Media today has several problems: it has undeniable bias in what it calls ‘journalism’, it has a local focus that only applies when it is getting paid to pay attention, and it has a focus on stories and content that follows the ‘If it bleeds, it leads’ model of attention-grabbing, controversy-first topics that burns attention quickly and drives long term viewers and listeners further and further away.
Streaming media like Joe Rogan, Mr Beast, Shawn Ryan, endless content creators with how-to shows, travel shows, etc are vastly outperforming traditional TV shows outside of sports, and competition talent shows, often by massive multiples. From Tom Green to the Kelce brothers podcast, viewers and listeners are going where the conversations are authentic, not focused primarily on the controversial, are genuinely interesting, and offer some kind of solutions to everyday people, or offer real performances by interesting people.
When it comes to local media though, what they really disconnect with are the local businesses that have supported them often for decades or even centuries.
When every second of airtime has to come with a price tag or has to be because national outlets are competing for your story first, then as local businesses it gets easier and easier to lose interest and hope that any local media is truly interested in YOU or YOUR business beyond what you can provide to them in terms of their bottom line.
Honestly it’s not their fault originally, because that’s what they learned from Day 1; they honestly never learned any other way, and it just got refined more and more decade after decade into the miserable dysfunctional mess it’s in today.
At Speakers Phoenix Media LLC we’re looking to do things VERY differently.
Not only do we not have any paid advertising of any kind on our on air media and only in special featured inserts in some of our magazine issues, the only place you’re really going to see any paid ads is on our website or at our events.
Not only do we not need paid ads for our economic model, we don’t think they’re the best way to fund a media in the first place. It’s why thousands of radio DJs, countless network TV anchors and reporters, and newspaper and magazine writers are all getting sacked this year~ ad lineage for media can’t compete with social media and search advertising given the content models they’re using. If they were making money doing what they’re doing then they wouldn’t be firing anybody, they’d be hiring people instead.
So we’re not trying to squeeze our survival out of the local businesses’ survival, like traditional media have to do.
We’re also not betting on the same antics, of showing all the national and international content unless someone local IS producing national and international content. No, we’re focusing on local creators, businesses, experts, and entertainers first, and filling in with the international and national stuff AFTER we’ve shown a lot of good local content creators FOR FREE. And not just one-off stories about them, but sharing their content directly as syndicated shows that people all over the state, and all over the world can see or listen to on their streaming devices like Roku, Amazon Fire, Tubi, Pluto, Spotify, and so on (once we have everything fully connected for each station.)
We’re really and truly LOCAL FIRST.
So it’s only natural that we also do something else that reinforces the LOCAL FIRST commitment we have at Speakers Phoenix: we’re inviting up to 50 local businesses, experts, and creators to become Founders Table Advisors.
Founders Table Advisors
Speakers Phoenix Media LLC is looking for 50 people to become long term advisors to our media business so we can keep our focus on things that matter to our local business and creator community. Each Advisor will be assigned a specific board to join: Speakers Phoenix Journal, Speakers Phoenix TV, Speakers Phoenix Radio, Speakers Phoenix Podcasts, Speakers Phoenix City Guides, and Speakers Phoenix Partners (focused on our Events, JV, Affiliate, and Special Projects/Programs.)
Only 10 members will be on each advisory board per year.
Once a year we will open up only those openings where a current advisor has left that position, regardless of the reason. Each position has a duration of 1 year, but can continue in subsequent years as long as they abide by our Advisory Board Code of Conduct Handbook, and maintain their annual Registration Fee ($500 in Year 1, $250 each subsequent year.)
While duties of an Advisor are not strenuous, we do ask that as often as possible you attend our 1-2x/month group video call, and wherever possible our occasional in-person meetings, and the goal of each of the meetings really is to get your feedback on how we’re doing in meeting the content and business needs of the community, and to get your feedback on new content, new site features, new events, and anything else that we’re doing before it gets released to the general public.
That’s it – that’s what we need the help with most from the businesses that represent Arizona’s media needs. A constant feedback loop of constructive criticism and suggestions that we can consider to help keep our focus where it belongs: on Arizona First.
If you can do that for us, here’s what we want to do for you in return:
- Obviously we’re going to make sure you’re one of the first to get our free business listing, and we’ll glam it out with some special Founders Table Advisor Special Bling.
- We’re going to offer you the maximum Upgraded Business Listing benefits for free for the whole year.
- We’re going to give you a free special post listing, which basically is a featured post all about you, your business, your role as a Founders Table Advisor, a short video interview, and more and then link that to your business listing and your listing on your Top Ten Companies Post for whatever categories you’re listed in.
- Because you’re a Founders Table Advisor, we will add a special FTA banner on your listing, and provide you with several FTA banners you can use in your other social media profiles like on LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.
- We’re going to throw in a package of $500 in free site or magazine insert ads EACH AND EVERY MONTH (no cash refund value, non-transferrable.)
- You’re going to get to test out new features, benefits, and even some content and contests before anyone else in the public does. And if you know ANYTHING about us, how we work, and the culture we’re striving to achieve, then you have to know that we will always be working on new, interesting, and cool content, features, contests, events, technologies, apps, and more at every turn, and our Founding Table Advisors get to try it out second (we get to try it out first, na-na-na-na boo-boo!)
- We also are going to have a dedicated page, linked off the bottom directory of the home page, that features our Founders Table Advisory Board, and names all the current members, and any special awards they have earned as members of the Board and as members of our community. This way the public can see the support you give and the impact you’re having on their community too.
- Not to be overlooked, but you’ll actually have official Advisor status, meaning you get to put it on your social media, your resume, your LinkedIn profile and if anyone calls to ask about it, we’ll definitely answer that yes, you’re an Advisor in Good Standing, and that your efforts on our behalf are absolutely appreciated. Much like the Forbes Council, or a university advisor, there’s a real value in taking on a role that impacts your whole community.
- Each month there will be 1-2 group calls or in-person meetings where we’ll update you on the technical, marketing, and user experience roadmaps so you’ll know what’s coming, we’ll introduce you to each new integration with or syndication to other platforms and technologies, you’ll get a heads up about all of our upcoming events and an insider’s review of any current or past events too. And you’ll learn all about our upcoming, current, and past contests too so you’ll be able to join in, promote, or give feedback on whatever aspects of those contests you want to.
- You can even make money with us by joining our Joint Venture, Affiliate Marketing, or Special Projects Opportunities, where we work with you directly to promote your offers, come up with joint offers, or pay you through our affiliate offers, or any combinations of the three.
That’s ten (10) really good reasons why joining the Speakers Phoenix Media LLC Founders Table Advisory Board could be a great fit with you and your business goals in 2026 and beyond.
So if you love to give back to your community, you’re keen on working on the next wave of the media industry and how it impacts local communities, and you want to tap into an active culture focused on building value for businesses, entertainers, creators, and experts here in Arizona, then we really have one thing for you to do:
Schedule your Advisory Board Interview here today!
