BNM Writers
Chris Stigall Looks to Listen Rather Than Thinking of Next Destination
Stigall said it’s a skill to actually listen to what guests say instead of thinking ahead to where you want to go next. Then take it in a different direction that can’t be planned.
Published
1 year agoon
By
Jim Cryns
There’s nothing worse than a guy who grows a little beard. Tufts of hair in odd places don’t scream masculinity–or even good grooming. Chris Stigall can grow a rather formidable beard, but it comes with its share of grief.
“I couldn’t believe the audacity of people who touched my beard without asking, like people touching a woman’s belly. Now I know what pregnant women mean,” Stigall said. “People wanted to comment whether I solicited their opinion or not. They’d say they dug the beard. Or hated the beard. Always unsolicited.”
He started growing the beard as a Covid protest. “I decided if people were going to act insane, I would lean in and look the part. It got pretty long.”
Stigall took his beloved beard to get trimmed. “She cut it to pieces,” he lamented. “I got really irritated. My kids pointed at me and laughed. So, I started over and shaved it down to the skin. I’ll be damned if my kids didn’t want me to grow it back. They’re used to it now.”
Stigall said he quit drinking 3 ½ years ago, and things have been better all around. “I’ve lost 90 pounds, and I feel great. Now I can wake up functioning, I sleep better, more soundly. I drank entirely too much. Almost every day.”
Since he quit drinking, he’s been more aware. “I’ve become more conscious of everything and everyone. Especially God,” Stigall said.
That awareness has caused him to see the change in humanity as of late. “I can feel the heaviness of it all,” he said. “It’s not all fun and games like it used to be. I feel there is a genuine heaviness among people today. The human spirit is in jeopardy. The collective psyche of our country has taken a lot of hard knocks. When we talk, I feel what they’re feeling.” Of course, I still want to entertain and laugh, but not for zaniness’ sake anymore. I prefer sincerity.”
Stigall’s interest in radio started in 4th grade. He remembers his parents waking up and getting ready for their day.
“My dad was shaving, and my mother was putting on makeup. They were laughing hysterically while listening to a morning show. That made such an impression on me. I recognized the power of that, and I knew I wanted to be part of it. Throughout school, any time I had a chance to announce or broadcast or address an audience, I took it.”
In high school, he tried football. His father was very good at football and played in college. Stigall said he wasn’t that interested in playing the sport but wanted to make his father proud.
“I was a big enough kid, so they put me on the line,” Stigall explained. “If you’ve played the game, you know those guys are hungry for blood, grunting at each other. That wasn’t me. I got mowed over like I was hit by a dump truck.”
Stigall realized he hated playing the sport instantly and tearfully approached his father to break the news after the first game.
“I remember his reaction so well. He asked, ‘Then why are you doing this?’ I told him I wanted to make him proud. He reminded me he never even suggested I play. Ever. It was all in my head. I learned I’m not a physically aggressive guy.”
Stigall said his parents were always supportive of his choice to go into radio. However, his father was adamant about his son finishing school.
“In my sophomore year in college, I was offered a monster 20-grand to work for a morning show in Kansas City with Randy Miller. My father went ballistic. He insisted I finish school first, so I did.”
Randy Miller was huge in the 90s, making big money. He wanted to hire Stigall to produce his show. Stigall interned with him throughout college. Stigall’s radio career has spanned over twenty years as a producer, writer, news anchor, and DJ prior to making the transition to talk radio.
Part of his journey took him to a late-night talk show.
“I was a huge David Letterman fan when I was 16,” Stigall said. “I was enamored with what seemed to be the irreverence of his show and personality. It was also the unconventionality of it all. It wasn’t racy or political. Letterman did bits like The man under the stairs. Jumping against Velcro. Throwing stuff off the roof. It was all benign by today’s standards. I also loved watching awards shows strictly for the hosts. That’s what appealed to me. The person in charge of keeping things moving.”
While in college, he learned The Late Show with David Letterman was looking for interns. He responded to the search and was rejected. They thanked him but told him they were full for the summer. He surmised they were looking for a pedigree, an Ivy League intern. Turns out they discovered over the years they preferred the work ethic of small school, Midwest kids.
His friends encouraged him to apply again.
“I was in a conventional headspace where you only did your internships during the summer,” Stigall said. “I realized I could also take a semester off instead. I reapplied and was invited to fly out with 30 other kids.”
Stigall interviewed with Letterman’s staff, who whittled it down to 15 students, and he was one of them. Stigall interviewed every department on the show. While sitting with human resources, he was asked which department he wanted to intern.
“I told her I was just happy to be there,” Stigall said. “I knew I might get stuck in the mailroom if I sounded too aggressive. I didn’t want to make a mistake in the interview. She told me to drop the politically correct answers and just tell her which department I wanted. I told her I wanted the writing department. I interned with the writers on the show in the fall of ’98, and it was a high honor.”
He quickly learned show business is terribly cynical. Comedy isn’t all the fun and games you may think it is.
His biggest lesson with the Letterman show? Don’t meet your heroes.
“I’ll just say I had hoped to shake the hand of my hero, David Letterman,” Stigall said. That did not materialize. He figured at that moment; Letterman didn’t have a lot of time for that kind of stuff. Then the interns got a bit of good news. There was a scheduled day on the semester calendar to have Lunch with Dave.
“I thought I was finally going to meet the guy,” Stigall said. After lunch was served, his personal assistant came in and asked, ‘Ok – what questions do you have for Dave that we can answer?’
“I was devastated. I did meet him years later at a charity event and I told him I was once his intern. He was lovely. We took a photo, and he gave me his autograph.”
As a result, Stigall said, when he meets young people interested in the business, he goes out of his way to encourage and help them. While Letterman came up short on a personal level, Stigall admires the man’s mastery of the craft.
One of the primary components of being a good host, Stigall said, is an insatiable curiosity more than anything else.
“You have to be able to listen and react. Conan O’Brien is tremendous at it. When guests talk, he takes in every word, just waiting for a word or phrase to knock it out of the park. He hears a keyword in their response and turns that into a joke. That’s been my focus throughout my career.”
Stigall said it’s a skill to actually listen to what guests say instead of thinking ahead to where you want to go next. Then take it in a different direction that can’t be planned.
Stigall is on the air mornings from 6-9 ET in Philadelphia on AM 990 The Answer. After a short break, he broadcasts on KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City from 10-noon CT.
“It’s really the same type of show in each city,” Stigall explained. “I keep up on the information and goings on in each city. I have very talented producers in both cities to make sure I don’t miss anything.”
He stays abreast of the national issues while his team helps him stay connected to both cities. Stigall said he repurposes a lot of information but needs the local flavor, too.
“That balance helps to get it right. I communicate with my producers by text. We know each other well enough to create a little shorthand with our messages. I’ve been fortunate with great producers.”
The business can cause you to take an inventory of yourself. Stigall talked about Michael Savage when he did a nationally syndicated show.
“There were times Savage was moody and maudlin on the air,” Stigall said. “One day, he described his audience by saying ‘the tent is empty,’ and I knew exactly what he meant. Sometimes you just feel like nobody is listening. You think, ‘it’s summer or the holidays, or people are burned out, and you convince yourself people have checked out. You feel like a psychopath just talking to yourself alone in a room some days.”
Covid has changed the way Stigall sees some things and affected the tone of many of his shows.
“During COVID, I began taking calls from people who were frightened about losing their job or those without a job. People who were genuinely terrified of illness,” Stigall explained. “Or they were scared and hurt for their kids. It was extraordinarily heavy. I personally feel I’m connecting with people like never before. Many people feel like they are in this alone.” He said many are still grieving and stunted. Covid has taken a toll on all of us.
“It seems like sometimes we’re campaigning to keep people away from each other. Psychologically I think it’s the kids who have lost the most, and we’re only beginning to understand it.”
“I wish I could tell you that I pray every day. I hate that I don’t. That’s one thing I want to improve. I’m surrounded by a wonderful church home and pastor as well as a group of guys who meet once a week on Saturday mornings. I think it’s important we’re all a little vulnerable when we meet. There’s a value in men helping other men through their spiritual walks. We talk about our struggles in our study conversations and in prayer.”
With devotion to his faith, Stigall said he’s grateful to work for the Salem Media Group. “I’m not blowing smoke. I’ve worked for most of the broadcast companies, but Salem is the only faith-first broadcaster in the country,” Stigall said. “We’re very mission-oriented and make no apologies for that. When I signed with them, it became clear my walk with God was steering me that way. He wanted me to have a home where I was free to be fully open.”
How do listeners in Philadelphia and Kansas City relate to his beliefs?
“I get lovely emails and notes from people who say they appreciate it. Occasionally I’ll get someone who tells me they don’t appreciate what they hear as me’ preaching.’ I earnestly never mean to sound like a sermon. I simply try to explain – when I think it fits – what carries me through when things feel bleak. If you’re lost in despair, what I now try to freely talk about is how Christ helps me. That was never something I did or was encouraged to do most of my career.”
Stigall said he hasn’t always been on the right side of his faith.
“One of my great failings with my drinking was when I got a DUI several years ago,” Stigall explained. “Fortunately, I didn’t hurt anyone, but that doesn’t excuse it. I was mortified. When I was put in the squad car and detained, the cop was actually listening to my radio station. He recognized me. I’d never been more ashamed of myself in my life.”
He said it was a divine conversation in worship one Sunday when a sermon focused on the question, “do you truly want to get well? Do you mean what you say about your trust in the Lord?” If so, he had to get serious.
“Drinking was my escape. Sometimes the anxiety of our business can get to you. I’m not nuts about being out and social. It’s strangely difficult for me. The mixed company makes me uneasy. I figured the best way to deal with that was to get plastered and not be there. To numb myself.”
Since he’s been sober, Stigall said he’s on point at all times.
“When I’m uneasy and think I want a drink, I lean on Christ instead. I’ve never had to wake up the next morning and apologize to someone for my prayers.”
Jim Cryns writes features for Barrett News Media. He has spent time in radio as a reporter for WTMJ, and has served as an author and former writer for the Milwaukee Brewers. To touch base or pick up a copy of his new book: Talk To Me – Profiles on News Talkers and Media Leaders From Top 50 Markets, log on to Amazon or shoot Jim an email at [email protected].
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BNM Writers
The Time is Right For Rupert Murdoch to Leave, But Is it Right For Fox News?
Murdoch may have never wanted to retire but there’s probably no reason for him to stay. His work is finished.
Published
14 hours agoon
September 22, 2023
The writers of Succession couldn’t write the script we saw come into full display on Thursday. Out of nowhere, one of the most consequential media leaders of our time decided to resign. Rupert Murdoch will ride off into the sunset having left a legacy that has changed media and the state of our democracy forever.
Rupert Murdoch has elected presidents, changed mindsets, and caused hysteria and pandemonium for billions of people over the course of his career. It may not be hyperbolic to say he is one of the few media titans who could’ve had a direct impact on your personal life. Whether you love him or hate him, he was successful at the machine he wanted to create. He has decisively been a shadow emperor of the Western world for the past 20-40 years.
Because of the blueprint he has set in stone, don’t expect Fox News to ever change, even if he isn’t at the helm any longer. The fact is that numbers don’t lie. Fox News commands retransmission fees that are comparable to ESPN, TNT, and the USA Network without carrying any live sporting events. It is one of Fox’s biggest revenue generators despite losing an epic lawsuit to Dominion. It is one of the networks keeping the cable bundle alive and will help prolong it as much as possible because of its existing base.
Speaking of its base, the fact that it has a base in the first place speaks volumes. Fox News has something every other network on television only envies: super fans. There have been pitfalls along the way over the past three or four years but in general, Fox News finds a way to consistently beat its opponents in the demo as well as in overall viewers.
The network has had to switch out hosts for various reasons over the past couple of years but because of its formula of storytelling and team building, viewers don’t leave in droves.
It may not be journalism but it is the perfect way to keep allegiances and it has worked for Fox. Whether it was his tabloids, his syndicated shows, or his news network, Rupert Murdoch has always insisted on creating an environment of “Us vs. Them” for a group of people whose unique diversity is often underestimated. Murdoch has consistently found a way to turn anger and fear into dollars and if it ain’t broke, why fix the Fox?
The successor taking over for Rupert Murdoch also isn’t an unfamiliar seed of discomfort and madness. Lachlan Murdoch has had a say and has been in discussions about Fox’s direction for decades. Some reports say that his own way of thinking is to the right of his father. If there is any child of Rupert’s who supports the path of destruction and illusion that Fox News has created over time, it’s Lachlan.
One of the few problems that Fox may face is purely logistical. It has been reported that Lachlan enjoys living in Australia more than the United States. Operating a television behemoth from another continent could be risky, especially after the behemoth has allowed anchors to vomit election lies on screen and allegedly commit sexual assault off-screen. But that shouldn’t affect the network’s ability to operate because Lachlan has already been serving as co-chair even before this week’s announcement.
One of the biggest reasons you shouldn’t expect Fox to change is because they’re the only network that has broken the code. Newsmax, Megyn Kelly, Glenn Beck, and Tucker Carlson have tried or are trying. But they haven’t been successful. They achieved a level of prosperity in their own right but their numbers and margins of profitability are nowhere close to what Fox News makes. Their concurrent reach cannot even be compared.
The closest rival that has been able to penetrate some sort of mainstream relevance, although exclusively online, is The Daily Wire. And yet even with Ben Shapiro’s respective empire, it will be hard to match what Fox makes because of the business model Fox falls under. There isn’t any imminent competition that could drag Fox down and truly challenge the amount of viewers they receive or the kind of money they make.
Murdoch may have never wanted to retire but there’s probably no reason for him to stay. His work is finished. His worldview has a daily effect on the lives of billions. As the business models for media continue to change, it’s better to leave at the top than to try to solve the next problem.
Titans like Bob Iger and Mark Thompson could look back at Murdoch’s decision years ago and wonder why they didn’t leave as a champion as he did. Unless there was a pie coming at his face during a hearing in the United Kingdom, one of the biggest strengths of Rupert Murdoch is that he always knew when the time was right.
Jessie Karangu is a weekly columnist for BNM, and graduate of the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland but comes from Kenyan roots. Jessie has had a passion for news and sports media and the world of television since he was a child. His career has included stints with USA Today, Tegna, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Sightline Media. He also previously wrote a weekly column for our sports media brand, Barrett Sports Media. Jessie can be found on Twitter @JMKTVShow.
BNM Writers
What News/Talk Can Learn From A Sports Host Like Mad Dog Russo
How are you taking the news that is relevant in our space and making it stand out to the audience and making it relatable to your audience?
Published
14 hours agoon
September 22, 2023By
Pete Mundo
Sports media had one of its best viral moments in recent memory this week when Chris “Mad Dog” Russo shared his Saturday college football plans with the audience of ESPN’s First Take.
Russo was talking with Stephen A. Smith and Marcus Spears about this weekend’s game between Colorado and Oregon when Molly Qerim told Russo to share with the rest of the panel his plans for the weekend.
Russo went on to describe his Saturday afternoon, blow-by-blow, which included a cocktail and “half a THC gummy” for the noon ET games. After the first slate of games, Russo planned to make a call to his bookie, place a $10,000 bet on Colorado to beat Oregon, and then another cocktail, along with the “other half” of his gummy.
It was pure entertainment from Russo. He wasn’t trying too hard, it wasn’t over the top, but it was brilliant content.
Nah mad dog talking bout he gonna take some gummies & get sauced on Saturday while watching college football 💀💀 pic.twitter.com/1pILS3hrUk
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) September 20, 2023
The clip has been viewed millions of times since it aired because it was real, relatable, honest, funny, self-deprecating and delivered perfectly.
Only a handful would have seen or heard this clip, other than those watching the show in real-time, had they just done the standard “media talking heads break down the big college football game of the weekend”. But to Russo’s credit, he likely understands in today’s media landscape that the die-hards who want a full Oregon-Colorado breakdown can get that in a ton of different places in 2023. What’s he going to bring that’s unique, different, and stands out? And that’s exactly what he did.
As it pertains to news/talk radio, or news media at large, how do you have that Mad Dog-Gummy moment? It doesn’t need to literally be you talking about taking gummies before the next GOP debate on September 27th (although anything that helps get through one of those disasters would be welcomed). But how are you taking the news that is relevant in our space and making it stand out to the audience and making it relatable to your audience?
While it’s anecdotal, whenever I bump into KCMO listeners, the biggest feedback on the show is not my takes on Trump, Biden, Kansas City city council, or anything else for that matter, it’s, “I like when you talk about your girls.”
I have two daughters, four and two, who are absolutely incredible, entertaining, and yes, nightmare toddlers sometimes. When it’s relevant and topical, I will bring them up. I talk about them far less than the news, but they’re the “topic” that always gets the organic feedback.
Like Russo’s moment, it gives the audience insight into who we are as people, beyond what we think about the topic(s) of the day.
This doesn’t mean that a four-hour show should be about your weekend plans or your kids throwing up in their beds at night (although I could rip off a few of those stories and kill a few segments). But picking and choosing those moments will help you stand out in an overcrowded media landscape where the audience has options galore and needs more reasons than ever to come back to you and your show.
Give them insight into not just you the host/personality, but you the person.
I can’t think of the last time cable news or news talk had a viral moment like Mad Dog Russo. But maybe you can be next.
Pete Mundo is the morning show host and program director for KCMO in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. Pete was also the sports and news director for Omni Media Group at K-1O1/Z-92 in Woodward, Oklahoma. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on Twitter @PeteMundo.
BNM Writers
A News/Talk Radio Autopsy After the BNM Summit
The news/talk audience is getting older. This is somewhat self-inflicted. We are still doing our shows in the same template Rush Limbaugh innovated in 1987. Time to change it up.
Published
2 days agoon
September 21, 2023
After the inaugural BNM Summit, I was more excited about our industry after the two-day event. Radio in many ways is a solitary pursuit.
Teamwork is sometimes not a factor in a morning show with a cast. You walk into the studio, put on the headphones, turn on the mic and go. I needed some excitement, some good news, and the chance to meet new friends and renew longtime relationships. I got it.
As an industry, we have been pummeled by bad headlines: some of which are self-inflicted, and some are challenges for our future. If you believe the headlines, smelting lead would be a better career choice. I don’t believe that, and you shouldn’t either. While smelting lead seems like an exciting career other than the whole lead poisoning thing, perhaps that is better than radio station break room coffee.
Have you ever considered how bad radio station coffee is? I don’t drink it. I drink a pot of my own before I strut into the office. Perhaps, it is time to call any reputable health inspector in to inspect that thicker than tar swill.
Radio is a terrific profession. How many jobs provide more laughs than broadcasting? It is fun. I have worked a bit outside the radio industry. Real-world jobs suck. Our stations develop awesome advertising campaigns for clients. Why not us? We don’t publicize our strengths. Podcasts are great, but when did a podcast raise money for the local foster children? When did a podcast show up at a client’s office with a smile and donuts? TikTok? Those Chinese Communist bastards are poisoning our kids. YouTube? Cool content, but the Google-owned platform is as likely to build commonalities with your neighbors as a lion is likely to lay down with a lamb.
Radio is a cool job. One where you can make a difference. It’s not exactly like Mother Theresa…. but it’s better than being an influencer on Instagram.
I am ranting.
You know who I am sick of? The radio coroner gang. Radio still reaches a majority of the American public. Your local big network TV affiliates may reach less than 40% of the public. They are no longer a big deal. Don’t give them any respect. Those jerks don’t deserve it, except for that pretty reporter who would be lucky to be my next wife. I know that I am old enough to be her dad, but hey, old dudes need love, too.
Radio is vital and needed. Radio needs to look itself in the mirror and say “We are essential”. I was in the room in Nashville with men and women who see a future. The BNM Summit delivered that.
By the way, the brother and sisterhood at the BNM Summit was strong. I haven’t been hugged this much since a family reunion. I wish that you could have been there. It was amazing. I really was pumped up. We matter. You matter. Your ideas are important.
We have challenges. We need to address issues with Gen Z and the generations to follow them. Radio does have issues with innovation. We run the same clocks that we did in 1970. We sweep the corners, which is stupid and does not reflect actual radio listening. If you are in a PPM market and are sweeping the corners, reevaluate your tune-ins per hour. Look at that carefully. So, your host comes out of the break at :27, and news is at “30. I guarantee your tune-out rate is through the roof.
You need 5 minutes of continuous listening to get credit. A listener is as likely to start listening at 23 minutes past the hour than almost any other time. Yet, we still sweep the corners. It’s insane. You may not like PPM. It is a fair assessment, but adapt or die. We have not adapted to PPM and radio has been using this technology for well over a decade.
The news/talk audience is getting older. This is somewhat self-inflicted. We are still doing our shows in the same template Rush Limbaugh innovated in 1987. Time to change it up. PPM gives us tools. If you delight in being a political insider, you are going to demo old. Go to a political event. It is geezer-rific. Talk about the interests of a 45-year-old. You can beat this. You have the tools, you have the data, and you have the talent.
I was watching a YouTube video on East St. Louis. That city in Illinois is now one of the most violent places in the USA. It was not always that way. East St. Louis was once a vibrant community with a bustling downtown, strong industry, and a great future. The community got complacent, and the employers started to leave. The city was not focused on growing and it has become a shell of the great place it was at one time.
Radio needs to look at that. What is next? Where is the innovation? How do we change the momentum? It’s all up to us. There are thought leaders in our industry reading this. These are brilliant people. I don’t claim to have the answers, but I know where we need to focus.
Being in the room with amazing leaders in the radio industry brought me more excitement. The BNM Summit was exactly what I needed. I could not be more enthusiastic about our future. Am I naïve? Perhaps. Do I understand the power of radio? Absolutely.
The power is in your hands. May every moment on your radio station essential.
Peter Wilkinson Thiele is a weekly columnist for Barrett News Media. He currently serves as the program director, and morning host of Newstalk KZRG in Joplin, MO. Additionally, Peter has held programming roles in New York City, San Francisco, Little Rock, Greenville and Hunstville. He has also worked as a host, account executive and producer in Minneapolis, and San Antonio. You can reach him on Twitter at @PeterThiele.
