Sports Media Report
The audio business is booming, be it radio in the traditional sense, satellite or podcasting, but no matter what your choice, the headphone generation is more entrenched now than ever. The latest case in point is an interesting one, as it involves a personality migrating to on-demand audio, aka podcasting, and away from a traditional base of radio.
That personality is Tony Kornheiser, who announced on Tuesday that he is taking his cast of radio characters and guests away from the on air and moving it all online with “The Tony Kornheiser Show” as a five day podcast beginning on September 6. Produced by DGital Media and WME | IMG, the show will be available on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others. Kornheiser will be joined by longtime show regulars from the world of sports, politics and news, as well as the wide array of special guests that his longtime listeners have come to expect.
“On-demand audio gives me the chance to connect with my audience in a very personal, meaningful way,” said Kornheiser in a statement. “The relaunch of the show to a platform that gives us more freedom to be the combination of smart and funny that we strive to be as we babble about the sports, politics, news and absurd stories of the day is a perfect match. I’m excited to partner with DGital Media and IMG as we look for ways to give our fans, new and old, more of what they love about the show.”
“Across all mediums, Tony Kornheiser has come to represent honest, pointed and entertaining storytelling in sports journalism,” added Mark Shapiro, Chief Content Officer, WME | IMG. “Given our long history, I’m personally excited to be reunited with Tony and his unique brand of commentary. Our entire WME | IMG team is proud to be a part of evolving Tony’s iconic show for the digital age.”
Kornheiser built a steady following with his Washington-based radio show, which it is hoped will migrate and expand with the podcast platform. He will also continue on PTI as well. For DGital Media, the company that also produces high level audio for media outlets like Fortune, Re/Code and the highly popular sports listen “The Vertical” amongst others, it is another strong sign that they are in the right business at the right time.
