Connect with us
Jim Cutler Demos

BSM Writers

Perrault, Parkins, and Cline Help You Skew Younger

Tyler McComas

Published

on

“How do we get younger?” That’s the question that was posed to me earlier this month by the owner of the radio station I’m currently employed at. The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized just how differently the younger end of the demographic consumes content compared to the older end. But what’s the right approach to attract young listeners and not abandoned the older crowd that’s always been loyal to your station? 

For that answer, I wanted to poll one host from a small market, one from a large market and another in national radio. The more perspectives the better, right? The main idea, I believe, is that you have to put yourself where the young people are. In essence, bring your product to them so people can consume your product whenever they want. 

Though that’s a great starting point, I also wanted to find even more ways to attract young listeners. What content interests them? How do they want to respond and interact with shows? How can older show hosts resonate with the younger crowd? 

I do think all these questions are important and are probably being asked in various stations across the country. Good content can win out, but putting that content in the right place is probably more important than it’s ever been. Luckily, Matt Perrault of SB Nation Radio, Danny Parkins of 670 The Score in Chicago and Heath Cline of 107.5 The Game in Columbia, SC, have given us a lot more clarity in how to reach the younger demographic. 

Matt Perrault – SB Nation Radio 

TM: How interested are young people in sports radio?

MP: I think young people are going to be much more interested in sports talk radio because of the legalization of sports gambling. I think the way that stations and networks are going to reach a young demographic is by being able to talk about sports gambling in a way that’s not in the weeds, but that appeals to a younger audience. I’ve seen this from my two younger brothers, who are both under the age of 26. They both love sports, but they love their own bets even more. 

I think the way we’re going to reach the younger audience is by them being inclined to listen, and even be attracted, to hosts that are going to be able to present both a topic and a proper explanation of sports gambling for what’s going on that given night. So, it can’t just be, here’s my 5 Star Play of the Week! Nobody cares about that. Young people roll their eyes at that and think it’s stupid. But they do want an educated conversation in a way that makes them say, okay, I can really trust or believe in this because I’m really enjoying the newfound ability to sports gamble. 

TM: Nowadays, we can find anything we want to consume on demand. Younger people seem to really be leading the charge on that. How does that change the future in how we operate in sports radio?

MP: Why do the television networks pay big money for play-by-play broadcasts? Well, it’s because you can’t get it anywhere else. Well it’s the same thing when it comes to sports gambling, where, when a game goes off, that’s gone. That play is now gone. 

So if you’re talking from 5 to 7 on afternoon drive and you’re leading up to kick off or first pitch of a game, conversations leading into the game about what may happen that night, what side you should be on and what you’re expecting to see, you can’t on demand that. You have to be listening right then and there, because your bets are placed before the game goes off. To me, that’s one way of making people listen right before the game, because that information is so crucial and vital. 

Everything is on demand. Everyone binge watches or goes back and watches it later, but that’s also one way for radio, I think, to capitalize on that ‘need to be live’ moment right before a game goes off. 

TM: With that being said, do you believe hosts need to be more open to talking about sports gambling on their shows? 

MP: Look, I’m totally biased in this. I’m all in on it. I’ll preface my answer with saying my show is called Pushing the Odds. I work part time for The Action Network. My studio used to be at a casino, it’s now going to be at another casino coming up for football season. So, the answer is yes to me. 100 percent yes. 

You better be ready, you better be able to see the shifting tides, that’s where the money is going to be coming from, nationally, regionally and locally. If you’re in New York or in New Jersey and you’re not gearing your fall shows to incorporate heavy sports gambling content, I think you’re making a massive mistake. When you look around, a lot of states are getting ready to do it. I’m not talking about a starting a podcast, I’m talking about every day being able to talk about it intelligently. 

For your pregame shows, your hosts better be able to talk about what’s going on and where the number is going. Your postgame host should be able to talk about it and reference it. That doesn’t mean they have to go way in-depth, but there needs to be mention of it. 

TM: So if a show makes a commitment to steer more content towards sports gambling, how do callers fit in? Do they fit in at all? 

MP: I’m not the biggest caller driven radio guy anyway. I think it’s up to the host to create content that’s going to make sense to someone that’s listening on demand 4 or 5 hours after your show is over. Look, I’ve been on this for daily fantasy, I’ve been on this for season long fantasy and sports gambling, that’s your business and the audience doesn’t care. So if you say, hey, call me up and tell me what your favorite bet is today, or call me and say, hey Matt, should I be on the under tonight on the Monday Night Football Game? I mean, you can have that conversation, if it’s what you’re already talking about, but I would never say that you should never have a call to action for people to ask a sports gambling question. Unless that’s all your show is, just people calling for betting advice, otherwise no, I wouldn’t do that. 

TM: Let’s say I’ve been hosting a show for 25 or 30 years and I really don’t want to turn into a dinosaur in this industry. How do you think an older show host should stick true to what got them to that point, but also adapt to things that younger listeners are interested in?

MP: I’m 41 years old and have been in talk radio since 1997. If you’re not able to change in this industry every five years, then I don’t know how you really survived anyway. You kind of have to. 

If you’re someone who’s done the same show, with the same topics, I think you really have to be willing to change and adapt. This is a changing landscape and while your state or region may not be changing as fast as another one, you better see what’s coming down the pike and be able to change and adapt. You can’t just throw your hands up. It’s like the national anthem debate, you can’t just say you’re not talking about it, that doesn’t work. 

You have to be willing to have a conversation and even though there’s going to be people that think sports gambling is gross, dirty or wrong, or whatnot. There’s going to be a whole generation of kids that are going to grow up, like they did with cell phones, they’re going to be used to sports gambling and they’re going to be looking for sports gambling content. 

Danny Parkins – 670 The Score 

TM: How interested are young people in sports radio? 

DP: I think they’re interested in good content and on demand content. I don’t think that the actual delivery mechanism matters quite as much. A 21-year-old might not be listening to as much traditional AM radio, but they know how to stream live content on the Radio.com app, or get a podcast downloaded on demand for whatever it is that they want. Even if the numbers would be down demographically, which research doesn’t even necessarily say that it is, over 90 percent of people still listen to radio. 

I do think there are still plenty of people that are still listening to radio, it’s just, AM sports radio, is that trend young? Obviously not, but good content in an on demand way I think is still very appealing to young people. 

TM: How much should you alter your station’s identity, if at all, to curb things toward a young demographic? 

DP: Well, I don’t run a station so I don’t know if that’s really for me to say. I think that, sometimes, people really overcomplicate this. The numbers for shows that I have been a part of, dating back to my time in Kansas City, when I’ve been able to study the market trends and the ratings, skew better with young people. The young audience goes up. I don’t think it’s because I have some sort of magical gift to speak to young people, I think it’s because I am a young person. 

In Chicago, as an example, the ’85 Bears are beloved in this town, but I was born in 1986. So, I don’t have the same reverence for them as others. I respect them, and I’ve learned a lot about them, but when I speak about the Bears, I speak from the standpoint that I’ve seen one Super Bowl appearance in my life and for the vast majority of my life, they’ve been one of the worst organizations in the NFL. So where I make a reference to the Bears and their futility, I’m coming at it from my perspective. Or if I’m referencing Game of Thrones, like something that is a current trend, and an older person references movies from the 70’s or 80, some of which I really like as well, but the references are more updated and the sports opinions are more current. 

So if you’re listening on radio or podcast or whatever, you have the ability to say, oh, this person is coming at it from a similar standpoint as I am. I can relate to that person, therefore I will listen to that person. 

TM: Not to take a shot at anyone at 65 years old and in the host seat, but can you have older hosts at a station and still appeal to a younger audience? 

DP: I mean I hope so. My current co-host is in his mid-50’s and we’re building a show. The target demo is 25-54, that’s what we sell to advertisers. I look at it being a real strength. If he appeals to the older end of the demo and I appeal to the younger end of the demo, and we can have a blend, whether it be father and son, drunk uncle and drunk nephew, like, I can mock him for being a dinosaur and he can mock me for being a millennial, that dynamic plays out across generations and hopefully we can appeal to a wide range of people. 

TM: In terms of outside the box content ideas to appeal to a younger demographic, do you feel topics that are both current and non-sports related  can attract that demo more?

DP: Yeah, but I think that appeals to the older demographic, too. I really just think it’s all about good content. I absolutely think that if I’m doing a five-hour a day show on a sports station, they’re coming to us for sports but hopefully they’re really coming to us to be entertained. Whether we’re talking about fishing, movies, golf, Game of Thrones, video games or the Bears, hopefully we’re doing it in an appealing way so that people of all ages can relate to it in some way. 

I don’t wake up every day and think about ways to get young people, maybe that’s because I am a young person, but my references, my speech patterns, my slang, what I do on the weekends, I don’t have kids, I wear t-shirts to work every day, I’m always on Twitter, all of those things paint the picture of a young person and then hopefully that relates to young people. 

Heath Cline – 107.5 The Game 

TM: How interested are young people in sports radio?

HC: Yeah, in my experience I think they really are. Now, I think we have to understand that how they might be interested in sports radio may not be the same way that the 45 or 50 year old got interested. Let’s put it this way: I don’t get nearly as many calls. When we do calls, I don’t get near as many of them from younger people as I do from folks that are up in the demographic. 

On the other hand, if we’re out on a remote, I’m as likely or maybe even more likely to see the younger side of the demo showing up than the older, who has a couple of kids and a wife at home he has to deal with. I think younger people are more interested in participating and potentially feeling like they’re involved in some way like the station is a club. 

You look at things like the Wing Bowl in Philadelphia. That’s not because people find eating wings so fascinating to come out and watch. It’s because it’s an event that the people of Philly feel like they’re involved in. I think that part does translate. I think the part about staying on hold for 28 minutes to say ‘fire the coach,’ I’m not sure that’s where the young people want to be. 

TM: Do you feel it’s true that younger people are more interested in listening via their phone or computer compared to an actual radio? 

HC: Everything you read is that the younger generation is much more likely to be into the podcast and that aspect of it. When it comes to social media interaction, certainly it’s not all young people, but if someone is going to send me a tweet during the show, I’d guess it would be a person under 34 opposed to someone who’s over that age. 

There’s so many people now that don’t call anyone, much less a radio show. How many people just don’t call anybody? All they do is text. That’s how they’re going to choose to interact with you. You need to be able to handle that. If you want to meet them on their terms, you probably need to have a plan to do so. 

TM: Do you think social media interaction will end up becoming the replacement for phone calls in sports radio? 

HC: In a lot of ways, I think we’re kind of already there. Most stations are really going to the way of text lines. One of the other things that’s tricky, and this isn’t the case in every market, but if you’re in a market like mine where you have a major university, we have a lot more younger listeners that may not show up in the ratings, because they’re not sending the diaries to fraternity houses or dorms or temporary apartments that people are always in and out of. 

We know these people are there, because we do an event and see the participation level. Our numbers are pretty good, but if there was ever some genuinely accurate way to measure younger demos in places that are more likely to be transient than to be someone who’s going to be at the same place for 5 or 10 years at a time, I think we’d have a better feel for ratings on them. But, they’re there and the value for them supporting sponsors, the value of them turning up at your station’s events are huge. You can’t ignore that, even though it’s not always going to show up in the book. 

To me, being authentic is more important than this idea of, well, I hear the millennials are into this, this and this, so we better pretend we’re into it too. Ideally, I do think you need to have some people on your station that are younger and have that viewpoint. What you can’t do, is put a 28-year-old on the air that doesn’t necessarily have a background in our area and doesn’t understand everything about the market. 

One of the biggest sins of younger hosts, is that you have to prove yourself right on everything. You’re wanting to come off as smart, but in retrospect you realize you’re coming off as just way too arrogant. You have to make sure that if put young people on the air, they don’t come off of as condescending dickheads to the people who are still a core of the audience. 

Young, sure, if you can find the right young talent, go for it. But just putting young people on the air without making sure they know how to handle the older people in the demo can be a mistake. 

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.

BSM Writers

Kim Mulkey Now Has Everyone Anticipating Washington Post Story

I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it.

Avatar photo

Published

on

photo of LSU women's college basketball coach Kim Mulkey
Credit: Dailymail.co.uk

The Washington Post, you might’ve heard, has a story coming out about controversial LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey. The reason you might’ve heard is because Kim Mulkey told you. The Tigers coach read a fiery prepared statement just before her team started the Women’s NCAA Tournament. In the statement, Mulkey threatened to sue The Post for defamation before the first word was even published.

Now, I’ve never run a public relations firm but that did not seem like a good idea. The Washington Post story on Mulkey is one of the bigger stories in sports right now and nobody even knows what’s in it. The reason the story, apparently unflattering to Mulkey, is even on anyone’s radar screen is Mulkey herself.

It all started with an innocuous social media post by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde right in the middle of the most anticipated two days in sports, the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. On his X account, Forde posted: “Hearing some buzz about a big Washington Post story in the works on LSU women’s hoops coach Kim Mulkey, potentially next week. Wagons being circled, etc.”

You know what generally will go unnoticed at 4:00 on the first Friday of the NCAA Tournament? A post on X about a women’s basketball coach. But don’t tell Mulkey, she saw Forde’s post and decided to fight fire with nuclear weaponry. The result: the average person like me now is really interested in what has Mulkey so incensed. By “average person like me” I mean that I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it. Maybe:

“LSU Women’s Coach Discovers Ark of the Covenant”

Or:

“Mulkey Reveals True JFK Assassin(s)”

Perhaps:

“Famed Women’s Basketball Coach Reveals the Mystery Behind Slow Drivers in the Left Lane”

Literally any of those catch my attention more than whatever will likely be the Washington Post headline about Mulkey. But now Mulkey is “Mad as Hell and is not going to take this anymore” so I now have an interest I would never before have had in this story. It has been fascinating to watch the online speculation about the subject of the article and all we really know, as of now, is that it will be written by Kent Babb. This is a dream come true for Babb; he writes an article that is, presumably, not flattering about Kim Mulkey and, before it is even published, she gives the article the greatest commercial anyone could give it. Babb couldn’t have entered into a business agreement with Mulkey and had this turn out better for him.

For those who don’t follow Babb, he is a former NFL reporter who now is an award-winning writer for the Washington Post. In his 14 years with The Post, he has written sports features and authored a couple of books. One of those sports features stories was a deep dive into what he viewed as a large inequity in the level of pay for LSU head football coach Brian Kelly and his LSU players. It is this piece Mulkey described as a “hit piece” and, based on that piece, referred to Babb as a “sleazy reporter.” Babb, and many others, resented the fact his story was labeled as a hit piece. In fact, Babb essentially confirmed he was the author Mulkey was referencing when he shared the original article on X with the comment: “Hit piece?”

Whether a printed piece or a recorded interview, I can’t imagine a better promotion for it than the subject of the interview threatening a libel/slander lawsuit, especially before it is even released. That simply screams “This piece is salacious!!” Also, libel and slander suits get settled all the time, right? Of course they don’t, they seem to never even get filed. That little thing called discovery is a scary thing for most public figures.

The NCAA Tournament has been very entertaining, and I think the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be terrific. For only the fifth time ever, the top two seeds have advanced to the third round which sets up for a remarkable weekend. For me, I guess it will now include a Washington Post article, not a sentence I’d normally say.

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Continue Reading

BSM Writers

Ian Eagle Crushing It for CBS As Replacement for Jim Nantz

Eagle continues to be a shining example of what a network play-by-play announcer should be.

Avatar photo

Published

on

Photo of Ian Eagle and the CBS Sports logo

I’ll admit, it’s been a little strange not hearing Jim Nantz during this year’s NCAA Tournament. Nantz stepped aside to concentrate on golf and the NFL after a long run covering the Final Four. Change is sometimes hard to accept, we are all creatures of habit, and I’m sure it’s a little weird for Nantz himself this time of year. But change doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. When it comes to Ian Eagle, not that I’m surprised, so far, so good.

Eagle is no stranger to CBS viewers. He’s been with the network since 1998 calling college basketball games and the NFL through the years. That certainly made the transition a little easier for everyone involved. CBS, the viewers and Eagle himself. Familiarity in these cases doesn’t breed content, it breeds a more comfortable broadcast and an easier handle on the change itself.

For Eagle, one of the other benefits for him was working with familiar folks, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson. Eagle estimates that he and Raftery have called 600 basketball games together, because they were longtime partners on the NBA’s Nets broadcasts. Eagle has also previously worked with Hill in college basketball, the same for Wolfson.

“To do this with Bill, Grant, and Tracy, it really is going to feel very seamless. In many ways, it will feel like we’ve been doing it together for many years,” says Eagle on a conference call before the Big Dance.

It sounds seamless too. It’s not underrated to have a good rapport with the folks that you’re working with. Everyone is trying to get used to a new voice and the idiosyncrasies of a new announcer. It’s much less of a chore, when you know and have worked with your co-workers and partners before.  You know what to expect from them, and they know what to expect from you. That’s good.

I think Eagle is killing it in his new role. You could even tell during the Big Ten Tournament that led up to the “Big Dance” that he was not only ready, he was ready to roll. It’s easy to hear how much he loves doing what he’s doing. That’s the case in all of the sports he calls.

Eagle continues to be a shining example of what a network play-by-play announcer should be. He has the ability to combine his talent with some personality, but never at the expense of the action he’s calling. His broadcasts always hit the mark, as he rises to the occasion when the moment calls for it.

What do I mean by personality? He manages to make us laugh, even in some tense moments of a game. He also manages to articulate our thoughts in some situations, like this example from the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. 

Sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson had a report during the UConn/Northwestern game about the superstitions of Huskies’ coach Dan Hurley. He wears the same red dragon underwear and suit as he did last year. Wolfson said Hurley’s wife travels with a portable washing machine to make sure his clothes stay clean. Leading Eagle to ask the question on all our minds:

“Who has a portable washing machine?! I didn’t even know that existed!”

Also in that game, Eagle had a couple of other great moments. UConn big man Donovan Clingan had a couple of swats on one play.

“Denied! Clingan! Denied! Two for the price of one!” Quick thinking and entertaining at the same time. Later when a ball got pinned between the basket and the backboard, Eagle said, “Oooh! A Brooklyn wedgie!”

Great stuff. None of his ‘ad-libs’ sound like they are forced. It’s within the flow of the action and just seem to come to him. It’s pretty amazing to be that quick on your feet, when you’re trying to make sure to get the call correct above all else. I’m sure we’re all in for many more treats like that along the way from Eagle.

In general, when fans are watching a tournament game, they probably aren’t thinking about the preparation that goes into a broadcast. Especially for a play-by-play announcer. The first weekend network announcers calling a couple of games in the same day. There’s also only a day in between the first and second rounds to prep for teams that you may or may not have seen during the college season.  The turnaround is quick and demanding.  

“It feels like an information avalanche in many ways,” Eagle said recently on 670 The Score. “The fact that I’ve done it for so long would make you think, ‘oh, he’s got it down, he has the system, he found the secret sauce.’ No, it feels the same way every year.”

Eagle says even veteran announcers like himself have to manage stress levels and work efficiently once they know which games they’ll call. “The two or three days leading up to the tournament, I must admit, are probably the most angst-riddled of the year because it’s a little bit out of your control.” Eagle told 670 The Score.

Yes, the stress level is great on the broadcasters, but how about what Clark Kellogg continues to do at the NCAA Tournament and the Final Four? For the 8th year, he’ll join Kevin Kugler and Jim Jackson on Westwood One’s broadcast of the Final Four and Championship Game on radio. At the same time, Kellogg will be a studio analyst for the television coverage. How does he pull it off? Following the pregame show broadcast on TV, Kellogg will make his way courtside to the radio broadcast position to join Kugler and Jackson. Then, he will rejoin TV for halftime before repeating the process in the second half and postgame. 

Working this tournament isn’t easy for these broadcasters. It’s a big stage for sure, but as you’ve read, there’s big pressure that goes along with it. The audience is usually huge, and announcers are constantly put under the microscope. Fans want to make sure that you know their team, pronunciations and all. Stories. Bios. All of it. Cut these folks a little slack, information gathering with little time to do it, isn’t exactly simple. They do a damn good job.

Eagle himself, is doing a tremendous job. The 3-man booth works so well because of his ability to keep it all together. He can set up either Raftery or Hill with a serious basketball question, or deliver a great ‘straight line’ to bring out their personalities. It’s a gift. Eagle has that knack for knowing when to go ‘rogue’ and go for that entertaining line, that seems to fit in perfectly. Speaking of fitting fine, those rather large shoes he had to fill, they’re becoming the perfect size.

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Continue Reading

BSM Writers

Andrew Salciunas Aims to Thrive in Morning Drive on 97.5 The Fanatic

“We are two radio guys that kind of know what we’re doing.”

Derek Futterman

Published

on

Andrew Salciunas
Courtesy: Beasley Media Group

When 97.5 The Fanatic midday host Anthony Gargano agreed to a deal to contribute to PHLY Sports, a local digital venture within ALLCITY Network, he was promptly suspended by Beasley Media Group and subsequently sued for breach of contract. Although the two sides eventually reached a settlement and officially parted ways, the future of the daypart was still in question. In the interim time period, the station granted Andrew Salciunas the opportunity to lead a four-hour solo program with producer Ray Dunne. Salciunas had served as Gargano’s producer in the midday slot and still has a strong relationship with the sports media personality today despite no longer working together.

The onerous aspect of the situation, however, was in recognizing that Salciunas was being afforded a chance to prove himself as a host in the marketplace. In the past, he had filled in when Gargano took vacations, but it was not for an extended period of time. Although he was familiar with the flow of a midday program, achieving a successful, yet sudden assimilation into a regular timeslot without a partner was an invigorating circumstance.

“I knew that it was going to be a learning experience because it’s one thing to host a show on Saturday or it’s one thing to host a weekly podcast and you have a week’s worth of content at your disposal,” Salciunas said. “It’s another thing to [be] hosting every single day and needing to come up with new ideas and new angles and new twists on things, so it was a challenge knowing that I was going to have to do that for however long the process was going to be.”

Salciunas received help from program director Scott Masteller, a sports radio veteran who has helped elevate brands and nurture budding talent. Several months later, Masteller asked Salciunas how he would feel about working with morning program host John Kincade. Salciunas replied by saying that it was something he would be interested in doing, and he later added that he already wakes up early and could easily work in morning drive. Salciunas was somewhat nonplussed when he discovered that Masteller’s intention was to have him anchor the program rather than Kincade, who has been hosting in the daypart since January 2021.

In the weeks and months ensuing, Salciunas and Kincade were involved in meetings to plan the new program, which officially made its debut on 97.5 The Fanatic last week and is titled Kincade & Salciunas. Both hosts knew about the program for roughly two months, and Salciunas is surprised that it was kept a secret for as long as it was. Outside of their scheduled meetings, Salciunas was able to speak with Kincade between their shows since they occurred after the other as well. From the onset, he wanted to make his thoughts about the program clear to ensure a smooth transition amid a quest to inform and entertain the audience.

“The first thing I told John when they told us that this was the plan moving forward was that, ‘This is going to be our show,’” Salciunas recalled. “Yes, I might be the guy running the ins and outs out of commercial breaks. I’m the guy that brings on the guests; I’m the guy that brings on the callers, but this is our show. We both have ideas, we’re both passionate about Philadelphia sports teams, we’re both high-energy people, we’re both opinionated and we’re also respectful of each other.”

While there is natural disagreement between Salciunas and Kincade on a variety of sports topics, they make sure not to fabricate their discussions and engender debate for the sake of the show. Instead of feigning their contrarian discourse, there is a legitimate willingness to be genuine with their audience while continuing to put radio first. Salciunas, Kincade and show producer Connor Thomas all contribute ideas for the program to appeal to the audience and continue building the show as a whole. Thomas also had familiarity in working with Kincade since he served as an associate producer on his previous morning program.

“I’m not a former journalist; he’s not a former professional athlete,” Salciunas said. “We are two radio guys that kind of know what we’re doing. Even though our opinions might differ on sports-related stuff, we see doing radio in a similar way.”

Upon Kincade officially joining 97.5 The Fanatic, he demonstrated his magnanimity and commitment to his colleagues by offering to take all of them out to lunch individually to learn more about them. It was a gesture that surprised Salciunas and something that stuck with him, ultimately helping familiarize themselves with one another and subsequently creating a viable on-air product.

“He’s one of those guys who likes getting to know people, and I think that’s helped a lot,” Salciunas said. “We already had that sort of knowledge of one another [and] we already had that relationship, and because we’re just both so bought in and both so hungry, that’s made it so much easier that we’re willing to do whatever it takes to make the show work.”

Before arriving at 97.5 The Fanatic, Kincade had worked at sports radio both at the local and national levels while also hosting a podcast with Hall of Fame center and Inside the NBA studio analyst Shaquille O’Neal. Bringing him back to his home marketplace and realizing success in the morning daypart was valuable as the sports media ecosystem underwent stretches of change. Transitioning to the new morning show iteration without colleagues Bob Cooney and Pat Egan presented its challenges, but Salciunas has had no qualms that Kincade was invested to win. As a result, the transition has been relatively simple in terms of building palpable chemistry among the on-air team.

“He believes in anybody that he works with,” Salciunas said of Kincade, “and knowing that somebody has worked that long as long as he has in sports radio that he values the young person’s opinion, not just in sports but in terms of radio, that goes a long way.”

There is constant communication between the morning show team leading up to a program outside of typical pre-show meetings and twice-weekly conversations with their boss. Salciunas arrives at the station well before the start of the program and compiles ideas from the previous day into a document, along with ideas from others that come during their commutes. Additionally, they continuously monitor the news cycle and determine what to address on the air while also interviewing special guests throughout the week.

Effectuating a fully prepared show rundown by 6 a.m. EST has been marginally difficult, along with the fact that it can be difficult to book guests on short notice before sunrise. Because of this, the program frequently outlines its guests early in the week and makes adjustments as necessary while maintaining fealty towards conveying their true, authentic personalities.

“I’m a little bit more energetic on the radio because I understand the entertainment portion of doing what we do and having to properly express myself,” Salciunas said. “I’m probably not going to scream at a bar, but when I converse with callers; when I converse with John [or] producers… that’s who I am as a person. There’s just a microphone in front of me.”

When he first started working at 97.5 The Fanatic as an intern, Salciunas did not have a goal of eventually becoming an on-air talent. He was content with his role as a producer, which was borne out of an internship where he worked with Jon Marks and Steve Vassalotti. Both station members served as mentors that he utilized to gain information and advice, a fortuitous outcome after Salciunas impetuously applied for the opening.

While Salciunas was matriculating at Temple University, he needed at least three internship credits in order to qualify for graduation. Reflecting back on his education days, he does not regard himself as the best student and recognized that he needed to intern with the radio station to set himself apart. Honing his focus in sports media took time since he had varied interests in areas such as reporting, podcasting and play-by-play announcing, but he ultimately gravitated towards the sports radio format during his time in Philadelphia.

Salciunas made a favorable impression on those with 97.5 The Fanatic and ended up being hired as an associate producer where he learned more about the format and its programming. Eric Camille, a former executive producer at the station, is someone Salciunas regards as seminal to his professional development.

“He was the guy that hired me out of my internship, and then once I started working, he really helped me,” Salciunas said. “He kind of took me under his wing and helped me out a lot.”

Once Salciunas was hired as a full-time producer, he began to work with Mike Missanelli on his midday program, providing an invaluable learning experience to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the sports media industry. As a veteran host who has captivated Philadelphia sports fans and media consumers at large, Salciunas noticed that collaborating on Missanelli’s program was a different experience than the other shows he had done. Whereas a morning drive show is oftentimes one of the first points of reaction on a given day, Missanelli knew that he would need to approach his daypart differently and adopted a paradigmatic style implementing second-level topics.

“It’s not just going on the air and reacting to an Eagles loss,” Salciunas explained. “It’s reacting to a storyline within an Eagles loss or reacting to a storyline within an Eagles win that may generate conversation. Trying to figure out topics that generate conversation but are not just the, ‘Oh wow, I’m angry they lost today,’ and give out the phone number. It’s [trying] to find topics that make people think and make yourself think and make the audience think.”

When Missanelli left the station, Salciunas began his stint working with Anthony Gargano where he began occasionally hosting select programs. The rationale behind his decision to go behind the microphone was that when the Eagles won a Super Bowl championship, the station needed someone to host from 2 to 5 a.m. Salciunas decided to volunteer for the program, presuming that it sounded fun. From that shift on, he continued his work as a producer while also refining his craft behind the microphone in a major market. It deviated from a philosophy perpetuated by former program director Matt Nahigian of limiting the amount of time producers were on the air, assuming that consumers listened to hear the hosts.

“Now you have to be a producer,” Salciunas affirmed. “You look at both radio stations in Philadelphia – a lot of the hosts now were former producers, and so you learn so much of the craft and then you figure out your own role. You figure out how you handle yourself as a host, so I think producing first before becoming a talk show host should be the way to go moving forward.”

Beasley Media Group’s 97.5 The Fanatic shares the Philadelphia marketplace with Audacy-owned SportsRadio 94WIP, and both stations have had intense battles in the ratings over the years. Salciunas shared that most people between the two stations have worked with their competitors at some point in their careers, and there is an evident respect that exists between the two entities. With both outlets introducing new morning shows within the last two years though, Salciunas understands there is a chance to gain ground on the WIP Morning Show, which finished ahead in the four Nielsen XTrends quarterly ratings books last year.

“Clearly if somebody’s behind a microphone in Philadelphia, everybody’s talented, and we’re going to do whatever we can to try to bridge that gap a little bit, and we’re seeing some good strides already,” Salciunas said. “I think having a new show is a big part of that trying to grab that initial audience, but then it’s holding on to that initial audience.”

Being able to achieve this outcome, however, requires a commitment to showcasing talent and different personalities. Salciunas referenced how there was a point in John Kincade’s stint hosting mornings in the daypart’s previous iteration where he gained ground on his crosstown competitor Angelo Cataldi with WIP. Kincade, of course, used to work with Cataldi’s show as a contributor and received a chance to take the air while with the outlet.

“I’ve seen the turn of tides of ratings over the years for every show [and] every time slot, so there’s always an opportunity, but that means we always have to be on our game; that means we always have to be doing the best show possible,” Salciunas said. “We can’t go in the next day and say, ‘Wow, that show was really good yesterday. Let’s have some fun today; let’s make this a lighthearted show.’ No, we always have to be thinking about, ‘Alright, what can we do next to put on another great entertaining four-hour radio show?’”

Over the last several years, there have been several leadership changes at 97.5 The Fanatic responsible for overseeing the slate of programming and station operations. Scott Masteller currently leads the outlet, someone in whom Salciunas has confidence that he can continue to elevate the standing of the station. In his earlier years working with 97.5 The Fanatic, Salciunas had an innovative spirit but was discouraged from taking steps to align with the multimedia evolution. For example, when he offered to do a podcast several years ago, someone at the station questioned his judgment and the reasoning behind the idea.

“I was told by someone, ‘What’s the point in doing that? We’re a radio station,’ and I knew back then that that was a mistake to say,” Salciunas explained. “You shouldn’t say, ‘We’re a radio station;’ that was years ago, so seeing that bosses and market managers and hosts and producers all realizing, ‘Alright, we have to adapt,’ that excites me.”

Possessing the background as a producer lends shrewd and calculated judgment on how to include members of the audience into the program. While there are still open phone lines for callers to chime in, the program has introduced a text line and also engages with the audience through the live chat functionality of YouTube. Having Thomas as a producer of the show has helped in this area as well, with Salciunas sharing that he has a strong understanding of how to create and optimize content for various platforms of dissemination.

“We have a great YouTube audience where they basically have their own community all of a sudden,” Salciunas said. “They’re constantly talking about the show, and sometimes we grab what they’re saying on that YouTube feed because that’s another area of today’s new media where you have another avenue to communicate with people.”

As Salciunas grows accustomed to the early start on 97.5 The Fanatic and his new colleagues in morning drive, he is filled with enthusiasm and the prospect of possibility. The radio station has been the only outlet by which he has been employed since the start of his media career, and he hopes to work there for as long as possible. National radio and television intrigue him going forward, but his priority centers on thriving in the new role.

“I want to try to get 97.5 The Fanatic – because it starts in the morning – back up in the map; back in the top five of the ratings books – and that’s going to take some time,” Salciunas said. “We’re a new show – we’re going to have to figure each other out.”

Salciunas expressed that the last year-and-a-half has been “hectic” in the midday daypart, but there has also been excitement surrounding the ephemerality as well. Taking the microphone in a major market with a dedicated sports fanbase such as Philadelphia is a privilege he does not take for granted, and he aspires to continue excelling in the marketplace for years to come.

“I just started, so I’m not thinking about the next step just yet,” Salciunas said. “I want this to last for a long time – for a very long time. If I never have to leave, that would be great.”

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Advertisement

Upcoming Events

Barrett Media Writers

Copyright © 2024 Barrett Media.