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Austin American-Statesman Launches Streaming News/Talk Station Anchored By Jeff Ward

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/...news-talk-station-anchored-by-jeff-ward-show/

Gannett’s Austin American-Statesman will launch a second streaming brand with the debut on Monday, April 13 of “Statesman News Network“.

The station will be anchored by former 590/99.7 KLBJ host Jeff Ward. Ward exited afternoons at KLBJ last October after 21 years at the station. Ward will host 9am-12pm on Statesman News Network.

Other shows that will be available on the station and as podcasts will include programs hosted by the newspapers and reporters and multiple programs about Texas Longhorns football and lifestyle programs.


According to the report it will be a streaming outlet for the Statesman.
 
interview with Ward:
https://omny.fm/shows/the-best-of-j...ward-tells-us-about-his-new-show-and-the-stat

He says he has been given complete creative control, and that there will be guests in addition to his monologues. Show is to be split into 15 minute segments and be podcast-friendly. That format reminds me of how Brad Messer's show was organized on KTSA years ago (pre-podcast era of course).

Seeing the other offerings on the new station mentioned in the link in post #1, I am looking forward to having the Statesman use their resources in this new way.
 
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Interesting since they are forbidden by the FCC from owning an OTA radio station. Points out the mockery of such useless and antiquated ownership laws.
 
To southlander,

It is very interesting (to me) that you referenced “Brad Messer” in your post. I don’t have a TV so radio and Internet are my sources of information and entertainment.

My all-time favorite radio host (program) is Brad Messer.

Jeff can be very informative and entertaining (talking about sports and stats).

Jeff can be very boring (talking about school uniforms) when broadcasting to the soccer moms.

And, if he gets paid by the “hour” instead of by the “word” (referencing his LONG pauses), he might put me to sleep.

He was pretty informative and entertaining when he first started broadcasting.
 
@flyingdj:

IIRC, it's been around 20 years since Brad Messer left KTSA. Do you know the circumstances of his leaving/retiring? I do recall looking at his personal website a few times after he left the area, and IIRC he was completely out of radio and doing website consulting. By pure chance I was listening to Jack Riccardi within maybe the last year and heard about Brad's death.

I remember my favorite parts of Brad's show, in the time that I listened, was when he would dig into a news story, usually not local, and get the backstory by interviewing people who were actually involved, but who had never been mentioned or interviewed at any length in the network reports. I think he also frequently interviewed authors of recently released books. I imagine all of this took a separate production staff to set up, because these segments could be lengthy, but they were always well organized and the interview subjects were articulate, and must have been vetted in advance. Jack Riccardi (I have not been listening to him in his new slot) used to have similar segments in his morning show, so I guess it's possible that the production staff that Brad may have made use of is still working at KTSA. I am just guessing of course.

I liked Brad's show because I like a talk host with local/Texas creds, who also brings in outside guests and material to keep it interesting. It sounds to me like Jeff Ward intends to go in that direction. Whatwever he does, IMO it's got to be more listenable than any other locally originated talk show on either KLBJ or KTSA.
 
southlander,

It is interesting that you asked if I “know the circumstances of his leaving/retiring”.

This is an excerpt from an email that Brad sent to me about two weeks after he left KTSA:

Tue, Jul 31, 2007 at 7:24 PM
Brad Messer <[email protected]>

(excerpt)

Thanks so much for taking time to write about my "retirement" from
KTSA (and from everything radio related, 'cause I'm really hanging
'em up after 47 years).

That excerpt is a copy and paste from the email that he sent to me. I did not alter it in any way. Those are his quotation marks around the word “retirement”.

I don’t know the inside story but I think this article (link below) probably correctly describes the situation about his “retirement”.

Link: https://blog.mysanantonio.com/military/2007/07/brad-messer-is-off-the-air/
 
Jeff Ward no longer has a show on Statesman News Network. He posted on Facebook yesterday:
"Hi Everyone,
I told you that Our Little Show was about to be not-so-little, and I meant it. It’s time to take the show to the next level.
I’ve had a nice run at the Statesman, and they’ve been good to me. I’ve been presented with an opportunity to take the show where I’ve always wanted to take it. It’ll be bigger and better, with more ways to consume, including a full-length audio & video podcast.
Launch date is coming soon. Stay tuned for social media updates, or check jeffwardshow.com for details over the next week or two. If you’re subscribed to my podcast, stay subscribed.
I wish Statesman all the best, and look forward to this next phase. Thanks.
-Jeff"

Anybody know what his plans are?
 
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