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David Samson, the former Miami Marlins executive turned Meadowlark Media host, has long been respected for his candid insights and evidence-based arguments. His appearances on The Sporting Class with Pablo Torre and John Skipper have consistently provoked thought, and he has been generous with his time to journalists over the years. Whether or not one agrees with his opinions, his willingness to speak openly has earned him a following. But earlier this week, Samson ignited a firestorm by declaring that baseball no longer needs to be on the radio, suggesting that the medium will follow the path of Kodak and Blockbuster.
In his remarks, Samson compared radio's fate to the passage of time through an hourglass, predicting that while the voices themselves will persist, they will find new ways to reach audiences as content engagement evolves. The reaction across social media was swift and overwhelmingly negative, with most respondents siding against Samson's position. While his expertise in the baseball business is undeniable—he ran the Marlins for 15 years and spent time with the Expos—his assessment of radio's viability appears to overlook critical data.
Radio's Reach Remains Formidable
Contrary to Samson's assertion that radio is a dying medium, Nielsen data from the first quarter of 2026 shows that AM/FM radio reaches 87% of U.S. adults every week. This figure surpasses smartphones (82%), TV-connected devices (78%), and live TV (71%). Even among adults aged 18-34, radio commands an 81% reach. While it is true that radio revenue has declined from its 2006 peak of over $21 billion, BIA projects that local radio will still earn $12.2 billion in 2026—a substantial sum that contradicts Samson's claim that there is no money in radio.
Samson pointed to podcasting and YouTube as growth areas, and indeed, most stations are active in both spaces. However, those platforms do not yet deliver the financial returns that radio advertising does. iHeartMedia reported $3.87 billion in revenue in 2025, while Cumulus generated $741.7 million. Stations like 98.5 The Sports Hub and WFAN each made over $30 million and ranked among the top 10 billing stations across all formats in 2025. These are not the numbers of a dying industry.
When examining television, linear revenue has fallen from $56 billion to $41 billion since 2006, with streaming and connected TV adding $28 billion—only half of what linear produced two decades ago. Combining linear and streaming, television remains a winner. In contrast, podcasting generated just under $3 billion in 2025. Even when podcast revenue is added to radio's $12.2 billion, the audio business collectively earns $15 billion, with radio delivering four times the revenue of podcasting. While podcasting, streaming, and YouTube are bullish growth areas, replacing radio's massive reach and revenue is a tall order.
Radio Still Commands the Car Dashboard
Edison Research's Share of Ear data from early 2026 reveals that AM/FM radio accounts for 55% of in-car audio time, while all streaming audio combined takes just 16%. Among listeners aged 13-34, radio leads streaming 46% to 30%. Live, local sports broadcasts—such as a podcast telling fans the score in the eighth inning—are inherently suited to radio. Nielsen data showed that MLB broadcasts in PPM markets averaged an 8.9 share in 2024, with more than 40% of teams posting double-digit shares. The Guardians led with a 27.5 share, and in 2026, WEEI thrived at night thanks to the Boston Red Sox, while Seattle Sports 710 enjoyed similar success with the Mariners. The San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and many other teams have also delivered massive ratings.
These numbers reflect 25-54 listening to live, local baseball on the radio, not just a 65+ audience. Katz Radio Group research from 2026 showed that 61% of all U.S. sports audio time is spent with AM/FM radio, compared to 27% with podcasts and 12% with SiriusXM. Scarborough USA data indicated that 85% of adults 18+ interested in MLB listen to radio weekly, and one in five MLB-interested adults listened to play-by-play on radio, rising to one in four among the most passionate fans. Juan Galdamez presented findings at the 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit based on actual in-car listening through Xperi, further underscoring fans' value for baseball play-by-play on the radio.
Big Brands Invest in Radio Partnerships
Samson's radio experience in Miami differs from what exists in other cities. The Dodgers own an equity stake in iHeartMedia's AM 570 KLAC, and the Cardinals and KMOX continue to extend a partnership that includes daily shows. KNBR has carried the Giants since 1979 and commands a strong rights investment, while the Atlanta Braves enjoy similar respect from Dickey Broadcasting and deliver big results. These are true partnerships where stations invest because baseball on the radio delivers audience and advertisers. The Marlins and Athletics have operated closer to the model Samson described, but those clubs are not positioned to command major investment like other brands. That is a team problem, not a radio problem.
What is perplexing is why so many people feel compelled to declare radio dead. People outside the industry frequently take aim at it, and even some within radio cannot resist publicly bashing the medium they claim to love. Rarely do radio people trash television on social media or use their airtime to bury podcasts or streaming. They know their industry is not perfect, but they care about it and want it to succeed. Creators, executives, and businesspeople should want every medium to thrive, as more brands generate interest in content, allowing broadcasters to earn a living and outlets to operate. Radio also connects local and national businesses to local communities, helping owners support their families and employees while linking audiences to the products and services they rely on.
Will podcasting and YouTube replace radio tomorrow? No. Within five years? Also no. Anyone who says otherwise is not fully informed. Radio has challenges, with revenue topping the list, followed by industry perception. Many frame the medium as outdated and less effective than it is. The biggest criticism is that industry owners and executives do a poor job combating that narrative, with few investing in marketing their stations or their industry's strengths. They remind the ad community that they are also in digital, social, podcasts, and video because they lack confidence in their own medium. Yet that medium is one they control and it delivers results. Digital is awesome, but it is rented land with landlords who will not hesitate to raise the rent or move someone else in.
If radio's critics want the business to fail, the dashboard has to change first. Every major automaker would need to redesign it, roads would need infrastructure to deliver WiFi to every vehicle, and autonomous cars would need to handle most driving so people can enjoy their phones without watching the road. Until all of that happens, the dashboard remains a big part of radio's story. And no matter how loud the naysayers raise their voices, radio is going nowhere.
Final Take: Radio and Podcasts Are Additive, Not Replacement
Podcasts and video streaming are beloved mediums, and having audio and video content available for any subject is a positive. More people care about consuming and creating content today than ever before, and creativity is higher and better. But as much as video and podcasts are loved, they are additive to radio and television. Podcasts are not replacing live and local radio; if anything, they will become radio more than radio will become podcasting. People value real-time reaction, local connection, and in-person engagement—things radio has done well for decades. Let us not ignore or deny how big radio's reach is, or the fact that it still produces more than $12 billion annually. It dominates the in-car dashboard experience, and teams value that reach because it helps them reach fans, sell tickets, remain part of daily conversations, and earn rights fees to grow their bottom line.
There may be a few smaller situations where teams operate without radio partners, but closer inspection usually reveals that local operators see limited value in the rights for those teams. When John Skipper spoke at the BSM Summit in 2024, he made it clear he wanted no part of selling ads at Meadowlark. That is why the company partnered with DraftKings to own all of its content. The reported investment in 2021, according to The Wall Street Journal, was $50 million for three years, though other outlets reported the number closer to $40 million. The two sides renewed their partnership later, but no financial details were disclosed.
Samson's channel has built a base of nearly 60,000 subscribers, posting 92 videos in the past 30 days with an average of over 20,000 views per video. One video, Red Sox facing NIGHTMARE, performed exceptionally well, generating 157K views. Under YouTube's monetization rules, the RPM (revenue per mile) typically ranges from $1 to $5 per 1,000 views, depending on niche and audience location, with most channels sitting around $2 to $4. That adds up to $20-$100 per video per 20K views, or $1,840 to $9,200 per month across 92 videos. More dollars are likely flowing in from a Meadowlark salary, brand deals, Super Chats, memberships, merchandise, content licensing, and other revenue streams. The financial structure is likely even better for Meadowlark because this is just one show among many, and they are not burdened with some of the expenses traditional radio operators face. But even if their deal with DraftKings doubled from the first agreement, that would just put the company on par with WFAN and 98.5 The Sports Hub—two brands operating in a business that was just declared dead and making no money.
Having programmed and consulted on the East Coast, West Coast, and in the Midwest, many different business arrangements with teams are known. David Samson knows one side of this story based on his personal and professional experience. He should not be faulted for believing baseball on the radio is set to expire based on what he has encountered. It is just wished that he knew the rest of the story before suggesting the industry's use and value to baseball is on borrowed time.
Originally reported by yahoo.