Jeffrey Warshaw, the founder and CEO of Connoisseur Media, remains steadfast in his belief that localism is the soul of sustainable media. While others scale back or chase the latest tech trend, Warshaw doubles down on a traditional formula — deep community roots, vibrant local programming and a service-first mindset.
“What pisses me off is when companies approach things by what’s important to them rather than what’s important to their listeners or their advertisers,” Warshaw said. “We believe in a big local presence and lots of local programming and events, community involvement and a big salesforce.”
That approach may sound old-school, but it’s working. Connoisseur Media continues to grow and evolve, even as other operators pull back or abandon their local footprints. Warshaw sees this divergence as an opportunity. “I see us expanding not only in radio but in our markets — selling more digital, selling creative,” he said. “The ability to serve our local advertisers and to work to get results for them transcends whatever particular media we're trying to sell.”
Buying when others retreat
While some in the industry have entered a defensive crouch, Warshaw remains bullish. He sees strength in legacy media, especially when it’s paired with strong local relationships and a multi-platform approach. “What we do is different than most media companies,” he said. “We’re very strategic. We believe in looking at things over the long haul.”
That long view is reflected in Warshaw’s acquisitions strategy and his mindset about how to grow revenue through integration, not fragmentation. “Other media will abandon local sales forces,” he predicted. “Cable might be coming to us and asking us to sell their inventory. Of course, we could sell their inventory already in a programmatic way… that’s only expanding.”
Warshaw isn’t relying solely on legacy channels. He sees convergence as a reality, not a risk. “Cable’s becoming more and more OTT. There’s a convergence,” he said. “We’re facing a lot of the same challenges as digital media, especially those who have feet on the street.”
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What drives Warshaw isn’t scale for its own sake but a relentless focus on serving advertisers and listeners. “Having local salespeople — whatever they’re selling — is important to our communities,” he said. “Ensuring our advertisers are getting great results… that’s vital.”
For Warshaw, the future isn’t about abandoning traditional channels but refining and integrating them into a broader ecosystem. Whether digital, radio, OTT or something else, his company”s goal remains the same: client results and audience relevance.
“This is what we love. This is what we think we’re good at. And we think it’s vital,” Warshaw said. “We’re dedicated to it. It’s what makes us tick. It’s what makes us get up in the morning. And we attract people that feel the same way.”
No gimmicks, just local
Warshaw is clear about where the greatest opportunity still lies. When asked what’s being overlooked by others in the industry, he answered immediately, “Local, baby.”
That clarity of vision may be why Connoisseur Media continues to attract employees, clients, and audiences who share the same values. While the media landscape continues to shift, Warshaw’s model is steady — and still generating momentum.
“This is what we’re doing,” he said. “And we think it’s working.”
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