The most discussed stories yesterday (8/4) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Long known as the kind of radio talk show host who can “draw a crowd,” legendary New England personality, best-selling author, newspaper columnist, and broadcasting entrepreneur Howie Carr will bring his passion, wit, and personal experiences in journalism to the Hyannis Arts Hall stage on Sunday, August 16, where he will speak from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. Carr, host of the largest regionally syndicated talk radio show in New England, will bring his unmistakable blend of outspoken passion and confrontational conservative politics to what is expected to be a sellout live audience. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.com. In 2015, Howie Carr launched The Howie Carr Radio Network, the first major host-owned radio network in New England. Carr quickly grew his network from a few stations in Massachusetts to more than 20 terrestrial radio stations across New England. The Howie Carr Radio Network is the only radio network reaching a majority of the 14 million people living in New England. Carr has authored numerous books, including the bestselling The Brothers Bulger, Hitman, and other works focused on Boston’s underworld and political corruption. Copies of some titles will be available for sale at his appearance.
Zoellner Media Group announced an upcoming frequency realignment involving two of its flagship radio stations, music-formatted Mix 96.5 and news/talker 102.3 KRMG. As part of this strategic move, Mix 96.5 and 102.3 KRMG will transition to new positions on the FM dial, Mix 102.3 and 96.5 KRMG, reportedly “enhancing signal reach and strengthening the listener experience across the Tulsa market.” Group owner, Dr. Robert Zoellner tells TALKERS, “We are always looking for ways to better serve our listeners and our community. This frequency realignment allows us to strengthen our signal presence and ensure that both Mix and KRMG are positioned for continued growth and long-term success. It’s an exciting step forward for our company and for the audiences we serve.” The transition will take place on August 31, 2026, and listeners will be guided through the change with on-air messaging and promotional support to ensure what station management describes as “a seamless experience.”
WPHT, Philadelphia raised over $45,000 for the Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation during the 39th annual “Ben to the Shore Bike Tour” (7/29). All proceeds go towards supporting families of fallen or critically injured first responders by providing financial assistance and offering programs that strengthen relationships between first responders and the communities they serve. The annual 65-mile cycling event began in Philadelphia and concluded in Atlantic City, NJ. This year’s “Team Kayal and Company” featured on-air personalities Nick Kayal and Dawn Stensland along with station brand manager Greg Stocker who rode alongside dozens of teammates and supporters in a shared commitment to honoring first responders and the families they protect. “The Ben to Shore ride is one of the most inspiring events our station participates in each year,” said Stocker. “Families Behind the Badge has a deeply meaningful effect on our community, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to support them with the help of our listeners, sponsors and teammates.
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/3) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
In an impressive example of the productive synergy that can be generated by the teaming of campus and professional spoken word radio organizations,
Salem’s WNYM, New York (AM 970 The Answer) is running a series of vignettes collectively titled “Courage, Sacrifice and Commitment” during the months of August and early September, featuring tributes to 9-11 first responders. These short form productions highlight stories of New York City’s heroes and give first-person perspectives on what happened the day of and after 9-11. The stories are being produced by Hofstra University / WRHU-FM student journalist Annie Siddique, who has developed into what has been described by WNYM and WRHU management as a “master interviewer” in organizing and producing this campaign. To sample an episode of the program featuring a profile of retired FDNY Lt. Jim Berghorn, please use player below, or click here.
.
After nearly 40 years as a mainstay of Las Vegas radio broadcasting, News Talk 840 KXNT will be going dark effective September 1. Parent company, Audacy announced its plan to shut down the iconic news/talk outlet this past Friday (7/31) on longtime Las Vegas radio talk show host Alan Stock‘s one-hour morning program, “News at 8.” According to a report by John Katsilometes in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Stock stunned his audience with the statement, “I have an important update for our listeners. Effective September 1, News Talk 840 KXNT will conclude its broadcast operation.” Stock continued reading from a prepared statement: “To put it simply, the station’s transmitter site is shutting down. Our parent company, Audacy, explored a number of alternative transmission options, but ultimately wasn’t able to identify a technically and financially viable long-term solution. This wasn’t an easy decision. I know KXNT has been a part of this community for a long time, and it’s been an honor to spend time with you every day.” Stock continued, “I’m incredibly grateful to our listeners, our advertisers, and everyone who has made the station such an important part of Las Vegas.” The article in the Friday NEON section of the Vegas publication went on to report that according to Audacy, Stock’s show will move to the company’s other Las Vegas news/talk property, KDWN 101.5-FM in its 8:00 am weekday time slot beginning Tuesday, September 1. At this point, Stock’s “News at 8” is the only locally-produced talk show on KXNT, a conservative platform that is otherwise home to nationally syndicated programming. The report states, shows hosted by such right leaning voices as Glenn Beck and Mark Levin will end their programming in Las Vegas, but still be available nationwide, as the station signs off. Station SVP/market manager Gina Massenzi said the station’s approximately 40 full- and part-time staffers would remain with the company. KXNT-AM 840 signed on under the call letters KVEG in 1986, mixing talk and middle-of-the-road music. In 1997, KVEG changed its call sign to KXNT, the “NT” standing for “News/Talk.”
The Radio Hall of Fame announced today (8/3) the selection of nine 2026 Legends inductees. These individuals were selected by the Radio Hall of Fame’s 2026 Nominating Committee, which meets annually to recognize deceased individuals who made significant contributions to the radio industry. The Radio Hall of Fame is housed within the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago.
The following nine radio legends take their place in the Radio Hall of Fame immediately:
Dennis Green, co-chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, tells TALKERS: “The Radio Hall of Fame is proud to honor this year’s Legends inductees, whose extraordinary careers have helped define the history and enduring impact of radio. From iconic on-air personalities to visionary executives, each has left an indelible mark on our industry and earned their rightful place in the Radio Hall of Fame.”
Kraig Kitchin, co-chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, adds: “It’s an honor and privilege to witness the induction of these radio industry legends. We hope this recognition of their industry contributions benefits their family, colleagues, friends, and listeners.”
The Radio Hall of Fame will recognize its 2026 class of inductees at the 2026 Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at the Fairmont Chicago. Tickets are on sale now at RadioHallOfFame.com. A portion of each ticket purchase is a tax-deductible charitable donation to the Museum of Broadcast Communications.`
The most discussed stories over the weekend (8/1–2) on news/talk radio and related talk media, according to TALKERS research:
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez continues to address the Commission’s forcing ABC/Disney to go through an early license renewal for its eight owned-and-operated television stations ostensibly for “news distortion.” After the recent close of the public comment period in the matter, Gomez states, “When given the 
chance to weigh in on whether to allow the FCC to continue its campaign of censorship and control, the American public showed up in a big way, and the vast majority who spoke up delivered the same message. They believe in the value of their local news, they trust those who cover their communities, and they understand that the FCC has no business deciding who is a journalist and what counts as real news. A small number of partisan voices tried to hijack this process into a referendum on a network they dislike, but the public refuses to let local stations become collateral damage in the FCC’s political games. The FCC has no authority to police the ideological balance of the airwaves, and no matter what this Commission does next, the record now makes clear that this was never a genuine search for the public interest.”
Gomez’s press release adds, “In the docket covering the early license renewal proceeding, the agency received more than 150,000 comments. In the docket covering the FCC’s effort to unwind a more than two-decade old precedent recognizing the interview portion of ‘The View’ as a bona fide news program, the agency received nearly 80,000 comments. In both dockets, totaling more than 230,000 comments, the vast majority of commenters defended the stations and rejected the FCC’s attempt to use its licensing authority to punish constitutionally protected speech.”
Hubbard Broadcasting’s all-news WTOP-FM, Washington will cease its simulcast on the Frederick, Maryland station 
WTLP-FM (licensed to Braddock Heights) at 103.9 FM and the company will begin leasing it to the Christian music network K-LOVE on August 1. WTOP general manager Joel Oxley states, “Our main signal on 103.5 FM covers most of Frederick County’s population and with the advent of streaming, listeners can get us anywhere in the country.” WTOP began simulcasting on 103.9 FM in 2007.
The sale of seven radio signals from Capitol Broadcasting Company to Curtis Media Group has closed. The $1.75 million deal gives Curtis Media 
WRMR-FM, Jacksonville, NC; WMFD-AM, Wilmington, NC; WKXB-FM, Boiling Spring Lakes, NC; WILT-FM, Wrightsville Beach, NC; WAZO-FM, Southport, NC; and translators W269DF-FX and W240AS-FX, Wilmington, NC. KALIL & CO., INC. was the exclusive broker for this transaction.
The National Association of Broadcasters joins Radio Ready – a global coalition dedicated to safeguarding radio’s prominence in the connected car dashboard. Radio Ready was launched as a unified global response to the rise of the digital dashboard in automobiles and the initiative “brings broadcasters together to ensure AM/FM and digital radio remain prominent, accessible and easy to use in connected vehicles, while giving the industry a 
powerful, collective voice when negotiating with automakers, tech platforms and policymakers.” NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt adds, “Radio has long been an essential part of the driving experience, delivering trusted local news, lifesaving emergency information and the entertainment Americans rely on every day. As dashboards evolve, ensuring broadcast radio remains accessible is more important than ever. By joining Radio Ready, NAB looks forward to partnering with broadcasters from across the world to ensure that free, trusted radio remains easy for drivers to find and use in the vehicles of today and tomorrow.”
NYPR Announces Collaboration with URL Media. New York Public Radio is collaborating with URL Media, a network of more than 50 independent publishers and content creators serving diverse communities across the United States. NYPR president and CEO Christy Tanner says, “New coalitions, bold approaches, and radical collaborations such as our work with URL are essential as we lead a new era of democracy where journalism and creativity thrive, facts unite us, and power answers to the people. Our collaboration with URL Media is a call to action and an invitation to reimagine how creators and media organizations can collectively amplify impact and build community.”
WUSF Plans Expanded Election Coverage. Listener-supported radio station WUSF, Tampa announces a project to produce dramatically expanded news coverage and resources for voters in advance of elections across Florida this year. The station says it is enlisting more reporters into this effort, including journalists from the WUSF newsroom, plus student journalists from the University of South Florida, and partner public media stations across the state. WUSF general manager Leslie Laney states, “The result is the residents of this state will have access to some of our strongest-ever election coverage. And as part of our public service mission, all of this coverage will be free – not behind a paywall.”
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (7/27-31) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
People
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
Salem Media’s Houston operations manager Chuck Tiller exits the company. The Houston operations include news/talk KNTH-AM/K277DE. Tiller posted to social media, “My time at Salem Radio Houston has come to an 
end. My job was eliminated Friday, July 24th. I was at Salem for a total of 25 years. I worked there twice. I assisted getting KNTH on the air as the latest news/talk station in November 2004. I met many great people while there. I had great staff, too. One of the biggest thrills was producing the Sam Malone Show, as well as his sidekick. JP Pritchard along with Tom Fontaine contributed to the success of the show. Good times; great oldies.”
Local media in Springfield, Missouri are reporting that Zimmer Communications and Mid-West Family are merging their operations with Zimmer taking over what will be the nine-station cluster, pending FCC approval. 
Zimmer will take over the operation of sports talk KOSP-FM “102.1 The Won” and three music brands. It currently owns news/talk KWTO/K227KO and sports talk KBFL-AM/K245CA. Zimmer Communications president John Zimmer says,
“This is an exciting opportunity to bring together two organizations that share the same values and a deep commitment to local broadcasting. By combining our strengths, we’ll be able to offer advertisers even more effective marketing solutions while continuing to provide the trusted local content our audiences rely on.” Mid-West Family president Mike Paterson adds, “As the local radio and media landscape continues to evolve, bringing these two organizations together creates even greater opportunities for our advertising partners, our communities and especially our employees.” See the OzarksFirststory here.
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio says the application window is open for its Fourth Annual Speak Up! Mentorship Program in partnership with Media Staffing Network. The application period runs through 
Friday, August 28. The program was created in honor of the late founder of Media Staffing Network, Laurie Kahn. MIW says Speak Up! is a year-long mentorship program designed to empower women working in small- and medium-market radio stations across all departments. One outstanding candidate will receive personalized mentorship from MIW’s network of female broadcast leaders, complemented by executive coaching from Media Staffing Network’s certified coaches. Get more info and apply here.
The most discussed stories yesterday (7/29) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Cumulus Media has requested and received an extension of its exclusive rights period from a Bankruptcy Court judge. The company is in Chapter 11 
reorganization and is waiting for the Federal Communications Commission to finish its regulatory approval process. The court is extending the company’s filing deadline for its Chapter 11 plan to October 30.
The National Association of Broadcasters reveals the list of finalists for the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards. The winners of the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards will be 
announced during a special dinner at the Edison Ballroom in New York City on October 20. While four spoken-word-formatted stations made the cut in the Legendary Station category, it’s interesting to note that just one talk host – news/talk or sports talk – is a finalist across five personality categories. That distinction goes to WCHS-AM, Charleston, West Virginia morning drive host Chris Lawrence who is a finalist in the Small Market Personality of the Year category. Go get, ‘em Chris! We’re pulling for you.
The John Fredericks Media Network enters into a relationship with the sports wagering media company Past The Wire Sports that will the company’s content appear across JFMN’s more than 20 terrestrial radio stations and connected TV, as well as its digital assets, beginning August 3. JFMN notes that Past The Wire Sports has evolved from a horse racing media brand into a platform covering sports wagering, prediction markets, professional sports, premium video programming, and proprietary technology.
“The Kim Komando Show” is now airing on iHeartMedia’s KEIB, Los Angeles “The Patriot” on 
Saturdays from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm. Industry affiliate relations pro Jim Watkins is serving WestStar Entertainment as director of affiliate sales, he says, “We’re excited to partner with KEIB and expand Kim’s presence in one of the nation’s most important radio markets. Technology touches every part of daily life, and Kim’s rare ability to make complex issues entertaining and easy to understand makes her program an outstanding addition to The Patriot’s weekend lineup.
Cox Media Group’s news/talk 95.5 WSB (WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta) raised a record $2.3 million to benefit the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta during its 26th annual 95.5 WSB Care-a-Thon broadcast on July 23 and 24. WSB director of operations, branding and programming Ken Charles says, “Thanks to the generosity of the 95.5 WSB listeners and the passion and commitment of our team, we had another record-breaking year. I couldn’t be prouder of what we achieved over these incredible and inspirational 38 hours.” Since 2001, the 95.5 WSB Care-a-Thon has raised more than $38 million for the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.
The most discussed stories yesterday (7/28) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research: