Cumulus Media drops the country on KTOP-FM, Topeka and begins simulcasting Kansas City news/talk KCMO-AM/KCHZ-FM on the signal. KCMO Talk Radio program director/morning host and Cumulus news/talk VP Pete Mundo says, “Bringing KCMO Talk Radio to the Topeka market is a natural fit. From the Governor’s Office to the Statehouse, much of the news driving our daily programming originates in the state capital. Now, we’re excited to welcome Topeka listeners into the conversation, connecting directly with the community and delivering the regional and local news coverage it deserves.” Cumulus also operates news/talk KMAJ-AM “The Big Talker” in the Topeka market.
Premiere Networks nationally syndicated talk star Glenn Beck is presenting a three-hour, Fourth of July radio special for talk radio stations titled, “The American Story.” Billed as a “cinematic-style journey through the chaos, courage, and unlikely twists that built the United States,” the story “uncovers the human drama behind America’s earliest, most pivotal moments. Listeners will meet settlers fighting to survive, preachers sparking mass revival, revolutionaries defying an empire, and founders struggling to invent a functioning nation.” The special will air on more than 350 affiliates of “The Glenn Beck Weekend Program” during the holiday weekend. It’s also available to talk stations in non-competing markets as early as Friday, July 3, and may be aired multiple times throughout the holiday weekend. Hear a clip of the show here.
NPR appoints Nadine Zylstra its new chief content officer. NPR president and CEO Katherine Maher states, “To meet the evolving needs of our audiences, we knew we needed a visionary leader who understands both the responsibility of our public service mission and the dynamic strategies required to serve audiences in a crowded ecosystem. Nadine brings an extraordinarily rare blend of creative foresight, business acumen, and deep personal commitment to mission-driven storytelling. She is the right leader at the right time to ensure NPR’s journalism and cultural programming find new ways of serving and enlivening American discourse.” Zylstra most recently served as global head of programming and originals for Pinterest
American Urban Radio Networks promotes Isaiah Bryant to SVP of revenue & strategic partnerships. AURN CEO Chesley Maddox-Dorsey comments, “Isaiah has consistently demonstrated the vision, leadership, and business acumen that have helped drive our growth across audio, digital, podcasting, streaming, and emerging media platforms. As we continue expanding our portfolio and creating innovative opportunities for advertisers and strategic partners, Isaiah’s ability to execute forward-thinking solutions makes him the ideal leader for this role.”
Detroit entrepreneur and media executive Drew Campanelli partners with NBA Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway Sr. and two-time NBA champion Lindsey Hunter to launch Legacy Sports Network, “a new athlete-driven sports and entertainment network built in Detroit and designed to change the media landscape.” The network will feature original sports programming, athlete-led podcasts, live events, entertainment content, music, comedy, and authentic conversations from some of the biggest personalities in sports and culture. Campanelli states, “We’re building a true Detroit-based sports and entertainment platform powered by championship experience, authentic voices, and real relationship. With Tim, Lindsey, Brandon [Dent]and the rest of our incredible team we’re creating something special that fans can genuinely connect with.”
TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison (l) and Red Apple Media CEO John Catsimatidis (r) pictured above in ‘Keynote One-on-One” conversation at TALKERS 2026.
The 28th annual edition of the talk media industry’s longest running and most important national gathering – TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter – took place at the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication on the Long Island, NY campus of Hofstra University this past Friday (6/5). It was produced in conjunction with Hofstra’s multi-Marconi Award winning campus radio station, WRHU-FM. The vibrant, sold-out gathering presented 65 speakers and 338 registered attendees engaged in the sharing of perspectives, advice, and ideas within the fertile environment of dynamic collegial networking.
The main themes of the conference included an intense focus on the future of radio and talk media in the multi-platform digital world of the second quarter of the 21st century. These included exploration of such existential questions as how to gain profile traction in a noisy world; how to regain the public’s trust in the media; how to meet the challenge of generating revenue in a fractured and challenging economy; what entrepreneurial opportunities exist for individuals and independent companies in this new environment; how to expand programming options; how to recruit new talent; how to attract younger demos; how to deal with the enormous unforgiving power of algorithms in scoring the game; how to effectively control and exploit AI; how to make a living in this business; and so much more.
Speakers and attendees included a cross section of talk media professionals from the words of talent, management, ownership, syndication, journalism, engineering, politics, sports, the law, academia, and music – even pro-wrestling!
TALKERS founder Michael Harrison expressed his deep gratitude to the industry: “We worked day and night for months putting this one together, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Heartfelt thanks to our speakers, attendees, and sponsors, as well as our dear friends and partners at Hofstra University, where it all started for me.”
TALKERS VP / executive editor Kevin Casey states, “We have enough text, photos, and video from this historic media event to keep us busy putting it together and maximizing the intellectual riches for a long time to come. It was a content motherlode!” TALKERS will provide full coverage of TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter over the coming days, weeks and months on its website, newsletter and video channel. Stand by!
On Thursday (6/4), Beasley Broadcast Group filed a FORM 8-K revealing an Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Securities Exchange Commission that outlines the mechanical trigger for a major transfer of ownership control. What it boils down to is the change dictates exactly when certain debt holders can convert their debt into voting company stock (Class A and Class B shares), which will ultimately dilute existing shareholders and shift control of the company to the noteholders. Under the Transaction Support Agreement, eligible debt holders can issue a “Notice of Conversion,” forcing Beasley to issue new shares of Class A and Class B Common Stock to those noteholders, thus giving them control of the company. Beasley can avoid this by paying down its remaining debt of about $110 million before December 31 of 2027. If the above scenario takes place, the FCC would have to approve the license transfers before the noteholders could assume control.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
Podtrac publishes its Top Podcasts ranker for May 2026 based on U.S. unique monthly audience and The New York Times’ “The Daily” leaps NPR’s “NPR News Now” to claim the #1 spot. Other podcasts of note include Cumulus Podcast Network’s “Shawn Ryan Show” rises four places to #13, and Silverloch’s “The Dan Bongino Show” dips two places to #14. See the complete ranker here.
The New York State Senate and Assembly passed legislation that seeks to protect the news media from being bombarded by deceptive “stealth crawlers” from unscrupulous tech companies. These AI system “stealth crawlers” hide their identities and secretly access digital services owned by newspapers and broadcasters. The result is a substantial burden on local newspapers and broadcast stations. New York State Broadcaster Association president David Donovan comments, “By protecting broadcast news operations from unauthorized access by Big Tech, the legislation ensures the economic foundations of producing original, local news by broadcast stations throughout the Empire state. It prohibits using “stealth crawlers” to extract a broadcaster’s news content without permission or payment. In addition, the legislation requires AI systems to disclose when crawlers are employed to extract content from broadcasters.”
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio is presenting a free webinar on July 15 at 2:00 pm ET titled, “AI in Radio Sales: Work Smarter, Sell Morer.” MIW says, “Designed specifically for radio sellers, managers, and broadcast professionals, this interactive session will explore how artificial intelligence is transforming sales workflows, prospecting, proposal creation, campaign analysis, and day-to-day operations. Attendees will leave with practical tools and actionable strategies they can implement immediately.” Find out more and register here.
The editors of TALKERS announce the publication of the 2026 list of the 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America – known colloquially as the Heavy Hundred. This annual feature is created by the editors of TALKERS with input from industry leaders and ranks, from one to 100, the most important talk radio hosts in America based of several factors including (in alphabetical order): courage, effort, impact, longevity, potential, ratings, recognition, revenue, service, talent, and uniqueness. To be considered for inclusion on the Heavy Hundred, talk hosts must be working at the time of publication and have a regularly scheduled professional show on the air at a minimum of one terrestrial station or satellite radio station. TALKERS executive editor Kevin Casey says, “This is one of the most difficult features that TALKERS does each year. There are so many deserving hosts working at stations across America for whom a case could be made for their inclusion on this list. With that said, we are proud of all the hard-working hosts who made this year’s Heavy Hundred and congratulate them on receiving this honor.” See the 2026 Heavy Hundred here.
Cumulus Media VP of programming operations Doug Hamand says that he is retiring at the end of June. Hamand served for more than two decades with iHeartMedia and its predecessors before joining Cumulus Media in the corporate programming role. He posts to Facebook, “I’ve had a ball. It’s hard to believe that when I started 48 years ago, this day would ever come — but here we are. I’m excited to share that I will be retiring at the end of June.”
An insight from Audacy chief marketing officer Jenny Nelson makes the case that a strong audio campaign – combined with digital marketing – combine to help local businesses build a strong brand, establish trust, and optimize SEO & AEO with high conversions. Nelson notes that “radio, streaming audio, and podcasts reach consumers throughout their daily routines, creating repeated exposure and strong recall. Audio also commands our attention in ways many formats can’t.” Additionally, radio personalities do something other formats can’t: “When our favorite hosts vouch for a brand, it feels personal. And that built-in influence doesn’t just capture attention — it sparks action.” 74% of radio listeners polled say they have purchased a brand after hearing an ad from their radio host. Finally, Nelson says the intersection of audio and digital marketing is where consumers are reached. “Audio builds awareness, attention, and trust. Digital marketing captures intent and drives action lower in the funnel. Together they drive measurable results with double digital increases in performance.” See the full story here.
Long Island’s Nassau Community College and its award-winning radio station WHPC-FM, announce a collaboration with Connoisseur Media Long Island that is designed to provide students with valuable real-world experiences, professional mentorship, and pathways to careers in broadcasting, marketing, journalism, sales, digital media, and related fields. NCC will provide CMLI with opportunities to engage with students and the campus community through WHPC and select college events. The college will also make available WHPC-produced public affairs programming, as well as student-produced content for potential use across CMLI’s stations. Connoisseur Media regional SVP Kristin Okesson says, “We’re excited to partner with Nassau Community College to help inspire and develop the next generation of radio and media talent. Partnerships like these create a direct pipeline for passionate students to gain real-world experience, build important industry connections, and ultimately become the future superstars of our business. We appreciate Shawn Novatt and the NCC team for their commitment to creating these opportunities, and we look forward to working together to support students as they begin their careers in broadcasting and media.”
New York Public Radio president and CEO Christy Tanner announces the promotions of Emily Botein, Stephanie Clary and Eileen Delahunty to editorial and creative leadership roles across WNYC and Gothamist, WNYC Studios and WQXR. Botein is now head of WNYC Studios, Clary rises to editor-in-chief of the WNYC and Gothamist newsrooms, and Delahunty is now head of WQXR. Tanner says, “Stephanie, Emily and Eileen are exceptional, forward-looking leaders with deep commitment to excellence in journalism, culture and storytelling. As audiences increasingly engage with content across multiple platforms, we’re focused on creating experiences that connect our award-winning newsrooms, podcasts, live events and cultural partnerships. I’m excited to see the continued collaboration across NYPR as we strengthen our mission and help shape the future of public media for the next generation.”
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc announces the opening of applications for its 8th Annual Elevating Women in Programming Mentorship. MIW says, “Designed specifically for women working in radio programming, the year-long mentorship connects one rising programming professional with some of the industry’s most accomplished content leaders. Through personalized mentorship, strategic networking opportunities, and career-focused guidance, the program is designed to help participants strengthen their leadership skills and accelerate their professional growth.” The mentorship is open to one female brand manager, content/program director, assistant program director, or music director from any U.S.-based radio format. Applications are open now and will be accepted through July 2, 2026. Find out more and apply here.
Nielsen issues its quarterly “report card” – called The Record- on listening by U.S. consumers and says that, for persons 18+, 62% of Americans listen to AM/FM radio as part of their daily audio consumption. Podcast listening gets 20% with ad-supported streaming getting 16%, and ad-supported satellite radio accounting for 2%. The report also indicates that the news/talk radio format maintained its position as the top format with 10.9% share of total radio listening (P18+), a slight uptick from the 10.8% it captured in Q4 2025. All-news listening also increased, climbing from 2.7% to 2.9%. See more about the report here.
Montana talk radio host Aaron Flint is projected to win the Republican primary for the U.S. House seat for Montana’s 1st Congressional District. Flint is host of the morning drive show “Montana Talks” heard across Townsquare Media news/talk stations in Montana, including KBUL, Billings and KMMS, Bozeman. Flint took leave of his radio show to run for office. According to the Associated Press, Flint will face the winner of the four-way race in the Democratic primary. Flint’s campaign says he is emphasizing “making the Montana dream affordable again,” by reducing regulatory burdens on building homes, encouraging trades education and boosting the U.S. timber industry.
Beasley Media Group announces that Philadelphia sports media pro and current morning drive co-host John Kincade will leave the “Kincade & Salciunas Morning Show” after the duo’s last program on July 31. Andrew Salciunas will continue to host the program. WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic” program director Scott Masteller states, “John has brought tremendous passion, professionalism, and authenticity to our morning show and to the Philadelphia sports community. He’s been an important part of the station’s success, and we’re grateful for everything he has contributed both on the air and behind the scenes. We fully support his decision and wish him and his family nothing but the very best in this next chapter.” About his decision to leave the show, Kincade says, “After a great deal of thought, I’ve decided that this summer will be the right time for me to step away from mornings at ‘The Fanatic.’ This decision comes after a lot of reflection following my cancer battle and thinking carefully about what’s best for me and my family moving forward. I’m incredibly grateful to Beasley, to my teammates, and most importantly to the Philadelphia listeners who welcomed me back home in 2021 and supported me every step of the way. I’m proud of what we’ve built on the morning show and very confident in the future of ‘The Fanatic.’ There’s a tremendous team here both on-air and behind the scenes. I’m not retiring, and I’m excited to eventually explore what comes next professionally. Philadelphia has meant so much to me, and I can’t thank the fans enough for their support, especially during my health journey.”
iHeartMedia and LG Electronics have struck a deal that will see iHeartMedia’s more than 850 live iHeartRadio stations, digital-only stations and its catalog of podcasts will now be available on the LG Radio+ app that’s included on LG Smart TVs running webOS 6.0 and above. iHeart Digital Audio Group CEO Conal Byrne comments, “We are excited to integrate iHeartRadio into LG Radio+. This integration reflects our commitment to meeting listeners everywhere they are, making premium audio content even more accessible in a seamless experience across the connected home.”