{"id":198918,"date":"2025-12-23T00:27:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T00:27:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/198918\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T00:27:04","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T00:27:04","slug":"cutting-the-distance-and-shedding-the-old","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/198918\/","title":{"rendered":"Cutting the distance and shedding the old"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Less distance between us is a good thing.<\/p>\n

You taught me that.<\/p>\n

When I left the traditional newspaper world almost four years ago, you came with me as a reader on this pirate ship. I\u2019ll never forget that. It means so much to me. And I\u2019m thrilled that this independent writing endeavor has put my work in front of more readers than ever. <\/p>\n

Working for you works for me. I wake up excited. It\u2019s been the ride of a lifetime, and I\u2019m excited to continue it. But it\u2019s what you taught me in the last few years that I woke up thinking about recently. <\/p>\n

Nobody comes between us here. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s just us.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re in it with me. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s why I\u2019m planning an entrepreneurial move with my radio show that will close the distance between us and extend the footprint of my reach. <\/p>\n

After nearly two decades working for the same local radio station, broadcasting the Bald Faced Truth radio show, I\u2019ve decided to leap. A new year is a time for a new beginning. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve got big plans. Other radio affiliates will be involved. The legacy Pac-12 footprint will be heavily emphasized. There will be an expanded digital presence on various platforms, and I\u2019m hoping you\u2019re interested in continuing our conversation. <\/p>\n

Less distance between us?<\/p>\n

Sound good?<\/p>\n

My daily radio show is currently syndicated on seven stations across the state of Oregon and Southern Washington. For the last week, \u201cBest of the BFT\u201d shows have been running. Recorded interviews with Bill Walton, Mike Leach, and so many others have been occupying the 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. window and will continue to air through Jan. 2. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been on a planned \u201cvacation.\u201d Really, I\u2019ve been laying the groundwork for a new broadcast endeavor that will debut early in 2026. It will put us in a more direct conversation and provide me with autonomy. I\u2019m excited. I\u2019m hopeful my loyal broadcast audience will come with me in the same way readers did. <\/p>\n

Traditional media plays an important role in our society. But what we\u2019ve discovered and proven in this space is that independence provides freedom, authenticity, and the ability to deliver in-depth, sourced content that is unencumbered by outside influences. I go where the good stories are, and I aim to bring you with me. <\/p>\n

We\u2019ve watched newspapers, radio stations, and television stations consolidate in recent years. Staffing gets cut. The content suffers. There are lines of talented people out there, fighting a good fight, but they\u2019re doing so as corporate entities squeeze the newsrooms and stations into an uncomfortable and impossible spot. Too many of them have stopped trying to win and, instead, aim to die slowly. <\/p>\n

Before I launched this writing endeavor, I met with several small business owners. Their eyes danced when they talked about the fear and exhilaration involved in a self-directed business. I know that feeling now. I wake with it each day. <\/p>\n

You\u2019re not just a reader, you\u2019re my boss. This is my livelihood. When I picked up my oldest daughter from college, you helped pay for the gasoline.<\/p>\n

New year.<\/p>\n

New path.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not lost on me that 2025 was the \u201cYear of the Snake\u201d and in the final couple of weeks, I\u2019m shedding to make room for something new. I\u2019ll be able to share more details in the coming weeks, so be sure you continue to read this column. <\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to be on the journey with me:<\/p>\n

Come with me. <\/p>\n

This is going to be great. <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not already a paid subscriber, consider one today. Or buy a gift subscription for a friend or family member, or donate a paid subscription to a senior on a fixed budget:<\/p>\n

Give a gift subscription<\/a><\/p>\n

Donate Subscriptions<\/a><\/p>\n

This is an independent reader-supported project with both free and paid subscriptions. Thank you for opting for a paid subscription. You are helping provide vital assistance to bolster my independent coverage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Less distance between us is a good thing. You taught me that. When I left the traditional newspaper…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":198919,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[146,85,46,409],"class_list":{"0":"post-198918","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-entertainment","9":"tag-il","10":"tag-israel","11":"tag-music"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=198918"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198918\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/198919"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=198918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=198918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=198918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}