Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

Latest Episodes:

The end of the Washington Post sports section coincides with one of the great sports months in history Feb 07, 2026

Show notes

Episode 589 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sports Media Watch editor and founder Jon Lewis and Boston Globe sports media writer Chad Finn. In this episode, we discuss The Washington Post owner and publisher laying off or reassigning all the reporters and editors in its sports section days before the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics; this year's interest in the Super Bowl; NBC's approach to the Super Bowl; what we think the game will draw; whether the Milan-Cortina Games can continue the Olympic momentum from Paris; ESPN plans for its Super Bowl and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

An in-depth look at NBC's Milan-Cortina Olympics coverage Feb 05, 2026

Show notes

Episode 588 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Molly Solomon, the Executive Producer & President, NBC Olympics & Paralympics Production and Amy Rosenfeld, the Senior Vice President, Olympics and Paralympics Production for NBC Sports. In this podcast (NOTE: This podcast was taped before Lindsay Vonn's injury and before the awful news about Savannah Guthrie's mother)Solomon and Rosenfeld discuss if they fundamentally see the Olympics as a sporting event versus entertainment programming; what the week is like for them before the Milan-Cortina Olympics; why they learned from Paris about what works in primetime as a show; the importance of Lindsay Vonn's comeback; the excitement over NHL players returning to the Games; the success of Gold Zone coverage; how Mike Tirico will be impacted by the Super Bowl; how they will approach the politics of the moment as it relates to sports; which sports will pop for viewers; breaking the glass ceiling as far as broadcasting Olympics executives; the debut of Ski mountaineering; the additions of celebrities such as as Snoop and Stanley Tucci, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Episode 588 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Molly Solomon, the Executive Producer & President, NBC Olympics & Paralympics Production and Amy Rosenfeld, the Senior Vice President, Olympics and Paralympics Production for NBC Sports. In this podcast (NOTE: This podcast was taped before Lindsay Vonn's injury and before the awful news about Savannah Guthrie's mother) Solomon and Rosenfeld discuss if they fundamentally see the Olympics as a sporting event versus entertainment programming; what the week is like for them before the Milan-Cortina Olympics; why they learned from Paris about what works in primetime as a show; the importance of Lindsay Vonn's comeback; the excitement over NHL players returning to the Games; the success of Gold Zone coverage; how Mike Tirico will be impacted by the Super Bowl; how they will approach the politics of the moment as it relates to sports; which sports will pop for viewers; breaking the glass ceiling as far as broadcasting Olympics executives; the debut of Ski mountaineering; the additions of celebrities such as as Snoop and Stanley Tucci, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Calling the men’s Olympic hockey tournament at the Milan-Cortina Games Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

Episode 587 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Chris Cuthbert, the lead play-by-play voice for Sportsnet's coverage of the NHL. Cuthbert and Mike Johnson will call the men’s Olympic hockey tournament for CBC. In this podcast Cuthbert discusses his preparation for calling the Olympic hockey tournament; how he navigates the game schedule; why having the NHL players back makes this tournament much different than anything else; learning about the non-Canada and U.S. rosters; the navigation of calling the Olympic hockey tournament while significant issues exist politically between Canada and the United States; calling games in the afternoon local time; calling Sidney Crosby’s “golden goal” for CTV from the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games; the prospect of 20 million North American viewers watching a Canada-U.S. final; why he thinks someone other than Canada or the U.S. might win the tournament and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

First Look: How political will the Olympic hockey tournament get? Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

Here’s a First Look from our upcoming podcast with Chris Cuthbert, the lead play-by-play voice for Sportsnet's coverage of the NHL and the CBC gamecaller for the men’s Olympic hockey tournament. The full podcast will be out on Feb. 4. In this preview clip, Cuthbert discusses the navigation of calling the Olympic hockey tournament while significant issues exist politically between Canada and the United States. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

The Washington Post may cut its sports section amid massive layoffs Jan 29, 2026

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Episode 586 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sports Business Journal media writer Austin Karp and CBC Sports host Donnovan Bennett. In this podcast we discuss the reporting that the Washington Post may cut its sports section amid massive layoffs; the disbanding of The Washington Post; how there are no safe harbour jobs in sports journalism in 2026; the Super Bowl matchup and how it plays as a viewership game; Austin’s prediction that the Seahawks-Patriots will set a new viewership record; Caitlin Clark being hired by NBC’s NBA coverage; SBJ’s story on the NFL Monday Wild Card window and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Neil Best, longtime sports media writer for Newsday Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

Episode 585 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Neil Best, who worked for Newsday for many decades covering sports media, the NFL and other topics. He retired from journalism in December. In this podcast, Best discusses what covering sports media was like for him over the last two decades; how he approached the job as a writer whose market was the No. 1 media market in the U.S.; the endless power of the NFL; why sports-talk radio was such an important topic for him; his time covering the Giants for time; working for the Anchorage (Alaska) Times; whether the streamers will ultimately get all the NFL content; why Newsday was one of the only places that staffed a full-time sports media columnist at a major newspaper; the future of this subject matter as far as a beat, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

The NFC and AFC Championship Games — and Tom Brady's improvement as a broadcaster Jan 24, 2026

Show notes

Episode 584 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sports Media Watch editor and founder Jon Lewis and Boston Globe sports media writer Chad Finn. In this podcast we assess the NFL Championship Games from a media perspective; why the Broncos and Patriots might struggle with viewership; Tom. Brady's improvement as a broadcaster; how NBC would look at potential Super Bowl matchups; what NFL package the steamers might want; Bill Belichick as a full-time media person; why some broadcasters and reporters address NFL owners as Mr. and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Fox lead NFL producer Richie Zyontz and lead director Rich Russo Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

Episode 583 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Richie Zyontz, the lead producer for FOX's top NFL team featuring Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi, and Rich Russo, the lead director for that team. FOX will air the Rams at Seahawks at 6:30 PM ET on Sunday from Seattle. In this podcast, Zyontz and Russo discuss their schedule this week; why Lumum Field is so good for NFL production teams; how the FOX team sees Sean McVay and Mike Macdonald in production meetings; why Mike Tomlin is a good television prospect; how specifically Brady has improved as a broadcaster; their favourite moment of the year with Brady; if the broadcast has had to work around restrictions on Brady; whether Brady will stay for the duration of his broadcast contract; how the public does not see what Andrews and Rinaldi do behind the scenes and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

First Look: How Tom Brady improved in his second year as an NFL broadcaster Jan 22, 2026

Show notes

Here’s a first look from our upcoming podcast with Richie Zyontz, the lead producer for Fox's top NFL team featuring Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi, and Rich Russo, the lead director for that team. The full podcast will be out on Jan. 23 In this preview clip, Zyontz and Russo discuss from their perspective why Brady has improved as a broadcaster in Year 2. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

CAA Sports Media agent Matt Olson, who represents Laura Rutledge, Dan Orlovsky, Elle Duncan and Pablo Torre, among many other sports media people Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

Episode 582 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Matt Olson, a Sports Media Agent at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Olson represents Laura Rutledge, Elle Duncan, Dan Orlovsky, Pablo Torre, Jon Sciambi, Cassidy Hubbarth, Diana Russini, Bruce Feldman,and Adnan Virk among other clients. In this podcast, Olson discusses what he does for clients; how he creates relationships among the people who make hires; how an agent navigates different clients; what happens when client is competing against another for the same job; how he decides if he will take on a client; the best mediums for clients right now; podcasters and influencers versus traditional on-air talent; the range of salaries in the space right now; what he makes of talent leaks; how he sees Rutledge's career arc; the differences of negotiating at a place such as The Athletic versus Fox or ESPN; Tim Legler getting the No. 1 NBA job at ESPN; Virk's career arc; Elle Duncan landing at Netflix; Pat McAfee's career arc; whether Torre's setup can be duplicated, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

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