Editor | TALKERS magazine

TALKERS News Notes

By Editor | January 24, 2023 by Editor

Audacy’s Cadence13 podcast studio launches, “WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp,” a multi-platform, investigative podcast series hosted by investigative filmmaker Jeremy Corbell and award-winning investigative journalist George Knapp in which they “pull back the veil on the world of the known to explore the world of the unexplained. They break news and share never-before-seen footage, previously suppressed documents, original recordings, and hard evidence related to UFOs, the paranormal, cutting-edge science, cover-ups, conspiracies, and big-time crimes.”

The nationally syndicated travel show “RMWorldTravel” starring Robert and Mary Carey officially surpasses the 500-station mark and is now heard on 510 affiliate stations across the U.S.

The Weather Channel and Skyview Networks announce the expansion of their partnership with the inclusion of SnoCountry Ski Reports. With this expansion, The Weather Channel and SnoCountry will utilize Skyview Networks’ network audio sales platforms and regionalization capabilities to provide winter ski reports to unique geographic audiences, giving listeners valuable ski resort conditions through the winter season.

SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio is broadcasting from this year’s PGA Show in Orlando today (1/24) through Friday (1/27). The PGA Show is not open to the public and SiriusXM’s hosts will share with their audience insight into the latest in golf instruction, equipment, apparel and more. Listeners will also hear one-on-one interviews with many of the PGA Professionals in attendance at the event.

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

By Editor | November 16, 2022 by Editor

WPHT, Philadelphia Midday Star Dom Giordano is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. The “Dean of Philadelphia Talk Radio,” Dom Giordano is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Giordano is a former public school teacher considered one of the media’s leading advocates for education and activists for education reform. He has also been an outspoken voice of reason in the conversation about Philadelphia’s alarming crime, drug and homelessness problems. Harrison and moderate conservative Giordano take a deep-dive into these topics in addition to discussing fascinating post-midterms Pennsylvania politics as well as the strong possibility that the GOP and news/talk radio are approaching a major fork in the road regarding their support of baggage-laden Donald Trump versus rising new Republican stars such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation! To listen to the podcast in its entirety please click here.

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Skippy Leaves KMJ-AM/FM Fresno After Three Years Co-Hosting Afternoons. The Fresno Bee reports that Frances Echeverria – a.k.a. Skippy (right) – has left Cumulus Media’s news/talk KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno. After leaving alternative rock KFRR-FM’s morning show in 2019, she joined KMJ-AM/FM to host the afternoon drive show alongside Philip Teresi (left). But on Friday (11/11), she announced that she’s retiring from radio. She told her audience, “The station has meant more for me personally that I can ever explain.” Echeverria called the change a lifestyle change, as much as a career change. The Bee notes that she wrote in a post on the website, “I didn’t want to do radio anymore. It wasn’t that it was bad. In fact, the chemistry with my partner was continually evolving into something better. I had good bosses. I felt like I was making a difference, whatever that means. Working there made me smarter. And yet I was done. Deep in my heart and down in my soul. Done.” Echeverria also works as a therapist and is a professor at Fresno State.

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FOX News Media Extends Deal with Mark Levin. Talk media personality Mark Levin and FOX News Media agree to an extension of Levin’s current multi-year deal in which he’ll remain host of “Life, Liberty & Levin” that airs Sunday nights at 8:00 pm ET on FOX News Channel. Levin says, “FOX News Channel and I are extending my show. Suzanne Scott trusted that I could do a show and I want to thank her and her team and all the folks in between who’ve supported this. I want to thank you. I want to thank FOX. I want to thank my family.” FOX News Media says “Life, Liberty & Levin” is the second highest-rated cable news program on weekends, averaging 1.7 million viewers on Sundays at 8:00 pm for 2022 to date. “With Levin at its helm, the show’s total audience almost triples CNN’s programming in the timeslot and nearly quadruples MSNBC’s total and A25-54 demo viewership. In October 2022, the program earned 1.6 million viewers and 127,000 in the demo, making it the number one program in weekend primetime programming.”

WNYC Produces Podcast Series Titled ‘The Divided Dial’ That Focuses on Salem Media Group. The latest news organization to present a report on news/talk radio is WNYC. In this case, the project from WNYC Studio’s On The Media is a five-part podcast titled, “The Divided Dial,” that “charts the growth of broadcasting company Salem Media Group.” WNYC says Salem is “a once small, conservative Christian radio network that quietly expanded their reach in far-right media through the hard to monitor, difficult to fact check, and minimally scrutinized medium of talk radio. With holdings of over 100 radio stations (many in the top 25 markets) and shows syndicated to over 3,000 stations across the country, the series uncovers how Salem exerts influence behind many conservative figures in America — while receiving considerably less media attention than other far-right news sources. The series also puts Salem’s growth in the context of nearly nine decades of radio history, illuminating how conservative dominance of the airwaves was aided by long-term regulatory erosion and strategic pressure from the right.” The project is reported and hosted by Katie Thornton and includes conversations with scholars, journalists, and media experts, as well as a “rare on-the-record” interview with Salem SVP Phil Boyce. You can find the first podcast in the series here.

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LABF Celebrates ‘Industry Trailblazers’ at ‘Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts’ Event. The 2022 Library of American Broadcasting Foundation’s “Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts” event took place last night (11/15) at Gotham Hall in New York. The annual event was hosted by ABC News’ “Nightline” co-anchor Juju Chang and celebrated “distinguished individuals who have – for the past century – been the creators, innovators, journalists, leaders, performers, and producers that have brought the electronic arts to the prominence they occupy in the United States and the world today, and who have set the stage for the future.” Net proceeds from the event will benefit the Library of American Broadcasting collection located at the University of Maryland and support LABF awards for students and scholarly works about the history of broadcasting and their impact on American society and culture. Pictured above are: (standing, l-r) Chang; Jack Goodman, LABF co-chair; Adam Symson, president & CEO, E.W. Scripps; Bob Pittman, chairman & CEO, iHeartMedia; Pete Williams, justice correspondent, NBC News (ret.); Sean McManus, chairman, CBS Sports; Joyce Tudryn, IRTS president & CEO; Heidi Raphael, LABF co-chair; Fareed Zakaria, CNN anchor, author, columnist, The Washington Post; (sitting l-r) Alex Prud’homme; Deb McDermott, CEO, Standard Media Group; S. Epatha Merkerson, actress; and Bud Walters, president, Cromwell Media. Photo: Wendy Moger-Bross

TALKERS News Notes. A new content distribution deal between VSiN, The Sports Betting Network and Gow Media will put VSiN’s longform sports betting shows and Brent Musburger’s one minute “Action Updates” on Gow Media’s SportsMap network. VSiN says it expects the deal to more than double its terrestrial radio affiliates. Gow Media CEO David Gow says, “We are thrilled to be working with VSiN. VSiN has set the standard for sports gambling content. Through this content distribution deal, we will bring together some of the most influential personalities in sports radio to entertain and inform our combined audiences.” VSiN founder and CEO Brian Musberger adds, “David Gow has created a powerhouse in the U.S. radio industry, and we couldn’t be more excited to be his choice to deliver real-time sports betting news, analysis and insights to the growing SportsMap radio audience.”…..CNN Audio announces that Matt Martinez joins the network as showrunner for “The Assignment with Audie Cornish” – CNN’s newest weekly podcast premiering tomorrow (11/17). Previously, Martinez was a senior producer at On Being Studios, producing radio shows and podcasts for “On Being with Krista Tippett.” He was also the director of content at KNKX Public Radio in Tacoma.

Colorful Radio Station Owner Michael Zwerling Announces That He Is Offering Heritage Talker KSCO, Santa Cruz for Sale. According to an extensive article published by the Times Publishing Group, Inc. of California’s Central Coast (and an advertising campaign in TALKERS) legendary broadcasting industry owner and personality Michael “MZ” Zwerling is offering KSCO and associated properties for sale after a 31-year stint at the operation’s helm. The article states, Michael Zwerling has been in love with KSCO since he was a high school kid broadcasting Santa Cruz High On The Air in the mid-1960s. As the station owner since 1991, he’s created a radio station that’s a voice for pretty much everyone. But now, at 71 — his birthday was Nov. 9 — he has a new love in his life, Amy Hao, co-host of the “China Watch” show on KSCO and a veteran traveler, and he wants to spend his time traveling with her. The couple, who met in 2019, are “totally into free speech,” Zwerling said. They recently returned from a two-week safari in Africa. “Amy’s not happy unless she’s traveling, and she wants to take me to all these places,” Zwerling said. That’s why he’s looking for a buyer for KSCO 1080 AM and its FM translators, along with sister station KOMY 1340, and the one-acre of flat land at 2300 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz, overlooking Corcoran Lagoon. The asking price is $1.5 million cash for the two radio stations and the broadcasting business. The asking price is $6 million cash for the property, which includes the Art Deco studio building, garage, parking lot, concrete event patio, plus the three broadcast towers in the lagoon, which give the 10-kilowatt station the power of a 50-kilowatt station on dry land, according to Zwerling. To read the entire story, please click here. Photo: KSCO GM Michael Olson standing in front of KSCO’s historic Art Deco studios along Silicon Beach in Santa Cruz, CA. Times Publishing Group.

Trump Announces ’24 Bid, Midterms Aftermath, The Economy/FTX Collapse, Immigration, Abortion, Biden-Xi Meeting, G-20/Russia-Ukraine War, Trump Org Trial, and NASA’s Artemis Launches Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/15). Former President Donald Trump announces his run for president in 2024; the aftermath of the midterm elections, including the Republicans’ expected control over the U.S. House and Rick Scott’s challenging Mitch McConnell as top Republican in the U.S. Senate; the rate of inflation, concerns about a recession, and the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX; a judge halts the use of Title 42 to expel migrants from the U.S.; Georgia’s strict abortion ban is struck down in court; the meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping; the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia and its condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; former Trump Org CFO Allen Weisselberg testifies at the company’s fraud trial; and NASA launches its Artemis rocket that re-boots the U.S. moon program were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

The Radio Sales Arena is Changing and We Are On the Leading Edge. The key to sales growth in radio going forward is multi-platform digital marketing. In the coming decade, “radio” will simply be the engine driving an increasingly complex and sophisticated array of digitally powered platforms creating endless packages and options for the advertiser. The keys to success will be in branding that cuts through the noise and surgical targeting that delivers optimum efficiency for agencies that know exactly what they want. The Salem Media Group is leading the way and the opportunities for our sales team are endless. But, right now, we need that special individual who has the tools, the vision and the ambition to get it done. That one special person who truly “gets it.” Jerry Crowley, the longest-running GM in the nation’s largest market, says, “We want one outstanding seller who can take it to the moon! Compensation will reflect potential and performance – salary will range from 50k- 85k plus substantial bonuses and generous commissions.” Candidates should send cover letter and resume to Jerry Crowley, VP/GM, Salem Media Group, NY (WMCA 570am The Mission/WNYM 970am The Answer) at Jcrowley@nycradio.com.

Front Page News Industry News

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

By Editor | November 15, 2022 by Editor

Steve Wexler Steps Down from Daily Management Duties at Good Karma Brands Milwaukee. Radio management pro Steve Wexler – vice president and market manager for Good Karma Brands Milwaukee – will wrap up his 35-year career and transition into a coaching and development role at the company. The announcement was made today (11/15) by GKB founder and CEO Craig Karmazin, who says, “We are appreciative and grateful Steve “Wex” joined Good Karma to lead the Milwaukee team through a time of significant growth and transition. His passion for local news and his community-focused approach to broadcasting and media led the team through a pandemic, the launch of a new station, and award-winning coverage of so many significant moments of the past several years. We’re looking forward to continuing to learn from his knowledge and leadership expertise as he moves into a coaching role within the GKB home office.” The company says that EVP Emily Dillinger will assume the role of interim market manager for GKB’s three Milwaukee stations talk WGKB-AM/W269DL “101.7 The Truth,” sports talk WKTI-FM, “ESPN Milwaukee,” and news/talk WTMJ “Newsradio 620.” Wexler comments, “I’m looking forward to tapping into my experiences and many lessons learned to help our content, sales and management teammates continue to grow their skills and knowledge. I’m very grateful to Craig for the opportunity to do what I do best and what I enjoy most which is spending time coaching and developing our team.” Wexler led the sale of the 36-station, 8-market Scripps Radio Group in late 2018 to several broadcast companies, including GKB in Milwaukee, where he assumed the role of market manager in 2019. He began his broadcast career at WTMJ in Milwaukee as an intern and has been an on-air personality, program manager, and radio and television general manager before running the radio division for Journal Communications, which merged with Scripps in 2018.

Cox Media Group Names Market Leaders for Houston and Orlando. The company announces the appointment of new VP/market managers for its Houston and Orlando clusters. In Orlando, where Cox Media Group operates news/talk WDBO-AM/FM and five music brands, JC Campese assumes the leadership role. CMG operates three music brands in Houston where Stephanie Callihan is named to the top position. She has served with several radio groups, including Audacy where she was most recently an SVP and market manager. Campese launched his career with CMG in 2000 and rose to director of sales for the Orlando cluster prior to this promotion. CMG executive vice president Rob Babin says, “We are excited to tap into our amazing internal CMG leadership talent and announce the promotions of JC and Stephanie. JC and Stephanie have a fantastic range of experiences and talents that will make a positive impact on CMG and our talented teams in Orlando and Houston. I look forward to the difference they’ll make as CMG continues to evolve to meet the needs of our listeners, clients, and our communities.”

AWM Presents Gracies Leadership Awards. The Alliance for Women in Media hosted the Gracies Leadership Awards luncheon yesterday (11/14) at the Tribeca 360° in New York City. Soledad O’Brien served as keynote speaker stating that the group of honorees represent “stories not just of grit, vision, and opportunity, but of women helping women and celebrating women and the story of how those women didn’t forget that they got into media to elevate people and issues and struggles that were not in the spotlight.” The seven female leaders honored (and pictured above) were: Valerie Blackburn; Nancy Daniels, chief of content, NTets, Discovery, Animal Planet &Science Channel; Marie Donoghue, vice president, global sports video, Amazon; Kim Godwin, president, ABC News; Wendy Goldberg, chief communications officer, iHeartMedia, Inc; Chelsey Maddox-Dorsey, CEO, A wonder Media Company; Debra O’Connell, president, networks, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution; and Dawn Porter, founder, Trilogy Films. AWM Foundation chair Heather Cohen states, “This is a pivotal event for us because it covers all three of our pillars- it’s recognition, it’s education, and it’s connection. We shine a light on exceptional women in media- those who have shattered glass ceilings and proven their leadership and notable today, what an honor to have Soledad O’Brien, one of the greatest storytellers of our time as our keynote.”

TALKERS News Notes. Audio research and analytics firm Veritonic announces the second annual Audio Intelligence Summit is scheduled for February 15 at Second Floor in New York City. Veritonic says, “The summit will once again gather industry-leading brands, agencies, and publishers to dive deep into the data and analytics that are driving today’s successful audio and podcasting strategies. We look forward to coming together with fellow publishers, platforms, brands and agencies to collectively improve upon and consider the data and analytics that are making audio’s ever-expanding influence increasingly efficient and impactful.” Find details about the summit by visiting https://audiointelligencesummit.com…..Benztown + McVay Media Podcast Networks announce the launch today of the quirky new comedic podcast, “The Neurotic Vaccine,” created and hosted by Andy Cowan, award-winning writer for “Seinfeld,” “Cheers,” and “3rd Rock from the Sun.” In “The Neurotic Vaccine,” Cowan invites fellow neurotics to share his mini-therapy sessions with co-host, clinical and forensic psychologist, Dr. Scott Kopoian. Together with their guests – including inaugural guests Jay Leno and Cathy creator, Cathy Guisewite – Cowan and Kopoian work toward the daunting goal of immunity to neurosis. “The Neurotic Vaccine” podcast includes celebrity guests, post-session postscripts, comedy featurettes and more. Future sessions of “The Neurotic Vaccine” will feature stars including Leave It To Beaver’s Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow (in his final interview), “Curb Your Enthusiasm” guest star comedian Elon Gold, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, CNN host Michael Smerconish, and actress Marilu Henner…..Quu Inc., announces radio veteran Laura Gonzo joins the company as senior director of affiliate services. In this role, Gonzo will work with stations and sales teams to ensure the successful implementation of Quu’s advertising products. Gonzo served as affiliate director for “The Bob & Tom Show” from 1997 through 2008. She says, “Quu’s powerful technology is truly a game-changer for radio. Beyond elevating the station’s visual appeal, Quu offers a huge opportunity to increase sales and drive stronger returns for clients. I’m thrilled to join the team of passionate experts at Quu and to help stations make the most of these transformative products.”…..SiriusXM announces that Andy Cohen has signed a three-year contract extension and that his exclusive SiriusXM channel Radio Andy “will now serve as the audio subscription service’s definitive home for pop culture with “Andy Cohen Live” and “Smith Sisters Live” expanding to daily shows.” Cohen says, “SiriusXM allows me to dig deeply into two of my passions – pop culture on Radio Andy and music on the Kiki Lounge. I’m so proud of what we’ve developed over the last seven years on Radio Andy. I’ve loved programming the channel, and my longform interviews with celebrities and authors feed my soul. Programming the Kiki Lounge brought me incredible joy during the pandemic and listening to it is a romp through my expansive music vocabulary.”

Midterms Aftermath, Trump in ’24, Biden-Xi Meeting, The Economy, Crypto-Crash, G-20/Russia-Ukraine War, and UVA Killings Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/14). The results of last week’s midterm elections that leave the Democrats in control of the U.S. Senate and the Republicans likely to assume control of the U.S. House; former President Donald Trump’s expected announcement he’ll run for president in 2024; Monday’s meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping; inflation and fears of a recession; the fall of cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the 75% decline of crypto value over the last 12 months; the G-20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia and the pressure on attending nations to officially condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and the fatal shooting of three University of Virginia football players were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Monday, November 14, 2022

By Editor | November 14, 2022 by Editor

Industry Mourns Jim Bohannon. Veteran talk radio host Jim Bohannon has died at age 78, at the Prisma Health Cottingham Hospice House in South Carolina after losing a hard fought battle with esophageal cancer. He was born January 7, 1944 in Corvallis, OR, where his father was stationed in the U.S. Army during WWII. After the war, the family moved back to their home town to Lebanon, MO, where Jim grew up and graduated from Lebanon High School in 1962. He attended Missouri State University in Springfield, MO, before joining the military. His service in the U.S. Army Security Agency with the 199^th Light Infantry Brigade included a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1967-68. Jim’s radio career began in high school working at KLWT, and in college at KICK, and KWTO. After his return stateside, Jim was stationed at Vint Hill Farms Station, VA, and worked at radio stations WGAY, WTOP, and WRC in the Washington, DC market. He joined the Mutual Network in 1983, which later became Westwood One Radio. He began anchoring America in the Morning news magazine, hosting the Saturday night Jim Bohannon Show, and filling in on the Larry King Show. In 1993, Larry King moved to CNN, and the radio show became the Jim Bohannon Show, which Jim hosted until shortly before his death. His distinctive voice, wit and wisdom was aired on some 500 radio stations nationwide. Jim has been honored to be the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of his talent and contributions to the radio industry. This includes his induction into the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame by the National Association of Broadcasters, the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame, the Radio Hall of Fame of the Museum of Broadcast Communication, and the Society of Professional Journalists, DC Chapter Hall of Fame. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from TALKERS magazine, and the First Amendment Award from the Radio and Television Digital News Foundation. He was especially pleased to receive the Gold Award from the International Radio Festival of New York for his documentary, “Pain and Pride- Remembering Vietnam,” and to be a 2003 inductee to the Wall of Honor in his hometown of Lebanon, MO. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Vietnam Veterans of America. Jim is survived by his wife, Annabelle Bohannon, of Westminster, SC, and daughter, Elizabeth Smith of Janesville, WI. Per Jim’s wishes no formal services will be held at this time. The family is at their respective homes. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory are suggested to any organization of your choice that serves to support the needs of veterans. A message of condolence may be written to the family by visiting www.sandiferfuneralhome.com. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison states: “Jim Bohannon was one of the greatest radio broadcasters of all time, plain and simple. His talent was only surpassed by the personal esteem in which his fellow broadcasters held him. He was the very definition of a ‘good guy’ through and through.” Harrison recently recorded the last official interview with Jim Bohannon that is posted on PodcastOne click here.

Remembering Overnight Sensation Jim Bohannon. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian had the pleasure of interviewing Jim Bohannon a number of times over the years for personality profile pieces in the radio trade press. He says, “‘Class act’ epitomized peerless communicator Bohannon, who – while enjoying the luxury of a national Westwood One platform – possessed a palpably authentic on-air style that enamored him to a huge, loyal following. Always remarkably accessible, ‘Jimbo’ was unfailing in offering his vast expertise to the industry as a whole and to aspiring broadcasters. Moreover, he exuded a truly unique warmth that will be missed beyond measure.” Read Mike Kinosian’s piece here.

Monday Memo: Your Podcast “Bones,” Part Deux. In last week’s column, consultant Holland Cooke recommended to podcasters that shorter-is-better. This week, HC recommends a format for longer-form episodes. Read his column here.

Pending Business: When the Crystal Ball Is Foggy. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa writes in today’s column that “the current economic cycle is being driven by a sweeping round of cutbacks and strategic business re-focus.” He says that as a result, “the clock is ticking on the adjustments you should consider to jump-start 2023.” He offers a quick checklist to consider as you deal with a changing economic climate. Read it here.

Urban One’s Sports Talk WFNZ, Charlotte Names New Midday Shows. Today (11/14) marks the launch of new midday programming on Urban One’s Charlotte sports talk WFNZ-AM/FM “Sports Radio 92.7.” The station introduces the new 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm show “Wes & Walker” starring Wes Bryant (left) and Walker Mehl (right). Bryant is a host, producer, editor and voice-over artist for the ACC Digital Network in Charlotte. He’s hosted ACC Digital Network’s “Kickoff Live,” a college football pregame show and “Wes Got Range,” a lifestyle show joining food and local area athletes together. Most recently he was the 2021-2022 season pre- and post-game host for the Charlotte Hornets broadcasts on Bally Sports South. Mehl hosts the “Locked on Hornets” podcast and has served as a guest host on WFNZ. Station PD Jeff Rickard says, “I’m excited to hear from two talented young men who are not only entertaining and engaging, but true native sons of the Queen City. I’m looking forward to hearing their hometown takes on all things Charlotte sports. I can’t wait for our listeners to learn more about them and enjoy the upcoming ride.” Rickard is also debuting his new late morning show titled, “Charlotte Sports Today,” that airs from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. The “Mac & Bone” show continues is morning drive and Kyle Bailey remains the PM drive personality.

Audacy Names Seema Kumar SVP of Advertising Platforms. Advertising pro Seema Kumar joins Audacy as SVP of advertising platforms for the company. In this role, she’ll lead the team members responsible for the technology platforms for Audacy’s revenue organization, “ensuring that roadmaps and requirements are prioritized for vendors and IT ad tech engineers, aligned with ad product strategy and revenue goals, and optimized to meet business operational needs.” Kumar comes to Audacy from her most recent position as VP of advertising technology for WarnerMedia. Audacy EVP of advertising technology, products and platforms Terri Gunnell states, “We’re thrilled to welcome Seema to the team as we elevate our strategy and focus on the interoperability of our ad platforms to support growing our revenue in partnership with sales and creating efficiencies for sales operations. Her deep ad tech platform experience and forward-thinking business acumen will ensure we improve service to our internal and external clients and partners as well as enhance our ability to innovate in 2023 and beyond.”

WRKO, Boston’s Radiothon Raises $86,000 for Disabled Veterans. On Thursday and Friday of last week (11/10 & 11) iHeartMedia news/tak outlet WRKO, Boston produced its seventh annual DAV Radiothon to benefit the Disabled American Veterans Department of Massachusetts and raised $86,000. Over the two days, WRKO on-air personalities Jeff Kuhner, Chuck Zodda and Mike Armstrong encouraged listeners to donate and raise funds for the DAV of Massachusetts’ homeless shelter and transportation programs. iHeartMedia Boston VP of news, talk, sports Rob Sanchez says, “Every year the WRKO listeners amaze me with their generosity. Once again, they have helped to raise $86,883 for the DAV of Massachusetts. We’re proud to be able to support the DAV of Massachusetts and show that WRKO, our listeners and our sponsors are always willing to help the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our great country.” Since 2016, DAV Radiothon has raised more than $886,000 to benefit veterans in the community.

Midterm Results, Trump in ’24, Biden Meets Xi, G-20 Summit, The Economy/Crypto Meltdown, Deadly Virginia and Idaho Shootings, Russia-Ukraine War, and Social Media Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The aftermath of last week’s midterm elections including the Democrats’ hold on the U.S. Senate and the still-unknown status of the U.S. House; former President Donald Trump’s expected run for president in 2024; President Joe Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping over tense issues including Taiwan; the meeting of G-20 leaders in Bali; U.S. inflation, job reports and concerns about a recession, combined with the freefall of crypto-currency; the fatal shooting of three at the University of Virginia and the deaths of four University of Idaho students; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and its exit from Kherson; and the troubles at Elon Musk’s Twitter, Meta’s Facebook, and the future of social media were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Monday, November 14, 2022

By Editor | November 14, 2022 by Editor

Features

Remembering Overnight Sensation Jim Bohannon

By Editor | November 14, 2022 by Editor

By Mike Kinosian
TALKERS magazine
Managing Editor

LOS ANGELES — Talk radio’s tightknit community is reeling as it mourns the passing of one of the format’s genuine iconic stalwarts, Jim Bohannon, who has died at the age of 78.

“Class act” epitomized peerless communicator Bohannon, who – while enjoying the luxury of a national Westwood One platform – possessed a palpably authentic on-air style that enamored him to a huge, loyal following.

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Sales

Pending Business: When the Crystal Ball Is Foggy

By Editor | November 14, 2022 by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Its seems the current economic cycle is being driven by a sweeping round of cutbacks and strategic business re-focus now moving into the mainstream.

From Disney and Meta (parent of Facebook) to Walmart, the pressure is on to deliver positive performance in a cloudy economy. In plain English, it’s time to cut costs and push suppliers to share the pain. Yet prices continue to go up. Maybe it’s the fault of COVID’s unpredictable economic impact or some international collusion, or better yet, just a plain old foggy crystal ball in the CEO’s office. My vote is all of the above. But what does any of this have to do with your day-to-day sales? The short answer is: Everything.

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Advice

Monday Memo: Your Podcast ‘Bones,’ Part Deux

By Editor | November 14, 2022 by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

BLOCK ISLAND, RI — “But I’m doing a whole SHOW, not just the ‘snack-size’ episodes you recommend,” one podcaster wrote, after reading last week’s column, itself conspicuously succinct.

While I continue to heed the listener research which recommends (forgive me) “less is more,” I myself subscribe to several longer-form podcasts. My concern about going-longer is the same caution I offer to eager beavers who ask me about launching a weekend show: It’s a lot of work.

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Front Page News Industry News

Friday, November 11, 2022

By Editor | November 11, 2022 by Editor

NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment (Series Finale) of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment and series finale of the one-hour weekend special, “The Michael Harrison Wrap,” that has looked back each week for the past three-and-a-half years at the hottest topics discussed in the American talk media per the research of TALKERS, is now posted. This new episode titled, “A House Divided,” reviews this past week of 11/7-11. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Dr. Murray Sabrin, professor emeritus of finance, Ramapo College, NJ; Harry Hurley, talk show host, WPG, Atlantic City, NJ; Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company; and Matthew B. Harrison, Esq., associate publisher, TALKERS/law professor, Springfield, MA. The show has been airing weekends (Friday evenings to Sunday nights) on 100-plus broadcast signals and networks across the U.S. and U.K as well as having developed a significant international following as a podcast. To listen to this week’s milestone episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS topic research, please click here.

LiveOne Reports Revenue for 2023 Fiscal Q2 Up 7.3%. Reporting its financial data for the second quarter of Fiscal 2023, LiveOne says consolidated revenue was $23.5 million – an increase of 7.3% over the same period in 2022 Fiscal Q2. LiveOne is the parent company of PodcastOne and the filing reveals that PodcastOne “posted record 1H Fiscal 2023 revenue of $17.2 million as U.S. unique monthly audience surpassed 6.7 million in September 2022.” LiveOne is planning to spin out PodcastOne as a separate, publicly traded company and expects to file an S-1 with the SEC by December 15. Returning to the company’s consolidated financial data, LiveOne posted a net loss of $3.4 million, a dramatic reduction from the net loss of $15.2 million it reported for second quarter of Fiscal 2022. LiveOne CEO and chairman Robert Ellin comments, “The momentum in LiveOne’s audio business, which includes Slacker Radio and PodcastOne, continues to experience growth of paid members through partnerships, including Tesla, as well as an increase in advertising and sponsorships. We expect our audio business to collectively achieve revenue in excess of $80 million in Fiscal 2023 and generate more than $16 million in Adjusted EBITDA. Over the past year, we have successfully reduced costs and overhead by an expected $25 million on an annual basis while focusing on the operating performance of our audio division. A significant part of our strategy is a decision to forgo any live tentpole and pay-per-view events until Fiscal 2024, which has resulted in a lowering of expected Fiscal 2023 revenue to between $100 million and $110 million. These measures will allow us to utilize our capital and resources to strengthen our balance sheet, buyback stock and focus on the growth of our profitable businesses.”

Christian Arcand Returns to WEEI, Boston to Produce PM Drive Show. Sports talk radio pro Christian Arcand – who was a casualty of the recent cuts at Beasley Media Group and served as an air personality at WBZ-FM, Boston “98.5 The Sports Hub” – joins Audacy’s WEEI-FM, Boston as producer of the “Merloni, Fauria & Mego” show and as host of the Saturday 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm program. Arcand originally served with WEEI first as co-host on the “Planet Mikey” show with Mike Adams and then hosted the “WEEI Late Night” program before joining WBZ-FM five years ago. Audacy Boston SVP and market manager Mike Thomas says, “Christian is a talented guy and a great team player. A lot of people in the building, including myself, have had the pleasure of working with him in the past. What he will bring to ‘Merloni, Fauria and Mego’ on and off the air will really help propel the show and the station forward.”

Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Host Election Event. Pictured above at Tuesday night’s midterm election night event in Nashville are Premiere Networks-syndicated personalities Clay Travis (right) and Buck Sexton (left) – hosts of “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). Travis and Sexton hosted the event for key advertisers, political guests and others. Among the special guests who attended the private event to watch the election results were: Premiere Networks-syndicated personality Jesse Kelly, Sen. Bill Hagerty, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, FOX News commentator and Outkick The Coverage host Tomi Lahren, country music star John Rich, former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler, among others.

Hillsdale College Produces Election Night Coverage. In the photo above, student broadcasters at Hillsdale College’s radio station WRFH-LPFM, Hillsdale, Michigan “Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM” present their live election night coverage on the station with a remote broadcast. The school says that more than 20 staffers were involved in some way during the evening, as they welcomed panels of fellow students, Hillsdale professors, candidates, reporters, and pundits to the airwaves. The event was open to the campus community and more than 200 people turned out to watch and listen.

KDWN, Las Vegas Hosts Election Night Special. In the Las Vegas market, KDWN talk host Steve Sanchez (right) presented election night coverage on the station that included contributions from GCN nationally syndicated talk host Dr. Daliah Wachs (center) and “Finding Common Ground” host Patrick Casale (left).

New York Festivals Welcomes Diego Cannizzaro to Radio Awards Advisory Board. The New York Festivals announces that DMC Studio owner Diego Cannizzaro is joining the NYF Radio Awards Advisory Board. New York Festivals Radio Awards vice president Rose Anderson says, “The 14-member Advisory Board panel is an international brain trust of innovative storytellers and industry executives whose expertise spans all genres of audio entertainment and journalism. Diego’s mastery of every aspect of his craft in works like ‘Madre’ and ‘Weightless’ brings emotions, memories, and sensations to his listening audiences. These insights and the Board’s essential guidance ensure that New York Festivals will continue to honor world-wide excellence across all platforms.” Cannizzaro’s DMC Studio is located in Buenos Aires and specializes in radio arts, sound stories, commercials, field recording, sound design and mixing. He is an industry pro known for award-winning work. He creates audiovisual productions for radio, TV, social networks, and movies. He comments, “I consider New York Festivals as an iconic common place, in a global level speaking. A meeting point for all who are really involved in storytelling in the media. Personally, it is an honor to be part of the Advisory Board with outstanding colleagues from all the media worldwide.”

NOT TOO LATE! Comrex Offers Talk Broadcasters Free Trial of Gagl Remote Contribution Service for Post-Election Programming. High-quality, remote contribution is a vital part of any live broadcast – and that’s especially true during election season. Comrex has provided talk radio hosts, reporters and sportscasters with great remote broadcasting tools for decades. Their Comrex ACCESS units have become a ubiquitous presence at political conventions, breaking news stories and anywhere broadcast-worthy things are happening. While Tuesday’s elections are in the rear-view mirror, post-election contribution to your station’s coverage of local and national races is still going strong and will for the foreseeable future. Those contributors need to be able to connect from remote locations at the drop of a hat. Often, reporters and contributors will call in from their remote locations on a mobile phone, which is a simple solution, but results in poor audio quality. Other reporters will have access to a remote audio codec, which provides excellent audio quality, but also requires some management from the engineering team. Gagl, the new remote contribution solution from Comrex, is the best of both worlds. According to the folks at Comrex, reporters and contributors can connect to the Gagl interface from a web browser on a smartphone or laptop, meaning it’s as easy as a phone call to get connected. Up to five reporters can be in a Gagl session at the same time. The Gagl session is connected to a Comrex IP audio codec in the studio, and so on-air hosts are able to talk with field reporters. Each reporter has their own mix-minus, and their audio is studio quality with very low delay, so quality isn’t sacrificed for simplicity. Gagl is a subscription-based service and it’s a first for Comrex. “It’s kind of a pivot for us,” Comrex director of sales, Chris Crump tells TALKERS. “Broadcasters are looking for easier, faster and less expensive ways to do their job. But quality and reliability are just as important,” says Crump. “Gagl uses a web browser on a smartphone or computer. It’s as easy as clicking a link to connect. But it connects to a Comrex IP Audio Codec back in the studio for reliability and greater stability. It sounds great and is designed to be dependable as Comrex customers would expect.” Anyone with an ACCESS or BRIC-Link codec can try Gagl free for two weeks by contacting Chris Crump at Comrex Corporation: chris@comrex.com. Office phone: 978-784-1776. Mobil phone. 404-610-5954. comrex.com

Politics and Midterm Elections Top News/Talk Story for Week of November 7 – 11, 2022. The politics surrounding the 2022 midterm elections and the races that will determine control of Congress for the next two years combined as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers Ten^TM. At #2 this week was former President Donald Trump’s position as a Republican kingmaker and his expected announcement he’ll run for president in 2024, followed by inflation and fears of a recession at #3. The Takers Ten^TM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s complete chart here.

KWAM, Memphis Seeks News/Talk Morning Host. Memphis news/talk outlet KWAM-AM “The Mighty 990” is looking for the next great talk show host in America. We have an immediate opening for a morning show host. Our host must have at least three years experience and must be well-versed on national, Tennessee and Memphis news. Send resumes and audio clips to todd@starnesmediagroup.com.

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, November 10, 2022

By Editor | November 10, 2022 by Editor

Dave Ramsey Joins RAB’s ‘Radio Works’ Series. The RAB announces that as part of its Radio Works initiative, the next presentation in the series, titled, “Radio Works for Financial Services,” will feature remarks by talk radio star and financial expert Dave Ramsey. RAB says next Wednesday’s webinar “will focus on the expansive financial services category and key segments such as retail banking, investment banking and credit cards with a concentration towards the challenges and opportunities ahead in 2023.” The webinar will also feature Peter Nelson, president of Glenwood State Bank in Minnesota and Chris Uhde, sales manager, Leighton Broadcasting in Alexandra, Minnesota to discuss how the community bank is navigating through the current economic climate, its impact on their customers and radio’s role in their approach. The presentation – free for RAB members – is on November 16 at 1:00 pm ET. You can register here.

FOX Sports Radio Adds ‘The Paulie & Tony Fusco Show’ to Podcast Lineup. The satirical sports talk podcast, “The Paulie & Tony Fusco Show,” joins FOX Sports Radio’s slate of podcasts. FSR says, “Each week on ‘The Paulie & Tony Fusco Show,’ former ‘Herd with Colin Cowherd’ producers Andrew Samson and Sharief Ali hilariously portray die-hard Philadelphia sports fans and ‘legendary’ cable TV stars who think they have the best sports takes when they actually have the worst.” FOX Sports Radio SVP of sports programming Scott Shapiro jokes, “When the Phillies were 21-29, I made a wager that the Phillies wouldn’t make the World Series for another decade. I now significantly regret that ill-advised wager as the result is having to take on this so-called podcast. If you value your time, please DO NOT listen to this podcast.”

College Hoops Star Drew Timme Launches Podcast. A collaborative effort between iHeartMedia’s iHeartPodcasts and the College Athletes Network (CAN) results in the new podcast, “Gimme Timme,” starring Gonzaga basketball star Drew Timme. iHeartMedia says this weekly podcast expands on its partnership with CAN to “bring college sports-centered podcasts hosted by the athletes themselves to fans.” The podcast will also include co-host Noah Buono – a former walk-on at Duquesne University and host of CAN’s “Walkie TalkieZ.” Timme says, “I’m super excited to do this podcast. It’s my senior season and it’s going to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to take people along for the ride. I love listening to Draymond Green’s podcast. I want my podcast to have the same angle, just from a college perspective. Listeners will get the full Drew experience each and every episode.”

Bob Pittman and Bud Walters Among Honorees at LABF’s Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts. Next Tuesday (11/15) Library of American Broadcasting Foundation presents its “Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts” annual celebration at Gotham Hall in New York City. LABF says the ceremony honors “the distinguished individuals who have – for the past century – been the creators, innovators, journalists, leaders, performers, and producers that have brought the electronic arts to the prominence they occupy in the United States and the world today, and who have set the stage for the future.” Among this year’s group of honorees are radio’s Bob Pittman, chairman & CEO of iHeartMedia, and Bud Walters, president of Cromwell Media. Also being honored are: Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports; S. Epatha Merkerson, actress, “Chicago Med,” “Law & Order”; Adam Symson, president & CEO, The E.W. Scripps Company; Peter Williams, justice correspondent (Ret.), NBC News; Fareed Zakaria, CNN anchor, author, columnist for The Washington Post; and Julia Child, TV chef, (posthumously).

RAB Board of Directors Elects New Directors for 2023. The Radio Advertising Bureau announces the results of its Fall Board of Directors meeting in Chicago on November 1-2. Newly elected officers include Chair: Jeff Warshaw, chief executive officer, Connoisseur Media; Vice Chair: Erik Hellum, chief operating officer, Townsquare Media; Finance Chair: Sabina Widmann, president, regional general manager, TelevisaUnivision; Secretary: Mike Dowdle, executive vice president of business affairs, Bonneville International; Immediate Past Chair: Mike Hulvey, chief executive officer, Neuhoff Media. Warshaw says, “I am proud to serve as the RAB chair and further support the organization and the industry as we continue to advocate for radio.” Joining the RAB board of directors are David Bevins, Connoisseur Media, Felipe Chávez, Bustos Media, Julie Koehn, Lenawee Broadcasting Company and Kevin Perry, Perry Publishing & Broadcasting. Jonathan Brewster of El Dorado Broadcasters will be rejoining the board. Exiting the board are Keith Lawless, formerly at Cox Media Group, Art Rowbotham, Hall Communications, Inc., Jeff Smulyan, Emmis Communications and Pat Walsh, Emmis Communications.

TeshMedia and Compass Media Networks Expand Their Relationship. The two organizations announce that they are expanding their long-standing partnership. Compass Media Networks will now manage affiliate sales, in addition to continuing as The TeshMedia Group’s exclusive advertising representative for the full array of The TeshMedia Group’s audio brands. John Tesh says, “For nearly a decade we have trusted our friend, Peter Kosann, and Compass Media Networks for our advertising sales. And so, it only makes sense that we would take the next step and partner with Compass’ awesome affiliate relations team to help us super-serve our stations.” Kosann comments, “TeshMedia is a unique treasure to the radio industry – delivering unique, compelling, exclusive, and awesome content that drives ratings and revenues for affiliates. We are extremely proud and humbled to expand this wonderful relationship with Connie, Gib, John and their full team of producers and writers.”

TALKERS News Notes. Connecticut talk radio host Lisa Wexler is returning to her program at Connoisseur Media’s news/talk WICC-AM, Bridgeport after her leave to run for re-election for probate judge in Connecticut’s Westport-Weston District. Wexler won the race with 72% of the vote. Interestingly, she ran this time as a Democrat after having previously won three elections as a Republican in the same district. Connoisseur Media SVP Kristin Okesson says, “We congratulate Lisa on her re-election as probate judge and are looking forward to having Lisa back on-air after this brief election hiatus. Our listening community has clearly missed her on WICC.”…..Benztown announces that it is appointing Leon McWhorter as head writer. The company says, “McWhorter is the newest addition to Benztown and client partner Yamanair Creative’s writers’ room, serving commercial production clients across the U.S. He will report to MJ Bloch, Benztown’s East Coast director of commercial production, and Darren Silva, West Coast director of commercial production.

Midterm Election Results, Trump 2024 Presidential Bid, The Economy, Elon Musk & Twitter, Russia-Ukraine War, and Hurricane Nicole Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/9). The results of the midterm elections and the Georgia runoff election that may determine control of the U.S. Senate; former President Donald Trump’s expected announcement that he’ll run for president in 2024; inflation and concerns about a recession; the chaos surrounding Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the impact on Europe’s winter energy crisis; and Hurricane Nicole makes landfall in Florida among top news/talk stories yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

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Wednesday, November 9, 2022

By Editor | November 9, 2022 by Editor

Townsquare Media’s 2022 Third Quarter Net Revenue Soars 8.4%. Third quarter net revenue was $120.6 million – an increase of 8.4% over the same period in 2021. Townsquare Media reveals in its 2022 Q3 financial report that net income for the quarter decreased $10.1 million to $2.8 million, as compared to $12.9 million in the same period in 2021, primarily driven by non-cash impairment charges to the company’s FCC licenses of $10.3 million. Townsquare Media breaks its financial reports in to three operating segments. For the third quarter of this year, Digital Advertising net revenue increased $6.5 million, or 21.3%; Subscription Digital Marketing Solutions net revenue increased $2.1 million, or 9.7%, as compared to the same period in 2021 due in part to the addition of approximately 850 additional net subscribers during the third quarter of 2022; and Broadcast Advertising net revenue increased $2 million, or 3.4%, compared to Q3 of 2021. Townsquare CEO Bill Wilson comments, “I am proud to report another record setting quarter of results that clearly demonstrate the undeniable success and differentiation of Townsquare’s transformation into a Digital First Local Media company. The Townsquare team reached all-time Q3 highs with net revenue growth of 8% year-over-year, and Adjusted EBITDA growth of 6% year-over-year, meeting our Q3 guidance. In addition, net leverage declined to an all-time low of 4.54x as we continue to make progress towards our 4x net leverage target. Our growth engine has been and will continue to be our digital solutions, which were the primary driver of our third quarter growth, accounting for half of Townsquare’s total revenue and total profit. Total digital revenue increased 17% year-over-year in the third quarter, and trailing 12-month digital revenue grew to $225 million. As a uniquely positioned Digital First Local Media Company focused principally on markets outside of the top 50 in the United States, Townsquare has a resilient digital growth engine supported by both a recurring subscription digital marketing solutions business, with a large addressable market and limited competition, and a highly differentiated digital advertising technology platform.”

Ramsey Solutions to Give Free Finance Course to 1,000 Veterans in Recognition of Veterans Day. In honor of Veterans Day this Friday (11/11), Dave Ramsey announces that he is giving away access to his company’s Financial Peace University for 1,000 veterans on “The Ramsey Show.” Ramsey Solutions says the nine-lesson digital personal finance course has helped millions take control of their money for 30 years. Veterans who enter their information on the company’s website and are selected, will be able to join a class in-person or go online to watch videos on-demand as they learn the fastest way to pay off debt, save for emergencies and invest for the future. Military members list financial troubles among their top stressors. In the first 90 days of working the FPU plan, the average household pays off $5,300 of debt and saves $2,700 for emergencies.

KFI, Los Angeles Set to Begin 12th Annual Pastathon with SoCal Wendy’s Restaurants Joining the Cause. The annual KFI Pastathon charity event that encourages listeners to donate money, pasta, and sauce to benefit Caterina’s Club gets underway on Tuesday (11/15) and includes new partner Wendy’s restaurants in Southern California. The iHeartMedia news/talk station says that Caterina’s Club provides more than 25,000 nutritious meals every week to children in need in Southern California. The charity also helps families get back into stable home environments and teaches teens the skills they need to work in the hospitality industry. This year, all 168 Wendy’s restaurants in Southern California will offer their customers a donation option from November 16 through December 4.  In addition, on November 29, ‘Giving Tuesday,’ these Wendy’s will also donate $1 from every Frosty sold to the KFI PastaThon. With the help of listeners, local businesses, and the continued partnership with Smart & Final stores and Barilla Pasta, the 2021 event raised a record-breaking $1 million dollars and 115,000 lbs of pasta and sauce. Since 2010, the KFI PastaThon event has raised over $4.6 million and 700,000 pounds of pasta and sauce for children in need in the community. KFI program director Robin Bertolucci states, “We are so delighted to have Wendy’s partner with us on our efforts to feed Southern California kids. Because of generous partners like Wendy’s, Chef Bruno is feeding over 25,000 kids every week. As we embark upon our 12th annual KFI PastaThon we know the need is bigger than ever but so are the hearts of our listeners and partners. Our goal this year is to once again raise over a million dollars.  Thank you to Wendy’s for helping us make that dream a reality!”

Radio and Podcast Power Session Being Made Available for Colleges & Universities. The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF), in partnership with Benztown, the University of Maryland and the Broadcast Education Association (BEA), are creating a produced 90-minute, on-demand recorded Zoom video session focused on radio and podcasting for colleges and universities utilizing the LABF collection. The LABF Radio and Podcasting Power Session initiative, led by LABF board members Dave “Chachi” Denes – Benztown president – and BEA executive director Heather Birks, features University of Maryland reference specialist Michael Henry hosting a virtual walk-through of the library, followed by an insightful conversation about the vast collection highlighting incredible moments in U.S. history captured through the eyes and voice of television and radio broadcasters. Additionally, industry professionals from across different disciplines of the podcasting and radio business, including radio executive Mike McVay along with Benztown’s R Dub! from “Sunday Night Slow Jams”, Darren Silva and MJ Bloch, Tom Green, Susan Aksu, Beasley Media Group chief revenue officer Tina Murley and other experts speak to the students about the many career opportunities available to them in the industry. Denes says, “Everyone involved with this program is passionate about radio and podcasting. It’s an absolute honor to be able to share our knowledge with students that will someday be leading the industry.” The initiative initially launched as a semester-long course with Clark Atlanta University in 2021. The school is the first to utilize the 2022 90-minute abridged class-offering. It will be available to colleges and universities.

TALKERS News Notes. A new deal between Cumulus Media’s news/talk WLS-AM and Motor Racing Network will have the station airing the NASCAR Cup Series beginning in 2023. This three-year pact comes on the heels of the news that the City of Chicago has signed a three-year deal with NASCAR as the home of the first-ever Chicago Street Race. The unprecedented 12-turn, 2.2-mile Chicago Street Race will take the Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series past and through many of Chicago’s most renowned downtown landmarks during Fourth of July Weekend, July 1-2, 2023. WLS program director Stephanie Tichenor says, “We are thrilled to be the new Chicago radio home of NASCAR and we look forward to growing this new partnership as we gear up for the first-ever Chicago Street Race next summer – and what promises to be an unforgettable Fourth of July weekend.”…..SiriusXM announces the launch of a new original comedy channel, Team Coco Radio. Executive produced by Conan O’Brien, the channel will feature exclusive audio content as well as select Team Coco podcasts, including the popular “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.” The channel debuts on November 15. Subscribers can hear the biggest interviews and the funniest stand-up moments from Conan’s iconic TBS show, as well as select Team Coco podcasts, including “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” plus “Inside Conan” and “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan.” Fresh commentary from Conan will also be weaved throughout the programming, as he recalls funny behind-the-scenes stories and other entertaining and insightful anecdotes.

Midterms/Trump’s 2024 Aspirations, The Economy, China COVID Lockdowns, Meta Layoffs/Twitter Chaos, January 6 Cases, Russia-Ukraine War, Powerball Jackpot, and Tropical Storm Nicole Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/8). Tuesday’s midterm elections, the battle for control of Congress combined with former President Donald Trump’s expected announcement he’ll run in 2024; inflation and fears of a recession; the COVID lockdowns in China and their effect on the global supply chain; Facebook parent Meta to lay off 11,000 workers and Elon Musk’s mercurial leadership of Twitter; the trials of Oath Keepers for seditious conspiracy relative to the January 6 Capitol attack; Russia’s attack on Ukrainian infrastructure; a ticket for the record $2 billion Powerball jackpot sells in California; and Florida braces for Tropical Storm Nicole were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

By Editor | November 8, 2022 by Editor

Audacy Third Quarter Net Revenue Falls 4%. The company reports Q3 net revenue of $317 million – a decline of 4% over the same period in 2021. Additionally, Audacy reports an operating loss of $151.9 million compared to operating income of $29.3 million in Q3 of 2021. The company reports a net loss of $141 million for the third quarter of 2022 compared to the net loss of $4.76 million it reported during the third quarter of 2021. Breaking down Audacy’s revenue by segment, it reports local and national spot business was $205 million, a decline of 7.2% over the same period in 2021. Digital revenue (including podcasting) was $62.7 million, an increase of 2.1% over Q3 of 2021. Network revenue was $23.7 million, up 0.9% over the third quarter of 2021. Audacy chairman, president & CEO David J. Field comments, “Our third quarter revenues declined 3.8% as advertising headwinds impacted company performance. Solid double-digit growth in streaming audio and digital marketing solutions were offset by declining radio revenues. Our radio revenues were negatively impacted by our concentration in the country’s largest markets as small to medium market radio outperformed large market radio by 8% during the quarter. We remain deeply focused on executing our action plan to navigate the storm and emerge healthy and strong. We completed the sale of $56 million in real estate to enhance our financial position with additional sales in the pipeline. We launched the next generation of our Audacy streaming platform with innovative features including segment chaptering of live spoken-word radio shows. Since launch, digital listeners are up 25% while registrations have increased 15% and we have high expectations for the impact of the new platform on our future growth. We also continue to make progress on core strategic growth drivers such as national enterprise business development and our ad tech product roadmap to open important pools of demand and accelerate future performance. Looking beyond the challenging current macro environment, Audacy has been transformed into a leading, scaled multi-platform audio content and entertainment company, better able to serve listeners and customers than ever before. We are excited by the opportunities ahead and are deeply focused on continuing to best position the company to compete for significant growth in the dynamic audio market.”

Audio Pros Gather at FOX News for Reception. Pictured above are (from l-r) “FOX Across America” host Jimmy Failla, Westwood One SVP, head of operations Tim Seymour, FOX News Audio account manager, affiliate sales & marketing Tamara Karcev, and TuneIn chief content officer Kevin Straley at FOX News headquarters in New York as FOX hosted the reception to showcase its collection of radio and podcast offerings with media pros in town for the NAB Show New York last week. FOX News Audio vice president John Sylvester along with hosts Brian Kilmeade, Guy Benson, and Jimmy Failla spoke during the cocktail reception.

Talk Host Austin Petersen Joins Missouri’s ‘Real Talk’ Network. Former KWON, Jefferson City, Missouri morning drive talk host Austin Petersen – a former Libertarian candidate for president and U.S. Senate – joins Ellis Broadcasting & Media LLC’s “Real Talk” format as host of the 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm show. The programming airs on a
number of Missouri radio stations including: KXEN-AM, St. Louis; KRTK-FM, Hermann; KVMO-FM, Vandalia; and KRTE-FM, Steelville. Petersen says, “I can’t wait to take on this new challenge and get the chance to talk about the big issues with the good people in the St. Louis region. It’s a huge opportunity and I couldn’t be more grateful. You can expect hard-hitting interviews, freedom rants, and plenty of jokes and fun. I love gold, guns, freedom and my smokin’-hot, redheaded wife. We’ll look at the issues from all angles. We’ll think outside the box, avoid groupthink, and declare our independence from the tyranny of big government. Most of all, we’ll make freedom fighting fun again!” The network is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Rick and Tracy Ellis. Tracy Ellis says, “When Rick and I started the ‘Real Talk Radio Network’ it was always important to us to make sure our listeners were kept up to date not only on local news and politics, but throughout the state of Missouri. We have followed Austin Petersen for some time and with his home base in Jefferson City, we felt he was the perfect fit to the puzzle at ‘Real Talk.’ Many local politicians came to us directly and spoke highly of Austin and how much they enjoyed being on his former show and would love to hear him on our stations.”

TALKERS News Notes. Announcing its coverage of the midterm elections, SiriusXM says it is presenting programming on its original political channels – Patriot, P.O.T.U.S. and Progress – with team coverage that extends from its regular daytime schedule into new live primetime and overnight programming. Additionally, on SiriusXM Triumph, starting at 9:00 pm ET Megyn Kelly will host a special live, commercial-free edition of her program on which she’ll share her perspective and analysis of election results as they come in, and will speak with leading experts and political observers. The Urban View channel, which focuses on issues affecting the African-American community, will also be live with special programming from 8:00 pm – 12:00 am ET…..PodcastOne is partnering with original “Friday Night Lights” cast members Zach Gilford, Scott Porter and self-proclaimed “Friday Night Lights” superfan Mae Whitman for an exclusive podcast and vodcast, “It’s Not Only Football: Friday Night Lights and Beyond” that debuts on Thursday (11/10). Each week, the trio will break down an episode of “Friday Night Lights,” giving listeners and viewers exclusive, behind-the-scenes stories and the latest going on in their lives. Episodes will feature guests that range from fellow cast members to close friends and colleagues…..Virtual News Center adds Flagler Broadcasting’s WBHU, St. Augustine Beach, Florida to its growing list of affiliate radio stations. Virtual News Center will provide local newscasts anchored by Amy Cherry with daily reporting from Rich Petschke.

Midterm Elections/Trump in 2024, The Economy, Elon Musk & Twitter, Russia-Ukraine War, January 6, Powerball Delay, and Subtropical Storm Nicole Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/7). Today’s midterm elections that will determine control of the House and Senate for the next two years and former President Donald Trump’s teasing his bid for the White House in 2024; inflation and fears of a recession; the uncertain state of Twitter in Elon Musk’s second week as owner of the social media platform; Ukrainians and Europeans brace for a long, cold winter as Vladimir Putin continues his war; the Oath Keepers on trial for seditious conspiracy related to the January 6 Capitol attack; the record $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot drawing is delayed due to “security protocol issue”; and the development of subtropical storm Nicole were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Monday, November 7, 2022

By Editor | November 7, 2022 by Editor

Beasley Broadcast Group Q3 Net Revenue Rises 1.5%. Financial data from Beasley Broadcast Group’s third quarter of 2022 reveals net revenue of $63.8 million – an increase of 1.5% over the same period in 2021. The company reports operating income of $4.7 million in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $4.9 million in the third quarter of 2021. It says this slight decrease was driven by a $1.2 million increase in corporate expenses related to investments in its digital business as well as severance expense, partially offset by a year-over-year increase in Station Operating Income (SOI, a non-GAAP financial measure). Beasley reports net income of $500,000 compared to the net loss of $1.6 million it reported during the same period a year ago. Station operating income increased by 5.1% to $12.3 million in the third quarter of 2022, up from $11.7 million in the third quarter of 2021. The company says the increase is primarily attributable to higher net revenue, which more than offset higher operating expenses. Chief executive officer Caroline Beasley says, “Beasley delivered another strong period of operating and financial performance, reflecting the ongoing success of our digital transformation and revenue diversification strategies. Top-line growth was the primary factor contributing to a 5.1% year-over-year increase in SOI to $12.3 million and was driven by continued strength in local audio advertising and impressive growth in our digital business. Regarding the economic environment, like many companies, we are managing through some challenging market conditions with a focus on what we can control. We continue to experience increased volatility in national spot advertising, which accounted for approximately 15% of our third quarter net revenues. The ongoing strength of our digital and local audio advertising revenues is helping us to partially offset these declines. We are also taking actions on the expense side, and have implemented approximately $10 million in expense reductions, of which roughly half were from a reduction to headcount. Digital remains a key component of our revenue diversification strategy. Digital revenue increased 23.1% year-over-year representing 16% of total third quarter revenues, while our digital margin improved. Our digital performance benefitted from a first full quarter contribution from the white label digital agency we acquired in late June, which we believe will continue to accelerate our digital revenue growth and provide meaningful synergies with our growing digital platform. In both the second and third quarters, digital revenue accounted for a larger share of our revenue than national advertising, and we expect this revenue source to continue offsetting national spot weakness in the coming quarters. Total outstanding debt as of September 30, 2022 was $290 million. In summary, we believe these results demonstrate the strength and relevance of our industry-leading audio and digital content, as well as our teams’ extraordinary efforts to serve our listeners, customers and communities through challenging circumstances. And while we cannot control how the economic situation evolves in the coming months, we have already taken decisive steps to mitigate the impact of near-term headwinds and drive continued progress against our long-term growth strategy. Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on maximizing our growth opportunities, managing our expenses and capital structure, serving our audiences and advertisers and delivering results for our stockholders.”

Monday Memo: Your Podcast ‘Bones.’ Like your on-air work, your podcast is a show. And consultant Holland Cooke figures that “as a professional broadcaster, you enter the on-demand audio arena advantaged over others…BUT…” In this week’s column, HC cautions that – given the way podcasts are consumed – your format is critical. Read it here.

Greg Renoe Promoted to Market Manager for Cumulus Columbia/Jefferson City. The company promotes Greg Renoe from his general sales manager position with the Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri clusters to vice president and market manager. The station groups consist of news/talk KFRU, Columbia and news/talk KLIK, Jefferson City plus five music brands. Cumulus Media SVP of operations Mark Sullivan says, “Greg’s long-standing relationships with our staff, key advertisers, and civic leaders, together with his deep knowledge of the market and effectiveness as a leader, have earned him this promotion. I look forward to his continued success with our organization in Middle Missouri.” Renoe adds, “I’m excited to have the opportunity to lead the Cumulus team here in Middle Missouri. I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead and sharing in many successes with my co-workers. There is no end to what we can accomplish together with our collective vision for these incredible assets.”

iHeartMedia Names Doug Hall Digital PD for LA and SF. Digital media pro Doug Hall is named regional digital program director for iHeartMedia’s Los Angeles and San Francisco clusters. Hall has been serving with the national iHeartRadio team as a senior digital director out of the Nashville headquarters. In this new role, Hall will be responsible for the strategy, audience growth, and maximizing iHeartMedia’s digital platforms in these markets. Hall will report to John Peake, SVP of programming for iHeartMedia Los Angeles. Peake says, “Our iconic Los Angeles audio brands and on-air talent are the engines that are driving unprecedented digital growth. I’ve watched Doug grow and evolve from his time in promotions to leading winning teams in San Francisco, Miami and Nashville. We are fortunate to have him leading our LA digital efforts and rejoining the team in San Francisco.” Hall comments, “I’m excited for this full circle moment, coming back to Los Angeles, where it all started. I can’t wait to dive in and help both our Los Angeles and San Francisco markets continue to grow and innovate in the digital space.”

Megan Marcus Returns to Paramount as VP of Podcast Editorial. Producer and journalist Megan Marcus is named vice president of podcast editorial at Paramount where she will oversee content for CBS News’ slate of podcasts. In this new role, Marcus will oversee the full creative slate for CBS News podcasts in addition to working on editorial across all Paramount global podcasts. This marks a return to CBS News for Marcus, who produced the first two seasons of Mo Rocca’s award-winning podcast “MOBITUARIES” and also worked closely with the CBS News team. Paramount EVP of podcasting and audio Steve Raizes says, “Megan is a dynamic producer and leader in the podcasting field. She did an incredible job guiding ‘MOBITUARIES’ to the top of the podcast charts and is already at work on our current and future slate of CBS News Audio properties.”

Broadcasters Foundation of America Launches Year-End Giving Campaign. The Broadcasters Foundation of America is launching its annual year-end giving campaign. The appeal asks for tax-deductible donations to provide financial assistance to people in broadcasting whose lives have been shattered by debilitating illness, accident, or catastrophe. BFoA president Tim McCarthy says, “Our grantees are your colleagues. They are hard-working men and women who through no fault of their own need our help. Requests for aid continue to increase every year. We cannot turn our backs on those in our industry who need our help.” This year, the Broadcasters Foundation will award close to $2 million in monthly and one-time emergency grants. Since 2017, monthly grants have increased 70% and more than 600 emergency grants have been awarded. Over the past 20 years, the Broadcasters Foundation has distributed more than $15 million to broadcasters in need. Broadcasters Foundation board of directors chairman Scott Herman adds, “Disaster often strikes without notice and extreme circumstances can deplete a life’s savings quickly. We need everyone in radio and TV to spread the word about the Foundation’s charitable mission across their station and company, in case they or someone they know needs our help.” More information, including how to make a personal or corporate donation or apply for aid is available at www.broadcastersfoundation.org, and by contacting the Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org.</p

Midterm Elections/Trump in 2024, The Economy, Russia-Ukraine War, Elon Musk & Twitter, Daylight Saving Time Controversy, Astros Win World Series, and Powerball Jackpot Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. Tuesday’s midterm elections and the battle for control of the House and Senate, combined with expectations that Donald Trump will announce his bid for the 2024 Republican nomination shortly; inflation and concerns about a recession; Russia’s targeting of Ukraine’s infrastructure as the war grinds on; Elon Musk’s mercurial leadership tactics as owner of Twitter; the debate over Daylight Saving Time and whether to make it permanent in the U.S.; the Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series; and the now $1.9 billion Powerball jackpot were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Advice

Monday Memo: Your Podcast ‘Bones’

By Editor | November 7, 2022 by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

BLOCK ISLAND, RI — Google “podcast tips” and you’ll find plenty, most for utter newbies (i.e., “State your name and the name of your podcast at the beginning”). Things that are second-nature to professional broadcasters.

(more…)

Front Page News Industry News

Friday, November 4, 2022

By Editor | November 4, 2022 by Editor

NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment of the one-hour weekend special, “The Michael Harrison Wrap,” that looks back each week at the hottest topics discussed in American talk media per the research of TALKERS, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Trick or Tweet,” looks back at this past week of 10/31-11/4. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Dr. Murray Sabrin, professor emeritus of finance, Ramapo College, NJ; Mark Davis, talk show host, 660 AM The Answer, Dallas/Fort Worth; Bobbie Winston a.k.a. La Femme Bobbie, musician/artist/American ex-pat, Rio de Janeiro; Renee Kohanski, M.D., forensic psychiatrist/podcaster, Somerset, NJ; Matthew B. Harrison, Esq., associate publisher, TALKERS/law professor, Springfield, MA. The show airs weekends (Friday evenings to Sunday nights) on 100-plus broadcast signals and networks across the U.S. and U.K as well as having developed a significant international following as a podcast. To listen to this week’s episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS topic research, please click here.

iHeartMedia Q3 Revenue Up 7%. Reporting its financial data for the third quarter of 2022, iHeartMedia says revenue was $989 million, an increase of 7% over the same quarter a year ago. The company is also posting an operating loss of $211 million for the third quarter of 2022 compared to the operating income of $80 million it reported for Q3 of 2021. Additionally, iHeartMedia reports a net loss of almost $310 million compared to the net income of $3.6 million it posted in the third quarter of 2021. iHeartMedia breaks its operations into three segments. Third quarter results for those segments are as follows: the Multiplatform Group that includes its radio stations and program networks was basically flat with a revenue increase of 0.1% “as a result of increased political advertising revenue as 2022 is a midterm election year, partially offset by a decrease in revenue due to a more challenging macroeconomic environment. Broadcast revenue grew $2.1 million, or 0.4% year-over-year, driven by higher political advertising revenue and an increase in trade and barter revenue, partially offset by lower spot revenue, while Networks declined $(0.7) million, or 0.5% year-over-year.” The Digital Audio Group was up 23.4% on revenue of $254 million. This group’s revenue increased by $48.2 million compared to the prior year, “including growth from Digital, excluding Podcast revenue, which grew $21.1 million to $162.7 million, driven by increased demand for digital advertising as well as Podcast revenue which increased by $27.1 million to $91.3 million, driven by higher revenues from the development of new podcasts as well as growth from existing podcasts. Digital Audio Group revenue increased as a result of general increased demand for digital advertising and the growing popularity of podcasting.” And the Audio & Media Services Group was up 17.7% on revenue of $77.8 million. Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman says, “We’re pleased to report another quarter of solid operating results for iHeart, and our performance in the midst of the current climate of economic uncertainty is a strong indication of the successful transformation this company has undergone in which our high-growth digital revenues comprises 26% of total company revenues. Our Digital Audio Group continues to deliver industry-leading growth, and our Multiplatform Group has again demonstrated its resiliency during a difficult economic environment. We believe the strong positions of both of these groups with both consumers and advertisers give us the ability to both navigate through this period of economic uncertainty and position us for continued growth through the recovery and beyond.”

Salem Media Group Total Revenue Rises 1.3%. The company reports that its total revenue for the third quarter of 2022 was $66.9 million, an increase of 1.3% over the same period in 2021. Salem Media Group also reports an operating loss of $8.8 million compared to operating income of $15.8 million in Q3 of 2021, and a net loss of $11.9 million compared to the net income of $22.1 million is reported during the same period in 2021. Salem presents its financial data in three segments. The Broadcast segment reports revenue of $51.1 million, an increase of 3.1% over Q3 of 2021, Digital Media revenue was $10.2 million, down 4.3% from the third quarter of 2021, and Publishing revenue was $5.5 million, a decrease of 3.7% from the same period a year ago.

Round Four of October PPMs Released. The fourth and final round of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s October 2022 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. Nielsen’s October 2022 sweep covered September 15 – October 12. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In the Raleigh market, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WTKK-FM tacks on three-tenths to wrap the survey with a 9.1 share that puts it in the #1 spot, while Curtis Media Group’s news/talk WPTF sheds one-tenth for a 1.8 share finish to remain ranked #15. The top dogs in Milwaukee flip as iHeartMedia’s news/talk WISN adds a full share for a 10.6 share finish that lifts it from #2 to #1, while Good Karma Brands’ WTMJ loses 1.9 shares for an 8.1 share finish that drops it from #1 to #4. Cumulus Media’s news/talk WPRO-AM/WEAN-FM, Providence adds on nine-tenths for wrap the survey with a 6.4 share that lifts it from #6 to #5. And in Jacksonville, Cox Media Group’s WOKV-FM is up one-tenth to a 7.9 share good for the #3 rank in the market. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well as the previous three groups) here.

Comrex Unveils New BRIC-Link III Audio Codec. The company officially unveils BRIC-Link III – the newest addition to its popular BRIC-Link family of codecs. Comrex says there are more than 10,000 BRIC-Link codecs circulating world-wide, and BRIC-Link III is an updated version that takes advantage of the latest improvements in IP audio transmission technology. BRIC-Link III is a true codec, offering a full-duplex stereo encoder and decoder in each box. A jitter buffer manager is incorporated that automatically balances delay and stability, dynamically increasing and decreasing delay based on network performance. BRIC-link III offers a wide range of encoding algorithms including stereo and mono linear mode, FLAC modes, AAC/HE-AAC modes, Opus, G.722 and G.711. BRIC-Link III features a new, more powerful processor for improved reliability. It also features enhanced front panel indicators, including four buttons which will trigger contact closures by default and configurable for auto-connections to other Comrex IP audio codecs. BRIC-Link III is compatible with all other Comrex IP audio codecs, including the ACCESS codec line as well as older BRIC-Link models. BRIC-Link III also works with Gagl, a new service now available for purchase for audio contribution. Gagl turns any Comrex IP audio codec into a hub for up to five remote participants. Like other BRIC-Link codecs, BRIC-Link III includes CrossLock VPN technology, Comrex’s proprietary suite of reliability tools. In addition to bonding technology, CrossLock also includes a Redundancy Mode for mission-critical applications. BRIC-Link III can take advantage of HotSwap, meaning that users can set a 4G/5G modem as a backup connection to only be engaged when the primary internet fails, providing an extra layer of reliability. Customers can also choose to purchase an optional one-time license per codec to utilize SwitchBoard, a private server that Comrex maintains which allows for easy connections between IP codecs. You can get more information on this and other Comrex products here.

GAB Radio Talent Institute Returns to University of Georgia. The RAB’s National Radio Talent System announces the return of the GAB Radio Talent Institute at the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. The institute takes place in person May 15 – 24, 2023 thanks to sponsorship from The Georgia Association of Broadcasters. The talent incubator spans 10 days and is led by broadcast professionals that bring their real-world industry knowledge from around the state and country to educate students. RAB says that college students from universities throughout the state and region apply to be accepted into the GAB Radio Talent Institute. This provides an ideal networking pool for the students and a wide variety of potential interests within the classroom for industry professionals to identify and actively recruit from. Upon completion of the Institute, students can further their networking capabilities with the ability to access the National Radio Talent System’s Career Center. RAB president and CEO Erica Farber states, “We are delighted to have the GAB Radio Talent Institute make its return after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Collaborating with Bob Houghton and the Georgia Association of Broadcasters enables us to bring this world-class program to life in the southeast and further develop the next generation of broadcasters.”

TALKERS News Notes. Inside Towers’ Leslie Stimson writes an interesting piece about the FCC’s creation of a Space Bureau. Stimson writes that FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the move at the Satellite Industry Association meeting yesterday (11/3). “She said the growth of satellite broadband internet plays a big part in why the agency is making the move. ‘Ninety-eight percent of all satellite launches in 2021 were deployed into low-earth orbit to provide internet connectivity back here on Earth. They can help advance the FCC’s goals to connect everyone, everywhere,’ Rosenworcel said. ‘More than that, the success of these low-earth orbit communications satellites could be seen as an early litmus test for the broader commercialization of space.’” Read Stimson’s entire piece here…..Three Hillsdale College students have won national College Broadcasters, Inc. awards for their work with “Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM.” The awards were announced at the National Student Electronic Media Convention in Baltimore. Sophomore Lauren Smyth placed first in Best Newscast or Sportscast category for “Lauren Smyth News,” senior Josh Barker placed third in Best Hard News Reporting for his feature “The Policy Corner: Michigan Voting Laws,” and Rachel Kookogey (class of ’22) received both first and second place for two segments of her feature, “Sports Story Time.” WRFH general manager Scot Bertram says, “I’m very proud of our students for their well-deserved wins. It is great to see our students being recognized on the national level for their continued hard work and dedication.”…..SiriusXM announces its play-by-play coverage of the 2022-23 college basketball season that begins Monday (11/7). The opening night schedule features 24 teams from the men’s Associated Press Top 25, including defending national champion and #5-ranked Kansas facing Omaha and top-ranked North Carolina, coming off their 12th National Championship appearance, hosting UNC Wilmington…..Host Bethenny Frankel, the most successful business mogul to emerge from “The Real Housewives” franchise, and iHeartPodcasts launch a first-of-its-kind rewatch podcast titled, “ReWives.” Frankel, formerly of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York,” breaks down the franchise that launched her career. In each episode, she’s “joined by unexpected celebrity guests ranging from superfans to Housewives newbies for hilarious conversations and surprising insight on real topics.” “ReWives” premieres on November 14 with Elisabeth Moss as Frankel’s first guest. New episodes will post each Monday with additional guests including Jerry Springer, Suze Orman, Kevin Nealon, Dave Portnoy, Griffin Johnson and more.

Broadcaster Raising Awareness of Need for Organ Donors. Western Massachusetts broadcaster and public relations pro Mark Auerbach (pictured) is revealing his battle with kidney disease in an effort to raise awareness of the need for organ donors. Auerbach hosts “ArtsBeat,” “On The Mark” and “Athenaeum Spotlight” on WCPC15 and 89.5fm/WSKB. He’s also the ArtsBeat reporter for Pioneer Valley Radio. On today’s program that you can see here, Auerbach reveals his battle with Stage 5 kidney disease and the need for donors. Auerbach says people can help by taking any of three steps: 1) becoming an organ donor upon your death; 2) consider donating while you’re alive (get details at kidney.org); and 3) donating to him at Mass General Hospital’s living donors program (https://mghlivingdonors.org/).

Politics and Midterms Top News/Talk Story for Week of October 31 – November 4. The politics leading up to Tuesday’s midterm elections were the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio, landing atop the Talkers Ten^TM. At #2 this week was the economy combined with the Fed’s rate hike, followed by the aftermath of the Pelosi home invasion at #3. The Talkers Ten^TM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s complete chart here.

Ratings Takeaways

October 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part Four

By Editor | November 4, 2022 by Editor

October 2022 PPM Data – Information for the October 2022 survey period has been released for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; Providence; Norfolk; Jacksonville; West Palm Beach; Greensboro; Memphis; and Hartford.

Nielsen Audio’s October 2022 sweep covered September 15 – October 12.

TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.

Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.

All comparisons noted are September 2022 – October 2022 (6+).

The NHL season began October 7; NHL and NFL flagships are noted where applicable.

AUSTIN

News/Talk: Waterloo Media-operated KLBJ-AM “News Radio” 4.2 – 4.9, +.7, eighth to fifth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Genuine Austin Radio’s KTXX “The Horn” 2.5 – 2.9, +.4, #16 to #14

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Texas-owned KUT 5.7 – 5.9, +.2, third to second

Number One 6+: Waterloo Media-operated adult hits KBPA, tenth month in a row, 9.8 – 10.6, +.8

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: hot AC KGSR (+1.1)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: country KASE (-1.4)

RALEIGH

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTKK “106.1 FM Talk” 8.8 – 9.1, +.3, first

Curtis Media Group-owned WPTF “News Radio 680” 1.9 – 1.8, -.1, repeats at #15

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Capitol Broadcasting’s WCMC-FM “99.9 FM The Fan” (Carolina Hurricanes) 2.0 – 2.5, +.5, #13 to #12

Public Radio News/Talk: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-owned WUNC 7.4 – 7.9, +.5, anchored in the runner-up slot

Number One 6+: news/talk WTKK, second month in a row, 8.8 – 9.1, +.3

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: urban AC WQOK (+.8)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary WRAL (-1.1)

INDIANAPOLIS

News/Talk: Urban One’s WIBC “93.1 FM Indy’s Mobile News” 9.9 – 8.8, -1.1, continues in the runner-up slot

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Urban One-owned WIBC-HD2 “The Fan” (Colts) 2.2 – 2.5, +.3, repeats at #12

iHeartMedia’s WNDE “Fox Sports 1260” .3 – .5, +.2, #20 to #19

Audacy’s WXNT “CBS Sports 1430” .5, #19 (did not appear in September 2022)

Public Radio News/Talk: Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Broadcasting-owned WFYI 4.1 – 3.9, -.2, stays in tenth-place

Number One 6+: Cumulus Media classic hits-oldies WJJK, tenth successive month, 11.2 – 12.0, +.8

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: rhythmic CHR WHHH (+1.4)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease (Tie): news/talk WIBC and jazz-classical WICR (-1.1)

MILWAUKEE

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WISN “News Talk 1130” 9.6 – 10.6, +1.0 second to first

Good Karma Brands-owned WTMJ “Wisconsin’s Radio Station” 10.0 – 8.1, -1.9, first to fourth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WRNW “97.3 The Game” (Green Bay Packers) 1.3 – 2.1, +.8, #15 to #14

Good Karma Brands-owned WKTI “ESPN Milwaukee” 1.2 – 1.1, -.1, repeats at #16

iHeartMedia’s WOKY “The Big 920” .6 – .8, +.2, #22 to #18

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Wisconsin-owned WUWM flat at 4.1, ninth to tenth

Wisconsin Educational Communications Board’s WHAD 1.0 – .8, -.2, #17 to #18

Number One 6+: news/talk WISN, first month, 9.6 – 10.6, +1.0

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: rock WHQG (+1.3)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: news/talk WTMJ (-1.9)

NASHVILLE

News/Talk: Cumulus Media’s WWTN “Super Talk 99.7” 5.9 – 5.0, -.9, sixth to ninth

iHeartMedia-owned WLAC “Talk Radio 1510” 1.6 – 1.5, -.1, repeats at #16

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media’s WGFX “104.5 The Zone” (Tennessee Titans) 6.1 – 7.9, +1.8, fifth to second

Cromwell Radio Group-owned WPRT “102.5 The Game” (Predators) .9 – 1.2, +.3, steady at #19

Public Radio News/Talk: Nashville Public Radio’s WPLN-FM 5.4 – 4.3, -1.1, #9 to #11

Number One 6+: Midwest Communications adult hits WCJK, tenth month in a row, 9.0 – 8.3, -.7

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: sports talk WGFX (+1.8)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: public radio news/talk WPLN-FM (-1.1)

PROVIDENCE

News/Talk: Cumulus Media’s WPRO-AM & WEAN “News Talk 630 AM & 99.7 FM” 5.5 – 6.4, +.9, sixth to fifth

iHeartMedia-owned WHJJ “News Radio 920” flat at .4, unchanged at #16

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Beasley Media Group-owned WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub” (Bruins, New England Patriots) 3.7 – 4.7, +1.0, eighth to seventh

Audacy’s WVEI “Sports Radio 103.7” 3.2 – 2.7, -.5, ninth to tenth

Cumulus Media’s WPRV “790 The Score” flat at .1, #21 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: WGBH Educational Foundation-owned WGBH 2.7 – 3.1, +.4, #11 to #9

Rhode Island Public Radio’s WNPN 2.8 – 2.6, -.2, #10 to #11

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia rock WHJY, ninth straight month, 9.8 – 8.7, -1.1

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies WNBH (+1.7)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WWBB (-1.2)

NORFOLK

News/Talk: Sinclair’s WNIS “News Talk AM 790” 4.1 – 5.0, +.9, ninth to seventh

News: iHeartMedia-owned WNOH “BIN 105.3 Because Truth Matters” .6 – .4, -.2, repeats at #20

Sports Talk: Max Broadcast Group’s WVSP “94.1 ESPN” 1.9 – 2.3, +.4, #15 to #14

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Audacy urban AC WVKL, tenth month in succession, 9.2 – 9.7, +.5

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: urban contemporary WOWI (+2.2)*

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: adult hits WNOB (-1.3)

*Represents the largest September 2022 – October 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

JACKSONVILLE

News/Talk: Cox Media Group’s WOKV-FM “104.5 Jacksonville’s News & Talk” 7.8 – 7.9 +.1, fourth to third

News: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: WJCT, Inc.’s WJCT 2.5 – 3.0, +.5, continues at #11

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia country WQIK, fourth consecutive month, 11.5 – 10.6, -.9

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: gospel WKSL-HD3 (+.8)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: country WQIK (-.9)

WEST PALM BEACH

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WZZR “92.1 Real Radio” 2.2 – 2.3 +.1, eighth to ninth and cluster-mate WJNO “News Radio 1290” flat at 1.3, #11 to #12

Hubbard Broadcasting-owned WFTL “News Talk 850” .9 – .6, -.3, #14 to #15

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Hubbard Broadcasting’s WMEN “Fox Sports 640 AM South Florida” (Florida Panthers) .5 – .6, +.1, #16 to #15

iHeartMedia-owned WBZT “Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler” flat at .2, repeats at #18

Public Radio News/Talk: Dade County School Board’s WLRN 3.8 – 3.4, -.4, anchored in seventh-place

Number One 6+: Hubbard Broadcasting hot AC WRMF, tenth month in succession, 10.5 – 8.9, -1.6

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: contemporary Christian WAYF (+1.6)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: hot AC WRMF (-1.6)

GREENSBORO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WPTI “News Talk 94.5” 4.8 – 5.0, +.2, repeats in eighth-place

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Wake Forest University’s WFDD 2.6 – 2.5, -.1, flat at #12

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-owned WUNC 1.7 – 1.8, +.1, stays at #14

Number One 6+: Audacy urban AC WQMG, tenth month in a row, 10.9 – 11.0, +.1

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: adult hits WSMW (+1.6)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: classic rock WKRR (-1.0)

MEMPHIS

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WREC “News Talk 600 AM” 3.3 – 3.0, -.3, #11 to #13

Cumulus Media-owned WKIM “News/Talk 98.9, The Roar of Memphis” 1.0 – 1.3, +.3, #19 to #17

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WMFS “Sports Radio 92.9” 3.0 – 3.4, +.4, #13 to #12 and WMFS’ internet stream .3 – .4, +.1, #20 to #19

Public Radio News/Talk: Mid-South Public Communications-owned WKNO 1.2 – 1.5, +.3, repeats at #16

Number One 6+: Cumulus Media urban-rhythmic oldies WRBO, tenth successive month, 16.7 – 12.5, -4.2

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: hot AC WMC-FM (+1.6)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: urban-rhythmic oldies WRBO (-4.2)**

**Represents the largest September 2022 – October 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from all 48 PPM-markets

HARTFORD

News/Talk: Audacy’s WTIC-AM “News Talk 1080” 3.6 – 4.7, +1.1, ninth to eighth

Red Wolf Broadcasting-owned WDRC-AM “The Talk of Connecticut” flat at 1.0, #14 to #15

iHeartMedia’s WPOP “News Radio 1410 AM & 100.9 FM” steady at .2, repeats at #20

Audacy-owned WTIC-AM’s internet stream unchanged at .2, stays at #20

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WUCS “97.9 ESPN” 1.0- 1.4, +.4, continues at #14

Public Radio News/Talk: Connecticut Educational Communications-owned WNPR 8.5 – 6.1, -2.4, third to fifth

New England Public Media’s WFCR .2 – .4, +.2, #20 to #19

Number One 6+: Audacy adult contemporary WRCH, 32^nd month in a row, 12.1 – 11.2, -.9

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase (Tie): country WWYZ and news/talk WTIC-AM (+1.1)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: public radio news/talk WNPR (-2.4)

Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, November 3, 2022

By Editor | November 3, 2022 by Editor

Urban One Net Revenue Up 8.9% in Q3 of 2022. The company issues its third quarter 2022 financial data and reports net revenue of approximately $121.4 million, an increase of 8.9% from the same period in 2021. Urban One reports net income of approximately $4.2 million compared to the net income of $13.9 million it reported in the third quarter of 2021. The company says broadcast and digital operating income was approximately $50.8 million, an increase of 3.5% over the same period in 2021. Urban One CEO and president Alfred C. Liggins, III says, “Q3 was another very solid quarter, during which we grew both revenues and Adjusted EBITDA. Following a soft July for radio advertising, August and September rebounded and we finished the quarter +1.4% on a same station basis, and -1.3% excluding political. Same station radio pacings for Q4 excluding digital are currently +16.0% including political and +0.1% excluding political. Layering in the recent Indianapolis acquisition should push radio revenues to a double-digit percentage increase for Q4. Political spending has steadily gathered momentum, and we anticipate net political advertising revenues to be between $12-$13 million, of which radio is $9-$10 million, which is significantly ahead of both our budget and the 2018 cycle. Our cable TV business had another successful broadcast upfront season, and we were able to increase both our CPM’s and total dollars committed. Our Digital segment posted growth of approximately 40% in both revenue and Adjusted EBITDA as demand for our audience and digital products remained strong. Our liquidity and leverage profile remained robust, and we continued to opportunistically repurchase our 7.375% bonds in the open market.”

Saga Communications’ Third Quarter 2022 Net Revenue Rises 3.9%. Third quarter 2022 financial results for Saga Communications, Inc. reveal net revenue of $30 million – and increase of 3.9% over the same period in 2021. Station operating expense increased 2.8% for the quarter to $22.3 million compared to the same period last year. For Q3 of this year, station operating income increased 4.1% to $8.9 million, and operating income was $1.1 million compared to $4.6 million for the same quarter last year. Free cash flow was $1.6 million for the quarter compared to $4.0 million for the same period last year. Saga reports a net loss of $104,000 for the quarter compared to net income of $3.5 million for the third quarter last year. The company says, “Despite strong underlying performance the results were impacted by one-time payments related to the passing of our founder Ed Christian. As a result, the company is required to make several payments to his estate as outlined in his employment agreement. These expenses were accrued as of September 30, 2022 increasing the reported corporate general and administrative expense line item by $3.8 million for both the quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2022. Without these expenses operating income would have increased 5.8% to $4.9 million, free cash flow would have increased 36.5% to $5.4 million and net income would have increased 7.9% to $3.7 million.” Saga’s balance sheet reflects $58.3 million in cash and short-term investments as of September 30, 2022 and $45.3 million as of October 31, 2022.

Round Three of October PPMs Released. The third of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s October 2022 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Portland, Charlotte, San Antonio Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Columbus. Nielsen’s October 2022 sweep covered September 15 – October 12. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Portland, Alpha Media’s news/talk KXL-FM drops 1.1 shares to finish with a 7.3 share (6+, weekly AQH share) but remains ranked #4 in the market, while iHeartMedia’s crosstown news/talk KEX adds four-tenths to wrap the survey with a 3.9 share that lifts it to the #9 rank. iHeartMedia’s news/talk WOAI, San Antonio stays ranked #10 after dipping three-tenths for a 3.6 share, while Alpha Media’s crosstown news/talk KTSA sheds one-tenth for a 3.3 share finish and falls to the #12 rank in the market. In Salt Lake City, iHeartMedia’s news/talk KNRS-AM/FM puts up seven-tenths for a 12.3 share that cements its #1 rank as Bonneville’s crosstown news/talk KSL-AM/FM adds six-tenths for a 7.3 share finish that puts it in the #2 slot. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well as the first two rounds) here.

Andrew Colton to Host Mornings on WIOD, Miami. Taking over for longtime South Florida broadcasting legend Jimmy Cefalo on January 9, 2023 as host of the morning program on iHeartMedia’s WIOD “NewsRadio 610 AM” is Andrew Colton. He comes to iHeartMedia from his most recent work as CEO of Colton Legal Media Worldwide. He’s also been an award-winning national correspondent for ABC News, CBS Newspath, and hosted the nationally syndicated “Wall Street Journal This Morning” program. Cefalo will continue to provide commentary on WIOD as well as his role as play-by-play announcer for the Miami Dolphins. “South Florida First News with Andrew Colton” will include veteran news anchor Nathalie Rodriguez, William Althoff with more news and sports, Doug Lindsay with traffic and the Weather Channel’s Ray Stagich. Vice president of news and AM programming Florida Region and iHeartMedia NTS brand coordinator Grace Blazer says, “Jimmy and Andrew both share a passion for news, information, commonsense, and our South Florida lifestyle. We are excited and fortunate to have Andrew Colton continue WIOD’s spoken-word tradition and digital expansion.”

Philadelphia Sports Radio Broadcasters Honored with Hall of Fame Inductions. Two Audacy Philadelphia sports radio personalities are being recognized for their contributions to the Philadelphia sports media landscape. Longtime WIP radio host Howard Eskin is being inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame on November 3. Eskin says, “It’s an honor to be selected and to be in such great company – really overwhelming. They say do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. As hard as I work, I have to admit, it is a labor of love.” Al Morganti, co-host of WIP’s morning show, is being honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame and will receive the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for excellence in hockey journalism. Morganti comments, “It’s the honor of a lifetime to be inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and a huge part of any success I have had is because of the fans of Philadelphia. Having been on WIP for so many years and working at the Philadelphia Inquirer, I can attest that the emotional investment Philadelphia fans make to their teams makes everyone raise their game. Thank you!”

TALKERS News Notes. Legendary college basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and SiriusXM ink a multi-year agreement for Krzyzewski to continue hosting his exclusive weekly SiriusXM show, “Basketball and Beyond with Coach K.” Krzyzewski has been hosting the show since 2005 and today (11/3) the first episode of the show’s 18^th season drops. Krzyzewski says, “This will be the first fall in nearly 50 years that I’m not on the sidelines, and I’m so pleased to extend my long relationship with SiriusXM and continue hosting ‘Basketball and Beyond.’ Having the creative freedom to do a really unique show has been incredibly important and rewarding to me. I can be a part of the national conversation on basketball, while also exploring interesting topics with a variety of guests who make an impact far beyond the basketball court.”…..Red Apple Audio Networks announces it is signing 17 stations to its affiliate roster, including 11 Saga Communications stations. The newly added stations are carrying shows hosted by Larry Kudlow, Rudy Giuliani, and Judge Jeanine Pirro, as well as Frank Morano, host of “The Other Side of Midnight.”…..Compass Media Networks partners with Wisebuddah and its sister company imager – European providers of sonic branding, radio imaging and jingles. The London-based companies currently curate the sound of BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, Bauer Media and Virgin Radio alongside dozens of radio stations (iHeartMedia, Alpha Media Group) in the United States.

Midterms/Trump in 2024, The Economy/Fed Rate Hike, Elon Musk’s Twitter, Russia-Ukraine War, and Pelosi Attack Aftermath Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/2). The campaigning ahead of the November 8 midterm elections and expectations that former President Donald Trump will announce his 2024 presidential campaign shortly thereafter; the state of the U.S. economy and the Fed’s decision to hike interest rates again; the spate of celebs claiming they are leaving Twitter as a result of Elon Musk’s taking ownership of the social media platform; Russia’s war on Ukraine and its relationship with Iran, North Korea and China; and the conspiracy theories surrounding the attack on Paul Pelosi were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Ratings Takeaways

October 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part Three

By Editor | November 3, 2022 by Editor

October 2022 PPM Data – Information for the October 2022 ratings period has been released for Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus.

Nielsen Audio’s October 2022 sweep covered September 15 – October 12.

TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.

Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.

All comparisons noted are September 2022 – October 2022 (6+).

Note: The NHL season began October 7; NHL and NFL flagships are noted where applicable.

PORTLAND

News/Talk: Alpha Media’s KXL “FM 101 News” 8.4 – 7.3, -1.1, repeats in fourth-place

iHeartMedia-owned KEX “News Radio 1190” 3.5 – 3.9, +.4, tenth to ninth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Oregon Public Broadcasting’s KOPB steady at 8.8, second to first and KOPB’s internet stream flat at 1.4 remains at #20

Number One 6+: public radio news/talk KOPB, first month, unchanged at 8.8

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: regional Mexican KRYP (+1.7)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies KLTH (-2.1)*

*Represents the largest September 2022 – October 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets, as well as the previous 24 PPM-markets

CHARLOTTE

News/Talk: Radio One-owned WBT AM & WBT-FM “Charlotte’s News Talk” (Carolina Panthers) 4.5 – 4.6, +.1, tenth to ninth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Radio One’s WFNZ-FM “Sports Radio 92.7” 1.4 – 2.8, +1.4, #17 to #15

Beasley Media Group-owned WSOC-HD3 “Fox Sports Charlotte” .2 – .3, +.1, #21 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: University Radio Foundation’s WFAE 4.8 – 4.2, -.6, ninth to tenth

South Carolina Educational Television Commission-owned WNSC .4 – .6, +.2, repeats at #18

Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group urban AC WBAV, second straight month, 7.4 – 7.0, -.4

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: sports talk WFNZ (+1.4)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: classic rock WRFX (-1.0)

SAN ANTONIO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WOAI “News Radio 1200” 3.9 – 3.6, -.3, repeats in tenth-place

Alpha Media-owned KTSA “Stay Connected” 3.4 – 3.3, -.1, #11 to #12

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Texas Public Radio’s KSTX 2.1 – 2.2, +.1, steady at #16

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies KONO-FM, ninth straight month, 9.7 – 9.5, -.2

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: country KAJA (+.5)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: hot AC KSMG (-.8)

SACRAMENTO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM “News 1530 AM & 93.1 FM” 8.9 – 10.8, +1.9, first and cluster-mate KSTE-AM “Talk 650” 4.5 – 4.1, -.4, repeats in sixth-place

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Bonneville-owned KHTK “Sacramento Sports 1140” .9 – 1.1, +.2, #21 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: Capital Public Radio-owned KXJZ 4.1 – 3.3, -.8, #7 to #12

Number One 6+: news/talk KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM, second successive month, 8.9 – 10.8, +1.9

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: news/talk KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM (+1.9)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: public radio news/talk KXJZ (-.8)

PITTSBURGH

News/Talk: Audacy’s KDKA-AM “News Radio 1020 AM” flat at 2.8, anchored at #13

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned KDKA-FM “93.7 The Fan All Sports All The Time” 6.0 – 6.6, +.6, repeats in fourth-place

Public Radio News/Talk: Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting’s WESA steady at 3.7, #12 to #11

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia rock WDVE, third straight month, unchanged at 10.5

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: country WPGB (+1.2)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: country WDSY (-1.3)

SALT LAKE CITY

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM “Talk Radio” 11.6 – 12.3, +.7, first

Bonneville-owned KSL “News Radio 102.7 FM & 1160 AM” 6.7 – 7.3, +.6, repeats in the runner-up slot

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Utah’s KUER 3.7 – 2.9, -.8, #10 to #13

Number One 6+: news/talk KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM, ninth month in succession, 11.6 – 12.3, +.7

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: news/talk KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM (+.7)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: rock KBER (-.9)

LAS VEGAS

News/Talk: Beasley Media Group-owned KDWN “The Talk Of Las Vegas” flat at 2.4, #16 to #19

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Lotus Spanish adult hits KWID, second month in a row, 7.1 – 5.8, -1.3

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: rhythmic CHR KVEG (+.7)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KQRT (-1.4)

Note: KDWN is being acquired by Audacy.

ORLANDO

News/Talk: Cox Media Group-owned WDBO “Orlando’s News Talk” 5.0 – 6.0, +1.0, eighth to fifth

iHeartMedia’s WTKS “Real Radio 104.1” 5.9 – 5.6, -.3, fifth to sixth

iHeartMedia-owned WFLF “Orlando News Radio” 1.0 – 1.3, +.3, remains at #19

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WYGM “96.9 The Game” .9 – 1.3, +.4, #20 to #19

Public Radio News/Talk: Community Connections-owned WMFE 2.8 – 3.4, +.6, #13 to #12

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic rock WMMO, third consecutive month, 8.5 – 8.0, -.5

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: Spanish tropical WPYO (+1.3)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: CHR WXXL (-.9)

CINCINNATI

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WLW “700 Cincinnati’s News Radio” 11.1 – 9.8, -1.3, #1 and cluster-mate WKRC “55 KRC The Talk Station” 3.9 – 3.4, -.5, repeats in tenth-place

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WCKY “ESPN 1530” (Bengals) 1.0 – 1.7, +.7, #19 to #18

Public Radio News/Talk: Cincinnati Public Radio’s WVXU 4.4 – 5.1, +.7, steady at #7

Number One 6+: news/talk WLW, eighth month in a row, 11.1 – 9.8, -1.3

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies WGRR (+1.6)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: news/talk WLW (-1.3)

CLEVELAND

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTAM “News Radio 1100” 7.8 – 8.7, +.9, third to first

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WKRK “Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan” (Browns) 4.8 – 5.3, +.5, repeats in ninth-place and WKRK’s internet stream flat at 1.2, stays at #15

Public Radio News/Talk: Kent State University-owned WKSU 3.6 – 3.8, +.2, continues at #12

Number One 6+: news/talk WTAM, first month, 7.8 – 8.7, +.9

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: news/talk WTAM (+.9)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: country WGAR (-.6)

KANSAS CITY

News/Talk: Audacy-owned KMBZ-FM “98.1 FM News, Traffic, Weather” 4.1 – 3.8, -.3, eighth to tenth and cluster-mate KMBZ-AM “Talk 980 AM” flat at 1.2, #21 to #19

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s KCSP “Sports Radio 610 Our Teams, Our Town” 3.0 – 2.4, -.6, #14 to #15

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Missouri-owned KCUR 4.0 – 4.1, +.1, ninth to seventh

Number One 6+: Cumulus Media classic hits-oldies KCMO-FM, seventh straight month, 8.3 – 9.2, +.9

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies KCMO-FM (+.9)

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: urban contemporary KPRS (-.9)

COLUMBUS

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WTVN “News Radio 610” 6.7 – 7.5, +.8, fourth to third

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Tegna-owned WBNS-FM “97.1 FM The Fan” (Blue Jackets) 9.4 – 10.2, +.8, first

Public Radio News/Talk: Ohio State University’s WOSU 7.9 – 6.6, -1.3, third to fifth

Number One 6+: sports talk WBNS-FM, second consecutive month, 9.4 – 10.2, +.8

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Increase: country WCOL (+2.4)**

Largest 6+ September 2022 – October 2022 Decrease: public radio news/talk WOSU (-1.3)

**Represents the largest September 2022 – October 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets, as well as the previous 24 PPM-markets

Up next: October 2022 overviews for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; Providence; Norfolk; Jacksonville; West Palm Beach; Greensboro; Memphis; and Hartford.

Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.

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