Industry News

Newsmax Inks Deal to Broadcast in Southeastern Europe

Newsmax Media, Inc announces that it is signing a deal with Telecom Serbia to broadcast Newsmax content to customers in Southeastern Europe. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy says, “Newsmax is excited about its partnership with Telecom Serbia, which has become an impressive player in numerous European markets.im Newsmax saw this agreement as both an opportunity to join with a respected leader in multimedia, Telecom Serbia, but also to strengthen America’s ties with the people of Serbia and the Balkans. The United States and Serbia were allies in both World Wars, share a common desire to overcome the destructive legacy of communism in East Europe, and both continue to support democratic societies. We believe that millions of Americans, Serbs and others will see us as an important source of information that they can trust.”

Industry News

Procter & Gamble to Receive Radio Marketer of the Year Honor

The RAB announces that Procter & Gamble has been selected to receive the 2023 Radio Mercury Awards “Radio Marketer of the Year” honor “in recognition of the company’s longstanding and strategic partnership with the radio industry to reach and engage consumers when they are most receptive and ready to act.” The RABim goes on to say, “P&G’s commitment to minority owned broadcasters and its stewardship of diversity, equity and inclusion is unparalleled as evidenced by its founding sponsorship of ‘More than that with Gia Peppers’ audio series, its transformative strategic alliance with NABOB and Reset Digital to steer more digital investment to black-owned broadcasters, and its ‘Lead with Love’ community impact program activated in partnership with Katz Radio Group and RAB.” RAB president and CEO and chair of the Radio Creative Fund, Erica Farber, says, “Procter & Gamble continues to be a tremendous partner to the radio industry. The ongoing collaboration with P&G and its agencies is driving results among our shared consumers, and we look forward to their continued innovation and thought leadership in audio.”

Industry News

Cousin Brucie Rockin’ in New Paltz

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This past weekend (4/21-22), WABC, New York legend Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow hosted a Rock n’ Roll Weekend at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York. Activities included a Town Hall discussion about Rock n’ Roll’s past, present and future; a lawn show featuring classic cars from the era; and the movie Dirty Dancing with follow-up memories from Brucie and participants. The weekend wrapped up on Saturday night with a dance contest. Nearly 150 attendees competed for prizes for those who best did the Twist, Jitterbug, Bunny Hop, and Swing. Pictured here with Brucie are the second-place winners, Richie and Veronica Mannarino, from Smithtown, New York.  Said Veronica after she caught her breath, “I’m thrilled with second place. Meeting Cousin Brucie was the best prize of the night!”

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Audacy announces it will report its 2023 first quarter financial results before the market opens on Wednesday, May 10. The company will host a conference call and simultaneous webcast at 10:00 am ET that morning to review the results and recent progress against its strategic initiatives.

Hillsdale College announces the launch of the new podcast, “The Larry P. Arnn Show,” hosted by college president Larry Arnn who interviews distinguished guests to Hillsdale’s campus. It’s one of the school’s programs on its new integrated Hillsdale College Podcast Network that also features “The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour,” “The Hillsdale Dialogues,” and “The Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast.” The show’s first guest is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who visited Hillsdale’s campus on April 6.

PodcastOne launches the new podcast “Turtle Time with Ramona and Avery” starring reality television’s Ramona Singer and her daughter, Avery. PodcastOne president Kit Gray states, “We are thrilled to welcome Ramona and Avery to PodcastOne. Their mother-daughter relationship is enviable, and audiences will be wowed by their podcast. ‘Turtle Time’ is perfect for our platform, our audiences and our advertisers, all of whom have made it clear that this is the sort of content that they are looking for in podcasting.”

Audacy is gearing up for the 2023 NFL Draft with tomorrow evening’s “Audacy Draft Show” starring NFL Insiders Brian Baldinger and Jason LaCanfora, and produced by 2400Sports. Additionally, more than 12 of Audacy’s owned sports talk stations will have their own live and local draft shows, breaking down the first round for fans in several markets including Baltimore (WJZ-FM), Boston (WEEI-AM/FM), Buffalo (WGR-AM), Chicago (WSCR-AM), Cleveland (WKRK-FM), Dallas (KRLD-FM), Detroit (WXYT-AM), Houston (KILT-AM), Kansas City (KCSP-AM), New Orleans (WWL-AM/FM), Philadelphia (WIP-FM), Pittsburgh (KDKA-FM), and Washington DC (WTEM-AM), with many of those shows being available live in the Audacy app.

Industry News

Yesterday’s (4/25) Top News/Talk Media Stories

President Joe Biden declares candidacy in ’24 and the related questions about his age; the aftermath of the firing of FOX News’ Tucker Carlson and CNN’s Don Lemon; House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s strategy to tie $4 trillion in spending cuts to raising the debt ceiling; criticism of the Biden administration’s FHFA mortgage subsidization plan; the legal battles facing former President Donald Trump; Montana transgender state rep faces expulsion; and actor-singer-activist Harry Belafonte dies at 96 were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Job Opportunity

WNRQ-FM, Nashville Seeks Morning Drive Talent

iHeartMedia‘s WNRQ, Nashville “105.9 the Rock” has an exciting new opportunity to do a LIVE morning show in Music City! We’re looking for a content-driven morning host or duo that fits a rock/classic rock lifestyle. If you believe in the power of radio to connect to an audience, aren’t afraid to step outside the box a little bit, and can create a morning SHOW that’s engaging, interactive, and local, we want to hear from you! Please send audio and materials to jonathanshuford@iheartmedia.com.

Industry Views

The Power of Live and Unpredictable

By Walter Sabo
Consultant, Sabo Media
A.K.A. Walter Sterling
Radio Host, Sterling on Sunday

imThe decision to change WABC from music to talk back in 1982 was not made by corporate, it was made by its then-program director, Jay Clark. Corporate was hoping he would approve the change, “they” lobbied for it, but the call was the ultimate responsibility of the program director. The business plan for WABC as a talk station predicted it to be profitable in year 10. (That’s because KABC, Los Angeles took 10 years to turn a profit.) As it turned out, WABC turned a profit in year 11.

At the time of the WABC format change back in the early 80s, the role of a program director was to be a disruptor. They were expected to cause trouble, get headlines, keep the energy coming out of the speakers up-up-up. It was my experience that the best program directors were extremely unpleasant, difficult people. They knew how to stir up their world on and off the air.

They did not get along with sales: “I’ll get you ratings, you go sell them” was the essence of their relationship with sales!

As co-worker relationships within radio stations became more important than results, the industry suffered. The death knell was the first time a program director dismissed a new idea by saying, “It’s not in the budget.” Until that tragic moment, good/great program directors would greet new ideas with, “They will just have to give us the money.”

The primary reason radio is losing younger demos is not technology, it’s the show. Technology attracts no audience. No one goes to a movie theatre to see a blank white screen no matter how good they may find the air conditioning and popcorn. If younger listeners are listening to another audio medium it’s because the show is UNPREDICTABLE, new, energetic, fun or on-demand.

Radio of any genre can be unpredictable, new, energetic, fun and on-demand. (Request lines built top 40. But what happened to them?) The actions of unpredictability are free.

Those unpleasant, autonomous program directors often earned more money than any general manager and more than almost any program director working today. A lot more. Why? Because radio stations attracted cume by acting as a 24/7 barker. The barker sizzle came from the single mind of the program director.

The programming mind that wins by disruption is not limited to top 40. For example, classical music WGMS in Washington featured promos declaring that “WGMS plays real oldies,” “mostly Mozart” and “Celebrate the bicentennial and Beethoven’s birthday.”  Unexpected programming proves that radio is live and “LIVE” is the most powerful word in electronic media.

Walter Sabo was the youngest Executive Vice President in the history of NBC. The youngest VP in the history of ABC. He was a consultant to RKO General longer than Bill Drake. Walter was the in house consultant to Sirius for eight years. He has never written a resume. Contact him at walter@sabomedia.com. or mobile 646-678-1110. Hear Walter Sterling at www.waltersterlingshow.com. Meet Walter Sabo at TALKERS 2023 on Friday, June 2.