For the first time in 15 years, Cincinnati has a local morning sports show, First Word with James Rapien.
Or another way of saying it: Cincinnati has a local morning sports show for the first time since Rapien was a University of Cincinnati student.
“It’s a unique opportunity to do something that hasn’t been there in most of my life. It’s definitely a hole in the market,” says Rapien, 34, a former producer for Mo Egger and Lance McAlister on iHeartMedia stations WLW-AM and WCKY-AM’s ESPN 1530.
First Word debuted 7-11 a.m. Monday on The Crown’s multiple platform digital network. It can be seen or heard on the cincycrown website; WXIX-TV’s Rock Entertainment Sports Network programming on over-the-air Channel 19.3; YouTube; Spotify; Mixlr; Apple podcasts; Google podcasts; and X (formerly Twitter). Channel 19.3 also is available on Spectrum cable channel 999 and Altafiber channel 253.
Rapien hosted the premiere with Jacob Tissot, a St. Xavier High School graduate and passionate Bengals and Reds fan who spent four seasons as a student assistant to the University of Alabama football team.
Marisa Contipelli, a Bengals staff producer the past seven seasons, will join the anchor desk when she returns from vacation. She contributed a recorded interview with Steve Radicevic, Bengals assistant general manager, on the premiere.
Rapien has built an impressive resume in new media ventures since graduating from UC in 2013. After working with McAlister and Egger, he hosted the Locked On Bengals podcast; worked as a sports reporter for Entercom Radio stations in Cleveland; covered the Bengals for Sports Illustrated and for the Cincinnati Bengals Talk YouTube channel.
He “never thought of doing a daily sports show — ever — until this came about,” he says. “Cincinnati is a great sports town that deserves a fun, upbeat morning sports show. We’re not going to scream at each other.”
First Word is broadcast from The Crown Network studios in Over-the-Rhine near TQL Stadium. The company was founded in 2023 as 1831 Media, named for the year Xavier University was founded. Previous podcast shows included The Sean Miller Podcast, The Pitino Show and Xavier and NKU Portal Recap.
Founder Anthony Breen, a 2014 Xavier alum, is CEO of the Synergistic marketing agency. The Crown leadership team includes President D.J. Hodge, former iHeartMedia market manager, WLW-AM general manager and division president; and operations director Adam Baum, a former Enquirer sportswriter and Xavier beat reporter.
Rapien's "knowledge, personality, and versatility made him an easy choice to headline The Crown’s flagship show. He’s great on camera, and his experience cultivating audiences and understanding the relationship between content and consumer was a big reason why we wanted him behind the First Word desk,” Hodge says.
Hodge has enlisted another former iHeartMedia coworker for the new venture. Former WLW-AM news director Jack Crumley, who left the station in April after almost 20 years, premiered The Working Lunch with Jack Crumley at noon on The Crown Network, including the Rock Entertainment Sports Network on Channel 19.3, Spectrum and Altafiber.
On the one-hour show, Crumley talked about the surprising big weekend for Backrooms at movie box office; the new CM Chicken restaurant coming to Hyde Park; the Seven Hills School expansion; and Ohio’s school vouchers program before an extended interview with Jamie Smith, Cincinnati Business Courier publisher.
The Crown Network also is launching The Nat Jones Show, a lifestyle and culture show with Natalie Jones, and Nat Tries That, a YouTube and social-focused series about Jones exploring Cincinnati restaurants, events, “local favorites and hidden gems,” the company says.
Continuing in production are The Pitino Show with Xavier head coach Richard Pitino, and Rebound Rundown, about Cincinnati-area college basketball programs.
Over the years, local sports morning shows have been tried on WSAI-AM (1360), WCKY-AM (1530), WBOB-AM (1230/1180), “The Score” (1230) WFTK-FM (96.5). The last one left the air in 2011.
Rapien says he has given up the Locked On Bengals podcast to work on the First Word.
“I want to give everything I’ve got to this show, because I think it will be great. I need to give it my full attention,” he says.
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