For the station
Ready-to-air weekly content with dependable structure and a distinct sound that fits your clocks.
Weekly feature · sponsor-ready · syndication built-in
Before The Reel is where movie talk, culture, and radio programming meet.
A weekly 2–3 minute film review and cultural commentary segment hosted by Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic — built for Urban AC and adult formats, and ready for syndication, podcast feeds, and streaming.
Program playTurnkey, clock-clean entertainment content that fits drive-time, middays, weekends, and specialty culture blocks.
Revenue playSponsor-ready feature with open, mid-roll, and close integration that gives sellers more than another :30 in the break.
Audience playA culturally fluent review voice that talks to Black moviegoers as a mainstream audience who show up for every kind of film.
The opportunity
Built to win across programming, audience, and sales.
Program directors get a dependable feature, listeners get a trusted critical voice, and advertisers get a clean way to sit inside the content instead of interrupting it.
For the audience
A smart, conversational take on what’s in theaters now — from big franchise releases to prestige dramas — with insight beyond the trailer.
For advertisers
A sponsor lane baked into the show itself, presented as “brought to you by” content instead of just another unit in a stopset.
For the brand
A host-led franchise that can grow into podcasts, video, social content, and live events as the footprint expands.
By the numbers
The market case behind the segment.
Black moviegoers are frequent, cross-genre consumers, and movie audiences spend heavily after a theater visit — strengthening the sponsor case for a film-driven radio property.
Takeaway: The segment is built for an audience that already shows up — to theaters, to culture, and to the brands that sponsor it. Black moviegoers over-index on attendance, cross-genre viewing, and post-movie spending, which means Before the Reel is both relevant to your listeners and easier to sell to your advertisers.
Branding and visuals
A clear visual system for your brand and the films you cover.
Your own logo and headshot stay front and center. For films, use official posters and stills or licensed artwork — safer than grabbing random images online.
Per-Review Image Structure
Every review card follows the same structure — official poster art on the left, a supporting still on the right. Consistent enough to build a recognizable look, flexible enough to work across every genre and release type.
The Voice Behind Every Review
Reggie Ponder brings three things most film segments don't have — broadcast timing that fits your clock, cultural fluency that speaks to your audience, and critical credentials that give the segment weight. The film is always the story. Reggie is the reason your listeners trust it.
The film is always the story. Reggie is the reason your listeners trust it.
Hear the segment
Production-ready demos
Black cultural event release · 3 reels out of 4
A culturally grounded take on a major Black cultural event film, with references to music, legacy, and image.
Audio file attached for site hosting and station review.
General-market release · 3 reels out of 4
A stylish, general-market review that shows how the segment plays for broad adult audiences who love fashion, workplace stories, and sequels.
Especially useful for showing broad commercial coverage.
The host
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic
A culturally fluent voice with decades of broadcast experience, Reggie brings a reviewer’s eye and a radio professional’s timing to every segment — fitting clocks and earning sponsorship.
Broadcast veteranFilm criticCultural commentaryUrban AC native