Industry News

Podtrac Releases March Multi-Channel Podcast Ranker

This is the third month of Podtrac’s Multi-Channel Podcast ranker that combines audio, video and video clips consumption to rank the top podcasts in the U.S. and Meidas Touch Network’s “The Meidas Touch” remains ranked #1, with “The Joe Rogan Experience” steady at #2. This chart presents theimg ratio of the three measurement types and it’s notable that more than half of Joe Rogan’s consumption is audio. For comparison, the audience for Candace Owen’s “Candace” (#9) is mostly from video and video clips – split evenly between the two. “The Tucker Carlson Show” (#10) audience is predominantly from video clips, while The New York Times’ “The Daily” (#6) is almost exclusively consumed via audio. See the chart here.

Industry News

“Stuff You Should Know” Tops Triton Digital’s March Podcast Ranker

Triton Digital’s Top U.S. Podcasts by weekly average downloads for participating networks for March is released andimg iHeart Audience Network’s “Stuff You Should Know” returns to the #1 spot. Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show” is steady at #3, while Salem Podcast Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” falls eight places to #14. See the March ranker here.

Industry News

Radio HoF Announces 2026 Nominees

The Museum of Broadcast Communications unveils Radio Hall of Fame 2026 nominees. The 24 nominees were chosen by the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, with input from theimg radio industry and listeners. Voting for inductees begins Friday (4/24) and runs through May 8.  The top six vote recipients will gain induction as part of the 2026 Radio Hall of Fame Induction class. The additional inductees that will make up the induction class will be selected by the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. Spoken-word nominees include: Boomer Esiason, Joey Reynolds, John & Ken, and Larry Elder. See all the nominees here.

Industry News

Jeff Katz Recognized for 10 Years of Blue Friday Award

imgWRVA, Richmond afternoon drive host Jeff Katz (right) is pictured here with Richmond city council member Reva Trammel (left), while being recognized on the 10th anniversary of Katz’s Lieutenant Jan McTernan Blue Friday Honor Award. Katz, a former police officer, has been honoring Central Virginia law enforcement heroes on the final Friday of each month. The award is named in memory of Janice Ann McTernan a retired, longtime veteran of the Richmond Police Department.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

“The Financial Exchange” Expands. “The Financial Exchange with Michael Armstrong and Chuck Zodda” is now available on BiZ TV.  is growing again. The business radio show is currently heard on 14 stations across New England, including WRKO, Boston and nationally on Sirius XM’s Business Radio channel. Now, it’s on BiZ TV on every major streaming platform including in addition to being on OTA TV in 36 states.

iHeartMedia Sets Date for First Quarter Earnings. iHeartMedia will issue financial results for the quarter ending March 31, 2026, on May 11. The company will conduct a conference call at 4:30 pm ET, following the release of its earnings announcement, to discuss its financial results and business outlook.

Industry News

John Catsimatidis’ Presence Growing with Role in Marty Supreme

In a piece by Stephen Battaglio in the Los Angeles Times, billionaire businessman and WABC, New York owner John Catsimatidis is profiled as his image soars nationally due to his role in the Oscar-nominated Timothée Chalamet film, Marty Supreme. Battaglio writes, “‘Marty Supreme’ director Josh Safdie cast Catsimatidis as Christopher Galanis, imga financial backer of the table tennis phenom played by Timothée Chalamet in the film. Safdie told Vanity Fair he liked Catsimatidis’ ‘larger-than-life regional businessman’ look, which he noticed when the mogul ran for New York City mayor in 2013.” Interestingly, a key focus in the piece is on Catsimatidis’ ownership of news/talker 77WABC. He writes, “Catsimatidis made millions from buying New York real estate on the cheap in the 1970s when the city was in deep economic trouble. So, he recognized a bargain when his Red Apple Media group bought WABC for $12 million from Cumulus Media.” See the LA Times piece here.

Industry News

Chicago News Legend Faces Life without CBS News

The Chicago Tribune’s Robert Channick writes a piece about Audacy’s all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago dealing with the task of replacing the top-of-the-hour CBS News that will cease in May. In the piece, brand manager and news director Craig Schwalb isn’t tipping his hand on what the station will do once CBS News is gone for good. He says “all options are on the table.” TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison is quoted in the piece noting that WBBM faces a “high bar” replacing aimg newscast that some 700 stations respected enough to put on their air. Schwalb tells the Tribune, “Conversations have been going on since the announcement, and I think we get closer and closer to a decision every day. But we have to be very careful and be very diligent about making sure the product that we select is going to make sense from a listener perspective and a revenue perspective as well… CBS has been a great top-of-the-hour news piece for a long time, but it’s a very small percentage of what we do in a given hour between business, traffic and weather together on the eights, local news – the strongest local newsroom in Chicago radio.”  Read the Tribune story here.

Industry News

Mike McVay to Receive MIW Honor

Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc announces that McVay Media president Mike McVay is the recipient of the 3rd Annual MIW Erica Farber Impact Award that recognizes individuals “who drive meaningful change by actively engaging with impactful organizations and generously imgcontributing their time, expertise, and resources. Honorees are true champions of service, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to fostering growth and progress within the industry.” McVay was presented with the award by Erica Farber on April 20, at the MIW Lipstick & Lobster Dinner at Maggiano’s. MIW board president Sheila Kirby states, “Mike McVay has been a consistent and powerful advocate for both the radio industry and the advancement of women within it. His willingness to share his time, expertise, and influence has made a lasting impact on MIW and the broader community we serve. Mike doesn’t just support the mission, he actively helps move it forward, and that kind of leadership is exactly what the Erica Farber Impact Award represents.”

Industry News

Gregg Bell Returns to KJR-AM, Seattle

Sports media personality Gregg Bell is returning to iHeartMedia’s “KJR Sports Radio” as host of the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon program. This comes a week after talk host Marc James exited the station. The new program, “The Gregg Bell Show with Christopher Kidd” leads into “The imgIan Furness Show,” which moves to an earlier start by an hour. The Seattle Times notes that Bell has covered the Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune since 2014, and Kidd is an executive producer with KJR who co-hosts the “Seahawks Man 2 Man” podcast. Bell comments about working Kidd, saying, “We have great rapport. I value his input. He’s a Seattle kid, born and raised, and a Coug. He’s a little younger than I am, so that gives another perspective.” See the Seattle Times’ coverage here.

Industry News

Aaron Miller Named DOS at CMG Tampa

Radio sales pro Aaron Miller is named director of sales for Cox Media Group’s Tampa station group that includes talk WHPT-FM “102.5 The Bone” and five music brands. This is a return to CMG Tampa for Millerimg who most recently served with Audacy in Sacramento as SVP and market manager. Cox Media Group VP and market manager Jason Meder states, “Aaron’s experience, leadership, and passion for our radio make him a tremendous asset to our Tampa leadership team. We’re excited to welcome him back and look forward to the impact he will have on our sales organization, our clients, and our continued growth in the Tampa market.”

Industry News

WWO: Guidelines for Using AI to Build Your Media Plans

Today’s blog post from Cumulus Media | Westwood One’s Audio Active Group addresses the use of AI by local advertisers to inform their media plans. Cumulus president of operations Bob Walker says that use of AI is fine but there are “some watchouts and best practices to consider.” Heimg offers these tips: 1) Be exact: The more specific the language used, the more accurate the response; State a desired outcome like “grow awareness”, “increase sales”, or “expand my customer base”; 2) Use reputable sources within search queries to get accurate information; 3) Take careful note of sourcing and dates: Don’t take data at face value without checking it; 4) Understand that AI platforms are different: Results will vary depending on the platform; and 5) Expect responses will change: Lots of factors impact the AI answers so read them carefully. See the full blog post here.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Presslaff Named 2026 MIW Frances Preston Trailblazer. Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc named Ruth Presslaff the 2026 MIW Frances Preston Trailblazer. She is the founder of Presslaff Interactive Revenue, former MIW board president, and current MIW advisory board member. The Trailblazer Award is named for music industry pioneer and longtime BMI president and CEO Frances Preston. Presslaff was honored on Monday (4/20) during the 2026 NAB Show.

SiriusXM Announces NFL Draft Coverage. SiriusXM will cover all seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft from Pittsburgh Thursday through Saturday (4-23-25) on the NFL Radio channel. The broadcast will be anchored by Jason Horowitz with expert analysis from will be provided by Pat Kirwan, Jacob Hester, Danny Kanell, and Bobby Carpenter.

Industry News

Live, Local Saturday Night Show Gains Traction in Hartford

“Nighttime Neighbors” – a multi-topic talk show launched this past January on heritage giant WTIC-AM, Hartford is making waves. Hosted by the station’s morning news anchor, Morgan Cunningham, the program airs late Saturday evenings 9:00 pm to 12:00 midnight and is quickly connecting with an engaged audience of what he describes as img“truckers, shift-workers, travelers, insomniacs, shut-ins, and anyone else looking for a late-night community.” Cunningham tells TALKERS, “I grew unhappy with what was my usual dancing at Manhattan-area nightclubs on Saturday nights. Yet, I sought conversation and connection in an environment that didn’t involve crowds or virtual chats. My talk show was born.” In describing the show’s format, Cunningham continues, “There are no guests. It’s just me, various topics as I see them, and open lines. The formula is simple… and it’s a hit.” Before the show’s debut in January, Cunningham studied comparable news/talk stations in each of the top 75 radio markets explaining, “I could only find a handful of stations that offered live, late-night talk heading into overnights, particularly on Saturday nights. You can now add Hartford to that list.”

Industry News

Bob Kevoian Dies at 75

“The Bob & Tom Show” co-founder Bob Kevoian died on Friday at the age of 75 after a three-year battle with cancer. With partner Tom imgGriswold, the two launched The Bob & Tom Show in 1983 and the WFBQ, Indianapolis-based program took off, going into syndicated in 1995. The program, still led by Griswold, is heard on some 100 affiliate stations. Kevoian retired from the show in 2015. Kevoian went public with his cancer diagnosis in 2023 and launched “The Bob & Cancer Show” podcast with his wife Becky and Whit Grayson.

Industry News

ABC News and SiriusXM Partner for Two Channels

SiriusXM and ABC News are collaborating on two new channels for the satellite service. The ABC News Live channel delivers around-the-clockimg coverage of breaking news across the United States and around the globe. The 20/20 True Crime channel will launch in the coming weeks and will be a nonstop destination for in-depth storytelling from 20/20 and ABC News. The channel will feature award-winning narrative podcasts, full episodes of 20/20, installments of 20/20: The After Show, and curated cases from the 20/20 True Crime Vault.

Industry News

Townsquare and KSE Announces Digital Marketing Deal

Townsquare Media and Denver’s Kroenke Sports and Entertainment – owner of radio stations – announce a digital marketing deal. Shaun Collignon is chief revenue officer of Townsquare Ignite and he says, “KSE Radio / Kroenke Sports & Entertainment represents some of the most valuable and engaged audiences in media today. By integrating Townsquare Ignite’s data-driven platform, strategy and executionimg capabilities, we’re enabling KSE to scale its digital offering and drive stronger, more measurable results for its clients. This partnership is a powerful example of how media companies can evolve and win in a performance-driven marketplace.” Townsquare launched their Media Partnerships division in 2024 in which it provides a white-label service that equips other local media companies with the digital advertising solutions that have fueled Townsquare’s own growth and success, with digital now comprising over 50% of Townsquare’s total revenue and profit. KSE Radio SVP and general manager Joel Clary says, “Kroenke Sports and Entertainment is excited to partner with Townsquare Ignite for all of our entertainment assets in the Denver market. Townsquare has the best digital solutions in the radio industry and a proven track record of delivering great results to clients.”

Industry News

Charlie Kirk’s Accused Killer Seeks to Keep Cameras Out of Courtroom

The man accused of killing Charlie Kirk is petitioning the judge in his murder trial to keep cameras out of the courtroom, arguing that live broadcasts are violating his right to a fair trial. Tyler Robinson is due in imgcourt today (4/17) Friday when his lawyers will argue that biased coverage is tainting potential jurors in his aggravated murder case.  According to Audacy’s report, media organizations, prosecutors and Kirk’s widow, Erika, want the court to allow cameras. They argue the best way to guard against the misinformation and conspiracy theories that concern Robinson’s defense team is to make the process transparent. Read the Audacy story here.

Industry News

Talk Radio News Pro Chris Barnes Dies at 66

Former radio host and news director Chris Barnes died on April 14 at the age of 66 from a blood infection that led to live and kidney failure. Syracuse.com reports that he posted a video to Facebook hours before his passing at Reading Hospital in West Reading, Pennsylvania, saying, img“I had a good run. I spent every cent I ever made… I would have rather saved some, but you can’t take it with you. I love you all. Thank you so much.” Barnes began his radio career in the 1980s at WEOK-WPDH in Poughkeepsie, followed by a nearly four-year run as an afternoon news anchor and reporter for WGHQ-WBPM in Kingston. He served as morning news anchor and news director for WSYR, Syracuse; worked at “All News 99.1 WNEW” in Washington, DC, as well as with USA Today Channel on SiriusXM in Washington; FOX News Radio in New York; and The Blaze Radio Network in Washington. DC. See the Syracuse.com obituary here.

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (April 13-17)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (4/13-17) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. U.S.-Israel-Iran War / Israel’s Lebanon Attacks
  2. Trump-Vance vs The Pope / Trump’s AI Jesus Posts
  3. Trump Threatens Jerome Powell
  4. Looming Expiration of FISA 702
  5. Swalwell & Gonzales Exit Congress
  6. Orban Ousted
  7. Fairfax Murder-Suicide
  8. Labor Secretary Investigation
  9. New Jersey Special Election
  10. Russini-Vrable Scandal

People

  1. Donald Trump
  2. JD Vance
  3. Pope Leo XIV
  4. Mike Johnson
  5. Pete Hegseth
  6. Jerome Powell
  7. Eric Swalwell / Tony Gonzales
  8. Viktor Orbán
  9. Lori Chavez-DeRemer
  10. Dianna Russini / Mike Vrable

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

Bankruptcy Court Approves Cumulus’ Plan of Reorganization

The next step for Cumulus Media in its Chapter 11 reorganization is the Federal Communications Commission after the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas yesterday (4/15) approved itsimg previously disclosed Plan of Reorganization. Cumulus Media president and CEO Mary G. Berner says, “When we initiated this prepackaged restructuring in March, we did so with a clear objective: to right-size our balance sheet to support long-term success. The court’s prompt approval of our plan keeps us firmly on track to eliminate approximately $600 million in debt and positions us to emerge with a significantly stronger financial foundation. We look forward to completing the restructuring and emerging as a well-capitalized company, better equipped to compete in the evolving audio landscape.”