Search Results for: nights

Ratings Takeaways

October 2023 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part Three

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

imOctober 2023 PPM Data – Information for Nielsen Audio’s October 2023 PPM ratings period (September 14 – October 11) has been released for Portland, Charlotte, San Antonio, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Columbus.

The only requirement for a spoken-word station to be included here is that they be a Nielsen Audio subscriber – there are no share or rank thresholds.

NFL; NBA; and NHL team names of corresponding spoken-word flagship(s) are bolded.

DNA – DNA = Did Not Appear – Does Not Appear

Comparisons are September 2023 – October 2023 (6+).

PORTLAND

News/Talk

KXL 6.7 – 6.9, #3 – #3

KEX 1.4 – 1.7, #22 – #21

KUFO .7 – .7, #26 – #24

KPAM .1 – .1, #33 – #34

News

None

Sports Talk

KFXX 1.5 – 2.0, #21 – #18

KXTG 1.0 – 1.6, #23 – #22

KPOJ .4 – .7, #28 – #24 (Trailblazers)

KFXX Stream  .1 – .3, #33 – #28

KMTT .2 – .2, #30 – #31

Public Radio News/Talk

KOPB 6.3 – 5.9, #4 – #4

KOPB Stream  2.0 – 1.6, #18 – #22

CHARLOTTE

News/Talk

WBT-AM 5.2 – 5.3, #5 – #5

News

None

Sports Talk

WFNZ-FM 2.4 – 2.7, #14 – #13 (Hornets)

WSOC-HD3 .1 – .1, #26 – #26

Public Radio News/Talk

WFAE 5.2 – 4.0, #5 – #10

WNSC 1.0 – 1.2, #18 – #18

WFAE-HD3 .3 – DNA, #21 – #DNA  

Notes: Public Radio News/Talk WFAE’s -1.2 (5.2 – 4.0) represents Charlotte’s largest September 2023 – October 2023 decrease; classic rock WRFX is the flagship of the Carolina Panthers.

SAN ANTONIO

News/Talk

WOAI 2.6 – 2.8, #15 – #13 (Spurs)

KTSA 2.2 – 2.6, #19 – #15

News

None

Sports Talk

KTFM 1.3 – 1.7, #24 – #22

KTKR .9 – .7, #26 – #27

KZDC .2 – .2, #37 – #35

Public Radio News/Talk

KSTX 1.6 – 1.7, #21 – #22 

SACRAMENTO

News/Talk

KFBK-AM 10.1 – 8.2 #1 – #2

KSTE-AM 3.3 – 2.7, #12 – #13

News

None

Sports Talk

KHTK 1.1 – 1.3, #20 – #18 (Kings)

KIFM 1.0 – 1.2, #22 – #20

KIFM Stream  .1 – .1, #29 – #30 

Public Radio News/Talk

KXJZ 1.9 – 1.8, #15 – #15

KQEI .3 – .2, #27 – #27

KQED .3 – .1, #27 – #30

KUOP DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA

Note: News/Talk KFBK-AM’s -1.9 (10.1 – 8.2) represents Sacramento’s largest September 2023 – October 2023 decrease.

PITTSBURGH

News/Talk

KDKA-AM 4.0 – 3.8, #10 – #11

KDKA-AM Stream  .7 – .5, #22 – #23

News

None

Sports Talk

KDKA-FM 7.9 – 8.0, #3 – #3

KDKA-FM Stream  .4 – .2, #25 – #28

Public Radio News/Talk

WESA 4.1 – 4.2, #8 – #7

Note: The flagships of the Steelers and Penguins are rock WDVE and alternative WXDX, respectively.

SALT LAKE CITY

News/Talk

KSL-AM/FM 5.2 – 6.9, #5 – #2

KNRS-AM/FM 4.0 – 2.9, #9 – #15

KKAT .1 – .1, #29 – #29

News

None

Sports Talk

KALL 1.7 – 1.8, #22 – #20

KZNS-FM 1.1 – .8, #24 – #24 (Utah Jazz)

KZNS-AM .4 – .5, #27 – #26 (Utah Jazz)

KZNS-FM Stream  .1 – .1, #29 – #29 (Utah Jazz)

KZNS-AM Stream  .1 – .1, #29 – #29 (Utah Jazz)

KOVO .1 – .1, #29 – #29

Public Radio News/Talk

KUER 2.5 – 2.2, #17 – #19

KBYU-HD2 Stream  .5 – .5, #26 – #26

KUMT .4 – .1, #27 – #29    

Note: News/Talk KSL-AM’s +1.7 (5.2 – 6.9) represents Salt Lake City’s largest September 2023 – October 2023 increase; conversely, similarly-formatted KNRS-FM’s -1.1 (4.0 – 2.9) is tied for the market’s largest September 2023 – October 2023 decrease. 

LAS VEGAS

News/Talk

KMXB-HD3 1.9 – 1.6, #18 – #22

KXNT .6 – .5, #28 – #29

KMZQ .1 – .1, #36 – #36

News

None

Sports Talk

KWWN .9 – 1.0, #27 – #27

KENO .3 – .5, #32 – #29

KRLV .3 – .3, #32 – #32 (Raiders)

KKGK .2 – .3, #35 – #32 (Golden Knights)

Public Radio News/Talk

KNPR 1.2 – 1.4, #26 – #23

ORLANDO

News/Talk

WTKS 4.6 – 3.9, #8 – #10

WDBO 3.4 – 3.5, #12 – #13

WFLF 1.0 – .9, #21 – #19

WFYY-HD3 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA

News

None

Sports Talk

WYGM 1.1 – .7, #20 – #22 (Magic)

WOCL-HD2 DNA – .1, DNA – #28

Public Radio News/Talk

WMFE 2.4 – 2.2, #15 – #15

CINCINNATI

News/Talk

WLW 13.9 – 13.5, 21st consecutive month at #1 (Bengals)

WKRC 4.6 – 5.4, #6 – #5

News

None

Sports Talk

WCKY 1.6 – 1.9, #18 – #18 (Bengals)

WSAI .6 – 1.0, #22 – #20

Public Radio News/Talk

WVXU 3.6 – 3.2, #9 – #11

CLEVELAND

News/Talk

WTAM 6.1 – 5.5, #7 – #10 (Cavaliers)

News

WMMS-HD2 DNA – .1, DNA – #24

Sports Talk

WKRK 5.1 – 5.9, #10 – #8  (Browns)

WKRK Stream  .8 – .9, #17 – #18 (Browns)

WARF .3 – .2, #20 – #23

Public Radio News/Talk

WKSU 4.9 – 5.9, #11 – #8

WKSU-HD4 .1 – DNA, #22 – DNA   

Note: Public Radio News/Talk WKSU’s +1.0 (4.9 – 5.9) represents Cleveland’s largest September 2023 – October 2023 increase.

KANSAS CITY

News/Talk

KMBZ-FM 5.1 – 5.5, #4 – #4

KCMO-AM 1.0 – 1.6, #20 – #17

KMBZ-AM 1.2 – 1.2, #19 – #21

KMBZ-FM Stream  .9 – .9, #22 – #22

KCMO-AM Stream  .1 – .2, #30 – #26

KMBZ-FM HD2 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA

News

None

Sports Talk

KCSP 3.1 – 3.1, #13 – #14

KCSP Stream  .6 – .4, #23 – #23

Public Radio News/Talk

KCUR 3.2 – 3.2, #12 – #13

KANU-HD2 .1 – DNA, #30 – DNA

Note: Country WDAF is the flagship of the Chiefs.

COLUMBUS

News/Talk

WTVN 7.3 – 7.5, #4 – #4    

News

None

Sports Talk

WBNS-FM 7.9 – 8.6, #2 – #2 (Blue Jackets)

WBNS-AM DNA – .1, DNA – #21 (Blue Jackets)

WMNI .1 – .1, #22 – #21

Public Radio News/Talk

WOSU 4.5 – 3.9, #8 – #9

Up next: October 2023 overviews for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; Providence; Norfolk; Jacksonville; West Palm Beach; Greensboro; Memphis; and Hartford.

Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com

Industry News

Talk Host Ian Freeman Sentenced After Bitcoin Money Laundering Conviction

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Ian Freeman (below, left), the co-founder of the independent, nationally syndicated talk radio show “Free Talk Live,” was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted in federal court of laundering $10 million in what the feds called “romance scams and other internet fraud.” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young states, “The defendant’s criminal conduct devastated many vulnerable people. Dozens of victims were identified during the investigation. Many of them lost their life’s savings by way of Freeman’s bitcoin moneyim laundering scheme. The Court recognized that an important part of this sentence was for the defendant to provide restitution to the victims. In financial crimes cases such as this, providing restitution to victims is one of the highest priorities of the U.S. Department of Justice and this Office.” Free Talk Live co-founder Mark Edge (right) tells TALKERS magazine, “It was a sad day for ‘Free Talk Live’ yesterday. Ian, our co-founder, received eight years in prison, followed by two on probation and a $40,000 fine. Restitution and forfeiture are as yet to be determined but will likely be six figures. Ian maintains his innocence but was taken into custody following sentencing. We were prepared for this possibility, as much as we could be. ‘Free Talk Live’ will go on seven nights a week from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm ET.” See the U.S. Attorney’s Office press release here.

Industry News

FNC Expands Mark Levin’s Weekend Program

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

FOX News Channel is adding another weekend program starring talk media personality Mark Levin. Levin has been hosting his “Life, Liberty & Levin” program on Sunday evenings at 8:00 pm ET and will nowim add a Saturday edition of the program that will also air at 8:00 pm ET. FNC EVP of primetime programming Meade Cooper says, “Since joining the network in 2017, Mark has provided our audience with thought-provoking analysis on America’s core values and their impact on current events. We are looking forward to expanding his popular show to two nights a week.” Levin comments, “It’s an honor to join the other outstanding hosts on Saturday in bringing the most intelligent, informative and entertaining programming to the nation. Thank you to our loyal audience and FOX News.”

Industry News

MIW and McVay Media Announce “Behind the Mic” Mentoring Program

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc and McVay Media announce the “Behind the Mic Mentorship”im program designed specifically to support the growth and evolution of women on-the-air. The “Behind The Mic Mentorship” program is a year-long experience exclusively for female personalities that have been in an on-air position for at least three to five years in local or national radio programming and have demonstrated a desire to grow their on-air career. The selected mentee will receive personalized conversations and advice from a wide range of industry professionals including two of radio’s top stars – national radio and television personality and Gracie Award winner Elaina D. Smith of “Nights with Elaina,” and WLTW, New York morning personality Christine Nagy. The mentorship is available to one female on-air personality from any U.S. based music format. Applications can be found here.

Industry News

KIRO-FM, Seattle Announces New Midday and Evening Shows

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Bonneville International announces that after an extended search, it is announcing the addition of two new programs to the lineup at news/talk KIRO-FM, Seattle “Newsradio, 97.3 FM.” After the untimely death of early afternoon host Dori Monson in late 2022, KIRO-FM welcomes Jack Stine (below left) and Spike O’Neill (below right) as permanentim hosts of the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm program, effective Monday (8/14). They have been the interim hosts since February. Additionally, Jake Skorheim has assumed hosting duties for the evening program “KIRO Nights.” Skorheim was the producer for the Dori Monson show from 2009 through 2016. Bonneville Seattle director of news and talk improgramming Bryan Buckalew says, “I’m thrilled about these new shows, and I hope our audience will be too. Listeners can expect dynamic conversations based on the top news stories of the day, keeping our community informed and entertained. Jack and Spike have good chemistry and a keen sense of humor. They do a great job of blending informative discussions with lighthearted banter. In an era marked by divisiveness, Jack and Spike emphasize common ground over polarizing debates. Their show demonstrates the power of dissecting complex issues rather than simply magnifying superficial differences.” Buckalew adds, “I couldn’t be more excited to have Jake back in the building. He is thoughtful, creative, and has a great sense of humor. I look forward to listening as Jake develops his distinct voice and builds an audience across a diverse range of digital platforms.”

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Does Your Station Sound “On-Vacation?”

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imBy 2009, I had been making my living consulting and coaching talk hosts for 14 years, but I myself had not yet hosted a talk show. Like Rush Limbaugh before he went-talk, I had lots of on-air time under my belt as a music DJ. And that same skill set contributes to talk radio success: “Play the hits” (topics) and convert Cume to AQH (technique).

This month and next, when so many take vacation time, guest-hosts are often local somebodies who are not career broadcasters and don’t share our second-nature performance routines. For their benefit, these tips, based on my experience on both sides of the mic:

My hosting debut was “The Jim Bohannon Show.” And Jimbo told me I was only the third person to ever guest-host, after Joan Rivers and Chris Matthews jump-started their broadcast careers there. But, to these listeners, who-the-heck was I? Lacking the back-story of an A-list comedian or former presidential speechwriter, I simply told the truth, saying, “I’m Jim’s pal, Holland Cooke” as I quickly invited callers into the hour’s topic or teed up the guest. I had promised myself I would avoid “The Sitting-In For Rush Syndrome:” unscripted monologue about myself and blah-blah-blah until the first break. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison – himself a well-traveled guest host – recommends nonchalance and warns against, “It’s such an honor to be here!”

So, if you’re filling-in, that’s Tip #1: Cut to the chase. Don’t devalue the show by committing lots of time explaining that the familiar host is away and who you are. Tee-up what the show is about this hour… why it matters to those listening… how they will benefit from not wandering-off when they hear a stranger… and how to join-in.

im

Demonstrating this technique when “FOX Across America” host Jimmy Failla is off: my long-suffering client Paul Gleiser. His day job is owning KTBB, Tyler-Longview, Texas; and his side hustle is guest-hosting Jimmy’s show, which he’s done a half-dozen times this month. Understanding Tip #2: You’re a guest in someone’s home, Paul asked Jimmy for advice. Always in-character, Failla quipped “Drive it like you stole it!” So Gleiser is all about call count, teeing-up TWO tempting propositions, one topical, the other a softer “Bonus Question.” As I write this, he’s asking, “Which Democrat do we [Republicans] want to run-against in 2024?” and – as new employment numbers are announced – “The WORST job you ever had?” Callers are telling stories.

That’s Tip #3: Invite callers. Admittedly, my debut was a snap, with Jimbo’s show on 500-plus stations. But later, when then-PD Bill White had me do three nights on WBT, Charlotte, he texted me after my first hour to say that I had taken more calls that hour than other hosts get-around-to in a week. In a recession, I asked if callers were “Seeing ‘green shoots’ of recovery?” and “The best car you ever owned?” They all told stories about both. “DON’T beg for callers,” Harrison says. And bring more than just your voice, i.e., guests and sound bites from news feeds. Gleiser: “Prep like the phone is broken.”

 Tip #4: Invite participation multiple ways. Many listeners would rather text than call. Do so and you’ll sound accessible and at-the-speed-of-life. And follow @smerconish to see how (effectively) he polls listeners via social media.

Tip #5: “Know what the show was about yesterday,” Gleiser urges, because political topics tend to change little day-to-day. Avoid this trap: The guest host’s outspoken narrative is a point that’s already been talked-to-death BUT this is HIS shot on a big show, so this is HIS turn to me-too the unison. Better approach: Come up with a new wrinkle; like Paul’s aforementioned “Who [Democrat] do we [Republicans] have the best chance of beating in 2024?”

 Tip #6: Empower callers, by asking their FEELINGS, rather than asking for facts or their expertise. They’re not experts. Instead, use The Magic Words (“you” and “your”): “Should you be fined for installing or replacing your gas stove?” Or empower them with access to a guest they can Q+A about matters that matter to their lives. When the fill-in host is “a somebody” – the mayor or an athlete or an expert – the host him/herself is an opportune topic. As we say when inviting calls to hosts who broker weekend airtime: “The lawyer is in, the meter is off.”

Tip #7: Establish a relationship with the producer “BEFORE the show” Gleiser advises: “Don’t just show up.” Ascertain who-does-what. In some cases, the producer will have booked guests and may suggest or assign call-in topics. Or – in Jimmy Failla speak – you’re driving, if the producer is simply call-screening and running-the-board (which you should NOT attempt if you’re not an experienced broadcaster or if you are unfamiliar with this particular station’s set-up).

Tip #8: Keep re-setting – succinctly, “matter-of-factly” as Michael Harrison puts it — introducing yourself and your guest-or-topic — when you’re going-into and coming-out-of breaks, and at the beginning of each hour. Why: Listeners are constantly tuning-in.

Tip #9: Always and only announce the call-in number immediately after you tell them WHY to call. Most common mistake I hear, even from experienced hosts: They give-out the phone number at the very beginning of the show or hour or segment, then (eventually) they tell you why to call, possibly minutes later (an eternity in live radio). So, they’re haunted by those dreaded “regulars” who already have the number memorized. Make announcing the number the punch line, whether you’re asking opinions on topic du jour or offering access to a guest they’ll want to interact with. ‘Seems like a little thing, but this can make a big difference in how popular you make the station sound.

Tip #10: “Be a convenience to the station,” not high maintenance. Harrison: “If you’re a diva they won’t ask you back.”

Tip #11: Afterward, give it a listen. If you do this for a living, wait a week, so you hear your work with fresh ears. Not a broadcaster? Was there a segment worth sharing on your blog or via social media? Did you or a guest explain something real useful? On Twitter, link to an audio clip of “Pet Pro Dr. Donna Johnson’s tips for helping your critters keep their cool during a long, hot summer,” so you’re useful to those who weren’t listening live. For LOTS of clicks and shares, include pictures of cuddly kittens and puppies.

Tip #12: If you are a career broadcaster, “always be available (and prepared) on short notice,” Michael Harrison recommends. 😉

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins;“and Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry News

CORRECTION: New Jersey 101.5 to Continue Talk at Night

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Yesterday (7/5), in our story about the staffing cuts at Townsquare Media’s WKXW-FM, Trenton “New Jersey 101.5,” TALKERS magazine reported that Eric Potts is replacing Steve Trevelise in evenings and would play music. Station PD Anne Gress tells TALKERS the evening show will remain live and dedicated to talk (Monday through Thursday as Friday nights belong to Big Joe Henry). Gress adds the evening show will feature various hosts including Eric Potts, Michele Pilenza, and Jeff Edelstein plus some new voices to cover the night daypart for the time being.

Industry News

Townsquare Media Cuts Three at “New Jersey 101.5”

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Townsquare Media cuts three positions at news/talk WKXW-FM, Trenton “New Jersey 101.5.” The company lets night talk personality Steve Trevelise go, along with news staffers David Matthau and Vin Ebenau. Station program director Anne Gress tells TALKERS magazine that the evening show will remain live andim dedicated to talk (Monday through Thursday as Friday nights belong to Big Joe Henry). Gress adds the evening show will feature various hosts including Eric Potts, Michele Pilenza, and Jeff Edelstein plus some new voices to cover the night daypart for the time being.

 

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Hearing is Believing

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Every time I visit a station, I meet with sales, and I leave ’em a thumb drive of “spots that have produced results elsewhere, for businesses just like yours,” magic words on local direct retail sales calls. Help yourself to these, all of which produced results.

— Key Lending Solutions and AdvantaClean demonstrate using unscripted client interview sound bites and minimal announce copy.

— Here’s a straight pitch I wrote for the guy who maintains my home water system.

— When local retailers are defending against lower-cost big box competitors, local radio can be their best friend. Here’s a spot I produced that differentiates based on service.

— Here’s the spot that had been airing when the client said “It’s not working.” I asked the rep: “Can we make it a 60 instead of a 30?” And I asked her to send me the jingle, and to interview the client and his customers on her smartphone, and send me the raw audio. Here’s the spot that got the advertiser to renew.

— Here are two spots I wrote for a tech retailer, one pitching convenience/security systems, the other pitching Home Theater.

Sure…A-B-C, “Always Be Closing.” But successful reps I’ve seen in action make that first call the C-N-A, “Client Needs Assessment,” 20 questions, ideally capturing the interview audio for use as you hear above. And they begin the second call saying, “Based on what you told me…” and hit Play.

Some things are easier to demonstrate than describe. And if you’re on-air talent who also sells, you are advantaged.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins;” and “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books.  Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

The House Judiciary Committee to hold a field hearing in New York in connection with Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecution of former President Donald Trump; the beginning of the Dominion Voting vs FOX News trial is continued to Tuesday suggesting a possible settlement; the deadly shootings in Biloxi, Kansas City, Louisville and Dadeville, Alabama; the aftermath of the leaked classified Pentagon documents; large groups of youths cause chaos and overwhelm police during three consecutive Teen Takeover nights in Chicago; Anheuser-Busch launches patriotic ad campaign after Dylan Mulvaney Bud Light protests; G-7 diplomats are critical of Chinese, Russian, and North Korean aggression; and scrutiny of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ financial reports were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Baseball Bonanza, Part 2

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Joe Pags - Talkers MagazineIn last week’s column, we outlined the playbook for selling radio’s 2023 baseball season. This week, how smart stations leverage the franchise to build Time Spent Listening.

Plan now to OWN the games

They’re also on SiriusXM, where you can decide which team’s feed you want to hear. And “The MLB is back on TuneIn, and this year TuneIn Premium is the destination for all things baseball. With a Premium plan, listeners get access to live play-by-play of every single game — with no blackouts.” Here in New England the NESN 360 app, “in partnership with the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Bruins and Major League Baseball,” $30 per month, “with a first-month promotional price of $1.”

So – post-exclusivity – what’s an AM/FM affiliate to do?

— Goal: Be KNOWN FOR having the games, by embracing the team. Waving the flag conspicuously, regardless of where fans hear it, can score you diary credit. Don’t quote me.

— During Spring Training, I’m wary of airing games Mon-Fri 6A-7P. But nights and weekends, why not? It’s conspicuous, also useful in diary markets, where ratings measure what’s NOTICED. And, hey, in March, every team is in first place.

— Can you go to Arizona or Florida? Admittedly not-inexpensive but ask your team network about Spring Training packages and arrangements. Some stations bring advertisers who commit early, hosted by the rep who sold the most.

— As Opening Day approaches, count-it-down in your on-hour ID. Then…

Graphics - Logo

 

Avoid the banana syndrome

 Use baseball to recycle audience in and out of games.

— Dumbest-thing-I-hear-most-often on baseball stations: During the game, when the network calls for a station ID, the station announces that it’s “your [name-of-team] station. Ugh. It’s like printing the word “banana” on the yellow peel.

— Your station’s on-hour ID – in any hour – is beachfront property. It’s where you sign your name, where you explain yourself to listeners you’ve trained to “check-in for a quick FOX News update, every hour, throughout your busy day.” Games invite listeners who might not otherwise cume your station, so use those 10 seconds to tell them why/when to come back for something else useful.

— “CATCH-up when you WAKE-up, with a quick morning update and your AccuWeather forecast, on your ONLY local news radio, [dial positions, call letters, city of license].” Opportune, since the game might be the last thing they near at night.

— Then in NON-game hours, use top-of-hour to wave the flag. Plug team-and-time of the next game you’ll air.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books; and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry News

WLS-AM, Chicago to Air Larry Kudlow Sunday Evening Show

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Cumulus Media’s Chicago news/talk WLS-AM is launching a new Sunday night talk radio show hosted by Larry Kudlow who – in addition to his previous media experience served as Director of the National Economic Council of the United States during the Trump administration from 2018-2021. “The Larry Kudlow Show” debutsLarry Kudlow - Public Relations on February 5 from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm. WLS says, “In the weekly one-hour show, Kudlow shares with 890 WLS-AM listeners his perspective on the state of the markets, the economy, and politics. An unapologetic supporter of capitalism and free markets, he shares his insight and expertise to better navigate tomorrow’s evolving economic and political terrain.” Kudlow also currently hosts the FOX Business television show “Kudlow” weeknights from 4:00 pm-5:00 pm ET and is the host of “The Larry Kudlow Show” on WABC, New York, heard Saturdays from 10:00 am-1:00 pm. WLS program director Stephanie Tichenor says, “We are delighted to welcome back to 890 WLS-AM, a listener favorite, Larry Kudlow. Larry’s financial expertise will be a perfect addition to our weekend lineup.”

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Baseball Bonanza

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Joe Pags - Talkers MagazineAs The Beatles sang, “It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter.” Baseball – even Spring Training while it’s still chilly in March – says “Here Comes the Sun.” That’s what baseball means… to listeners.

To local advertisers, it’s an opportunity for The Little Guy to sound big. In the words of one GM – who has made a pile of money selling baseball – “It’s ego and envy.”

Sales: It’s a thing, not a number

 The sponsorship package cannot be quantified on a-cost-per-ANYTHING basis. It’s not “efficient” in agency terms, but baseball is powerful “reputation appropriation.” Translation: Advertisers can tell the world they’re big-enough for baseball.

— The rapid-response plumber, the roofing repair guy, and the lumber yard or hardware store or any independent local retailer slugging-it-out against big box competitors can be part of the Astros or the Braves or the Cardinals or the Dodgers or the Rangers or the Giants brand.

— Low-hanging fruit: Prospects who are, personally, fans. For decades, we’ve been telling reps at conservative talk stations to pitch businesses that fly big American flags. So which local retailers do you know to be baseball fanatics?

— Milk the value-added stuff affiliates get. Include some tickets in the package. Take ‘em to a game and bring ‘em up to the broadcast booth for a selfie with the radio team. Can you rent a sky box for a game and throw a client party?

— Make a list of guys-who-own-guy-stuff businesses. Home improvement and auto repair have always been opportune.

— Second and third-generation retailers might family-feud about other things. But grandfather AND father AND son can agree on this expenditure lots quicker than you can get consensus about a ROS spot package on “Kiss” or “Lite” or “Magic.”

— Baseball is a high-affinity branding opportunity. I don’t know when I will need to buy a tire…because nails lurk. But I already know where I’ll buy it, because they advertise in Red Sox games. And get this! All year long, that particular advertiser says, in all his commercials, in a thick Boston accent, “You go, Red Saux!”

— Warm list: Who’s advertising on stadium signage? That’s an ego clue. But it’s just branding. Radio can add-value to that expense by “telling your story,” and adding a call-to-action.

— Baseball = beer, so prospect DUI defense attorneys, and auto body shops. 😉

— Reps: You’re not calling from KXXX. You’re calling from Padres Radio. The team logo is in your email and sales material.

— Way-back-when: As Mickey Mantle launched one into the cheap seats, Mel Allen would proclaim it “another Ballentine Blast!” Back to the future: I’ve been at games where everyone there got a free something because the team did such-and-such. Can you invent a cool feature for local sponsorship? Every listener who says they heard ___ gets free ____ the next day.

IMPORTANT: Update copy as the season progresses. This is a franchise, not plug-N-play programming that babysits nights and weekends. Nothing says auto-pilot and disserves clients like spots and promos that crow “Baseball is back!” in July.

I was the Motor-Mouth Manager

War story: I programmed WTOP, Washington in the 1980s, long before there were Washington Nationals. We were your Orioles Baseball Station; and I was managing a union shop…but I ended up joining AFTRA because our announcers were newscasters who couldn’t say “Mid-Atlantic Milk Marketing Association” as rapidly as I, an ex-1970s Top 40 DJ.

— So – believe it or not – the company paid my initiation fee. And every time there was a change in that 65 seconds-of-copy-crammed-into the 60-second opening billboard that ticked-off all the sponsors, I got ‘em all in, and I got $10-something in my Pension & Welfare Fund. Sweet. But I digress…

— To OUR ear, that whole word salad sounds hellishly rushed. But to ADVERTISERS, it’s like having your caricature on the wall at the see-and-be-seen steak house. Every business named there is a someone, associated with everyone else there. They’re part of a local Orioles or Mariners or Mets Baseball Who’s Who. And everyone who isn’t isn’t.

— I’ve been on calls with reps closing baseball packages because “It’s worth it just for the promos!” So, include sponsor mentions in ROS promos.

— That said, sell enough in-game frequency to be heard. Two or three spots per game won’t be.

Next week: Avoiding the most common error I hear baseball stations make.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books; and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Front Page News Industry News

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

WPHT, Philadelphia Midday Star Dom Giordano is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. The “Dean of Philadelphia Talk Radio,” Dom Giordano is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Giordano is a former public school teacher considered one of the media’s leading advocates for education and activists for education reform. He has also been an outspoken voice of reason in the conversation about Philadelphia’s alarming crime, drug and homelessness problems. Harrison and moderate conservative Giordano take a deep-dive into these topics in addition to discussing fascinating post-midterms Pennsylvania politics as well as the strong possibility that the GOP and news/talk radio are approaching a major fork in the road regarding their support of baggage-laden Donald Trump versus rising new Republican stars such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation! To listen to the podcast in its entirety please click here.

Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 177)

 

Skippy Leaves KMJ-AM/FM Fresno After Three Years Co-Hosting Afternoons. The Fresno Bee reports that Frances Echeverria – a.k.a. Skippy (right) – has left Cumulus Media’s news/talk KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno. After leaving alternative rock KFRR-FM’s morning show in 2019, she joined KMJ-AM/FM to host the afternoon drive show alongside Philip Teresi (left). But on Friday (11/11), she announced that she’s retiring from radio. She told her audience, “The station has meant more for me personally that I can ever explain.” Echeverria called the change a lifestyle change, as much as a career change. The Bee notes that she wrote in a post on the website, “I didn’t want to do radio anymore. It wasn’t that it was bad. In fact, the chemistry with my partner was continually evolving into something better. I had good bosses. I felt like I was making a difference, whatever that means. Working there made me smarter. And yet I was done. Deep in my heart and down in my soul. Done.” Echeverria also works as a therapist and is a professor at Fresno State.

Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 178)

 

FOX News Media Extends Deal with Mark Levin. Talk media personality Mark Levin and FOX News Media agree to an extension of Levin’s current multi-year deal in which he’ll remain host of “Life, Liberty & Levin” that airs Sunday nights at 8:00 pm ET on FOX News Channel. Levin says, “FOX News Channel and I are extending my show. Suzanne Scott trusted that I could do a show and I want to thank her and her team and all the folks in between who’ve supported this. I want to thank you. I want to thank FOX. I want to thank my family.” FOX News Media says “Life, Liberty & Levin” is the second highest-rated cable news program on weekends, averaging 1.7 million viewers on Sundays at 8:00 pm for 2022 to date. “With Levin at its helm, the show’s total audience almost triples CNN’s programming in the timeslot and nearly quadruples MSNBC’s total and A25-54 demo viewership. In October 2022, the program earned 1.6 million viewers and 127,000 in the demo, making it the number one program in weekend primetime programming.”

WNYC Produces Podcast Series Titled ‘The Divided Dial’ That Focuses on Salem Media Group. The latest news organization to present a report on news/talk radio is WNYC. In this case, the project from WNYC Studio’s On The Media is a five-part podcast titled, “The Divided Dial,” that “charts the growth of broadcasting company Salem Media Group.” WNYC says Salem is “a once small, conservative Christian radio network that quietly expanded their reach in far-right media through the hard to monitor, difficult to fact check, and minimally scrutinized medium of talk radio. With holdings of over 100 radio stations (many in the top 25 markets) and shows syndicated to over 3,000 stations across the country, the series uncovers how Salem exerts influence behind many conservative figures in America — while receiving considerably less media attention than other far-right news sources. The series also puts Salem’s growth in the context of nearly nine decades of radio history, illuminating how conservative dominance of the airwaves was aided by long-term regulatory erosion and strategic pressure from the right.” The project is reported and hosted by Katie Thornton and includes conversations with scholars, journalists, and media experts, as well as a “rare on-the-record” interview with Salem SVP Phil Boyce. You can find the first podcast in the series here.

Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 179)

 

LABF Celebrates ‘Industry Trailblazers’ at ‘Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts’ Event. The 2022 Library of American Broadcasting Foundation’s “Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts” event took place last night (11/15) at Gotham Hall in New York. The annual event was hosted by ABC News’ “Nightline” co-anchor Juju Chang and celebrated “distinguished individuals who have – for the past century – been the creators, innovators, journalists, leaders, performers, and producers that have brought the electronic arts to the prominence they occupy in the United States and the world today, and who have set the stage for the future.” Net proceeds from the event will benefit the Library of American Broadcasting collection located at the University of Maryland and support LABF awards for students and scholarly works about the history of broadcasting and their impact on American society and culture. Pictured above are: (standing, l-r) Chang; Jack Goodman, LABF co-chair; Adam Symson, president & CEO, E.W. Scripps; Bob Pittman, chairman & CEO, iHeartMedia; Pete Williams, justice correspondent, NBC News (ret.); Sean McManus, chairman, CBS Sports; Joyce Tudryn, IRTS president & CEO; Heidi Raphael, LABF co-chair; Fareed Zakaria, CNN anchor, author, columnist, The Washington Post; (sitting l-r) Alex Prud’homme; Deb McDermott, CEO, Standard Media Group; S. Epatha Merkerson, actress; and Bud Walters, president, Cromwell Media. Photo: Wendy Moger-Bross

TALKERS News Notes. A new content distribution deal between VSiN, The Sports Betting Network and Gow Media will put VSiN’s longform sports betting shows and Brent Musburger’s one minute “Action Updates” on Gow Media’s SportsMap network. VSiN says it expects the deal to more than double its terrestrial radio affiliates. Gow Media CEO David Gow says, “We are thrilled to be working with VSiN. VSiN has set the standard for sports gambling content. Through this content distribution deal, we will bring together some of the most influential personalities in sports radio to entertain and inform our combined audiences.” VSiN founder and CEO Brian Musberger adds, “David Gow has created a powerhouse in the U.S. radio industry, and we couldn’t be more excited to be his choice to deliver real-time sports betting news, analysis and insights to the growing SportsMap radio audience.”…..CNN Audio announces that Matt Martinez joins the network as showrunner for “The Assignment with Audie Cornish” – CNN’s newest weekly podcast premiering tomorrow (11/17). Previously, Martinez was a senior producer at On Being Studios, producing radio shows and podcasts for “On Being with Krista Tippett.” He was also the director of content at KNKX Public Radio in Tacoma.

Colorful Radio Station Owner Michael Zwerling Announces That He Is Offering Heritage Talker KSCO, Santa Cruz for Sale. According to an extensive article published by the Times Publishing Group, Inc. of California’s Central Coast (and an advertising campaign in TALKERS) legendary broadcasting industry owner and personality Michael “MZ” Zwerling is offering KSCO and associated properties for sale after a 31-year stint at the operation’s helm. The article states, Michael Zwerling has been in love with KSCO since he was a high school kid broadcasting Santa Cruz High On The Air in the mid-1960s. As the station owner since 1991, he’s created a radio station that’s a voice for pretty much everyone. But now, at 71 — his birthday was Nov. 9 — he has a new love in his life, Amy Hao, co-host of the “China Watch” show on KSCO and a veteran traveler, and he wants to spend his time traveling with her. The couple, who met in 2019, are “totally into free speech,” Zwerling said. They recently returned from a two-week safari in Africa. “Amy’s not happy unless she’s traveling, and she wants to take me to all these places,” Zwerling said. That’s why he’s looking for a buyer for KSCO 1080 AM and its FM translators, along with sister station KOMY 1340, and the one-acre of flat land at 2300 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz, overlooking Corcoran Lagoon. The asking price is $1.5 million cash for the two radio stations and the broadcasting business. The asking price is $6 million cash for the property, which includes the Art Deco studio building, garage, parking lot, concrete event patio, plus the three broadcast towers in the lagoon, which give the 10-kilowatt station the power of a 50-kilowatt station on dry land, according to Zwerling. To read the entire story, please click here. Photo: KSCO GM Michael Olson standing in front of KSCO’s historic Art Deco studios along Silicon Beach in Santa Cruz, CA. Times Publishing Group.

Trump Announces ’24 Bid, Midterms Aftermath, The Economy/FTX Collapse, Immigration, Abortion, Biden-Xi Meeting, G-20/Russia-Ukraine War, Trump Org Trial, and NASA’s Artemis Launches Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/15). Former President Donald Trump announces his run for president in 2024; the aftermath of the midterm elections, including the Republicans’ expected control over the U.S. House and Rick Scott’s challenging Mitch McConnell as top Republican in the U.S. Senate; the rate of inflation, concerns about a recession, and the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX; a judge halts the use of Title 42 to expel migrants from the U.S.; Georgia’s strict abortion ban is struck down in court; the meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping; the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia and its condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; former Trump Org CFO Allen Weisselberg testifies at the company’s fraud trial; and NASA launches its Artemis rocket that re-boots the U.S. moon program were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

 

The Radio Sales Arena is Changing and We Are On the Leading Edge. The key to sales growth in radio going forward is multi-platform digital marketing. In the coming decade, “radio” will simply be the engine driving an increasingly complex and sophisticated array of digitally powered platforms creating endless packages and options for the advertiser. The keys to success will be in branding that cuts through the noise and surgical targeting that delivers optimum efficiency for agencies that know exactly what they want. The Salem Media Group is leading the way and the opportunities for our sales team are endless. But, right now, we need that special individual who has the tools, the vision and the ambition to get it done. That one special person who truly “gets it.” Jerry Crowley, the longest-running GM in the nation’s largest market, says, “We want one outstanding seller who can take it to the moon! Compensation will reflect potential and performance – salary will range from 50k- 85k plus substantial bonuses and generous commissions.” Candidates should send cover letter and resume to Jerry Crowley, VP/GM, Salem Media Group, NY (WMCA 570am The Mission/WNYM 970am The Answer) at Jcrowley@nycradio.com.

Features

Remembering Overnight Sensation Jim Bohannon

By Editor | by Editor

By Mike Kinosian
TALKERS magazine
Managing Editor

 

LOS ANGELES — Talk radio’s tightknit community is reeling as it mourns the passing of one of the format’s genuine iconic stalwarts, Jim Bohannon, who has died at the age of 78.

“Class act” epitomized peerless communicator Bohannon, who – while enjoying the luxury of a national Westwood One platform – possessed a palpably authentic on-air style that enamored him to a huge, loyal following.

(more…)

Front Page News Industry News

Friday, November 11, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment (Series Finale) of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment and series finale of the one-hour weekend special, “The Michael Harrison Wrap,” that has looked back each week for the past three-and-a-half years at the hottest topics discussed in the American talk media per the research of TALKERS, is now posted. This new episode titled, “A House Divided,” reviews this past week of 11/7-11. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Dr. Murray Sabrin, professor emeritus of finance, Ramapo College, NJ; Harry Hurley, talk show host, WPG, Atlantic City, NJ; Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company; and Matthew B. Harrison, Esq., associate publisher, TALKERS/law professor, Springfield, MA. The show has been airing weekends (Friday evenings to Sunday nights) on 100-plus broadcast signals and networks across the U.S. and U.K as well as having developed a significant international following as a podcast. To listen to this week’s milestone episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS topic research, please click here.

LiveOne Reports Revenue for 2023 Fiscal Q2 Up 7.3%. Reporting its financial data for the second quarter of Fiscal 2023, LiveOne says consolidated revenue was $23.5 million – an increase of 7.3% over the same period in 2022 Fiscal Q2. LiveOne is the parent company of PodcastOne and the filing reveals that PodcastOne “posted record 1H Fiscal 2023 revenue of $17.2 million as U.S. unique monthly audience surpassed 6.7 million in September 2022.” LiveOne is planning to spin out PodcastOne as a separate, publicly traded company and expects to file an S-1 with the SEC by December 15. Returning to the company’s consolidated financial data, LiveOne posted a net loss of $3.4 million, a dramatic reduction from the net loss of $15.2 million it reported for second quarter of Fiscal 2022. LiveOne CEO and chairman Robert Ellin comments, “The momentum in LiveOne’s audio business, which includes Slacker Radio and PodcastOne, continues to experience growth of paid members through partnerships, including Tesla, as well as an increase in advertising and sponsorships. We expect our audio business to collectively achieve revenue in excess of $80 million in Fiscal 2023 and generate more than $16 million in Adjusted EBITDA. Over the past year, we have successfully reduced costs and overhead by an expected $25 million on an annual basis while focusing on the operating performance of our audio division. A significant part of our strategy is a decision to forgo any live tentpole and pay-per-view events until Fiscal 2024, which has resulted in a lowering of expected Fiscal 2023 revenue to between $100 million and $110 million. These measures will allow us to utilize our capital and resources to strengthen our balance sheet, buyback stock and focus on the growth of our profitable businesses.”

Christian Arcand Returns to WEEI, Boston to Produce PM Drive Show. Sports talk radio pro Christian Arcand – who was a casualty of the recent cuts at Beasley Media Group and served as an air personality at WBZ-FM, Boston “98.5 The Sports Hub” – joins Audacy’s WEEI-FM, Boston as producer of the “Merloni, Fauria & Mego” show and as host of the Saturday 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm program. Arcand originally served with WEEI first as co-host on the “Planet Mikey” show with Mike Adams and then hosted the “WEEI Late Night” program before joining WBZ-FM five years ago. Audacy Boston SVP and market manager Mike Thomas says, “Christian is a talented guy and a great team player. A lot of people in the building, including myself, have had the pleasure of working with him in the past. What he will bring to ‘Merloni, Fauria and Mego’ on and off the air will really help propel the show and the station forward.”

Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Host Election Event. Pictured above at Tuesday night’s midterm election night event in Nashville are Premiere Networks-syndicated personalities Clay Travis (right) and Buck Sexton (left) – hosts of “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). Travis and Sexton hosted the event for key advertisers, political guests and others. Among the special guests who attended the private event to watch the election results were: Premiere Networks-syndicated personality Jesse Kelly, Sen. Bill Hagerty, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, FOX News commentator and Outkick The Coverage host Tomi Lahren, country music star John Rich, former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler, among others.

Hillsdale College Produces Election Night Coverage. In the photo above, student broadcasters at Hillsdale College’s radio station WRFH-LPFM, Hillsdale, Michigan “Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM” present their live election night coverage on the station with a remote broadcast. The school says that more than 20 staffers were involved in some way during the evening, as they welcomed panels of fellow students, Hillsdale professors, candidates, reporters, and pundits to the airwaves. The event was open to the campus community and more than 200 people turned out to watch and listen.

KDWN, Las Vegas Hosts Election Night Special. In the Las Vegas market, KDWN talk host Steve Sanchez (right) presented election night coverage on the station that included contributions from GCN nationally syndicated talk host Dr. Daliah Wachs (center) and “Finding Common Ground” host Patrick Casale (left).

New York Festivals Welcomes Diego Cannizzaro to Radio Awards Advisory Board. The New York Festivals announces that DMC Studio owner Diego Cannizzaro is joining the NYF Radio Awards Advisory Board. New York Festivals Radio Awards vice president Rose Anderson says, “The 14-member Advisory Board panel is an international brain trust of innovative storytellers and industry executives whose expertise spans all genres of audio entertainment and journalism. Diego’s mastery of every aspect of his craft in works like ‘Madre’ and ‘Weightless’ brings emotions, memories, and sensations to his listening audiences. These insights and the Board’s essential guidance ensure that New York Festivals will continue to honor world-wide excellence across all platforms.” Cannizzaro’s DMC Studio is located in Buenos Aires and specializes in radio arts, sound stories, commercials, field recording, sound design and mixing. He is an industry pro known for award-winning work. He creates audiovisual productions for radio, TV, social networks, and movies. He comments, “I consider New York Festivals as an iconic common place, in a global level speaking. A meeting point for all who are really involved in storytelling in the media. Personally, it is an honor to be part of the Advisory Board with outstanding colleagues from all the media worldwide.”

NOT TOO LATE! Comrex Offers Talk Broadcasters Free Trial of Gagl Remote Contribution Service for Post-Election Programming. High-quality, remote contribution is a vital part of any live broadcast – and that’s especially true during election season. Comrex has provided talk radio hosts, reporters and sportscasters with great remote broadcasting tools for decades. Their Comrex ACCESS units have become a ubiquitous presence at political conventions, breaking news stories and anywhere broadcast-worthy things are happening. While Tuesday’s elections are in the rear-view mirror, post-election contribution to your station’s coverage of local and national races is still going strong and will for the foreseeable future. Those contributors need to be able to connect from remote locations at the drop of a hat. Often, reporters and contributors will call in from their remote locations on a mobile phone, which is a simple solution, but results in poor audio quality. Other reporters will have access to a remote audio codec, which provides excellent audio quality, but also requires some management from the engineering team. Gagl, the new remote contribution solution from Comrex, is the best of both worlds. According to the folks at Comrex, reporters and contributors can connect to the Gagl interface from a web browser on a smartphone or laptop, meaning it’s as easy as a phone call to get connected. Up to five reporters can be in a Gagl session at the same time. The Gagl session is connected to a Comrex IP audio codec in the studio, and so on-air hosts are able to talk with field reporters. Each reporter has their own mix-minus, and their audio is studio quality with very low delay, so quality isn’t sacrificed for simplicity. Gagl is a subscription-based service and it’s a first for Comrex. “It’s kind of a pivot for us,” Comrex director of sales, Chris Crump tells TALKERS. “Broadcasters are looking for easier, faster and less expensive ways to do their job. But quality and reliability are just as important,” says Crump. “Gagl uses a web browser on a smartphone or computer. It’s as easy as clicking a link to connect. But it connects to a Comrex IP Audio Codec back in the studio for reliability and greater stability. It sounds great and is designed to be dependable as Comrex customers would expect.” Anyone with an ACCESS or BRIC-Link codec can try Gagl free for two weeks by contacting Chris Crump at Comrex Corporation: chris@comrex.com. Office phone: 978-784-1776. Mobil phone. 404-610-5954. comrex.com

Politics and Midterm Elections Top News/Talk Story for Week of November 7 – 11, 2022. The politics surrounding the 2022 midterm elections and the races that will determine control of Congress for the next two years combined as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was former President Donald Trump’s position as a Republican kingmaker and his expected announcement he’ll run for president in 2024, followed by inflation and fears of a recession at #3. The Takers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s complete chart here.

 

 

KWAM, Memphis Seeks News/Talk Morning Host. Memphis news/talk outlet KWAM-AM “The Mighty 990” is looking for the next great talk show host in America. We have an immediate opening for a morning show host. Our host must have at least three years experience and must be well-versed on national, Tennessee and Memphis news. Send resumes and audio clips to todd@starnesmediagroup.com.

Front Page News Industry News

Friday, November 4, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment of the one-hour weekend special, “The Michael Harrison Wrap,” that looks back each week at the hottest topics discussed in American talk media per the research of TALKERS, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Trick or Tweet,” looks back at this past week of 10/31-11/4. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Dr. Murray Sabrin, professor emeritus of finance, Ramapo College, NJ; Mark Davis, talk show host, 660 AM The Answer, Dallas/Fort Worth; Bobbie Winston a.k.a. La Femme Bobbie, musician/artist/American ex-pat, Rio de Janeiro; Renee Kohanski, M.D., forensic psychiatrist/podcaster, Somerset, NJ; Matthew B. Harrison, Esq., associate publisher, TALKERS/law professor, Springfield, MA. The show airs weekends (Friday evenings to Sunday nights) on 100-plus broadcast signals and networks across the U.S. and U.K as well as having developed a significant international following as a podcast. To listen to this week’s episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS topic research, please click here.

iHeartMedia Q3 Revenue Up 7%. Reporting its financial data for the third quarter of 2022, iHeartMedia says revenue was $989 million, an increase of 7% over the same quarter a year ago. The company is also posting an operating loss of $211 million for the third quarter of 2022 compared to the operating income of $80 million it reported for Q3 of 2021. Additionally, iHeartMedia reports a net loss of almost $310 million compared to the net income of $3.6 million it posted in the third quarter of 2021. iHeartMedia breaks its operations into three segments. Third quarter results for those segments are as follows: the Multiplatform Group that includes its radio stations and program networks was basically flat with a revenue increase of 0.1% “as a result of increased political advertising revenue as 2022 is a midterm election year, partially offset by a decrease in revenue due to a more challenging macroeconomic environment. Broadcast revenue grew $2.1 million, or 0.4% year-over-year, driven by higher political advertising revenue and an increase in trade and barter revenue, partially offset by lower spot revenue, while Networks declined $(0.7) million, or 0.5% year-over-year.” The Digital Audio Group was up 23.4% on revenue of $254 million. This group’s revenue increased by $48.2 million compared to the prior year, “including growth from Digital, excluding Podcast revenue, which grew $21.1 million to $162.7 million, driven by increased demand for digital advertising as well as Podcast revenue which increased by $27.1 million to $91.3 million, driven by higher revenues from the development of new podcasts as well as growth from existing podcasts. Digital Audio Group revenue increased as a result of general increased demand for digital advertising and the growing popularity of podcasting.” And the Audio & Media Services Group was up 17.7% on revenue of $77.8 million. Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman says, “We’re pleased to report another quarter of solid operating results for iHeart, and our performance in the midst of the current climate of economic uncertainty is a strong indication of the successful transformation this company has undergone in which our high-growth digital revenues comprises 26% of total company revenues. Our Digital Audio Group continues to deliver industry-leading growth, and our Multiplatform Group has again demonstrated its resiliency during a difficult economic environment. We believe the strong positions of both of these groups with both consumers and advertisers give us the ability to both navigate through this period of economic uncertainty and position us for continued growth through the recovery and beyond.”

Salem Media Group Total Revenue Rises 1.3%. The company reports that its total revenue for the third quarter of 2022 was $66.9 million, an increase of 1.3% over the same period in 2021. Salem Media Group also reports an operating loss of $8.8 million compared to operating income of $15.8 million in Q3 of 2021, and a net loss of $11.9 million compared to the net income of $22.1 million is reported during the same period in 2021. Salem presents its financial data in three segments. The Broadcast segment reports revenue of $51.1 million, an increase of 3.1% over Q3 of 2021, Digital Media revenue was $10.2 million, down 4.3% from the third quarter of 2021, and Publishing revenue was $5.5 million, a decrease of 3.7% from the same period a year ago.

Round Four of October PPMs Released. The fourth and final round of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s October 2022 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. Nielsen’s October 2022 sweep covered September 15 – October 12. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In the Raleigh market, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WTKK-FM tacks on three-tenths to wrap the survey with a 9.1 share that puts it in the #1 spot, while Curtis Media Group’s news/talk WPTF sheds one-tenth for a 1.8 share finish to remain ranked #15. The top dogs in Milwaukee flip as iHeartMedia’s news/talk WISN adds a full share for a 10.6 share finish that lifts it from #2 to #1, while Good Karma Brands’ WTMJ loses 1.9 shares for an 8.1 share finish that drops it from #1 to #4. Cumulus Media’s news/talk WPRO-AM/WEAN-FM, Providence adds on nine-tenths for wrap the survey with a 6.4 share that lifts it from #6 to #5. And in Jacksonville, Cox Media Group’s WOKV-FM is up one-tenth to a 7.9 share good for the #3 rank in the market. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well as the previous three groups) here.

Comrex Unveils New BRIC-Link III Audio Codec. The company officially unveils BRIC-Link III – the newest addition to its popular BRIC-Link family of codecs. Comrex says there are more than 10,000 BRIC-Link codecs circulating world-wide, and BRIC-Link III is an updated version that takes advantage of the latest improvements in IP audio transmission technology. BRIC-Link III is a true codec, offering a full-duplex stereo encoder and decoder in each box. A jitter buffer manager is incorporated that automatically balances delay and stability, dynamically increasing and decreasing delay based on network performance. BRIC-link III offers a wide range of encoding algorithms including stereo and mono linear mode, FLAC modes, AAC/HE-AAC modes, Opus, G.722 and G.711. BRIC-Link III features a new, more powerful processor for improved reliability. It also features enhanced front panel indicators, including four buttons which will trigger contact closures by default and configurable for auto-connections to other Comrex IP audio codecs. BRIC-Link III is compatible with all other Comrex IP audio codecs, including the ACCESS codec line as well as older BRIC-Link models. BRIC-Link III also works with Gagl, a new service now available for purchase for audio contribution. Gagl turns any Comrex IP audio codec into a hub for up to five remote participants. Like other BRIC-Link codecs, BRIC-Link III includes CrossLock VPN technology, Comrex’s proprietary suite of reliability tools. In addition to bonding technology, CrossLock also includes a Redundancy Mode for mission-critical applications. BRIC-Link III can take advantage of HotSwap, meaning that users can set a 4G/5G modem as a backup connection to only be engaged when the primary internet fails, providing an extra layer of reliability. Customers can also choose to purchase an optional one-time license per codec to utilize SwitchBoard, a private server that Comrex maintains which allows for easy connections between IP codecs. You can get more information on this and other Comrex products here.

GAB Radio Talent Institute Returns to University of Georgia. The RAB’s National Radio Talent System announces the return of the GAB Radio Talent Institute at the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. The institute takes place in person May 15 – 24, 2023 thanks to sponsorship from The Georgia Association of Broadcasters. The talent incubator spans 10 days and is led by broadcast professionals that bring their real-world industry knowledge from around the state and country to educate students. RAB says that college students from universities throughout the state and region apply to be accepted into the GAB Radio Talent Institute. This provides an ideal networking pool for the students and a wide variety of potential interests within the classroom for industry professionals to identify and actively recruit from. Upon completion of the Institute, students can further their networking capabilities with the ability to access the National Radio Talent System’s Career Center. RAB president and CEO Erica Farber states, “We are delighted to have the GAB Radio Talent Institute make its return after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Collaborating with Bob Houghton and the Georgia Association of Broadcasters enables us to bring this world-class program to life in the southeast and further develop the next generation of broadcasters.”

TALKERS News Notes. Inside Towers’ Leslie Stimson writes an interesting piece about the FCC’s creation of a Space Bureau. Stimson writes that FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the move at the Satellite Industry Association meeting yesterday (11/3). “She said the growth of satellite broadband internet plays a big part in why the agency is making the move. ‘Ninety-eight percent of all satellite launches in 2021 were deployed into low-earth orbit to provide internet connectivity back here on Earth. They can help advance the FCC’s goals to connect everyone, everywhere,’ Rosenworcel said. ‘More than that, the success of these low-earth orbit communications satellites could be seen as an early litmus test for the broader commercialization of space.’” Read Stimson’s entire piece here…..Three Hillsdale College students have won national College Broadcasters, Inc. awards for their work with “Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM.” The awards were announced at the National Student Electronic Media Convention in Baltimore. Sophomore Lauren Smyth placed first in Best Newscast or Sportscast category for “Lauren Smyth News,” senior Josh Barker placed third in Best Hard News Reporting for his feature “The Policy Corner: Michigan Voting Laws,” and Rachel Kookogey (class of ’22) received both first and second place for two segments of her feature, “Sports Story Time.” WRFH general manager Scot Bertram says, “I’m very proud of our students for their well-deserved wins. It is great to see our students being recognized on the national level for their continued hard work and dedication.”…..SiriusXM announces its play-by-play coverage of the 2022-23 college basketball season that begins Monday (11/7). The opening night schedule features 24 teams from the men’s Associated Press Top 25, including defending national champion and #5-ranked Kansas facing Omaha and top-ranked North Carolina, coming off their 12th National Championship appearance, hosting UNC Wilmington…..Host Bethenny Frankel, the most successful business mogul to emerge from “The Real Housewives” franchise, and iHeartPodcasts launch a first-of-its-kind rewatch podcast titled, “ReWives.” Frankel, formerly of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York,” breaks down the franchise that launched her career. In each episode, she’s “joined by unexpected celebrity guests ranging from superfans to Housewives newbies for hilarious conversations and surprising insight on real topics.” “ReWives” premieres on November 14 with Elisabeth Moss as Frankel’s first guest. New episodes will post each Monday with additional guests including Jerry Springer, Suze Orman, Kevin Nealon, Dave Portnoy, Griffin Johnson and more.

Broadcaster Raising Awareness of Need for Organ Donors. Western Massachusetts broadcaster and public relations pro Mark Auerbach (pictured) is revealing his battle with kidney disease in an effort to raise awareness of the need for organ donors. Auerbach hosts “ArtsBeat,” “On The Mark” and “Athenaeum Spotlight” on WCPC15 and 89.5fm/WSKB. He’s also the ArtsBeat reporter for Pioneer Valley Radio. On today’s program that you can see here, Auerbach reveals his battle with Stage 5 kidney disease and the need for donors. Auerbach says people can help by taking any of three steps: 1) becoming an organ donor upon your death; 2) consider donating while you’re alive (get details at kidney.org); and 3) donating to him at Mass General Hospital’s living donors program (https://mghlivingdonors.org/).

Politics and Midterms Top News/Talk Story for Week of October 31 – November 4. The politics leading up to Tuesday’s midterm elections were the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the economy combined with the Fed’s rate hike, followed by the aftermath of the Pelosi home invasion at #3. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s complete chart here.

Front Page News Industry News

Friday, October 28, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment of the one-hour weekend special, “The Michael Harrison Wrap,” that looks back each week at the hottest topics discussed in American talk media per the research of TALKERS, is now posted. This new episode titled, “The Bird is Caged,” looks back at this past week of 10/24-10/28. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Dom Giordano, talk show host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Mark Davis, talk show host, KSKY, “660 AM The Answer,” Dallas/Fort Worth; Holland Cooke, media consultant/author; Daliah Wachs, M.D., talk show host, Genesis Communications Network/physician; and Brad Shepard, talk show host, Pioneer Valley Radio, Springfield, MA.  The show airs weekends (Friday evenings to Sunday nights) on 100-plus broadcast signals and networks across the U.S. and U.K as well as having developed a significant international following as a podcast. To listen to this week’s episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS topic research, please click here.

Cumulus Net Revenue Declines 1.8% in Third Quarter. Reporting its financial data for the third quarter of 2022 – as well as the first nine months of 2022 – Cumulus Media reveals that net revenue was $233.5 million in Q1, a decrease of 1.8% over the same period in 2021. For the first nine months of this year, the company reports net income of $16.3 million compared to the loss of $360,000 it reported for the first nine months of 2021. Cumulus breaks out its revenue into segments and the total broadcast radio revenue for Q3 of 2022 was $177 million, down 4.7% from the same period in 2021. While spot revenue was $124.8 million – up 2.3%, network revenue was $52.3 million, down 18.2%.  Digital revenue was $34.9 million, an increase of 4.7% over the third quarter of 2021. Cumulus president and CEO Mary G. Berner states, “Notwithstanding a difficult macro environment, consistent execution of our strategic plan has put us in an enviable financial position to effectively navigate through the continuing headwinds. Our solid Q3 results reflect that execution – although total revenue declined, driven by weakness in national advertising channels, digital revenue continued to grow, and we increased profitability as well. We also generated $24 million of cash from operations, repurchased $3.9 million of shares, opportunistically retired $2.8 million of senior notes at a discount and finished the quarter with net leverage of 3.7x, the lowest it’s been in more than a decade. Looking ahead, we will continue to rigorously implement our plan, which includes: furthering our multi-platform evolution; supporting growth of multiple, profitable digital businesses; reducing our fixed cost base; investing in high-ROI internal initiatives; maintaining a disciplined approach to M&A, including enhancing cash generation from non-core asset monetization; bolstering liquidity; reducing net leverage; and optimizing a multi-pronged capital allocation strategy. Given our track record, we continue to have strong confidence in our ability, under this plan, to grow shareholder value even in the incrementally challenging macro environment.”

Beasley Names Ron deCastro Market Manager for Tampa. Radio sales and management pro Ron deCastro joins Beasley Media Group as market manager for the company’s Tampa station group that includes business news WHFS-AM “Money Talk 1010 AM” and five music brands. DeCastro was most recently market president and chief revenue officer at WQHT-FM and WBLS-FM in New York. He says, “I’ve spent a significant amount of my career leading some of the most iconic brands in America and I am excited to join the team at Beasley and help continue grow these fantastic brands.” Beasley EVP and COO Brian Beasley says, “We are happy to welcome Ron into the Beasley Media Group family. His vast experience, valuable insight and proven leadership made him the perfect choice to lead and grow our Tampa/St. Pete-based radio properties.”

NPR and Edison Research Unveil Results of Spoken Word Audio Report. The latest Spoken Word Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research concludes that “almost half (46%) of the U.S. population listens to spoken word audio content daily.” This is the fourth version of this study that “explores the ways spoken word media consumption in the U.S. has increased over time, including the number of listeners, and how long they listen.” This year’s study includes a special focus on how younger demographics are increasingly more interested in the medium, and reveals a 214% increase in listening to spoken word audio among those age 13-24. Key findings include: 1) There are an estimated 26 million more people listening to spoken word audio in the U.S. than eight years ago. An estimated 131 million people in the U.S. age 13+ are daily spoken word audio listeners, up from 105 million daily listeners in 2014; 2) Spoken word’s share of all audio is increasing among all listeners. Listeners age 13+ spend 29% of their total audio time with spoken word content, up from 20% in 2014, a 45% increase; 3) Listeners age 13-24 show the most explosive growth with share of spoken word audio. That Gen Z segment spends 22% of their time with spoken word audio, compared with those age 13-24 in 2014 who spent only 7% of their time with spoken word audio, a 214% increase for this age group; and 4) For the first time ever, daily spoken word audio listeners spend a majority of their audio time with spoken word. Those who listen to spoken word audio daily spend 51% of their total daily audio time with spoken word. You can see the report here.

TALKERS News Notes. Just in time for the 2022 Major League Baseball World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros, Audacy drops the new national daily podcast, “Baseball Isn’t Boring,” hosted by longtime baseball columnist, author and WEEI-FM, Boston broadcaster Rob Bradford. The podcast is a project born from the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” campaign instituted by Bradford and major league pitcher Joe Kelly. Kelly and Bradford have also co-authored the soon-to-be-released book, A Damn Near Perfect Game: Reclaiming America’s Pastime. Bradford says, “As we wrap up what has been a very ‘un-boring’ postseason, we’re thrilled to launch this fun new daily podcast to rally behind the great sport of baseball – America’s national pastime. I look forward to speaking with some of the biggest names in sports to prove that baseball is alive and thriving.”…..CNN Audio premieres the new eight-episode, limited-series podcast, “The James Brown Mystery,” that investigates the suspicious death of the legendary musician and questions if he was murdered. The investigation began after CNN reporter Thomas Lake received a phone call from a woman who said she was in James Brown’s inner circle almost 40 years ago and the relationship nearly destroyed her career. Decades later, she’s trying to solve the mystery of Brown’s death. When she makes the call to Lake, “the two stumble into a world of secrets, intimidation, and suspected foul play.” “The James Brown Mystery” is the first podcast hosted and reported by Thomas Lake, who in 2019 published his exclusive CNN investigative series, “Lost in the Woods with James Brown’s Ghost,” exploring unanswered questions around the singer’s death and the many people still calling for an autopsy and criminal investigation. “The James Brown Mystery” expands upon Lake’s reporting and covers Brown’s complicated past, the mysterious death of his third wife, and the biggest questions surrounding his demise…..WDAS-AM/W273DO, Philadelphia “FOX Sports Radio, The Gambler” sports show “The Divide Live” – hosted by Mike, a diehard Mets fan and Corey, a diehard Yankees fan – are broadcasting a one-hour special recorded live from the Toms River Field of Dreams Comedy Night Benefit last weekend (10/22). The special broadcast will include interviews with former MLB third baseman Todd Frazier for his take on the Mets, Yankees, “retirement” and life after the MLB; mixed martial artist Frankie Edgar who breaks down what it’s like to prepare for his final UFC fight at Madison Square Garden; and WFAN, New York afternoon drive star Craig Carton talking career, giving back, life’s successes and unfortunate failures. It airs tonight at 9:00 pm ET…..Edison Research, provider of Edison Podcast Metrics, announces it has developed a complementary service to count downloads for participating publishers. After months of research, Edison is utilizing a new method for determining U.S. downloads that does not employ a redirect nor involve delivery of log files. Edison president Larry Rosen says, “We have developed an elegant new solution that will enhance our unique Edison Podcast Metrics survey. While our survey of 20,000 podcast listeners each year provides the most complete look at the totality of actual listening to podcasts, download data will provide deeper information to subscribers, especially for smaller and short-run shows.”

KTSA, San Antonio Helps Raise Almost $170,000 for Thanksgiving Dinner for Those in Need. San Antonio news/talk KTSA helped raise a record $163,893, during the annual Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner radiothon Friday, October 21. Funds raised will go to feed more than 25,000 seniors and needy people on Thanksgiving Day. The Alpha Media news/talk says the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner is the largest dinner of its kind in the country. Pictured above (l-r) are KTSA talk hosts Sean Rima, Jack Riccardi, and Trey Ware with a staffer from the Raul Jiminez Thanksgiving Dinner charity.

WCRS, Greenwood, South Carolina Owner Honored for Station’s Service. Pictured above is broadcaster and WCRS, Greenwood, South Carolina owner Anne Eller (left) receiving a proclamation by Charles Moates (right), chair of the Greenwood County Council, in honor of the station’s 81 years of service and Eller’s service to the community. Speaking to The Index-Journal about her work as an independent broadcaster, Eller says, “Each day gives me the chance to connect with my listeners through delivery via traditional radio, livestreaming on the Internet, podcasts on our website and promotions via social media. Radio is as relevant in the business of communications as ever before – maybe more so. I am proud of the honors my station and I have received recently, and I look forward to many more great years as a broadcaster,” Photo by Damian Dominguez, The Index-Journal

Politics and Midterm Elections Tie as Top News/Talk Stories for Week of October 24-28. The debates ahead of the November midterm elections and the politics surrounding them came together as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the state of the economy, including inflation and threats of a recession, followed by former President Donald Trump’s legal issues at #3. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s complete chart here.