Bankruptcy Court Allows Cumulus to Use Cash Collateral to Continue Operations
At the most recent hearing in United States Bankruptcy Court in Houston, Judge Alfredo Pérez agreed that Cumulus Media may use cash collateral
to continue to operate its business as it makes its way through the Chapter 11 process that could be finalized in May if the pre-packaged bankruptcy plan continues to go smoothly. Attorneys for Cumulus reported to the court that the company now has the backing of 83% of its lenders for the reorganization plan that would put control of the company in the hands of the secured creditors. Once complete, the reorganization will have eliminated some $592 million of the company’s debt.
founder Michael Harrison on WPRO, Providence’s “The News with Gene Valicenti” discussing the shutdown of CBS News Radio. The two seasoned broadcasters took an analytical look at the past 100 years of broadcast journalism – from Edward R. Murrow to modern times – comparing the role and impact of early day giants such as William S. Paley (CBS), David Sarnoff (NBC), and John W. Kluge (Metromedia) to today’s crop of moguls including the Ellison family’s Larry Ellison (Oracle) and his son David Ellison (Skydance Media) who now control Paramount, CBS, and a variety of other media and technological ventures. 
include sports talk WXNT-AM. Cumulus Media president of operations Dave Milner comments, “We are thrilled to promote Darlene to Regional Vice President for Central Indiana, where she will oversee Indianapolis, Kokomo, and Muncie. Since joining Cumulus Media, Darlene has proven to be a strong leader who builds positive, high-performing cultures. Her ability to inspire teams and drive consistent, impactful results makes her exceptionally well-suited to lead this expanded region.”
News/talk, sports talk, all-news, and general talk will be amply covered. There will be over 50 top industry speakers, and registration is limited to insure intimacy. Attendance at the conference is only open to members of the working media and directly associated industries as well as students enrolled in accredited learning institutions. All attendees will be required to register in advance on the phone payable by credit card. Because attendance will be limited, the conference is again expected to
be an early sellout. The all-inclusive registration fee covering convention events, exhibits, food, and services for the day is $260. However, attendees can take advantage of the early bird fee of $150 available until 5:00 pm ET on Friday, April 3. All registrations are non-refundable. This power-packed, one-day event is being presented in association with Hofstra’s multi-award-winning station, WRHU Radio and the school’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication.
The Florida Association of Broadcasters will honor Beasley Broadcast Group CEO Caroline Beasley as a 2026 inductee into the Florida Broadcasters Hall of Fame on June 18 at The Breakers Palm Beach. The Florida Broadcasters Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose careers have left a lasting mark on Florida’s radio and television industry. Inductees are selected based on a distinguished professional career directly tied to Florida and at least 25 years of service to broadcasting. 
-FM, licensed to Volga. The transaction is pending regulatory approval by the FCC and is expected to close in early summer of this year. Connoisseur Media CEO Jeff Warshaw states, “The Brookings market did not fit into the long-term vision we set out for Connoisseur. As we pursued a potential sale, we looked for local quality operators to purchase these stations and found that the best operators in the market already worked for us! This is not the first time we have encouraged some of our local management to break into ownership so that they could continue to serve the communities we are so committed to. We are incredibly happy that Cami and her group stepped up to the challenge.”
show while Hale was away on vacation in Florida. Blueberry vice president Bruce Biette told the paper it is “time to evolve the station.” Biette added, “Simply put, George has had a magnificent media career. He’s the reason a lot of us chose to get into this business, and we here at Blueberry Broadcasting appreciate everything he’s done for VOM.” The Daily News states, “WVOM is an influential station because it is one of only three in the state that runs a locally produced news talk show and the only one based in the Bangor area. WGAN and WLOB, with shows hosted by conservatives Matt Gagnon and Ray Richardson, respectively, are based in the Portland area.” 
who were excluded from the recently canceled March 24 KABC-TV | University of Southern California gubernatorial debate. Smiley says he’ll speak with Xavier Becerra, Tony Thurmond, Betty Yee, and Antonio Villaraigosa separately in four 15-minute segments about the race, their campaigns, and their plans for California’s future. He adds, “It’s no coincidence that the four gubernatorial candidates who were excluded from a debate hosted by ABC7 and USC – canceled due to public outcry – are now appearing on KBLA Talk 1580, a Los Angeles-based, Black-owned, progressive radio station, to discuss their campaigns and the race for California’s top office.”
two FM translators it acquired last fall from Milwaukee Radio Alliance. Civic Media plans to continue to air the classic hits format with local news on the signals. Civic Media operates progressive news/talk WAUK in the market.
latest addition to Gamut’s growing 312 Sports network, a Chicago-focused lineup anchored by “Dan Bernstein Unfiltered” and featuring shows such as “Forward Progress: A Chicago Bears Podcast” and “Organizations Win Championships,” a Chicago Bulls podcast. Gamut Podcast Network head John Goforth comments, “This isn’t just another recap show. Chicago fans don’t think about their teams in a vacuum, and we’re not going to talk about them that way either. ‘Off the Ivy’ is about what it all means – what a win says, what a loss exposes, and where this team is actually headed. If you care about the Cubs, this is the conversation you want to be part of.”
Community Food Bank. Audacy SVP and market manager Michael Spacciapolli states, “We’ve seen firsthand how the power of local radio rallies the community around causes that matter. Every year, the ‘Feed the Need Radiothon’ reminds us what makes this city special. Pittsburghers continue to show up for one another in extraordinary ways, and we’re incredibly grateful to our listeners, partners and sponsors who help make a real difference for families across our region.”
unique, compelling content, embraced meaningful evolution, and made a real difference for our communities, our advertisers and one another. I am incredibly proud of the people in the Philadelphia radio market and across the country, whom I’ve had the opportunity to hire, train and mentor. Watching their growth and success has been a joy. After an extraordinary run of dedicating myself to radio and my colleagues for decades, it feels like the right time to step away and take time for myself, spend more time with family and friends, pursue new opportunities and contribute to organizations in meaningful new ways. I leave with deep gratitude and confidence in the future.” Audacy region president Mark Hannon says Yadgaroff will stay in his position through the end of May as they work on a smooth transition for the staff and the stations’ clients. The Audacy cluster includes news/talk WPHT and sports talk WIP-FM. 
Worldwide provides audio creation tools, media intelligence, music analytics and television operations technology. She takes over for Philippe Generali. RCS says, “Her leadership roles in major markets further shaped her as an operator who understands scale, complexity, and the disciplined, data‑driven decision‑making required to deliver strong performance across diverse portfolios.”
using print and television. The owner was stunned that in a local group of 125 people not one could name his company. Doug Hansen‘s Bug-a-Way Pest Control then embarked on an AM/FM campaign in which a jingle was created for his business and soon his company went from zero unaided awareness to 20%. The campaign helped create future demand for his company as 29% of locals surveyed said they would call his company if they needed pest control. 
outstanding principal amount of the 9.200% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2028. This exchange offer includes an exchange of all of the Existing Second Lien Notes for newly issued 10.000% Senior Secured Second Lien PIK Notes due 2027 at an exchange ratio of 50.0% of the aggregate principal amount of the Existing Second Lien Notes tendered for exchange, and an offer to purchase up to $15,899,000 of the Existing First Lien Notes at a price equal to 100% of the par value thereof.
federal law. She says, “The FCC has once again chosen bureaucratic cover over public accountability. This merger was approved behind closed doors with no open process, no full Commission vote, and no transparency for the consumers and communities who will bear the consequences. A transaction of this magnitude, which includes new and novel issues before the FCC, demands open deliberation before the full Commission, not a quiet sign-off meant to avoid public scrutiny. Given the increasingly alarming pace of reckless media consolidation, the American public deserves to know how and why this decision was made.
Wilshire on May 19. Local television, radio, and student award recipients will be recognized at the Gracie Awards Luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York on June 16. Some of the notable radio winners include: Deborah Rodriguez news anchor for CBS News Radio; Kristen Farrah, producer of “Radio Health Journal” for American Urban Radio Networks; WABC Radio’s “Cats & Cosby” (John Catsimatidis & Rita Cosby) talk show; WGN, Chicago’s “The Lisa Dent Show”; and co-host Debra Green of WSB-AM, Atlanta’s “The Mark Arum Show.” 
media enthusiasts, including the invasion of AI into the talent job market. Neer first established himself as a heavyweight author in 2001 when he penned the landmark FM: The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio. In The Perfect Beast, Neer poses the question to his fellow broadcasters, “Ever wonder if your job will someday be taken by an AI facsimile of your act?” 
The story also deals with how a commentator’s words can be twisted and misused, resulting in something evil. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison (who makes an appearance as himself in The Perfect Beast) describes Neer as a media “Renaissance man.” Neer can be contacted for interviews via email at 
approximately 700 stations. Variety reports that these cuts come under new management at Paramount Skydance and are part of CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss’ plans to “make CBS News more relevant to younger, digitally savvy generations.” It’s expected that the personnel cuts will affect between 60 and 70 people. 
program “The Meidas Touch” is #1, followed by Joe Rogan’s comedy podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience” at #2. Rising to #3 in February was Goalhanger’s history show “The Rest is History.” Interestingly, the overwhelming majority of “The Meidas Touch” consumption is via video and video clips, while “The Rest is History” consumption is primarily audio only. Notable changes from the January ranking include Candace Owens’ “Candace” rising four places to #6, Red Seat Ventures’ “The Tucker Carlson Show” climbing five places to #10, and DailyWire’s “The Ben Shapiro Show” falling two places to #15. 
most in need of support. Today, the weekly talk show continues to focus on the best of New York City, interviewing leaders in travel and tourism, hospitality, Broadway and live entertainment, food & beverage, major sports events, as well as elected officials, heads of NYC’s business improvement districts, celebrities, members of the media and beyond. Kevin McCullough says, “A five-year journey that began buried in COVID has sprouted into the single most compelling argument for the greatest of all cities every single Friday.” Times Square Alliance president Tom Harris comments, “With most talk shows focusing on the worst, it’s refreshing to tune in each week and hear about the best of New York City. I am always honored to be a guest of Cristyne and Kevin and wish them continued success.” 
music-driven and spoken-word programming. Maryland Media One CEO Steve Clendenin says, “The landscape of radio programming is changing. We’re here to partner with stations to develop and distribute top-tier music and spoken-word formats and content. Our goal is to help stations grow with compelling programming that is affordable, easy to implement, and designed for today’s radio and streaming environment.” Among the first offerings available through Seaboard Networks is the Outdoor Radio Network, a full-time programming format built around hunting, fishing, conservation, and outdoor lifestyle content.
host Brian Joyce have been dismissed. Last August, Joyce was arrested following accusations of harassing a woman with whom he’d previously been in a relationship. As district attorney spokesperson said the alleged victim said she did not want to proceed with the case and that the court also found issues with the credibility of testimony prosecutors wished to use in the case. Joyce exited WGOW in February of 2025. 
Children’s Research Hospital and raised $1.7 million. Audio division co-president Deon Levingston says, “Our partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has been one of the most meaningful commitments we’ve made as a company. This event affords the Radio One/Reach Media team the opportunity to play a part in supporting families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. We are proud to share the St. Jude mission with our listeners and grateful that they continue to respond each year.”