Category: Industry Views

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Delete this phrase from commercial copy you craft for local advertisers: “In these uncertain times…”

For two reasons. First, many people are optimistic now. Second, those who are suffering get it. Rubbing their nose in it just piles-on; and clichés risk blending-into the blah-blah-blah.

Instead, simply delete the sentence. Give copy room to breathe, to avoid radio’s commercial motormouth caricature.

That next sentence probably includes The Magic Words: “YOU” and/or “YOUR.” If it doesn’t, change that too.

For more click here.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

By Walter Sabo
A.K.A. Walter M Sterling, Host
Sterling Every Damn Night, WPHT, Philadelphia
Sterling On Sunday, TMN

PPM meter measurement accurately reflects how most people listen to the radio. When a station is engaging, they leave the station on. When they are bored, they change the station. Station surfing can happen dozens of times an hour. The diary could not measure typical listener behavior. Diaries were a reflection of recall. No listener, driving at 70 MPH pulled over to write down station changes, they just guessed at their recalled radio behaviors and wrote them down.

The biggest flaw or fraud of both diary and PPM data editing was corrected this week by Nielsen.

• Nielsen/Arbitron has measured radio listening in 15-minute intervals, AQH, since the 1920s.

• The change to three minutes is intended to reflect changing listening habits and attention spans.

• The change is expected to benefit advertisers by increasing the number of people tallied who hear their ads.

• The change is also expected to benefit stations by increasing the number of quarter-hours they receive credit for.

Good news, it’s working. In an analysis of the first week of the new editing technique, ACs and adult music FMs have seen increases in AQH as high a 40%.

• Talk shows have enjoyed jumps of 25-31%

• The new editing strategy amplifies the inherent nature of the Meter: More topics the better. More change, the better.

A serious burden dumped on talk radio was the distorted edict that format consistency is essential to success. It is. And that’s exactly what it means FORMATICS, NOT TOPICS. 

“Formatics” cover station ID, branding elements, promo production, audio processing, phone number pitch, service element placement. BUT NOT THE SAME DAMN TOPIC ALL DAY.

The same topic all day is why stations that once had double digit shares, are selling off transmitter land to keep bond holders at bay.

People in social situations who only talk about one thing quickly lose friend and are considered bores. Sure, a few people hang around them all day, but new friends are rare. Do you see similarities to the belief that TALK is high AQH but low cume?  Low cume is a bad, unstable business. The new Nielsen editing rewards with higher AQH but only if content delivers constant surprises.

Consultant Walter Sabo a.k.a. Walter M Sterling has a nightly show “Sterling Every Damn Night” heard on WPHT, Philadelphia 10:00 pm – 1:00 am. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs Sundays 10:00 pm – 1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at waltermsterling@gmail.com or Sabowalter@gmail.com. Meet Walter Sabo at GENERATIONS 2025 in NYC on March 8.

 

 

By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Legal Group, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer

The intersection of copyright and fair use remains a gray area for media creators, especially in music. Two cases – Pop Smoke’s use of an interview clip in “Tunnel Vision (Outro)“ and Bruno Mars’ use of a voicemail from Halle Berry in “Calling All My Lovelies“ – offer crucial lessons. While one led to legal action, the other was resolved without litigation, underscoring the importance of understanding copyright laws when using external audio.

The Pop Smoke Case: Unpermitted Use Leads to Legal Action

In 2020, journalist Victoria Inoyo sued Pop Smoke’s record labels, alleging they used a 16-second interview clip without permission. She sought $1.5 million in damages, credit as a writer, and a share of publishing revenue. The case was settled out of court, but Inoyo was not credited as a songwriter. This highlights the importance of obtaining permission before using recorded speech, even if it features an artist discussing themselves.

The Bruno Mars Case: A Voicemail Used with Permission

Bruno Mars featured a voicemail from actress Halle Berry in “Calling All My Lovelies“ from his 2016 album “24K Magic.” The voicemail added a playful and personal touch to the song, and because Berry gave explicit permission for its use, no legal issues arose. This highlights the importance of obtaining proper authorization when incorporating third-party audio.

Key Takeaways for Media Creators

1. Copyright Still Applies to Spoken Word – Just because audio clips discuss an artist does not mean they are free to use.

2. Fair Use is Not a Guarantee – Using spoken-word content in a transformative manner does not automatically qualify it as fair use.

3. Seek Permission When Possible – Negotiating proper licensing before using copyrighted speech can prevent legal disputes.

4. Personal vs. Third-Party Audio – Bruno Mars’ use of Halle Berry’s voicemail did not lead to litigation, demonstrating how securing consent can help avoid legal issues.

For media creators, these cases illustrate the need for careful legal consideration. Proper permissions and clear transformative intent can mean the difference between a seamless creative process and a costly legal battle.

Media attorney, Matthew B. Harrison is VP/associate publisher, TALKERS; Senior Partner, Harrison Legal Group; and executive producer, Goodphone Communications.  He is available for private consultation and media industry contract representation. He can be reached by phone at 724.484.3529 or email at Matthew@HarrisonLegalGroup.com

By Michael Harrison
Publisher, TALKERS

To say that I am excited about the forthcoming Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) conference coming up in New York City on Friday March 7 and Saturday March 8 is an understatement.  I am proud that TALKERS has taken on the role of “presenting sponsor” of the entire event and that this year’s iteration of the annual “TALKERS” conference will be taking a unique and groundbreaking turn toward the future of radio-oriented broadcasting within the context of the industry’s leading youth-oriented gathering.

On Saturday March 8, TALKERS will be presenting an exciting and hopefully productive set of consecutive sessions collectively titled “GENERATIONS 2025.”  The theme: “Old School, New School, Next School: Learning from Each Other.” It will be happening on Saturday March 8 between 12:30 pm and 4:30 pm and feature more than 19 luminous industry speakers who will be there to both inform and learn from the hundreds of leading college broadcasters from across America who will be in attendance.

If professional radio is truly concerned about an aging audience and a deteriorating “farm system” from which to recruit new talent, it’s time to connect with the largest concentration of young broadcasters and listeners found on the planet in America’s dynamic campus radio station and communications department scene.

Here are just three (of many) pointers I hope to share with the young radio broadcasters (and I know I will learn a lot – as I always do – just being in their presence):

• Radio will no longer be defined by the platform or “band” upon which it is delivered.  We all know that. But for it to survive as anything other than a public utility (i.e. a soulless audio delivery system), it must maintain the magic and esthetic that has carried “radio” across more than a century of glorious history. It must bring the essence of its specialnessto its necessary co-existence with extended video, graphic and digital cousin platforms.  Be proud to be radio.

• Professionals in the radio (especially talent) business and increasingly related “other” media would be wise to think entrepreneurially. At this point, most do not; they maintain an “employee” mentality – and that is an economic and soul-busting liability as we rapidly morph into the NEXT school. You no longer have to “break in” to the business by getting past a gatekeeper for the honor of creating product on a real platform.  You can make your own real platform as well as the business structure to support those efforts. Learn business.  Start a production company.

• Learn how to use Big Tech platforms such as YouTube (their algorisms are a blessing and a curse) but beware of the suppressive techniques employed by their owners to mysteriously control how the game is scored.  Stay on top of that.  The 21st century will require an updated approach to bolstering the increasingly quaint First Amendment.

Please read the stories directly below for up-to-date information about this important two-day event coming up in March.

Michael Harrison is the publisher of TALKERS.  His email is michael@talkers.com.   

 

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

If it’s not too late for a New Year’s resolution: No more pictures of studio equipment.

Do your sales promotion material and/or your station website and/or social media graphics have a photo of a studio console? A microphone? Towers? Is that supposed to impress prospective advertisers?

To them, how-we-do what-we-do is MUCH less interesting than who consumes our work. What does your prospect sell? Show them pictures of people who buy that, our listeners.

Equipment worth showing: Devices people use to consume our work. Depict the target demographic in-car, and interacting with Alexa, and using the station app, and scrolling the station’s Facebook, etc. And, yes, show microphones, in studio shots of local talent, which will distinguish you from robotic competitors.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Legal Group, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer

In 2016, YouTubers Ethan and Hila Klein of H3h3 Productions were sued by Matt Hosseinzadeh for copyright infringement after they used portions of his video in their reaction content. The court ruled in their favor, emphasizing that their use was transformative, added commentary, and didn’t harm the original’s market value. This case set a precedent for content creators regarding the use of existing works in commentary and criticism within their own works in the digital era.

THE BIG QUESTION: How much can one use of someone else’s work before it becomes infringement?

For spoken-word creators, this ruling underscores the key principles of fair use: if your work critiques, comments on, or transforms the original content in a meaningful way, it’s likely protected. This is much more the focus than the exact amount of seconds being used. For example, using brief clips of an interview or viral moment to dissect cultural trends or add satire aligns with these protections. Even longer clips align, if they are balanced by original commentary that requires the used clips in order to fully understand the commentary.

However, creators must tread carefully. This permission is not universal or even the default. Overusing original material or failing to add substantive commentary risks crossing the line into infringement and the Fair Use defense may not succeed. The key takeaway? Be transformative and intentional – your voice and perspective are what make your work defensible under fair use.

Media attorney, Matthew B. Harrison is VP/associate publisher, TALKERS; Senior Partner, Harrison Legal Group; and executive producer, Goodphone Communications.  He is available for private consultation and media industry contract representation. He can be reached by phone at 724.484.3529 or email at Matthew@HarrisonLegalGroup.com

 

By Holland Cooke|
Consultant

At my very first “Consumer Electronics Show” they were showing-off VCRs. Back to the future. What we have witnessed this week is less about things than experiences.

No better example: The keynote by Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian, in the spectacular Las Vegas Sphere, a bucket-list venue. Google it. Like the Consumer Technology Association, Delta Airlines is celebrating its 100th anniversary; and neither are in business-as-usual mode.

Two days after her Golden Globes Lifetime Achievement Award, Viola Davis co-hosted Bastian’s remarkable multimedia presentation, which ended with a Lenny Kravitz set. Tom Brady was there too. He’s a Delta “strategic advisor,” and will host a new show on the airline’s inflight entertainment system; which will also feature exclusive commercial-free YouTube video.

Delta is using Artificial Intelligence to personalize passengers’ travel door-to-door; including Sky Miles points for Uber rides and Uber Eats, coming soon. Here’s more on his extraordinary presentation, and the airline’s strategy for forging relationships with – rather than merely transporting – their customers: https://news.delta.com/delta-soars-centennial-year-game-changing-innovations-ces-2025

What this means to broadcasters and podcasters? Be more than one of listeners’ – and advertisers’ – MANY choices. Engage them. Entertain them. Know them better and they’ll use you more.

For more on CES2025, hit HollandCooke.com, where I have archived my weeklong radio coverage, and this week’s TALKERS columns.

Holland Cooke is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on X @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Hello from Las Vegas, where much of what’s up at CES is technology-on-wheels.

VW is adding AI. We have become accustomed to barking voice commands at the dashboard, and now Volkswagen brings ChatGPT along for the ride. The 2025 VW Jetta features “Plus Speech with AI” service. Converse with the cloud for what you need to know! Eyes-on-the-road has gotta be safer than sharing attention with distracting console screens that are looking more-and-more like television.

This will be a subscription service. And THAT seems to be the real story. Ford did a U-turn after the outcry over their plan to remove AM radio; and legislation broadcasters asked for didn’t make the cut before the 118th Congress adjourned.

Automakers get paid by SiriusXM if you subscribe at the end of your free introductory offer. BMW walked-back plans to charge $80 a year to use Apple Car Play. But – in several other countries – they’re charging $18 a month for heated seats! Could automakers soon charge for AM/FM? Stay tuned.

Meantime, broadcast radio still clings to king-of-in-car status, but the newer the car the harder it can be to find it among so many audio options in the new-tech dashboard. Listeners will, if you’re giving them something relevant/timely/useful/engaging that they can’t get anywhere else, and you deliver at the speed of life. Ditto for podcasters.

As I have in past years, I am offering TALKERS readers daily 60-second CES reports for air all this week. Simply download each report from HollandCooke.com the night before. No charge, no paperwork, no national spot.

Holland Cooke is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

 

 

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

The sheer volume and velocity of information at CES is intimidating. But in neon-drenched Las Vegas, info-overload is business as usual. So cutting-through the clutter is table stakes. MGM Grand offers “Your Access to Excess.” What does your station or your show or your podcast offer?

In a crowded, well-catered “CES Unveiled” exhibit hall opening night, each booth had only a glance to stop us in our tracks. Think elevator speech on steroids. In one succinct sentence fragment tell me why I want to stop walking to know more. Among examples:

• Switchbot is “The world’s first multitasking household robot.”

• Atmos Gear has “the world’s first electric skates.”

• Sport Neo is “the first online bank dedicated to sports. Swipe for savings, score for your passion.”

• I would’ve strolled right past Xpeng Aeroht if it wasn’t “the world’s only aircraft that can fit into a car’s trunk.”

• The Litheli Easysurge is “redefining the battery-powered lawnmower;” and the affable rep had my attention when he said “100-minute run time,” double what mine does.

• LiquidView digital windows play 8K video, “24-hour views of an expanding global content library.”

• Roam is “like a Sodastream that fits in the palm of your hand.”

If you’re a music station, Christmas is over. If you’re a talk station, he won. What else ya got for me? Podcasting? Who isn’t? Tell me, in less than a sentence, what listening will accomplish for me. No station-centric slogans or other clichés allowed.

As I have in past years, I am offering TALKERS readers daily 60-second CES reports for air all this week. Simply download each report from HollandCooke.com the night before. No charge, no paperwork, no national spot.

Holland Cooke is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

 

 

By Renee Kohanski, M.D.
Psychiatrist

The horrific murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson at the hands of Luigi Mangione at the end of 2024 was a wake-up call for the talk media industry.

There is widespread deep and growing distress in America over our devolving health care system and it is manifesting national RAGE.  Regardless, neither the conversation sparked by the 2024 election nor talk radio and its related media platforms that same year gave the situation its due.

As a working member of both the health care (practicing physician) and talk media (podcaster and guest) communities, I say it is time that we approach this subject with the focus and urgency it demands.

Hippocrates says First Do No Harm. There is something horribly wrong in the areas of medicine in general, psychiatry in particular, and man versus man at large. This emerges in the bigger picture of a devolving society that can no longer articulate even its basic core values.

In medicine and psychiatry (for starters), we have shifted the individual’s experience as a respected and valued patient to a worthless cog in a faceless, monstrosity machine. We have morphed from a field of involved healthcare professionals to corporate drones in a healthcare system.  Our family physician, who smacked our behinds to get us breathing as we entered the world, is now some nine-to-fiver who may or may not remember to run a stethoscope across our chest to hear a heart sound. Don’t forget your prescriptions on the way out the door at the end of your six-minute visit and remember to dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if you have a true emergency.

Twisted sociological fallout: In our unabashed ignorance, a disturbingly significant segment of the population has the gall to the think some head of a major insurance company is to blame for all this or that a cold-blooded killer, who may possibly also be suffering from a major mental illness, could – in some alternate universe – be a hero. Let’s all wake up and stop pretending this is normal or okay.

Mind you, it’s not that it’s all doom and gloom, but there’s no denying the radical shift in the entire construct of the rapidly disappearing patient-doctor relationship. We are now part of a Borg-like amorphous healthcare system that doesn’t necessarily think the needs of its individual patients are paramount.

Communcations prescription: In the talk media space, we must address the public’s spiraling rage over this brewing infection by increasing the dose of conversation and enlightening information so evidently needed. We missed that opportunity in 2024.

Renee Kohanski, M.D. is a practicing general and forensic psychiatrist in New Jersey and Connecticut. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Physicians and Surgeons, the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons, and serves as a Director for the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.  She is a longtime talk media expert guest, and her medical podcasts are available on Spotify.  To contact Dr. Kohanski or arrange for her to appear as a guest, she can be reached via email at wellness@rkdoctor.com.

 

By Michael Harrison
TALKERS
Publisher
Welcome to 2025… TALKERS 35th year!  Everything seems to be moving faster and faster as we hurtle deeper into the 21st century and what is turning out to be a “brave new world” even for Gen-Z.   Each year at this time, I am invariably asked by broadcasters, reporters, and friends, “What do you think we’ll be talking about in the new year ahead?”  And each year I give the same answer:  THE UNEXPECTED.

No doubt, there will be a continuation of the talk show “hit” topics. Anyone can predict that.  But every year – and certainly within the four-year cycle of new presidential administrations – completely unexpected things happen to turn the focus of conversation on its ear and banish our content obsessions instantaneously obsolete.

It is unwise and counterproductive for media practitioners in the business of sharing opinion and seeking truth to become overly “invested” in the tenets, issues and theories that brought us to this point.  For example, the science establishment (in both academia and media) is currently going through conniptions dealing with the growing possibility that the amazing James Webb Space Telescope is making a growing case for the possibility that they’ve been WRONG about the Big Bang, the age of the universe, String Theory and all kinds of notions that generate grant money and upon which reputations have been built for the past century!

Short term memory and shrinking attention spans collectively contribute to increasingly fuzzy long-distance viewing. You don’t hear much talk about “futurism” anymore.  Our society’s inability to track even recent events (let alone long-term actual history) deteriorates its ability to envision analysis, causes, and effects too far forward.  Dimness goes in both directions.

Happy New Year.  Be prepared!

Michael Harrison is the publisher of TALKERS.  He can be reached via email at michael@talkers.com or 413-565-5413.

 

 

By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Hello from fabulous Las Vegas, where the faded Tropicana is now a heap of rubble holding space for the Las Vegas Athletics stadium; and where SO much else here changes between visits. There is just too much do-re-mi at stake for this place not to continue to strive to surprise and satisfy, and keep ya comin’ back for more… which is also the ballgame for broadcasters and podcasters.

What began 100 years ago as the Radio Manufacturers’ Association evolved into the Consumer Electronics Association, then morphed into the Consumer Technology Association. This week’s event is still called “CES,” but what’s happening here is less about electronics technology things than now we experience our lives.

CES2025 began with its perennial research presentation, the deck you can see at https://www.ces.tech/techtrends2025. Even without yesterday’s live narration by CTA’s Brian Comiskey and Melissa Harrison, this information is a real whack-on-the-side-of-the-head.Compose, offer, and deliver your work accordingly, or suffer diminishing returns.

As I have in past years, I am offering TALKERS readers daily 60-second CES reports for air all this week. Simply download each report from HollandCooke.com the night before. No charge, no paperwork, no national spot.
Holland Cooke is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

By Walter Sabo
A.K.A. Walter M Sterling, Host
Sterling Every Damn Night, WPHT, Philadelphia
Sterling On Sunday, TMN

As a consultant for about 25 years, I witnessed the full range of skill levels in the C-Suite. Bob McAllan of Press Broadcasting was at the top of the food chain because he had a consistent, passionate message: “We have to be number 1.”  He was an owner of million+ cumer New Jersey 101.5; WTKS FM, Orlando; and other envied stations. He had to be number 1. He never blinked. No participation trophies with Bob.

Shockingly many other GMs and CEOs do not mimic Bob’s war cry – number 1. Many, too many, executives responsible for AMs just gave up… as early as 1988. In 1988, I worked with a GM who was running a big station in a big city who constantly told me that his number 1 station would just have to die because it was on AM. Damn it, he would do everything to prove AM’s death was inevitable.

He was not alone. Over and over I have encountered owner/managers who refuse to invest or even pay attention to their full- market signal AM stations. (Even some FM managers when asked if they want to be number 1 have actually said to me, “I’m not sure.” Why come to work?)

If an AM station has listed cume, it can grow. Examples:

• WSB AM, Atlanta was sinking from dominance to a mid-level performance. COX radio hired top consultant Greg Moceri in 1995 to improve WSB’s performance. Moceri and, the more recent arrival, PD/ND Ken Charles‘ focus and passion since then has brought WSB back to dominance. Dominance.

• When John Catsimatidis bought WABC it was an almost dead, seriously abused station. It had a 1.7 share. John brought local shows, fun promotions, and pizza to the hallways. Recently WABC, under the guidance of John and Red Apple Media and WABC President Chad Lopez, has earned a 5.0 share. 5.0 in New York City.

• David Yadgaroff Audacy market president and Greg Stocker brand manager of WPHT-AM, Philadelphia air local live 80% of the day. When my show, “Sterling Every Damn Night” launched in May, the time period was 19th in total Adults. Today, with no promotion, politics or sports, it is # 1 Persons 25-54, #1 Men 25-54. # 1 Men 18-49. (Forgive the plug but I’m making a point…)

The shared ingredients of these turnarounds:

• Passionate belief in the show.

• Consistent delivery of entertainment

• No political agenda.

Personal note: Very happy and slightly surprised about the ratings success in Philadelphia but I am puzzled why not one industry type has asked, “What do you talk about every damn night?”

Consultant Walter Sabo A.K.A. Walter M Sterling has a nightly show “Sterling Every Damn Night” heard on WPHT, Philadelphia 10:00 pm – 1:00 am. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs Sundays 10:00 pm – 1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at waltermsterling@gmail.com or Sabowalter@gmail.com.

 

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Each day’s trade press reports how station managers are being saddled with entire regions. Key daypart talent in top 10 markets is being simulcast in other top 10 markets. In 2024, WCBS disappeared entirely. KGO is long-gone. Consolidation cutbacks have been brutal, and more are inevitable.

Accordingly, nine suggested New Year’s Resolutions, smart moves if you’re still working.

1. RESOLVE to build an email list. It’s yours. You control it.

2. RESOLVE to interact with your email list. If they gave you their address to begin with, that was only the beginning. They’re your tribe. Engage them and nurture ongoing relationships.

3. RESOLVE to become more curious about your own species. Eavesdrop on real people, in line at Wal-Mart and Dunkin’ and everywhere else. When you go to renew your driver’s license, look around the room. Then…

4. RESOLVE to focus your show outward. It’s not a show about you and your life. It’s about listeners and their lives. Choose issues and topics that will confront a listener today, right now. Your goal is making phones ring. When it’s caller-after-caller, you sound popular… and advertisers notice. Screen for callers that’ll prompt responses. You’re moderating a chat room, not standing on a soap box. People now favor interactive media. Talk radio survivors will be hosts who excel at two-way radio.

5. RESOLVE to aircheck every show. Not just to keep your resume fresh, but as a self-teaching tool. Wait two weeks before listening, to hear your work with fresh ears.

6. RESOLVE to be the sales department’s MVP. NOBODY can sell your show like you can. Heck, you might ask for more (and get it) than reps would. But even if you don’t carry a list, make yourself available to go on calls. Your on-air pitch will be better-informed and more-effective than sounding like you’re reading-copy. And listen to the retailers you meet. They have a keen sense of their customers’ issues.

7. RESOLVE to create non-radio income streams. The skill set you have as an on-air host or programmer will advantage you in many other walks of life. And remember, if you’re on-air, you enter other local industries with another advantage, your name, “a brand.” And here’s some highly recommended reading, “Making A Living Without a Job,” by Barbara Winter, whom I’ve interviewed. Consider driving Uber, if only to chat-’em-up. You’ll crush Resolution #3 above.

8. RESOLVE to save more aggressively. “Save WHAT???” you ask. Simply saving-money-you-now-may-be-spending-unnecessarily can make a big difference. The loudest sucking sound you’ll hear is coming from that plastic in your wallet. Finance charges are calculated so that you’ll never pay off your card by making the minimum payment. Got a mortgage? Refinance. Brokers are competing for your business, and you could save a couple hundred a month. How often do you eat out?

9. RESOLVE to get it together. Whatever it is that you know you should do but haven’t. Quit smoking. Get more exercise. Cut down on carbohydrates and sugary crap. Drink more moderately. Get organized at home. As Dave Ramsey says, “Sell stuff!” Move-the-ball on that kinda stuff, and you’ll be readier for what happens next.

Reminder: As announced in last week’s column here, I am offering TALKERS readers daily 60-second reports from massive, mind-boggling CES2025, for air Monday 1/6 to Friday 1/10. Simply download each report from my web site the night before. No charge, no paperwork, no national spot. If you sell a local sponsorship, keep the money. For a sample report you can use to pitch, hit HollandCooke.com.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

 

 

By Walter Sabo
A.K.A. Walter M Sterling, Host
Sterling Every Damn Night, WPHT, Philadelphia
Sterling On Sunday, TMN

A surprising number of talented radio stars have been fired. Never understood why this is morally sanctioned between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The spreadsheet MBAs know it’s coming, a Halloween surprise would be kinder.

These suggestions might make the path to employment faster:

• No more stigma. Every industry has had massive lay-offs and job consolidation, being fired is not a reflection on you.

• The people who will help you are those who have already hired you. A prior employer wants to be proven-right. They want to see you succeed to validate their own decision. Make the list of everyone who has hired you, and call them. Don’t text or email. Call them. Ask for ADVICE. Not a job. Advice. They know your strengths and weaknesses. Ask who they know, who  you should meet and what your approach should be.

• Present solutions, not a CV. Identify the exact company or person for whom you would like to work. What are their problems? Write down your solutions. Package it pretty. A written presentation of ideas is something an employer has to “deal with”—a CV can be filed. You don’t want to be filed, you want a meeting.

• In your meetings, demonstrate superior knowledge of the company and express nothing but joy for your prior employer.

• You don’t want a “job” you want to participate in a solution.

• Skip the job postings, those are already filled.

• John Molloy’s book Dress for Success is correct. Every single word.

• Study your social network of people outside of radio. Think of all of your connections and relationships. Who do other members of your family know? You may realize that you have connections to major advertisers, community big shots, bankers, investors, ad agencies, media buyers.  Contact them and ask them for advice. You may hear, “I was at a community meeting with the president of a radio company…” Or, “We buy a lot of time on radio…”  Try it.

• Finally don’t be stupid. Post nothing. Nope, not that.

• Time off is a gift at this time of year. Embrace the moment.

Consultant Walter Sabo A.K.A. Walter M Sterling has a nightly show “Sterling Every Damn Night” heard on WPHT, Philadelphia 10:00 pm – 1:00 am. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs Sundays 10:00 pm – 1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at waltermsterling@gmail.com or Sabowalter@gmail.com.

 

 

By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Legal Group, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer

In a recent high-profile case, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel successfully defended himself against a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by former congressman George Santos. The case, which centered on Kimmel’s use of prank videos involving Santos, highlights the ongoing importance of fair use protections for media creators, broadcasters, and digital content producers.

The dispute began when Kimmel used clips of prank videos that featured Santos as part of his comedic commentary on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” program. Santos alleged that Kimmel’s use of the videos constituted copyright infringement and sought damages, claiming unauthorized use of his content. However, the court ruled in favor of Kimmel, citing fair use as the primary defense. The judge noted that Kimmel’s use of the videos fell under fair use because it was transformative, used for commentary and criticism, and did not replace the original work’s market value.

This ruling has significant implications for media content creators. Fair use is a cornerstone of U.S. copyright law, allowing limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, education, and parody. For broadcasters, YouTubers, podcasters, and other digital content creators, the Kimmel decision reaffirms that transformative use – where the original material is repurposed to add new meaning or context – is often protected under fair use.

The court’s emphasis on commentary and criticism is particularly relevant for creators who rely on existing media to produce content. For example, reaction videos, parodies, and satirical takes are common formats in digital media. The Kimmel case serves as a reminder that using copyrighted material to engage in meaningful critique or humor can fall squarely within fair use, provided the new work adds value and does not simply replicate the original.

However, this case also underscores the importance of understanding the boundaries of fair use. Creators should ensure their work meets key criteria: transformation of the original content, limited use, and a lack of negative impact on the original work’s market. While Kimmel’s team successfully navigated these elements, creators without the resources of a major broadcaster may face challenges if their work is contested.

Ultimately, Kimmel’s fair use victory is a win for free expression and creativity in media. It reinforces the ability of content creators to engage with and critique cultural moments without fear of legal repercussions, as long as their use aligns with fair use principles. For media creators navigating the digital landscape, this case provides both a legal precedent and a valuable lesson in the power of transformative content.

Media attorney, Matthew B. Harrison is VP/associate publisher, TALKERS; Senior Partner, Harrison Legal Group; and executive producer, Goodphone Communications.  He is available for private consultation and media industry contract representation. He can be reached by phone at 724.484.3529 or email at Matthew@HarrisonLegalGroup.com

 

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

If you work in radio, you are painfully aware that Artificial Intelligence is changing our lives. Ironically, AI will be the big story at the mega-event presented by what began 100 years ago as the Radio Manufacturers’ Association. Since then, it evolved into the Consumer Electronics Association, now the Consumer Technology Association. So – although next month’s extravaganza is still nicknamed “CES” — we are under strict instructions NOT to call it the “Consumer Electronics Show” anymore.

Yes, there will be acres and acres of gadgets in a Las Vegas Convention Center so sprawling that – if you want to get from one end to the other — Elon Musk will give you a free ride, underground. He has a hundred Teslas zipping through a tunnel his Boring Company is… boring. Picture a high-tech Batcave. Ultimately, they’re planning 93 stations across 68 miles of tunnel linking the Strip, downtown, and elsewhere. These cars have drivers… for now.

 

Some 150,000 of us, from 155 countries, will be swarming in Sin City to celebrate the obsolescence of what was shiny-and-new last year, and to see new game-changers unveiled. Not just things. Think experiences, like Uber and Zoom and robust smartphone video, which 4G enabled. With 5G we got remote surgery, precision agriculture, and interactive live events. 6G? Stay tuned.

HERE’S THE COOL PART: So, as I have in past years, I am offering TALKERS readers daily 60-second CES reports for air Monday 1/6 to Friday 1/10. Simply download each report from my website the night before. No charge, no paperwork, no national spot. If you sell a local sponsorship, keep the money. For a sample report you can use to pitch, hit HollandCooke.com.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

 

Vince Benedetto – founder, president and CEO of Bold Gold Media Group – is this week’s guest on the TALKERS MEDIA YouTube video series, “Up Close Far Out with Michael Harrison.”  In addition to being a radio industry rising star among the ranks of ownership, Benedetto is an accomplished history buff. The focus of the conversation is a character study of legendary British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The discussion draws lessons and parallels for a better understanding of the demands of leadership in modern times.  Bold Gold Media Group owns and operates 15 broadcast radio stations throughout Pennsylvania and New York.  Benedetto started the company and acquired his first four radio stations at the age of 29.  This remarkable young man is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, a former Air Force Captain and Air Force OSI Special Agent, where he worked on counterintelligence, counterterrorism and felony level investigative efforts for the Department of Defense.  With a desire to be a media entrepreneur, Vince separated from the Air Force in his late 20s and formed Bold Gold, where his growing portfolio of radio stations has become a leader in social and digital media engagement. Benedetto serves as the chairman of the board of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters (PAB).  He is a member of the Radio Advertising Bureau’s ‘Sales Advisory Committee’ (SAC). He also serves on the Board of Directors of the International Churchill Society (ICS) and is president of the Churchill Society of Pennsylvania. Don’t miss this illuminating conversation about vital American/world history and its connection to the most important character issues of modern times. To view the video in its entirety, please click here.