Urban One Second Quarter Net Revenue Rises 10.4%. Reporting financial data for the second quarter of 2022, Urban One – parent company of Radio One – reveals net revenue of $118.8 million, an increase of 10.4 percent over the same period in 2021. Consolidated net income for Q2 of 2022 was $15.8 million, a decline of 14.4% from the same period in 2021. Urban One reports financial data for six separate segments
including Radio Advertising ($44.5 million, up 4.5%), Digital Advertising ($17.8 million, up 19.1%), and Event Revenue ($1.1 million, up 2.3%). Urban One CEO and president Alfred Liggins III says, “We had a strong finish to Q2, driven by continued robust growth in digital and cable television advertising, both of which were up double digits. Our spot radio business outperformed the markets in which we operate by 230 Bps, and I was pleased with our overall 10.4% revenue growth, as a result of which we were able to post adjusted EBITDA growth of 6.1% y-o-y. Like other media businesses, we have experienced a slow-down in Q3, particularly in core radio which is currently pacing down low-to-mid single-digits. Given our diversified mix of assets, I still anticipate consolidated net revenues to grow in Q3, and we remain well positioned for political advertising later in the year. We will continue to be disciplined with capital allocation decisions and our cash position remains strong. We finished the quarter with net leverage below 4.0x, in line with our goal to continue to reduce leverage over time.”
Round Two of July PPMs Released. The second of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s July 2022 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including: Washington, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San Diego, Tampa, Denver, Baltimore, and St. Louis. Nielsen’s July 2022 sweep covered June 23 – July 20. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Washington, DC, Hubbard Radio’s all-news WTOP-FM adds six-tenths for a 7.4 share (weekly, 6+ AHQ share) finish but still falls back to the #8 rank, while Cumulus Media’s news/talk WMAL-FM is flat at a 4.1 share and recedes to the #8 rank. Bonneville’s news/talk KIRO-FM remains in first place in Seattle even after dropping six-tenths for a 6.7 share finish, while Lotus Communications’ crosstown all-news KNWN-AM/FM dips two-tenths to finish with a 3.1 share but stays locked in the #14 spot. In Minneapolis-St. Paul, Audacy’s news/talk WCCO adds three-tenths for a 4.4 share finish that boosts it to the #10 rank. Across town, Hubbard’s talk KTMY-FM falls two-tenths for a 3.3 share finish but stays ranked #13, while iHeartMedia’s news/talk KTLK-AM adds three-tenths to wrap with a 3.2 share good for the #14 rank. Hearst Television’s news/talk WBAL-AM leaps to the #10 rank after a 1.1 share increase gives it a 3.4 share finish as WCBM Maryland’s news/talk WCBM-AM sheds half a share for a 2.0 share finish good for the #15 rank. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well as yesterday’s round one) here.
Premiere Networks Talk Hosts Front and Center at CPAC 2022. Pictured above (from l-r) at last weekend’s CPAC 2022 conference in Dallas are Premiere Networks talk radio hosts Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Jesse Kelly. Hannity’s address to the attendees covered election integrity, the upcoming midterm elections, the importance of conservative principles and more. Shortly before former President Donald Trump closed out the convention with his keynote address, Glenn Beck took to the stage with a presentation titled, “American History: What You Don’t Know,” and Jesse Kelly entertained the crowd with a satirical skit in which he posed as a news anchor covering the latest headlines at a faux network.
‘ESPN Chicago’ to Present Inaugural ‘Football Fest.’ Sports talk outlet WMVP, Chicago “ESPN 1000” is presenting its first-ever “ESPN Chicago Football Fest” that will bring together the station’s personalities and special guests ESPN senior NFL Insider
Adam Schefter and ESPN Fantasy Football expert Field Yates at the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana on Saturday, August 20. Local personalities Tom Waddle, Marc Silverman, David Kaplan, Carmen DeFalco, Peggy Kusinski, Dionne Miller, Jonathan Hood, Chris Bleck, Adam Abdalla, and Jeff Meller will be at the event. Danny Zederman is content director for the Good Karma Brands station. He says, “Football Fest will be an amazing opportunity for ‘ESPN 1000’ fans to connect with our content team to kick off the 2022-2023 football season. Peggy and Dionne will be broadcasting live from the event, giving fans a front row seat to one of the station’s newest duos.”
Comscore Q2 2022 Net Revenue Up 4.3%. The second quarter financial report from digital media firm Comscore states net revenue for the period was $91.4 million, an increase of 4.3% over Q2 of 2021. The company reduced its net loss from Q2 2021 to
Q2 2022 from $18.5 million to $5.1 million. Comscore CEO Jon Carpenter states, “I was honored to step into the CEO role in July and remain excited about the opportunity ahead for Comscore. This is a critical time for the industry, and we are committed and focused on delivering innovative products and solutions that our customers want and driving the growth and profitability our shareholders expect. The quarter highlights the momentum in our business, particularly in Cross Platform Solutions, which includes our growing local and national television businesses. While there is still work to be done, I am excited and energized about the opportunity ahead.”
TALKERS News Notes. Urban radio personality Angela Yee is leaving the WWPR, New York-based morning show “The Breakfast Club” after 12 years to launch her own
midday program titled, “Way Up with Angela Yee” that will be syndicated via Premiere Networks. It will launch this fall and debut on more than 30 iHeartMedia stations. The company says the show “will feature the iconic personality in a fast-paced, listener interactive show, as she connects directly with listeners on the kinds of hot and timely topics in which she’s garnered trust over her decades on air – from relationships to Hip-Hop and R&B, headline news topics, and overall culture, both in and out of the music industry.”…..Audacy-owned podcast company C13Originals is partnering with Team Downey and Wink Pictures for “The Sunshine Place,” an investigative documentary podcast series examining Synanon, a former California-based experimental drug rehab facility and community that morphed into a dangerous and violent cult, led by its messianic founder Charles E. Diedrich. Cadence13 chief content officer Chris Corcoran states, “This is a story we were immediately drawn to and wanted to tell. It’s an honor to be able to tell incredible stories like this with such a great team in Susan, Robert, Emily, and Josh in collaboration with our brilliant C13Orginals creative team.”…..American Public Media Group announces that Barry Gisser is the organization’s new senior vice president and chief financial officer, succeeding Morris Goodwin who after eight years significantly increased the value of APMG’s endowment and led its investment strategy. Gisser’s first day at APMG will be September 6.
FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago/NYC Deposition, Primaries/2024 Race, The Economy, Biden Health & Climate Bill, China’s Taiwan Threats, Russia-Ukraine War, and Serena Williams Announces Retirement Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/9). The FBI’s raid on former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago offices and his scheduled deposition by New York AG Letitia James; Tuesday’s primary races for the November midterms and speculation about the nominees for the 2024 presidential race; the high rate of inflation and concerns about a recession; the Inflation Reduction Act that affects health care, taxes, and climate incentives; China’s ramped-up military exercises around Taiwan; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine; and tennis great Serena Williams announces her plans to retire from the sport were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.