leading role in ESPN’s coverage of many of the year’s marquee sporting events.
Davis added, “There is little, if anything, in television like the adrenaline rush that comes when the show is about to start. It’s the best job in television and I’m thrilled to continue to serve as the host of College GameDay and College Football Playoff shows. I also look forward to embracing new challenges and roles as opportunities present themselves.”
Davis expressed deep gratitude to his family and colleagues, stating, “None of this would work, or be worth it, without the love and unwavering support from my wife, Leigh, my son, Christopher and daughter Elizabeth. I’m filled with gratitude. Can’t wait to be comin’ to your city.”
With his new contract, Davis remains not only the face of ESPN’s college sports programming but also a trusted voice for some of the network’s most significant events.
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Reid Spivey has been upped to Program Director at Country 102.5 KNIX in Phoenix.
Spivey joined the station in 2018 and takes programming duties from iHeartMedia Phoenix SVP/Programming Mark Medina.
Medina said, “Reid has demonstrated incredible leadership ability, a mastery of programming mechanics, and a true passion for the KNIX brand; he will be fantastic at the helm.”
Spivey said, “KNIX is a legendary station, and I’m excited to continue the legacy we’ve built here in Phoenix. This team is truly one of the best in Country radio. A big thanks to Mark Medina, Linda Little, Kris Foley and Gene Romano for this opportunity, and thanks to Steve Geofferies for his mentorship over my 7 years as APD.”
Other stops include Raleigh, Mobile, AL, Charlotte and Savannah.
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92.3 WIL St. Louis welcomes Jesse Tack and Anna Marie as the station’s new morning team beginning next Monday.
“Jesse & Anna” have co-hosted mornings at B-105 Cincinnati since 2022. Tack, who joined the station in 2008, is also B-105’s Assistant PD. Anna came to the station after a stint at 102.5 Nash-FM Muncie, IN.
“We’re beyond excited to bring our show to the vibrant city of St. Louis,” said Jesse. “Connecting with listeners and sharing our lives is what we love most.”
“Anna added, “St. Louis has such a rich country music heritage, and we’re honored to be part of it. We can’t wait to wake up with our new listeners every day.”
Market President, John Kijowski, adds, “The addition of Jesse and Anna highlights 92.3 WIL’s commitment to delivering standout country programming and meaningful listener connections.”
Cluster OM Tommy Mattern said, “Jesse and Anna bring an incredible mix of authenticity and humor to morning radio. Their chemistry is undeniable, and we’re confident they’ll make an immediate impact with our listeners. We’re thrilled to welcome them to St. Louis and the WIL family.”
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Nationally syndicated radio host Joe Pags is adding to his plate. He’s picking up a new podcast with Salem Media Group and the Salem Podcast Network.
The new podcast — called Unshaken and Unafraid — will produce new episodes three times per week.
“This is more than a podcast. It’s a platform for real talk in a world drowning in propaganda,” Pagliarulo said in a release. “They’ve tried everything to shut me up, but I’m getting louder. Salem understands our fight, and I’m honored to team up with them.”
The program will be available across Salem’s plethora of platforms.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Joe Pags to the Salem Podcast Network,” said Salem Media Group Chief Strategy Officer Brad Parscale. “He brings massive credibility, a loyal national audience, and the courage that’s desperately needed right now. This show is going to shake things up.”
According to Salem, Unshaken and Unafraid will “feature exclusive interviews, bold commentary, and behind-the-scenes insight into the stories the mainstream won’t touch.”
Joe Pagliarulo — host of The Joe Pags Show — will continue to host his nationally syndicated radio show, which is distributed by Compass Media Networks, in conjunction with his new podcast venture with Salem Podcast Network.
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On Monday’s “Howard Stern Show” on Sirius XM, Stern paid tribute to the late Wink Martindale. Martindale was a regular on the show and announced prize giveaways.
Stern praised Martindale’s voice, saying, “He had a beautiful voice until the end,” while recalling watching “Tic-Tac-Dough” as a child.
Stern added, “I do want to personally thank Wink. That guy was 91 years old delivering like that.”
He shared a message from Martindale’s manager that read, “Wink’s first love was radio, Howard, when he started as a DJ, and you gave him an opportunity to end where it all started. He truly loved radio, and he went out as a regular on the biggest show on radio.”
Here is the video from the tribute segment.
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Marty Linck programs Hubbard’s Adult Hits 106.5 The Arch in St. Louis. The brilliantly named station has been in the format since April 2005. Linck has been with the station since 2019 and also programs sister Classic Rock 95 KSHE.
The Adult Hits format has long imagined itself as ‘you never know what is next,” or “playing what we want.” Despite that free-for-all image, there is a science to creating a station that plays everything from Sir Mix-a-Lot to Metallica.
“It’s really about balance more than anything, said Linck. “We build our clocks to ensure that we play one ‘70s song per hour, about four ‘80s per hour, four ‘90s per hour, then some 2000s mixed in. The ‘80s never play back to back. A ‘70s never plays into an older ‘80s song.”
There is a little bit of strategically placed new music.
“There’s a little bit. I had two songs a year, usually Sabrina Carpenter or Olivia Rodrigo, or just something that says, hey, we’re in touch with what’s happening today. Once it hits two billion streams on Spotify, it’s like, okay, I think everybody knows this song now.”
Adult Hits can lean Classic Rock, Classic Hits, or anything else, so where does The Arch fit in?
“I think ours is more female-friendly than most because we do have The Point and KSHE in our building, which are heavily male-dominated stations. So strategically, it made sense for us to lean a little more female. But The Arch does grab from everywhere.”
So, how do you speak to the broad lifestyle of a coalition audience?
“I think making it fun, making it sound, not self-aggrandizing, not boasting about how great we think we are. It’s a little more self-deprecating. We make fun of ourselves all the time for not knowing what we’re doing, positioning ourselves as kind of the idiots in the market. And I think it’s relatable. Like we’re just regular people and we don’t really know what we’re doing here.”
“We have imaging categories ranging from topical to local to attitude. And we do a weekly writing session with three guys here in the building, and it’s all about talking about what’s going on in the world today.”
“Some of the music we’re playing is 50 years old, but that doesn’t mean we have to talk about Archie Bunker and ‘All In The Family’ because the music came out then. We should be talking about what’s going on in the world today.”
“That includes St. Louis. We scour all the local websites, pay attention to the local news, and have a local category where we write about not just toasted ravioli, a local delicacy, but also things that are going on in the community. But it’s always with this kind of tongue-in-cheek attitude.”
“We wouldn’t put a sweeper on that, just plainly states there’s a fish fry happening this Friday at this church for Lent. We’ll talk about it in a way that might make you smile, laugh, or think about it differently.”
Adding to the variety image includes what some might call train wreck dry segues between the songs.
“We try to be strategic about it and make sure that it’s kind of a train wreck on purpose sometimes. If a song starts with cold vocals right off the bat and it’s coming out of a totally different style of song, I think that sounds awesome sometimes, as long as it’s not every segue.”
“Once an hour, I will put in just a wild card song, like a ‘Nine To Five’ by Dolly Parton, just to make people laugh and say, wow, I haven’t heard this in forever. And I’ll only play that song once a month.”
“Delight and surprise, we call it. It has to be a part of the format, but it’s still a mainstream format. It’s a mile wide, an inch deep. We play a wide variety of music from the ’60s to today, but we won’t play the third deep track from the album like KSHE might.”
The station is anchored by “The Courtney Show” in morning drive. Brando and Tim Convy are a part of the ensemble cast.
“We got lucky. She became available shortly after I got here in 2019. She’d been on KYKY Y98, and I worked with her there, too. I was the PD there when she was on, so I knew how good she was. I’m not sure why Audacy didn’t see the value in her, but they let her go, and we snapped her up three months later when her non-compete was over. She is a market veteran with a quirky sense of humor.”
“She’s from Illinois. She smokes cigarettes. She drinks beer and likes to talk about it. She’s just as real as you can get. We surrounded her with a cast of people. Brando is already known in the market.”
Giveaways, especially concert tickets, still make good currency for the station.
“I think because the way we’ve set up our station to be quirky and different, you kind of have to find quirky and different ways to utilize your concert tickets, and sometimes we just do straight giveaways. On our apps, we have the ability to do something we call tap the app and when we play a certain song from a certain artist, a reward becomes enabled on the app, and you tap it.”
“It’s encouraging people to listen online and utilize the app. We get more credit for listening online than we do over the air from Nielsen when it’s captured by the PPM unit, and so we push a lot of our contests online. We’re not taking caller ten, we’re saying when you hear the song, open your app, tap it, and you’re registered to win tickets. Then we might play that artist every hour.”
So, what keeps Linck up at night?
“Everything. I’m lucky that I work for Hubbard in St. Louis with John Kijowski and Tommy Mattern, and I feel like we produce a great return for the company, and the company supports us and gives us the tools that we need at least to the degree that they can in this climate.”
“The climate bothers me. I think it’s felt in many businesses, not just radio. I think the car business is going through a hard time. My wife is getting into real estate, and it’s incredibly difficult right now with the mortgage rates. So, the world, in general, is becoming a more difficult place to thrive in, and that keeps me up at night. But I can only control what I can control, and I have to work my butt off to make sure our product is the best it can be.”
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Approaching The Summit is a series of special interviews created in partnership with Point to Point Marketing featuring speakers at the upcoming 2025 BSM Summit in Chicago, IL. Follow along with this series as prominent names surrounding the event coming up on May 8-9 at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) inside the Edlis Neeson Theater and share their insights and expectations for what’s to come in the Windy City.
Fred Jacobs is the founder of Jacobs Media and one of the most trusted voices in the radio industry. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, he is known as the creator of the classic rock format, and successfully programed WRIF in Detroit before forming Jacobs Media. He is a frequent guest and speaker at previous the Barrett Sports Media Summit since his first appearance in 2020.
Jacobs sat down with Barrett Media from his offices in Michigan.
*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*
BSM Staff: Looking ahead to the Summit in Chicago, what are you looking forward to the most?
Fred Jacobs: This is an exciting opportunity because so much of my work over the years has been in variations of rock radio. Being able to hang out with people who are pros in my favorite format to listen to recreationally is what makes this a really cool event for me.
I love sports radio as a consumer, so it’s really cool to be with all you guys and kind of plug into what’s important for you.
BSM Staff: I know you’ve attended and presented at the Summit before in 2020. For you, what value do you feel this particular event provides to those who attend?
Fred Jacobs: There’s no substitute for being together in the same room and sharing ideas. The pandemic showed us the power of virtual meetings and there’s no question that platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have been really useful and cost saving.
I don’t think there’s any substitute for actually being able to hang out together. Not just the sessions, but also the social time to be able to sit down with people who work you admire, or you wonder about. Now you actually have an opportunity to share ideas with them.
Plus, you guys do a really great job of booking this thing. I think everybody who is anybody in sports radio goes to this event. They’re all there you just have to show up and take advantage of it.
BSM Staff: As an attendee of nearly every one of the Summits, I’ve always looked forward to your presentations. What do you hope that a person sitting in a chair in Chicago takes away from your session?
Fred Jacobs: My focus is going to be on this year’s TechSurvey, which I just presented to the ‘radio industry.’ What I’m going to do for the Summit is do a sports pull out, and do a deep dive on what sports radio fans are thinking.
I think a big part of this is that idea of meeting the audience where they are, and sports radio fans are just so voracious for everything. Whether it’s information about the NFL Draft, rumors, betting, fantasy. Sports radio fans just you know want a deluge of information, and they’re willing to use a variety of different platforms to get it.
You see that in TechSurvey, so I think it’s important for a programmer in Detroit where I live to know what platforms are important versus maybe a programmer in Denver or Tampa. It does vary by market depending on the audience and the teams. I’m hoping to connect a few of those important dots when we get together in Chicago.
BSM Staff: Based on your past attendance, how have you seen the Summit evolve?
Fred Jacobs: The first one I went to was the one in New York City right before the pandemic. So that was really weird because I think most people in the room had an idea there was something coming, but we couldn’t figure out what.
I think now that it’s safe to actually hang out at mass events like this, I just think it’s so important to exchange ideas at an event like this. To me this is just a really great opportunity and as we know there are fewer and fewer conferences just in general for radio and certainly for radio programmers.
This is one of the few events left that still gives you the opportunity to be able to hang out with your peers and actually learn something.
BSM Staff: You’ve been covering the radio industry for quite a while. What are the biggest opportunities or challenges regarding the industry that you hope are discussed at the Summit this time around?
Fred Jacobs: The challenges are obvious. There is sports information and resources on just so many different platforms, everybody is going this. I think a local sports radio station has to really zero in on the things that differentiate you from what everybody else is doing. That’s going to vary quite a bit by the brand.
For some stations it’s going to be personalities, another it’s going to be holding up the mirror to the local community and kind of reflecting that vibe back. I think it really does vary depending on the radio station, but broadcast radio has to figure out a way of carving out those unique differences, so people feel compelled to keep tuning in every day.
Whatever it is we’re doing is just so important that they can’t get it anywhere else. That’s why it’s a great opportunity but it’s also a heavy lift.
BSM Staff: What’s one thing that Fred Jacobs is looking to walk away from this Summit with?
Fred Jacobs: I would love to come away with some different angles about thinking about how to entertain the audience. I’m especially interested in experiential marketing. Stations being able to either throw their own events, or even on a smaller scale. Give the audience an opportunity to be able to do something that they couldn’t do on their own.
Maybe that’s even something as simple as going to a game with your favorite sports radio host, your know that type of thing. I think more and more we’re looking at bucket lists, and people being able to do unique things that maybe they can’t afford to buy or even if they had the money, they just can’t make that happen.
I think radio has the opportunity, and the ability to be able to do that if they just have a better sense. I’m going to talk about that in my session, but I’m hoping to actually walk away with some ideas that maybe I can translate to what I do.
Purchase your tickets to the 2025 BSM Summit here, and for more information BSMSummit.com
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