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"I think we have learned with this art form that in order for us to provide compelling, enter-taining, and informative content we have to go beyond the X's and O's," he says. "Obviously, we have to own that dialogue. But the reality is that if we aren't covering all the angles and the actors in these soap operas, we are not fulfill-ing the expectations of core listeners or even the occasional listener who comes to us to find out more about the off-field exploits of Barry

Bonds, Michael Vick and others as these dramas unfold." Asked what it is about these incidents and issues that attract fans, even while making them angry, Ashwood continued, "Fans want to react to these sorts of stories, especially the ones that deal with an individual's or organization's character. Whether they ac-tually call in — and we know the vast majority do not — they'll still participate vicariously by either talking back to the radio or continuing the dialogue with friends. In the end, this is great for what we do because stories like these serve as yet another way to engage both regular and potential listeners." At ESPN Radio, Senior Director Scott Masteller thinks the network's job isn't to judge scandals, it's simply to report on news from the Sports world, whatever that news may be. "Part of the ESPN mission is to report the news, whether it's good or bad," he says. "Our challenge is to give ESPN fans different perspectives on the major stories of the day, and part of that challenge is knowing when it is the right time to move on to something dif-ferent. Some stories evolve as new information is gathered, while others lose their interest in time. We are constantly evaluating the overall content of the stories we cover so that we can make smart decisions about all content for our listeners." (continued on page 3)

Is scandal Good For sports radIo?

It used to be that when sports fans wanted to read about their favorite teams and players, they had to dig through the newspaper to find the sports section. But today, fans are more likely to read about some of the biggest names in the game on the front page, where stories of cheating, lying and thug-like behavior by athletes are chronicled almost daily. While stories of scandal aren't really new in sports — think Mike Tyson, Pete Rose, the Chicago "Black" Sox and Wilt "I've slept with 20,000 women" Chamberlain, to name just a few — the sheer number of them in professional sports today seems unprecedented. In recent weeks nearly every major sport has been rocked by some sort of scandal, including Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, NASCAR and even professional wrestling! Conventional wisdom suggests that all these scandals may be bad for the individuals involved, although not necessarily bad for the sports media industry. Most of us already know that controversy fuels political Talk radio. But is that also true for Sports radio, where listeners are more used to debating "who's better/who's best" than "who's guilty/who's not?" It's a question I asked several Sports radio veterans to comment on this week, and found that all seemed to think that, in the end, scandal breeds great conversation and good ratings.

Beyond X’s And o’sFOX Sports Radio VP/GM Andrew Ashwood believes the Sports radio audience is not only interested in the stories of scandal among pro athletes, they're also actually hungry for them.

Issue 17 News • Talk • sporTs weekly sepTember 7, 2007

AL PETERSON

ANdREw AShwOOd

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Another interest group is voicing its opposition to the proposed merger between XM and Sirius Satellite Radio: the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which claims to represent over two million Hispanic-owned businesses nationwide. CEO Michael Barrera fired off a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and DOJ Assistant Attorney General Thomas Barnett, saying the pending deal would have "an expensive and negative effect on the Hispanic business community." Conversely, former FCC Chairman Mark Fowler came down in favor of the merger this week, saying, "If the two satellite radio companies, each only several years old, need to combine to be more effective competitors in an audio entertainment marketplace teeming with technological change and innovation, the government should not stand in the way." A decision on the merger by the U.S. Department of Justice is expected in the next 30-60 days, with final approval by the FCC still needed after that, should the DOJ sign off on the marriage.

WOR Radio Network afternoon co-hosts Ellis Henican and Lynne White spent the recent second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina touring the city's devastated Ninth Ward, broadcasting live to raise both awareness and funds to help long-displaced Big Easy residents rebuild their homes.

WSMB/Memphis flips from progressive Talk to FOX Sports Radio ... Envision Radio Networks' Family Matters Live inks KSIS/Sedalia, MO... InStore Broadcasting Network signs on with Arbitron's PPM to measure IBN’s in-store audio network at 200 Walgreens stores in Houston and Galveston ... Westwood One's The Radio Factor with FOX News host Bill O'Reilly re-turns to DC later this month on WWWT/Washington. The show previously aired on crosstown FM Talker WJFK ...... Syndicated Solutions will syndicate a new noon-3pm (ET) weekend show hosted by KOGO/San Diego-based talker Roger Hedgecock, beginning in November. A Monday-Friday show hosted by Hedgecock is slated to debut in 2008 ... FOX News Radio's Brian And The Judge signs up WAMT/Orlando as the daily show's lat-est affiliate ... WWI syndicated yakker and KXL/Portland host Lars Larson debuts a newly revamped website. Check it out here ... BusinesstTalkRadio.net, Inc. closes on its acquisition of WLFP/Pittsburgh from Inner City Broadcasting.

Condolences to the family and friends of former WOWO/Ft. Wayne morning man Bob "Mr. Wo-Wo" Sievers, who died last week at the age of 90. Sievers spent more than a half-century on the air at WOWO, starting his career there while in high school. He retired in 1987 ... Former WAXY/Miami host Joe Rose segues to crosstown Sports/Talker WQAM ... John McMullen, most recently PD at Sirius' OutQ channel, is named PD at Morris Communications’ Palm Springs, CA cluster including News/Talk KNWZ, Sports/Talkers KXPS and KNWH, and ESPN Deportes outlet KFUT ... KLAC/Los Angeles debuts its ex-panded interactive sports and social multimedia website, "KLAC All Access." Check it out here ... Pat McMahon is the new Director/Public Affairs at KTAR-AM&FM/Phoenix ... KOGO/San Diego debuted its new morning show this week, hosted by former WBAL/Baltimore host Chip Franklin ... After an eight-year run, Steve Sheldon exits as Assistant Director/Marketing and Advertising at KABC/Los Angeles for a gig outside of radio ... WPEN/Philadelphia inks Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins to host a Monday night show during the NFL season. GiG alerTs

KABC/Los Angeles is seeking an Assistant Director/Marketing and Advertising with three-plus years experience. Send resume to Shelley Wagner, 3321 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016 ...Veteran PD and manager Steve Nicholl is seeking his next opportunity. Most recently PD at KPAM/Portland, Nicholl has both News/Talk and music radio experience. Reach him at SteveNicholl@msn.com.

September 7, 2007 News • Talk • Sports Weekly Page 2

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(continued from page 1)

PolArity Breeds rAtings Longtime broadcast veteran and current Red Zebra Radio CEO Bruce Gilbert is no stranger to controversial Sports radio content, thanks to his years on the front lines at pioneering Sports/Talker KTCK (The Ticket)/Dallas and a successful run as VP/GM at ESPN Radio. "What makes Sports such a great format to begin with is the built-in element of winning and losing," he says. "The competitive nature of the battles on the field easily translates to the battles in the courtroom and provides for great Sports/Talk topics. Polarity breeds ratings. Scandals highlight polarity, question popularity and provide for unique and compelling discussions and debates. Anybody that thinks this is bad news doesn’t understand how to effectively put these events in context and use the medium to generate ratings and buzz." Veteran sports media consultant Rick Scott sums up the dis-

cussion nicely, saying, "The old cliché is that sports is a microcosm of life. As it happens in life, you hit a stretch where there seems to be a number of bad things happening at the same time. With sports, it can sometimes take a higher profile. The athletes are put on a pedestal and revered because of their ability to play the game and entertain us. That said, things such as the Michael Vick incident can

and do have a negative impact on fans. But, like anything else, time heals. You can bet that Falcons fans will still be passionate and cheering for their team this weekend when the season opens. They will be sad and disappointed when they think about Vick, but that won't stop them from being a fan."

September 7, 2007 News • Talk • Sports Weekly Page 3

Rick ScOTT

BRucE GiLBERT

Register today for Talk radio's new "must attend" meeting, Al Peterson's talk Media conference, February 20-22, 2008 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Phoenix. Get more details and save on early-bird registration now at www.TalkMediaConference.com.