TALKERS News Notes
Cumulus and Memphis Tigers Renew. Cumulus Media Memphis renews its agreement with Univerity of Memphis’ Tiger Sports Properties (the locally based team of Learfield) in which WKIM-FM “News Talk 98.9 The Roar of Memphis” will continue to serve as the exclusive radio home for University of Memphis Tiger football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball, along with football and men’s basketball coaches’ shows.
Williams Named Interim Communications Contact for Beasley. With Heidi Raphael leaving Beasley Media Group to lead the New York State Broadcasters Association after August 14, Jennifer Williams will serve as interim communications contact on behalf of Caroline Beasley and the company until the end of the year.
Hidden Brain and PRX Ink Distribution Deal. Social sciences program “Hidden Brain” moves from distributor NPR to PRX beginning October 1, 2026. Host Shankar Vedantam says, “I’m delighted that ‘Hidden Brain’ will join PRX and its portfolio of innovative and beloved radio programs. We’re excited to continue to work with the many stations that carry ‘Hidden Brain,’ and to collaborate with PRX on new ways to serve our broadcast listeners and the public media community.”
The key takeaways include: 1) AM/FM radio’s “big data” moment has arrived with massive sample sizes that grow each month: TV has long had cable set top data and smart TV data to generate large samples of tuning data. It’s now radio’s turn! Just like cable set top data, there are no demographics but all markets have large samples. Overall, sample sizes are 5-10X bigger than current ratings samples; 2) Overnight ratings in over 300 markets: In an industry first, every market now has audience shares from yesterday. See your station’s daily audience trends refreshed each day; 3) All listening occurs with humans present: 25% of TV viewing occurs to an empty room but AM/FM radio listening in traveling vehicles always has humans present!; 4) Large samples mean stable listening trends: In all sized markets and for all sized stations, daily share trends are stable and consistent; and 5) AM/FM radio now has modern, cutting edge, timely measurement, which does not rely on a consumer’s memory or require a consumer to do something (like wear a gizmo). 
around getting a little smoke in my lungs, then go out and live your life. I find the pandemonium about some smoky conditions in Western Pennsylvania for like 26 hours to be over the top – especially when you consider this: some of our grandparents lived like this every day here and smoked a pack a day on top of it.” The communications director for Allegheny County executive Sara Innamorato, Abigail Gardner, testily responded to Dunlap suggesting he go smoke a pack on a bridge – and then jump.” Gardner later apologized for her “lapse in judgement.” 
tickets were nonexistent, he had to find more investors to pay off the earlier debts. He served time from 2021 to 2023. That case involved eight investors and about $1.5 million. This latest conviction involved four investors and a little more than $1.5 million. Prosecutors say he diverted most of the funds to pay off earlier investors and used the rest for gambling and personal expenses. Tirrell will be sentenced at a later date and could get up to 20 years on each count. During his days on the air in Iowa, Tirrell hosted shows at KXNO, KXLQ, and KBGG in Des Moines, as well as KJJC, Osceola, Iowa. 
Senator Darline Graham (R-SC), sister of late Senator Lindsey Graham. FNC says, “During the interview Senator Graham will reflect on her brother’s legacy, the shared values that shaped their family and upbringing and her decision to carry on his public service representing the people of South Carolina following his passing.”
helped shape Salem Surround into the business it is today through his commitment to our people, our clients, and our local markets. We’re incredibly grateful for everything he’s contributed and wish him the very best in his retirement.” The company says that Christian Kligora, senior director of multimedia sales, will assume interim leadership of Salem Surround’s revenue organization. Additionally, Salem says that William Cosey and Jonathan Greer will continue leading Salem Surround’s operations, fulfillment, and client execution, ensuring continuity for customers, vendors, sales teams, and internal stakeholders.
Entertainment, it debuts on Wednesday (7/22) on YouTube and other podcast platforms. Carton comments, “There’s nothing better than swapping takes with Wayne on sports, pop culture and a whole host of other topics. ‘The Joint Venture Show’ gives us a great excuse to keep doing what we’ve been doing for years, while also having some famous friends stop by and chop it up with us. There’s no better job in the world.” 
to SVP of revenue development after having served as president and general manager for the company’s Charleston, South Carolina cluster for the past eight years. O’Malley says, “I’m honored by the opportunity to help lead Saga’s next phase of growth by developing innovative revenue strategies, strengthening client partnerships, and working alongside our exceptional fulfillment partners and corporate team.”
Radio stations used to announce the present temperature at the end of the weather forecast, empowering listeners who are heading out to dress accordingly. It’s the ultimate live-N-local information.
leadership around the priorities that matter most, and I’m confident they will help us move quickly, enhance innovation and stay at the leading edge of a changing media landscape as we build toward the future.”
intended to strengthen coordination and execution across our operational functions. Clayton Nix is now chief financial officer. Jones says Nix has become an instrumental member of the executive team in guiding the company’s financial direction, and this title reflects both his growing responsibilities and his impact in shaping our strategic decisions, enhancing partner service and delivering industry insight through reporting and analytics.
local newsrooms, silence community reporting, and drive-up costs for the American families who depend on local stations for news and emergency alerts. A free and diverse media landscape depends on real limits on how much of the public airwaves any one company can control, and this FCC is now poised to allow local broadcasters to sell those airwaves off to the highest bidder. Congress set the 39 percent national ownership cap in federal law, and only Congress has the authority to raise or eliminate it. The Commission cannot waive away that limit simply because these corporate behemoths want to get out from under it.”
indicates that St. Louis-based Hoffman Media Group will pay Audacy $20 million for its six-station cluster that includes news/talk stations KMOX-AM/FM, KFTK-FM, and four music outlets. Hoffman Media Group is a subsidiary of Hoffman Family Companies and recently acquired the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Other key findings include: Sports content acts as a unique bridge between listening and watching experiences, drawing the closest parity between listeners and viewers across top genres; Format choice signals entirely distinct consumer mindsets: the highly structured, utility-driven “Pragmatic Listener” versus the entertainment-seeking, visually focused “Interactive Watcher.”; and Conversion mechanics differ by format, with audio consumers acting as direct digital responders and video watchers acting as high-intent brand translators and social amplifiers. 
owned an in-car infotainment system, and 40% own one today. In 2019, 86% of in-car listening time among those who have an Android Auto or Apple CarPlay went to non-digital sources such as AM/FM over-the-air, SiriusXM satellite radio, and owned music like CDs. Now, seven years later, in-car infotainment owners spend 36% of their total in-car audio time with digital sources including streaming music, AM/FM streaming, podcasts, and audiobooks. Even on, 64% still goes to non-digital sources like AM/FM over-the air radio and satellite radio.
Audacy’s sports talk WGR-AM, Buffalo serving as the flagship station. Now, the team announces that it has 23 stations signed up as affiliates, including Good Karma-operated WHSQ-AM, New York City (formerly WCBS-AM at 880 kHz) and WESP-FM, West Palm Beach “ESPN West Palm” – both stations operated by Good Karma. In the Buffalo market, games will be heard on Cumulus Media’s rock WGRF-FM.
and enterprise systems. Beasley says Roldan, who most recently served as vice president of IT, joined Beasley Media Group in 2019 and has played an instrumental role in modernizing the company’s technology environment, enhancing cybersecurity, improving operational efficiency, and advancing strategic technology initiatives across the organization. Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley comments, “Jose has been an exceptional leader and trusted member of our technology team since joining Beasley Media Group. His expertise, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to innovation have helped strengthen our technology infrastructure and position the company for continued growth. We are pleased to recognize his many contributions with this well-deserved promotion.”
the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump and backing from first responders, emergency managers, public safety organizations and community leaders nationwide. NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt says, “The time for Congress to act is now. Hundreds of broadcasters from across the country alongside nearly one million AM radio listeners have reached out to their members of Congress to support the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act and protect this essential public safety resource. We are grateful to our congressional champions who have led this bipartisan effort every step of the way. Congress has everything it needs to act. It is time to finish the job and send this bill to the president’s desk.”