The Best NYC Souvenir? Revenue Generation Ideas

The Barrett Media Audio Summit kicks off on June 30 in New York City, and Point-To-Point Marketing is proud to once again serve as the presenting sponsor. Leading up to the event, we’re sharing perspectives on the topics we hope to hear discussed in the sessions, debated in the hallways, and explored during the conversations that happen long after the presentations end.

This week, Point-To-Point Marketing’s Tim Bronsil, Owner & CEO, shares his thoughts.

I am incredibly excited about what Jason Barrett and the entire Barrett Media team have assembled for New York later this month. Our industry needs opportunities to gather in person, exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and learn from one another. The content on stage will undoubtedly provide attendees with ideas they can put to work immediately. Just as important, however, are the conversations that happen in the hallways, over coffee, and during cocktail hours. That is often where the best ideas emerge.

As I look ahead, one topic I hope receives significant attention is revenue generation.

There have been a number of encouraging signs recently for those of us in the audio business.

A recent analysis by Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer for Cumulus Media and Westwood One, using Edison Research’s Share of Ear data, found that AM/FM radio continues to dominate ad-supported audio listening in the car. Among drivers overall, AM/FM radio accounts for 83% of all in-car ad-supported audio listening, making it one of the most powerful environments available to advertisers.

Just as encouraging, a recent study by Deepika P. Das, Senior Manager for Research & Insights at Audacy, found that AM/FM radio’s share of ad-supported audio listening among teens has actually increased. At a time when many assume younger audiences have completely migrated to digital platforms, the data tells a different story. Radio remains the largest ad-supported audio platform among teens, demonstrating that the medium continues to connect with audiences across generations.

Taken together, these findings tell an important story. Radio is not simply maintaining relevance. It remains a dominant audience platform that reaches consumers in valuable environments and across age groups.

At the same time, podcast advertising continues to attract significant investment. Magellan AI’s latest rankings show brands such as Quince, BetterHelp, Shopify, UnitedHealth Group, Progressive, Amazon, Verizon, and McDonald’s investing millions of dollars into podcast advertising each month.

What stands out to me is not the difference between radio and podcasting. It’s the overlap.

Many of the brands spending heavily in podcasting are the same categories that have historically invested in radio. Insurance companies. Telecommunications providers. Automotive brands. Retailers. Financial services companies. The advertising dollars are there. The question is whether audio companies are building the sales solutions needed to capture a larger share of them.

This is where I believe the conversation gets really interesting.

Recently I wrote about what may be the most overlooked revenue stream in audio today: audience development.

Consider YouTube. It is no longer a place to simply post clips from a morning show or podcast. It has become a meaningful revenue platform where views, impressions, and sponsorships all contribute to the bottom line. More importantly, YouTube drives discovery. Strong video content can lead to more podcast downloads, increased streaming usage, greater event attendance, and deeper audience engagement across multiple platforms.

The opportunity for broadcasters is obvious. We have spent decades learning how to build audiences, market personalities, and create habits. Today, those same skills can help clients grow podcast audiences, increase YouTube viewership, expand email databases, and drive measurable business outcomes. As the media landscape evolves, audience development itself may become one of the industry’s most valuable products.

At the same time, industry leaders continue to push for modernization of ownership regulations. If meaningful ownership reform occurs, it could create a once-in-a-generation opportunity for broadcasters to build stronger companies and achieve greater scale.

However, ownership changes alone will not solve our challenges.

As an industry, we must be equally aggressive in developing new revenue solutions, expanding advertiser relationships, and demonstrating how media brands can drive business outcomes across radio, podcasting, streaming, video, events, and social platforms. If ownership reform comes, the companies that benefit most will be those that are already building the products and sales strategies necessary to capitalize on that opportunity.

My hope is that every attendee leaves New York with at least a half dozen ideas they can put into action immediately. Not ideas for next year. Not ideas for the next decade. But ideas that can generate meaningful revenue in the second half of 2026 and create a foundation for growth well beyond it.

In other words, the best NYC souvenir isn’t a t-shirt, a coffee mug, or a photo from Times Square. It’s a handful of revenue generation ideas that can help grow your business long after the conference ends.

That’s the kind of conversation worth having.

Tim Bronsil: tim@ptpmarketing.com, 513.702.5072