Industry News

Former Radio Exec Billy Freund Dies at 58

Billy Freund, former senior executive at Katz Media, Triton Media, Westwood One, and other entrepreneurial endeavors, passed away on Monday (3/3) at age 58 due to complications from Frontotemporal Degeneration and ALS. Freund leaves behind his wife Sue Freund, managing partner at Crossover Media Group. There will be a Mass the first week of April in Manhattan Beach, California, at American Martyrs Catholic Church followed later that day by a celebration of Billy’s life with family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the Freund family asks that contributions be made in Billy’s memory to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Westwood One is presenting a total of 19 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball games from Conference Championship Week beginning on Saturday (3/8) with the Ohio Valley Conference Championship game, and continuing through Selection Sunday, March 16, with broadcasts that day of the Ivy League, the SEC, and the American Athletic Championship games. Westwood One will also broadcast Selection Sunday, revealing the 68-team field for both the men’s and the women’s tournaments. Jason Horowitz will host Selection Sunday coverage with PJ Carlesimo and Debbie Antonelli as analysts.

iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s Black Effect Podcast Network announce the debut of “Hunting 4 Answers,” a daily true crime podcast dedicated to shedding light on the silent epidemic of missing and murdered Black women in America. New episodes will post every weekday beginning February 24. Hosted by Atlanta journalist Hunter Gilmore, “Hunting 4 Answers” will bring attention to the heart-wrenching and often ignored stories within the Black community that deserve to be told. The podcast will highlight both current and cold cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls across the country.

Virtual News Center adds affiliates WLVL and WEBR, serving Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York. Anchoring the news for WLVL and WEBR are broadcasters Peter Kileen on weekdays and Sandi Conner on weekends.

Industry News

New Vince Coglianese Show Replaces WWO’s Dan Bongino Show

Cumulus Media announces that current WMAL-FM, Washington, DC afternoon drive host Vince Coglianese is taking over as host of the Westwood One nationally syndicated 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm program currently hosted by Dan Bongino, who will exit after his March 14 show to become deputy FBI director. The deal includes “The VINCE Show” airing in the early afternoon daypart and the one-hour “VINCE” podcast dropping daily. Silverloch Productions, founded by Dan and Paula Bongino, will produce the VINCE podcast to be distributed by the Cumulus Podcast Network. “The VINCE Show” will launch on Westwood Oneimg with more than 250 affiliate stations. Coglianese comments, “I am beyond thrilled to be stepping into this role with Westwood One and Silverloch and can’t thank my WMAL family in Washington enough for the eight incredible years we’ve already spent together. I also want to offer a special thank you to Dan Bongino for selflessly returning to service for his country. His decency and sacrifice are a true testament to his character. Now we take things to the next level. I’m deeply conscious of the history-making legacies of these broadcasts, which is why we will be delivering the ultimate three-hour live radio show and one-hour podcast for the millions of Americans who demand the truth.” Westwood One president Collin Jones adds, “Vince’s star has been on the rise, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the unparalleled Westwood One platform to expand his reach even further. Vince’s unparalleled ability to combine realism with sharp political insight makes him the ideal host to captivate audiences across both live radio and podcasting. ‘The VINCE Show’ and ‘VINCE’ podcast will quickly become cornerstones of our industry-leading conservative talk lineup.”

Industry News

Anthony Cumia to Host Sunday Night Show on WABC

As tipped by Anthony Cumia himself via X over the weekend, the former “Opie & Anthony” personality and current host of his own show on CompoundCensored will begin hosting a Sunday evening show on Redimg Apple Media’s 77WABC Radio beginning this week (3/9). Red Apple says “The Anthony Cumia Show” will air Sundays from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm ET. Cumia says, “I am beyond thrilled to join 77WABC. They are the only ones doing great radio, and I’m looking forward to having a blast and connecting with my fans. I’m grateful to John [Catsimatidis] and Chad [Lopez] for offering me this opportunity. We’re going to have a great time!” Lopez says, “Anthony has a strong and loyal following who have missed him on New York radio. Anthony brings another element of entertainment to our weekend programming, which is about having fun.”

Industry News

Bay Area Radio Vets Launch Digital Sports Talk Network

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A group of Bay Area radio personalities are getting together to launch a digital sports talk network called Bay Area Sports Collective. Former KNBR, San Francisco personalities Tom Tolbert, Paul McCaffrey, and John Lund, along with former KNBR PD Jeremiah Crowe are co-founding the network that will initially feature three podcasts that will also be broadcast live on YouTube. The network debuts today with “The Tom Tolbert Show,” “Paulie Mac’s Particles” and “John Lund Unleashed.” Crowe will direct business operations, marketing, and sales for the sports podcast network. Additionally, the new podcast network features daily on and off-air contributions from Tony Rhein and Daniel Ogden, both longtime Bay Area radio producers. Crowe says, “This announcement marks the dawn of a new day for the underserved Bay Area Sports fan. They deserve better. We are thrilled to launch The Bay Area Sports Collective with three very influential, entertaining, and experienced hosts who all remain dedicated to their craft. We are open to additional shows and talent joining our network in the future and look forward to scaling our unique talent-friendly business model into additional markets. Multiple professional Sports franchises have already expressed strong interest in migrating programming to our network, and local blue-chip advertisers have also contacted our team. We are excited to open the floodgates and provide Bay Area Sports fans with a more convenient way of finding their favorite shows, whether live or on-demand. This is the future of sports entertainment.

Industry News

Tavis Smiley Show Adds New Affiliates

SmileyAudioMedia, Inc announces four new affiliates for the “Tavis Smiley” show. The program is nowimg heard on WERE, Cleveland; WOLB, Baltimore; WDBZ, Cincinnati; and KDEE-FM Sacramento. The “Tavis Smiley” program is now heard in 40 markets across the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Tavis Smiley says, “The show’s expansion into four additional high-profile markets underscores our ongoing commitment to enhancing the show’s innovative and unapologetically progressive programming. Following November’s election, the demand for our programming is growing exponentially. We will continue to deliver enlightening and empowering content aimed at African Americans and other people of color.”

Industry News

Dobbins to Lead Cumulus Des Moines

Cumulus Media names Adam Dobbins vice president/market manager for its Des Moines station group thatimg includes sports talk KBBG-AM “The Champ” and four music brands. He most recently served with Walnut Media in Omaha. As director of sales. Cumulus Media president of operations Bob Walker says, “We are excited to welcome Adam to Cumulus Des Moines as this is a homecoming for him, having grown up in Des Moines and being a fan of our brands. Adam is an accomplished leader that is passionate about connecting local clients to the power of radio and the digital products we offer to help them grow their business.”

Industry News

Audacy Presents Audio Measurement Webinar

Audacy is presenting an Audacy Insights Series webinar titled, “Audio Measurement: New Tools, AI Enhancements, and the Best Way to Track Conversions” on Wednesday, March 12 at 2:00 pm ET. Theimg company says, “The key to success isn’t just great creative – it’s having the right measurement tools in place. Join us for an exclusive webinar where top marketing and measurement experts will break down how to track, optimize, and maximize your audio campaigns across the full funnel.” Topics covered will include: Measurement that drives impact; Optimizing for better performance; AI-powered innovation; Real-world success stories; and The future of measurement. Register for the webinar here.

Industry News

Katz Media Group Raises $47,000-plus for Broadcasters Foundation

The Broadcasters Foundation of America announces that Katz Media Group has raised more than $47,000 during its 13th annual companywide membership drive. This year’s generous contribution brings the total amount raised by Katz to nearly $500,000 since the drive’s inception. Every dollar raised directly supports the Stu Olds Memorial Fund, which commemorates Katz’s former CEO and aids broadcasters and theirimg families during life’s most challenging moments. Broadcasters Foundation of America president Tim McCarthy says, “For over 70 years, the Broadcasters Foundation has provided critical aid—ranging from medical care to emergency financial assistance—for broadcasters facing hard times. The steadfast generosity of Katz Media Group makes it possible for us to continue our mission, and I can’t thank the Katz team enough for their ongoing commitment.” Katz Media Group has been selected to receive the 2025 Philip J. Lombardo Spirit Award, which will be presented at the BFOA Golden Mic Gala on March 10. This prestigious honor recognizes Katz’s dedication to supporting the Broadcasters Foundation of America and its mission of helping broadcasters in need.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Las Vegas-based, nationally syndicated talk host Wayne Allyn Root tells TALKERS that he is a member ofimg the “Private Economic Council” – a Washington, DC-based organization composed of “influential business leaders, entrepreneurs and economists promoting free market tax policies, advocating for taxpayers, and helping to support and promote President Trump’s economic agenda.” It also includes former Trump senior economic advisor and former member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board Steve Moore, Papa John’s founder John Schatter, and former U.S. congressman and current Liberty University School of Business Dean Dave Brat.

Cumulus Media’s KESP-AM, Modesto-Stockton “Sports Radio 970 AM” is the new Central Valley radio broadcast home of the San Francisco Giants. The station is also the official radio broadcast home for the San Francisco 49ers, the Golden State Warriors, and the San Jose Sharks. Cumulus regional VP and market manager Patty Hixson says, “We are thrilled to have this affiliation with the San Francisco Giants. This is a very special franchise and now we get to share all the baseball action with our Sports Radio AM 970 fans. Go Giants!”

Industry News

Newsmax Closes Preferred Offering; Preparing for IPO

Newsmax Inc. announces the closing of its previously announced offering of Series B Preferred Stock. Newsmax says the offering exceeded its initial target of $150 million with the company closing last week on its maximum offering amount with gross proceeds of $225 million, before the deduction of placement agent fees and other offering expenses. More than 8,000 accredited investors participated in the private offering.img Now, is submitting IPO offering materials with the SEC and is seeking a public offering with a planned listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NMAX” later this year. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy states, “This achievement reflects the strong results Newsmax has demonstrated and testifies to the trust and support the company maintains with investors, viewers and friends. We’d also like to thank Digital Offering LLC, for their expertise, hard work and their positive commitment to supporting us throughout this process. We are excited to be one step closer to our upcoming IPO which will provide us a tremendous opportunity for growth. A public offering will allow tens of thousands of Americans to directly partner with us and join our news revolution. We look forward to delivering long-term value to all of our shareholders.”

Industry News

WWO: The Effects of Nielsen’s Three-Minute Qualifier

The Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog post this week looks at the effects of the changes to Nielsen’s PPM ratings system that has provided significant increases in listening across demographics and time periods. This audience growth is due to Nielsen’s three-minute qualifier modernization which provides a significantly more comprehensive and realistic definition of AM/FM radio’s audience and their listening behavior. The post notes that Nielsen found 23% of PPM listening occasionsimg were three or four minutes. Under the old five-minute listening qualifier rule, none of this tuning would have received listening credit. Effective with the January 2025 PPM survey, Nielsen is now crediting tuning occasions that are three minutes or greater. What are the results so far? First, drive times and weekends experience the greatest growth. Comparing January 2024 to January 2025 for persons 12+ and 25-54 reveals double-digit growth for all dayparts. Weekends and drives times have the greatest increases. Second, AM/FM radio’s listening profile now skews younger: Every major buying demographic has a higher composition of listening. Persons 65+ is the only demographic where AM/FM radio’s audience composition is reduced. Persons 25-54, AM/FM radio’s most popular buying demographic, experiences the largest increase in audience composition. Persons 18-49 have the next largest growth. And third, format shares remain stable. Versus October 2024, PPM January 2025 format shares are very consistent. An uptick in news/talk AQH composition is most likely more due to a heavier news cycle (major weather stories and a new president) than a PPM methodology enhancement. In local markets, there is more share variation. See the complete blog post here.

Industry News

SummitMedia Names Joe Bell SVP of Sales

SummitMedia LLC names Joe Bell senior vice president of sales. Bell, who served with Beasley Media Group for the past 25 years leading clusters in Philadelphia and Miami, will be based in SummitMedia’simg Birmingham, Alabama headquarters. SummitMedia CEO Carl Parmer states, “Joe brings a wealth of experience and a new perspective to the SummitMedia team. He’s a dynamic, high-energy leader who, I know, will guide our results-oriented teams to new levels of success.” Parmer adds that he expects Bell to bring innovation across platforms, strengthening the company’s competitiveness and longterm growth across media platforms. Bell comments, “Success lies in leading with vision, inspiring a high-performing team and unlocking new revenue opportunities across our traditional and digital platforms. Summit has built a team of great people — with great products and great markets — that equal great opportunities.”

Industry News

Montague Upped to Promotions Director for iHeartMedia NYC Stations

iHeartMedia New York promotes David Montague to promotions director for New York City stations news/talk WOR-AM and music outlets hip hop WWPR-FM and classic rock WAXQ-FM. iHeartMedia Newimg York director of marketing and promotions Emily Magelof says, “David’s creativity, vision, and dedication have been instrumental in driving our brands. We are excited for him to continue elevating our promotional efforts, ensuring even greater success in the future.” Montague comments, “I am truly honored for this accomplishment and excited for the future. I want to thank my support system at iHeartMedia, friends and family for their continued confidence and believing in me.”

Industry Views

Sabo Sez: Promoting Doom

By Walter Sabo
a.k.a. Walter M Sterling
Host, Sterling Every Damn Night
WPHT, Philadelphia
Sterling On Sunday, Syndicated, TMN

imgDuring my tenure at NBC, once a month the division heads would meet at the behest of the CEO to report on their progress and trends in their sector. As the executive vice president of the FM division, I took a seat in that formidable group and tried to keep my remarks as brief as possible. What could I possibly say that would be more damn important than the words of the president of NBC News or the NBC Television network? In addition to NBC’s CEO, the CEO of owner RCA would often join the fun.

Cable TV was flourishing, and CNN had just launched. I was at least 15 years younger than everyone in that meeting and had a different perspective on cable. Therefore, I was shocked by this exchange:

The CEO asked the president of NBC News what he thought of CNN. The President of NEWS said these exact words:

“It might do well for breaking news but otherwise it will not take the place of our news.”

Next on the staff meeting agenda was a discussion of HBO. Should NBC run spots for HBO? Again, the group did not think HBO would be much of a factor on the entertainment menu. They agreed to run the spots promoting HBO. Yes, I objected but lost.

In its first three decades, CNN was a serious factor for news, ratings, and revenue. CNN brilliantly made partnership deals with local TV stations to exchange stories and carriage. Independent TV stations could tap CNN feeds for breaking news coverage. Those deals, requiring no cable, established CNN at viewer level in every city.

HBO last year won more Emmys than NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX combined. In fact only one Emmy went to a traditional network last year: “Abbott Elementary,” ABC.

Radio’s inherent advantage over all other mass media is its distribution system. Elegant and free, it just works! A decision was made about 10 years ago by many radio companies to use radio’s power, clout, and credibility to promote podcasts. Podcasts… hard to find, hard to hear, and requiring expensive equipment that suffers from buffering now.  The hidden reason for the podcast push is that Wall Street doesn’t love legacy media. They like new things even if the new thing is deeply flawed. When needing money or liquidation, legacy media companies proudly point to their listening STREAMS.

Commercial broadcasters have proven to be not so great at podcasting.  Of course not. It’s a different medium: On-demand audio that can be paused and reviewed. Radio DJs and talk hosts were never trained or attracted to audio creation that is blind to time of day and repeated. It’s different. Why promote it? It’s like NBC promoting HBO.

The good news? Wall Street is realizing the proven appeal of legacy media: The George Soros Funds invested in Audacy. Apollo Advisors, the first-in money for Sirius, now owns Cox Broadcasting. Time to stop throwing our time spent listening and creative energy at podcasts that price their audience lower than legacy media. Bad business.

The wise way to benefit from the podcast revenue opportunity is to buy what works. Acquire existing, successful podcasts and aggregators.

Walter Sabo has been a C Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General and many other leading media outlets. His company HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers.. His nightly show “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at sabowalter@gmail.com

Industry News

Former NY Governor Patterson Joins 77WABC Show

Red Apple Media announces that former New York Governor David Patterson is joining 77WABC for the program “Left vs. Right” alongside host James Flippin. The station says. “‘Left vs Right’ is a riveting debate every Saturday, from 4:00 pm-5:00 pm, of who’s right, who’s wrong, and where is the common-senseimg solution that brings both sides together for progress and unity. Patterson and Flippin battle the political, social, and economic differences, ultimately landing on common sense and the truth in every situation.” Red Apple owner John Catsimatidis says, “I have known David for many years. He is a common-sense politician, with the ability to make insightful observations about national and local politics. David represents the Democratic perspective with a level-head and a focus on finding the common ground that unites us and moves us forward. Our listeners already know David. His entrée as a regularly scheduled co-host of ‘Left vs. Right’ will be a welcome addition to our listeners.” Patterson says, “I am thrilled to be a part of the permanent WABC Radio lineup and to represent the left side of things. As Americans, we have more in common than we might realize. With common sense, we can come together as Americans and New Yorkers and solve our problems. I’m looking forward to working with James and helping to bring New Yorkers together.”

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Pronounce “T” in the Middle of Words

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Often, Millennials and GenZ-ers sound like they’ve replaced “T” with a soft “H.”

“Putin” comes out “Pooh’in.” “Groton” becomes “Groh’en.” “Dayton?” “Dayh’en.” Cold outside? Wear your “mih’ens.” Shark attack! Who got “bih’en?”

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It’s as though as the “T” was “forgoh’en.” It’s not the way the script is “wrih’en,” just the way they read it. The biggest retail advertising spenders are radio’s lifelong habitual users: adults. Sound grown-up.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

Industry News

Radio Pro Kelly Orchard Publishes Suspense Novel in Radio Setting

Lifelong broadcaster and FCC consultant Kelly Orchard is publishing a suspense novel titled, Dead Air: Theimg Day the Music Died, that involves pirates hijacking 100 radio stations in five major U.S. cities and follows one company’s story over the course of 24 hours. Orchard was raised in a radio family that owned and operated stations in the 1980s and 1990s. Her family later launched a consulting business that conducted mock FCC inspections and she says the idea for her novel was born from those experiences.

Job Opportunity

Lotus Seeks General Sales Manager in Seattle

Lotus Communications is seeking an experienced and results-driven broadcasting general sales manager to lead their sales team and drive revenue growth across our diverse broadcasting portfolio. The GSM directsimg the team to develop, sell and service local business. The position is responsible for delivering assigned revenue targets through managing sales team efforts, developing sales talent and monthly business planning. The GSM develops relationships with businesses, engages with networks such as chambers, business alliances etc. to uncover opportunities within the local market. The GSM will maintain an account list while helping the sales team sell and develop cohesive campaigns for new direct businesses. Send your resume here.

Industry News

iHeartMedia Reports Q4 2024 Revenue Up 4.8%; Full Year Revenue Rises 3%

During the fourth quarter of 2024, iHeartMedia brought in $1.1 billion, an increase of 4.8% over the same period in 2023. For the full year of 2024, revenue was $3.85 billion, an increase of 3% over the full year of 2023. The company breaks down its operating results by division and Multiplatform Group (which includesimg radio stations) Q4 2024 revenue was $684 million, flat compared to Q4 of 2023. The company’s Digital Audio Group Q4 2024 revenue was $339 million, an increase of 7%. Withing the Digital Audio Group, podcast revenue was $140 million, an increase of 6%. For the fourth quarter of 2024, the company reports net income of $31.9 imgmillion. For the full year of 2024, it reports a net loss of $1 billion. iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman states, “Our fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $246 million was up 18.2% vs. prior year, our highest percentage increase in almost three years, and our consolidated revenues were up 4.8% compared to the prior year, demonstrating the inherent operating leverage in this business. We are pleased that we successfully completed the comprehensive exchange transaction discussed last quarter – extending the majority of our debt maturities by three years; keeping our consolidated annual cash interest expense essentially flat; and providing overall debt reduction. This provides the company with the flexibility to remain focused on creating shareholder value in 2025 and beyond.”

Industry News

Big Al Coleman Retires from Sports Talk Show

Richmond sports talk host Big Al Coleman calls it a career and he did his final broadcast on Summit Media’s sports talk WURV-HD2/W291CL, Richmond. According to a story from WTVR-TV, Richmond,img Coleman has been a fixture in Richmond sports talk for more than 30 years on numerous stations in the market. He began his working life as a stockbroker but caught the sports talk bug in the 1990s. He says, “Everybody to a person said to me, ‘Don’t quit your day job. You can’t do a sports talk show in Richmond, Virginia, five days a week. It ain’t gonna work…’ It worked. It worked.” He laments that the business isn’t what it was back in the day, “There’s not the same camaraderie. It’s not the same fun that it used to be.” But he adds, “It’s still fun; I still like doing the show. But it’s just time for me to go.” See the WTVR-TV story here.