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In the 47-minute sports media podcast, NBC Sports Executive Vice President of Communications, Greg Hughes, provides insight and great stories into his nearly four decades in the business from TNT Sports to NBC.

Hughes tells tales from the PR wars inside Rudy Martzke’s old USA Today column, his relationships with stars and how to deal with social media. Plus, much more on “The Main Event with Andrew Marchand.”

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The Rundown …

* Hughes is tight with Charles Barkley and tells the story of how TNT Sports lured Barkley to Atlanta

* Barkley is a very generous guy in a lot of different ways

* As the EVP communications for NBC Sports, what is Hughes trying to accomplish

* What do folks do right at networks

* How you build relationships with the people who cover the media

* What PR people have to be able to say to reporters

* Hughes’ policy of never lying

* The importance of Versant CEO Mark Lazarus on Hughes’ career

* Why Lazarus had Hughes move his office next to Lazarus’

* The media critics from Rudy Martzke to Richard Sandomir to …

* How TNT Sports first had to punch up at the networks

* Fighting with his friends and foes from Vince Wladika, Lou D’Ermilio, Chris LaPlaca, Ed Markey and Kevin Sullivan

* The famous Mike Soltys quote on Keith Olbermann

* Incredible Hughes’ USA Today line over a Fox Sports mistake

* Hughes’ relationship with Martzke bonded over Wisconsin

* Dealing with Warren Moon controversy as a player/analyst for TNT

* How Hughes transitioned from TNT Sports to NBC Sports

* “Being invited to leave” from TNT Sports, along with Lazarus

* He only went to NBC because of Lazarus

* How Hughes fostered relationships with Bob Costas and Al Michaels, etc. when he arrived at NBC

* How does Hughes handle when NBC Sports is being criticized

* How to handle highly critical social media

* Hughes has been at two perfect games

* Lazarus wanted to leave one, but Hughes wouldn’t

* Bud Selig blasting the head of Time-Warner

* How Hughes owns several restaurants and bars

* He only would go to NBC if he kept the bars

* Hughes says some nice things about his NBC colleagues

* The All-Star-Super Bowl-Olympic itinerary with Rick Cordella

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* The dynamic ways Mark Shapiro sees the future of media

* From Steve Jobs to Roger Goodell: Hans Schroeder & the NFL’s power in media

* On Deck: Marchand & Meterparel

* Subscribe at AndrewMarchand.com