Podtrac releases its March Top Podcasts ranker for the U.S. based on unique monthly audience and
NPR’s “NPR News Now” jumps The New York Times’ “The Daily” for the #1 spot. Other moves of note include FOX Audio Network’s “FOX News Hourly Update” rising two places to #5 and Silverloch’s “VINCE” (Vince Coglianese) debuting at #7. See the complete chart here.
The 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards Live at SXSW will be hosted by Jack O’Brien and Miles Gray of “The Daily
Zeitgeist” podcast at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas on Monday, March 10 at 8:00 pm ET. Presenters for the 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards will include Annaleigh Ashford and Melissa Moore, Cam Jordan, Chelsea Handler, Dennis Quaid, Ed Helms, Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgiraff, Joe Manganiello, Kyle MacLachlan, Sarah Spain, Sophia Bush and more.
The most discussed stories yesterday (2/17) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Musk DOGE Operations / Trump-Musk Relationship
2. Israel-Hamas War / Trump Gaza Plan
3. Russia-Ukraine War / U.S. Foreign Policy Shift
4. Air Travel Safety
5. Presidents Day Reflections
The Broadcasters Foundation of America announces that Deborah Norville, longtime BFoA Board member and two-time EMMY-winning anchor of “Inside Edition,” will emcee this year’s Golden Mic gala and fundraiser on Monday, March 10, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The Golden Mic Award will be
presented to Brian Lawlor, president, Scripps Sports. Additionally, Scott Herman, former COO of CBS Radio and Chair of the BFOA, will pay tribute to Dan Mason, former CEO of CBS Radio and past Chair of the BFOA, with the 2025 Edward F. McLaughlin Lifetime Achievement Award, and Katz Media Group will be recognized with the 2025 Philip J. Lombardo Spirit Award. Katz Media Group CEO Mark Gray will accept the award. BFoA president Tim McCarthy says, “We’re excited about this year’s honorees and presenters and extend our thanks to Deborah for serving as the evening’s emcee. While we gather to honor these highly respected and accomplished broadcasters for their contributions to our industry, we must always keep in mind, and in our hearts, the broadcasters who we help when they need us the most.”
Bonneville Phoenix announced 1/30 that longtime employee Erin Maloney has been named program director at Arizona Sports 98.7 (KMVP-FM) and ESPN 620 (KTAR-AM). “From starting as an intern in 2012 and growing into leadership roles throughout her career, no one is more passionate about our sports brands than Erin,” said Bonneville Phoenix SVP/MM Ryan Hatch. “She is so well respected by everyone in the market, and we are very excited for her to take this next step.” “I’m truly honored to step into the role of program director of Arizona Sports,” said Maloney.
“Working alongside the best in the business is not just a privilege, it’s a dream come true. I look forward to leading an exceptional team of talented individuals who consistently set the standard for excellence in the industry and taking Arizona Sports to new heights.” Maloney most recently served as APD and will replace programming veteran Brian Long who recently returned to Southern California to be with his family and program iHeart’s KFI AM 640, as well as KLAC-AM and KEIB-AM. Arizona Sports is the flagship station for the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona State University football and basketball.
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (1/13-17) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories/Topics
1. Los Angeles County Wildfires
2. Presidential Transition – Trump Appointments and Nominations
3. Trump Legal Issues / Biden Farewell Address / Biden’s Pardons
4. Trump Positions on Foreign Policy
5. Israel-Hamas War – Cease Fire on Hold
6. Economy-DOGE / Health Care / Climate Change
7. Migrant Crisis / Crime / Homelessness
8. Big Tech Influence / Facebook Censorship Changes / TikTok
9. Russia-Ukraine War
10. Rudy Giuliani Legal Issues
People
1. Donald Trump
2. Joe Biden
3. Karen Bass / Gavin Newsom
4. Elon Musk
5. Pete Hegseth
6. Benjamin Netanyahu
7. Antony Blinken
8. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. / Vivek Ramaswamy
9. Jack Smith/Rudy Giuliani
10. Vladimir Putin / Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Xi Jinping
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
Radio One’s News Talk 1110/99.3 WBT, Charlotte and Moments of Hope Church tell TALKERS that their collaborative efforts during the 2024 holiday season raised over $300,000. This milestone brings the total funds raised since 2020 as part of the City of Hope CLT campaign to over $1 million, supporting those in need across the Charlotte region and Western North Carolina. 
David Chadwick, senior pastor of Moments of Hope Church and host of “The David Chadwick Show,” one of WBT’s longest-running local programs, reflects, “In 2020, amidst the Covid crisis, Bo Thompson, Pat McCrory and I were talking in the studio at WBT and asking, ‘What can we do to help those in need?’ I knew that Moments of Hope Church had a generous congregation, and I recognized the incredible reach of WBT’s 50,000-watt mic. That conversation sparked the idea of a matching gift from MOHC and WBT to ask its listeners to match the gift during the Christmas season. Since then, the partnership between MOHC, WBT, and all the WBT personalities has raised over $1 million to help feed children in the Charlotte area and, this past year, to help rebuild the lives of victims of hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. It has been an honor to use the gifts that God has given both organizations to help and serve others in need. It truly is more blessed to give than to receive.” 
WBT program director, Mike Schaefer, adds: “WBT’s commitment to ‘Lead Local’ goes beyond delivering news and information. For nearly 103 years, this station has been woven into the fabric of Charlotte, and helping those in need is at the core of our mission. Partnering with David and his congregation to serve the most vulnerable among us aligns perfectly with our mission.” Radio One Charlotte and Richmond RVP/GM, Marsha Landess echoed these sentiments: “We are proud to use the WBT platform to support the incredible work that David and his congregation have done. Since 2020, this partnership has demonstrated the power of community, especially in a crisis like Hurricane Helene. Raising over $1M for those in need is a testament to what we can achieve together. We are grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community we are so proud to be a part of.” The David Chadwick Show airs Sundays from 8:00 am – 9:00 am on WBT, further underscoring the potential productivity of local weekend programming.
KIRO Newsradio, Seattle has named Frank Lenzi as its new news director. Frank joins KIRO from Seattle’s KNWN (formerly KOMO Newsradio), where he has worked for the past 16 years, most recently serving as program director and news director. 
With nearly 30 years of experience in journalism, Lenzi has held roles as morning editor, managing editor, and most recently, news director and program director at KNWN/KOMO. He led coverage of major events such as the 2009 Lakewood Police shooting, the 2014 KOMO TV helicopter crash, and the 2020 police dispersal of the Seattle CHOP Zone. Bonneville Seattle SVP/ market manager Cathy Cangiano tells TALKERS she’s eager for Lenzi to come aboard. “Frank’s extensive experience and proven leadership in the industry make him the perfect fit for our team. His dedication to journalistic excellence and his ability to inspire and lead will keep our newsroom standards high. We look forward to the fresh perspectives and innovative ideas he will bring to KIRO.” 
Bryan Buckalew, KIRO program director, echoed those sentiments. “Frank has a deep commitment to keeping audiences informed and connected. I’m confident he’ll be a great addition to our team.” Lenzi comments, “KIRO has always been the gold standard for radio journalism not only in the Seattle market, but across the country. It is an honor to lead this fine team of veteran broadcasters.” Lenzi will replace outgoing news director Charlie Harger, who will take over as host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO in January.
AM radio was presented as a vital asset for the public good in times of emergency on last night’s network television installment of the CBS Evening News. During its “Eye on America” segment, the program highlighted the dramatic and emotional efforts of iHeartMedia’s WWNC, Asheville in the wake of the devastation wreaked upon western North Carolina during and following the destructive winds and flooding of Hurricane Helene. Under the headline How radio became a lifeline for western North Carolina residents during Helene, the in-depth feature reported: “When Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina, it knocked out cell phone service in some areas, forcing many residents to depend on the radio for communication and information. For days, WWNC-AM radio host Mark Starling and his producer, Tank Spencer, served as a proxy dispatch service, helping to coordinate wellness checks and connect the stranded with nearby resources.” The report served as a high-profile shot in the arm for the widespread campaign to pass the AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act which Congress is expected to vote on later this year to prevent auto manufacturers from eliminating AM radios from the dashboards of new vehicles. Pictured above: a screen shot from the CBS Evening News of WWNC-AM morning host/news director Mark Starling on the air during the storm. To watch the entire report, please click here.
iHeartMedia reports operating results for the second quarter of 2024 and reveals consolidated revenue of $929 million, an increase of 1% over the same period on 2023. iHeartMedia reports its business in three segments. The Multiplatform Group – which includes its AM/FM radio stations – achieved revenue of $575.9 million – a decline of 3.4% over the same period in 2023. The Digital Audio Group’s revenue was $285.6 million – an increase of 9.5% over Q2 of 2023. The Audio & Media Services Group revenue was $70 million – an increase of 6.5% over the second quarter of 2023. iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman
comments, “Our second quarter results mark the first quarter that our consolidated revenues increased year-over-year since Q4 2022. We continue to see strong momentum in our podcast business, our Digital ex. Podcast business, and have seen sequential improvement of our Multiplatform Group’s year-over-year revenue performance. This performance is built on iHeartMedia’s strong and unparalleled audience and demonstrates the progress we are making in maximizing the monetization of it.” Company COO and CFO Rich Bressler adds, “We continue to see signs of improvement throughout our business and the broader advertising marketplace, and our second quarter 2024 results were in line with, and in the cases of revenue, slightly above guidance. Our high-growth Digital Audio Group revenues were up 10% year over year, and represented 31% of our company’s revenues, and our Multiplatform Group revenues exceeded our previously provided guidance. Our full year 2024 political revenues are currently pacing approximately 20% higher than the last presidential election cycle, which gives us confidence that this will be a record political year for us, and we expect to see a significant year-over-year improvement in our full year Adjusted EBITDA performance.”
The documentary film that chronicles the history of Cumulus Media’s news/talk KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno is up for a regional Emmy Award. The company says KMJ: 100 Years in the Valley earned the prestigious nomination in the Cultural/Historical News or Long Form Content category. The Valley PBS Original
Documentary was produced, directed, and narrated by Jeff Aiello. KMJ program director Blake Taylor also served as a producer for the film. Winners will be announced at the 53rd Northern California Emmy Awards Gala on June 15, 2024, at the San Francisco Hilton. Cumulus Fresno regional VP and market manager Patty Hixson says, “It is a remarkably humbling experience to be a part of this documentary celebrating KMJ’s 100 years of serving the community. I am grateful to have been with this heritage brand since the late 80s. The entire KMJ team is excited to share our story through this documentary – and we’re thrilled that the film has been nominated for an Emmy!” Blake Taylor adds, “When KMJ went on the air, people didn’t have radios. That is one of the great lines from the film that really speaks to me. The longevity, the success, and the impact of KMJ for over a century is really remarkable. To be a small part of that is truly meaningful.”
Longtime FOX Business anchor Liz Claman was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame at a ceremony at the Ziegfield Theatre in New York on April 19. Claman is host of “The Claman Countdown” and was joined at the event by show executive producer Brad Hirst and senior producer Milanee Kapadia. Also attending in support of Claman was FBN SVP of programming Ralph Giordano and vice president Charlie Brady. Claman stated, “I value this award more than you’ll ever know.”
The forthcoming 27th annual installment of the talk media industry’s longest running and most important national gathering will be meticulously documented on video for posterity. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison states, “Because the entire agenda of this year’s event will take place on the state of the art television soundstage ‘A’ at Hofstra University’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication and a special staging area for individual interviews will be set up on the adjacent TV soundstage ‘B,’ the opportunity to create an in-depth video time capsule of this remarkably transitional moment in talk media history will be unprecedented.” Harrison adds, “The number of heavyweight players from all ends of the business gathered in one place for one day on a television soundstage will be of tremendous historical significance. We will grab the opportunity to save everything we can for posterity. This conference will be more than just another industry ‘convention.’ It will be a ‘symposium’ for the ages reflecting and preserving a remarkably colorful and historic era in American media and culture. People all over the world and for years to come will bear witness to this ‘happening.’”
All TALKERS 2024 activities take place in the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication on the campus of Hofstra University
REGISTRATION DESK OPEN
7:30 am to 5:00 pm
Registration Director: Barbara Kurland, Business Manager, TALKERS
Assistant Registration Director: Debbie Bernstein, Associate, TALKERS
EXHIBITION DISPLAYS OPEN
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Backbone Networks
Representatives: George N. Capalbo, CTO; George L. Capalbo, Marketing Communications Director; Richard Cerny, President
Broadcasters General Store
Representatives: David Antoine, CBRE/CBNT, Sales Engineer; Buck Waters, Outside Sales Rep
Comrex
Representative: Chris Crump, CBNE, Senior Director of Sales & Marketing
BREAKFAST
8:00 am to 9:00 am
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Master of Ceremonies: Kevin Casey, VP/executive editor, TALKERS
Special Conference Kickoff: “Gaining Traction in a Noisy World”
Speaker: Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo, Host, “The Joe Pags Show”
Presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award
Presenter: Mark Goldman, Co-founder/Media Relations Specialist, Goldman McCormick Public Relations.
Recipient: Howie Carr, Host, Howie Carr Radio Network
Sponsored by Sean Hannity / Premiere Networks
OPENING SESSION
9:00 am to 9:40 am
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Singing of the National Anthem
Performed by: Daliah Wachs M.D., Host, “The Dr. Daliah Show”
Welcoming Greetings: “Radio and Beyond”
Speaker: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Presentation of the Woman of the Year Award
Special Remarks: Dave Gorab, VP/GM Talk Programming, SiriusXM Satellite Radio
Presenter: Larry Young, Host, WOLB, Baltimore
Recipient: Sharon “Sherry” Madison, Executive Producer, the Joe Madison Show, SiriusXM Satellite Network
Award Acceptance: TBA
Special Presentation: The Case for AM Radio
Introducer: Alex Fife, VP/Operations, Southeast, iHeartMedia, Total Traffic & Weather Network
Speaker: Bill Brady, Owner/Host, KFNX, Phoenix
Sponsored by the Doctor Asa Show
PANEL DISCUSSION: “GENERATING NEWS/TALK REVENUE IN THE DIGITAL ERA”
9:45 am to 10:25 am
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Introducer: Joe Thomas, Owner/PD/Host, WTON, Staunton, VA
Moderator: Steve Lapa, President, Lapcom Communications Corp.
Panelists: Vince Benedetto, CEO, Bold Gold Media Group; John Caracciolo, President/CEO, JVC Broadcasting; Kathy Carr, President, Howie Carr Radio Network; Ron Hartenbaum, Managing Member, Crossover Media; Julie Talbott, President, Premiere Networks
Sponsored by The Martha Zoller Show
FIRESIDE CHAT: “THE STATE OF SPORTS TALK RADIO”
10:30 am to 10:55 am
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Host: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Guest: Fred Toucher, Co-host, Morning Show, WBZ-FM (98.5 The Sports Hub), Boston
Sponsored by Backbone Networks
PANEL DISCUSSION: “BRAVE NEW WORLD”
11:00 am to 11:35 am
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Moderator: Harry Hurley, Morning Host, WPG, Atlantic City
Panelists: Scot Bertram, GM, WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM; Heather Cohen, President, The Weiss Agency; Steven Goldstein, CEO, Amplifi Media; Matthew B. Harrison, Esq., VP, associate publisher TALKERS / Senior Partner, Harrison Media Law; John T. Mullen, GM, WRHU-FM/WRHU.org, Hofstra University.
Sponsored by Premiere Networks
PANEL DISCUSSION: “PROGRAMMING NEWS/TALK RADIO”
11:40 am to 12:20 pm
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Introducer: Paul Vandenburgh, Owner/Host, WGDJ (Talk 1300), Albany
Moderator: Mike McVay, President, McVay Media Consulting
Panelists: Grace Blazer, VP, National NTS Brand Coordinator, Director of News and AM Programming Florida Region, iHeartMedia Miami; Phil Boyce, SVP, spoken word format, Salem Media Group; Ops VP, New York region/WMCA/ AM 970 The Answer; Bill Hess, Corporate PD, News/Talk, Cumulus Media / PD WMAL, Washington, DC; Scott Lakefield, APD, WOR, New York; Doug Stephan, CEO/founder, Stephan Multimedia/host “Good Day” morning show; Greg Stocker, Brand Manager, WPHT, Philadelphia.
Sponsored by The Ramsey Show
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: GLENN BECK
12:25 am to 12:55 pm
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Speaker: Glenn Beck, Host, “The Glenn Beck Show” / Premiere Networks
Sponsored by Resorts Casino Hotel Atlantic City
LUNCH
1:00 pm to 2:25 pm
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Lunch Master of Ceremonies: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Dean’s Message: “Welcome to Hofstra”
Speaker: Mark Lukasiewicz, Dean, Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, Hofstra University
Special Greeting: “In Front of the Camera”
Speaker: Rob Finnerty, host, “Wake Up America,” Newsmax TV
Presentation of the Humanitarian of the Year Award
Recipient: John Curley, Host, KIRO, Seattle
Broadcasters Foundation of America Donation/Spotlight
Presenter: Harry Hurley, Morning Show Host, WPG, Atlantic City
Acceptance: Scott Herman, Chairman, Broadcasters Foundation of America
Sponsored by Newsmax TV
SPECIAL PRESENTATION: “THE GREAT DEBATE”
2:30 pm to 3:00 pm
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Debaters: Mike Gallagher, Host, Salem Radio Networks; Thom Hartmann, Host, WYD Media
Moderator: Lee Harris, Director, Integrated Operations, NewsNation / WGN, Chicago
Sponsored by Our American Stories
PANEL DISCUSSION: “BEYOND POLITICS”
3:05 pm to 3:40 pm
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Moderator: David Bernstein; GM, Broadcast Operations, TALKERS
Panelists: Asa Andrew, M.D., Host, the Doctor Asa Show; Mike “Bax” Baxendale, Co-host, Morning Show, WAQY (Rock 102), Springfield, MA; Lee Habeeb, CEO/Host/Producer, “Our American Stories”/American Private Radio; Danielle Lin, Producer/Host, “The Art of Living and the Science of Life”; Walter Sabo, consultant, Sabo Media Implementers/Host “Sterling On Sunday”; Daliah Wachs, M.D., Host, “The Dr. Daliah Show.”
Sponsored by Doug Stephan’s “Good Day”
PANEL DISCUSSION: “BEHIND THE MIC”
3:45 pm to 4:20 pm
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Moderator: Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo, Host, “The Joe Pags Show”
Panelists: Howie Carr, Host, Howie Carr Radio Network; Dom Giordano, Host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Jeff Katz, host, WRVA, Richmond; Chris Krok, Host, WBAP, Dallas; Frank Morano, Host, WABC, New York/Red Apple Audio Networks; Martha Zoller, Host, WDUN, Gainesville, GA
Sponsored by Radio America
PANEL DISCUSSION: “THE BIG PICTURE”
4:25 pm to 5:05 pm
“Studio A” Television Sound Stage
Moderator: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Panelists: Kraig T. Kitchin, CEO, Sound Mind, LLC; Chad Lopez, President, WABC, New York/Red Apple Audio Network; Chris Oliviero, Market President, Audacy New York; Deborah Parenti, Publisher, Radio Ink / RBR+TVBR; Tavis Smiley, Host / Owner, KBLA, Los Angeles/Smiley AudioMedia; Lisa Wexler, Host, WICC, Bridgeport.
Sponsored by The Michael Berry Show
CLOSING RECEPTION
5:10 pm to 6:15 pm
“Studio A” Television Soundstage
Presentation of Freedom of Speech Award
Closing Reception Master of Ceremonies: Harry Hurley, Host, WPG, Atlantic City
Special Guest Speaker: Brian Kilmeade, Host, FOX News Radio / FOX News Channel
Presenter: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Recipient: John Catsimatidis, CEO/Owner, WABC, New York / Red Apple Audio Network
Sponsored by C. Crane
More TBA
Program agenda subject to change without notice
Attendance at the conference is limited to members of the working media and directly associated industries as well as communication 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 and the agenda outstanding, 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 $379. Because space will be limited and a sellout is anticipated, all registrations are non-refundable. To register for TALKERS 2024 or to obtain sponsorship information, call Barbara Kurland at 413-565-5413. The closest hotel to the conference is the nearby Long Island Marriott-Uniondale but it is nearly sold out. For a list of area hotels within a short drive to Hofstra, please click here.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Nexstar Media Group’s WGN-AM, Chicago announce a three-year extension to their broadcast rightsholder deal. The agreement will keep Blackhawks hockey on WGN
through the 2026-27 National Hockey League season. Troy Murray and John Wiedeman have also agreed to a three-year extension for live game coverage with pregame, intermission and postgame shows led by Joe Brand. WGN VP/GM Mary Sandberg Boyle comments, “The Chicago Blackhawks are a premium sports franchise, and we take pride in being able to deliver exciting Blackhawks hockey to the best fans in the NHL, wherever and however they choose to listen. In addition to providing high-quality, live game broadcasts, the collaborative partnership between WGN Radio and the Chicago Blackhawks ensures that fans and partners will be superserved for every game.”
Edison Podcast Metrics data from Edison Research indicates that the podcast, “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce,” has skyrocketed in listening over the last two months. Since Travis’ romance with Taylor Swift became public, the show has experienced a staggering four-and-a-half times increase in weekly reach among podcast listeners age 13 and older in the U.S. The influx of Swifties appears to have contributed to these numbers. Not only has the high-profile romance between Kelce and Swift helped grow the show’s weekly reach, but it has also significantly changed the gender breakdown of the show’s listeners. Before the pairing, the show’s listening base was 32% female, now the much-larger audience is 50% women.
AdLarge Podcast Network announces that three programs are joining the network. The company says the inclusion of “The Moments Podcast” featuring Lexi Hidalgo, “Dear Young Married Couple,” and “The Mother Daze ” exemplifies AdLarge’s ongoing dedication to championing and elevating the voices of women in podcasting.
Virtual News Center adds new affiliate KTNK, Lompoc, California to its growing roster of radio stations. Jared Cerullo provides local newscasts for the Sticks Media, LLC station.
Media coverage of Tuesday’s “March for Israel” event at the National Mall included Salem Media
Group’s general manager for Christian talk WAVA-FM, Washington, DC Chuck Olmstead. Olmstead tells TALKERS, “It was an amazing day to be at that at that gathering. I met some amazing people. One Jewish woman I interviewed has a home in Bethesda, MD as well as a home in Israel. She was at her home in Israel on 10/7 and continued to stay in Israel but came back for the rally. She was articulate and had a great story to tell. It is interviews like that, that are hard to distill down to sound bites.”
For the first time, Disney is releasing financial data for its ESPN operations in a corporate filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Alexandra Canal at Yahoo!Finance writes that ESPN “generated more than $16 billion in revenue and $2.9 billion in operating profit in Disney’s fiscal year
2022, which ended on Oct. 1, 2022. The bulk of that revenue and profit came from its domestic business at $14.6 billion and $2.81 billion, respectively.” The filing also shows how important cable television is to ESPN’s bottom line. Canal writes, “The bulk of the sports segment revenue came from affiliate fees at $10.8 billion followed by advertising at $4.4 billion and subscription fees for ESPN+ at $1.1 billion. ESPN typically has the highest carriage fees, or fees pay-TV providers pay to network owners to carry their channels, of all basic cable networks. According to an estimate from SNL Kagan, ESPN charges pay-TV operators $8 to $9 per subscriber.” Read the Yahoo!Finance piece here.
Smiley Audio Media’s Los Angeles talk station KBLA “Talk 1580” announces the expansion of the program hosted by the station’s chief national affairs analyst Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey titled, “A More Perfect Union” that now airs daily from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. KBLA says, “Dr. Quartey, an ‘Oprah’ show
alumni and Washington, D.C. insider with L.A. street credibility promises a daily dose of what’s trending in national politics that goes beyond the headlines… now airing five days per week, ‘A More Perfect Union’ promises to deliver national news of consequence, informed opinion, and analysis beyond the headlines… This one-hour national public affairs program, executive produced by Tavis Smiley, will feature notable journalists, industry leaders, lawmakers, changemakers, tastemakers and ordinary people motivated to do their part to reach beyond today’s divisions, make sense out of news of the day, and offer us all a chance to build a more perfect union.”
iHeartMedia and Elvis Duran partner to create the Elvis Duran Podcast Network to be distributed by iHeartPodcasts. The agreement includes a slate of original entertainment podcasts that will be co-produced by
Duran and iHeartPodcasts including a new, original progam called, “Thinking Out Loud with Elvis Duran.” The first episode features a conversation with singer-songwriter Kesha. Additionally, the network will be home to the replay podcast of “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show.” Duran says, “We’re excited to launch this network and connect with even more listeners and fans. I’m confident the audience will love the variety of personalities, including Tommy DiDario and Medha Gandhi, and the entertaining programs that we’ll be presenting. I’m also looking forward to sitting down with a wide range of people on my new podcast and taking a deep dive in whichever direction they choose – something I’m not always able to do on my radio show. It’s going to be a fun adventure together!”
Audio content aggregator TuneIn is offering FCC-licensed AM broadcasters in the U.S. access to its analytics service Amplifier and increase the sound quality of their digital broadcasts for free with TuneIn On-Air. The company says, “With the accessibility of terrestrial radio on the decline, from electric vehicles without receivers to smart home systems that rely entirely on digitally
streaming content, the industry is at a critical crossroads. TuneIn On Air digitally optimizes the reach of audio content to over 30 million TuneIn users across the country. Accessibility of AM content also increases to over 200 connected devices that partner with TuneIn, including, but not limited to, Amazon Alexa; Google Home; Sonos and Bose speakers; all iPhones and Android-based phones; and Tesla, Fisker and VinFast electric vehicle integrations.” TuneIn CEO Rich Stern adds, “The future of AM Radio is on the top of all of our minds. TuneIn is committed to helping AM radio thrive in the digital world. It offers such a vast and rich library of audio programming that is integral to millions of Americans’ daily lives. Offering AM broadcasters the opportunity to digitize through TuneIn On Air for free is one way we can build a brighter future together.”
A story in WisBusiness profiles the new statewide radio network in Wisconsin called Civic Media whose goal is to “offer a ‘counterpoint’ to conservative talk radio while elevating local and state-level issues.” Company CEO Sage Weil – described as “a successful software developer and a major Dem donor in the state” tells the publication that the “ongoing erosion” of local media is an obstacle that needs to be overcome. He says, “Civic
Media’s mission is to refocus our attention on state and local issues, and we’re doing that by building a network across Wisconsin of hometown radio stations that are bringing as much local and state-based content to the airwaves as we possibly can.” The piece says that Civic Media has been acquiring radio stations, but it appears it is leasing at least some of them, such as WMDX-AM/W224EG, Madison “Mad Radio” which is owned by Good Karma Brands. Regardless, it is presenting programming on about a dozen stations with its eye on having about 20 stations in its network. Weil says the network is trying not to be positioned as liberal talk. “We don’t take sides as far as one political party over the other, except that our core values and mission … are around things like democracy, transparency and so on. It’s very difficult to be pro-democracy and not be voting for, you know, Democrats these days.” Read the whole story here.
iHeartMedia reveals operating results from the fourth quarter of 2022 and for the full year of 2022. The company says net revenue for Q4 was $1.12 billion, an increase of 6% over the same period in 2021, and full year net revenue for 2022 was $3.9 billion, up 10% over the previous year. The company reports net income of $80.6 million for Q4 of 2022 and a net loss of $262 million for the full year. iHeartMedia breaks its results into
three segments. The Multiplatform Group (including broadcast stations, networks and sponsorships & events) reports Q4 revenue of $732 million – a 0.9% increase over Q4 2021. Broadcast revenue grew $3 million, while Networks declined $5.5 million (4.1%). Revenue from Sponsorship and Events increased by $8.1 million (12.1%). The Digital Audio Group reports revenue of $301 million in Q4 of 2022 – up 10.2% 
over Q4 of ’21. Podcast revenue increased by $16.4 million (16.9%). The Audio & Media Services Group reports Q4 2022 revenue of $94.5 million – an increase of 44.3% over the same period in 2021. iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman says, “We are pleased to report another quarter of solid operating results for iHeart in consumer usage, revenue, and earnings growth. The fourth quarter was our best quarter for Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA – and on a full-year basis, in 2022 we generated the highest revenue and the second highest Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow year in iHeart’s history. Even in this continuing challenging and uncertain economic environment, we continue to make strong progress in our transformation of iHeart into a true multiplatform audio company – driven by innovation, supported by data and technology, and powered by the largest sales force in audio – and we are positioning iHeart to take advantage of the coming economic recovery.”
Conal Byrne, the CEO of iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group, spoke with Nilay Patel about the podcasting industry at TheVerge’s recent Hot Pod Summit. In the wide-ranging interview, Byrne says iHeartMedia’s structure with its radio group part of the Multiplatform Division and podcasting part of the Digital Audio Group does not limit how the two interact. “To be clear though, there’s a whole lot of fluidity between these segments.
One thousand or so of the sellers that I mentioned sit in the multi-platform group, and they certainly sell all the assets we have. We have this mantra at the company that ‘Any seller can sell anything any day of the week wherever they live and work,’ and that has rung pretty true. That’s driven most of our growth in podcasting over the last two, three, four years at the company.” He also credits iHeartMedia’s history as a radio company with educating him about how radio personalities have developed the art of conversation. “But I have learned firsthand and talked a lot about the extent to which broadcast radio talent has honed this craft of conversation over the last hundred years and certainly the last few decades, and the extent to which that has driven our medium, just sheer talent hitting the medium, but also with an awareness of the medium.” Read the full story here.