Monday Memo: “Tell Me What Happened”
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Good News/Bad News: Fender‑benders, slip‑and‑falls, and other “injuries caused by the negligent, careless, or reckless actions of others” will always happen. That’s the good news…for personal injury attorneys. Their bad news is that supply WAY-exceeds demand, and their advertising reflects it.
It all looks the same. The billboards are interchangeable: a headshot and a promise of six-figure settlements. When everyone is saying the same thing, differentiate with gimmicks. TV spots are either goofy shtick or tough-guy talk. Where I live, “The Heavy Hitter” has a phone number jingle Southern New Englanders can sing from memory. Competitors’ numbers are even easier, 444-4444 and 777-7777.
If you will be in Las Vegas for the NAB Show, turn on local TV there. You will howl. Some firms pitch “we charge less,” like a radio station dropping trou’ on rate to grab the whole buy. And there are the nationally syndicated spots, customized for local firms, in which cartoonishly terrified insurance executives beg to settle. Or the hard-boiled attorney threatens to “beat them in court.” Baloney! A jury trial is the last thing most personal injury firms want. Too time consuming, too risky.
Like radio’s, a lawyer’s inventory is perishable. We can’t monetize yesterday’s unsold avail. And lawyers can’t add the client who didn’t come in yesterday for that free, no obligation consultation. No “intake,” no sale. Which is exactly why they should be using radio.
“The lawyer is in, the meter is off” is the proposition when attorneys host brokered weekend talk shows and take listener calls. No look-alike billboard or tacky TV spot can humanize the attorney – and demonstrate comforting counsel – like eavesdropping on a conversation with a caller’s relatable situation. So instead of slogans or shouting about settlements, build the client’s message around four words that are turning callers into clients on weekend talk radio: “Tell me what happened.”
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
Mamdani that was shown at the Inner Circle, the annual press corps roast. Some Republicans are accusing Sliwa of cozying up to the Democrat mayor who beat him in November. But Sliwa, who is now part of the WOR, New York morning show, tells The New York Times that its hypocritical of Republicans and WABC owner John Catsimatidis to complain, noting that “Mr. Catsimatidis met with Mr. Mamdani last week and that Mr. Trump has met with the mayor in the Oval Office.” 
directly within Roku’s Live TV guide, allowing viewers to discover as they browse and begin watching instantly. Salem News Channel VP and general manager Cary Pahigian says, “This is a significant expansion of Salem News Channel’s reach, which already increased viewership by over 178% this year. Being part of The Roku Channel opens the door for entirely new audiences to discover the unique news and opinion that SNC provides.” This news comes two weeks after Salem announced Salem News Channel is joining Amazon Prime Video’s free, ad-supported TV (FAST) channel. 
documentary, breaking news, entertainment, and music, submitted by global networks, production companies, and independent storytellers.” Submissions of note include programs from Alabama Media Group, Bloomberg, CBS News, ESPN, NPR, and SiriusXM. Award-winning entries will be announced during the New York Festivals 2026 Storytellers Gala virtual event on May 21. The virtual event will include featured global audio and video highlights, award winners’ acceptance speeches from around the world, and up-close and personal spotlights featuring some of radio and television’s most respected storytellers. 
the industry that I love. I will treasure the friendships and relationships I have built over the years. To those who have taken a chance on me, thank you. To those I have had the privilege to work with over the years, thank you. Working in radio has been a tremendous ride and I have enjoyed every minute of it.” Connoisseur Media CEO Jeff Warshaw says, “Zoe’s career in this industry speaks for itself. We appreciate the experience and insight she shared with our team. I personally thank her for her time with Connoisseur Media and wish her a very happy and well-deserved retirement.”
Salem Media is adding “That KEVIN Show” starring Kevin McCullough to three of its owed-and-operated stations. A combination of the Monday-Friday show and the live Saturday edition are joining the program schedule at KDXE, Little Rock; KSLR, San Antonio; and KNTH, Houston. The program is now heard on 419 affiliate stations. 
Baseball across South Florida. WQAM will broadcast all regular season Marlins games, delivering live play-by-play coverage along with pregame and postgame programming to listeners throughout the region. The broadcasts will also be available through the Audacy app, expanding access for fans across digital and streaming platforms.
to continue to operate its business as it makes its way through the Chapter 11 process that could be finalized in May if the pre-packaged bankruptcy plan continues to go smoothly. Attorneys for Cumulus reported to the court that the company now has the backing of 83% of its lenders for the reorganization plan that would put control of the company in the hands of the secured creditors. Once complete, the reorganization will have eliminated some $592 million of the company’s debt. 
founder Michael Harrison on WPRO, Providence’s “The News with Gene Valicenti” discussing the shutdown of CBS News Radio. The two seasoned broadcasters took an analytical look at the past 100 years of broadcast journalism – from Edward R. Murrow to modern times – comparing the role and impact of early day giants such as William S. Paley (CBS), David Sarnoff (NBC), and John W. Kluge (Metromedia) to today’s crop of moguls including the Ellison family’s Larry Ellison (Oracle) and his son David Ellison (Skydance Media) who now control Paramount, CBS, and a variety of other media and technological ventures. 
include sports talk WXNT-AM. Cumulus Media president of operations Dave Milner comments, “We are thrilled to promote Darlene to Regional Vice President for Central Indiana, where she will oversee Indianapolis, Kokomo, and Muncie. Since joining Cumulus Media, Darlene has proven to be a strong leader who builds positive, high-performing cultures. Her ability to inspire teams and drive consistent, impactful results makes her exceptionally well-suited to lead this expanded region.”
The Florida Association of Broadcasters will honor Beasley Broadcast Group CEO Caroline Beasley as a 2026 inductee into the Florida Broadcasters Hall of Fame on June 18 at The Breakers Palm Beach. The Florida Broadcasters Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose careers have left a lasting mark on Florida’s radio and television industry. Inductees are selected based on a distinguished professional career directly tied to Florida and at least 25 years of service to broadcasting. 
-FM, licensed to Volga. The transaction is pending regulatory approval by the FCC and is expected to close in early summer of this year. Connoisseur Media CEO Jeff Warshaw states, “The Brookings market did not fit into the long-term vision we set out for Connoisseur. As we pursued a potential sale, we looked for local quality operators to purchase these stations and found that the best operators in the market already worked for us! This is not the first time we have encouraged some of our local management to break into ownership so that they could continue to serve the communities we are so committed to. We are incredibly happy that Cami and her group stepped up to the challenge.”
show while Hale was away on vacation in Florida. Blueberry vice president Bruce Biette told the paper it is “time to evolve the station.” Biette added, “Simply put, George has had a magnificent media career. He’s the reason a lot of us chose to get into this business, and we here at Blueberry Broadcasting appreciate everything he’s done for VOM.” The Daily News states, “WVOM is an influential station because it is one of only three in the state that runs a locally produced news talk show and the only one based in the Bangor area. WGAN and WLOB, with shows hosted by conservatives Matt Gagnon and Ray Richardson, respectively, are based in the Portland area.” 
who were excluded from the recently canceled March 24 KABC-TV | University of Southern California gubernatorial debate. Smiley says he’ll speak with Xavier Becerra, Tony Thurmond, Betty Yee, and Antonio Villaraigosa separately in four 15-minute segments about the race, their campaigns, and their plans for California’s future. He adds, “It’s no coincidence that the four gubernatorial candidates who were excluded from a debate hosted by ABC7 and USC – canceled due to public outcry – are now appearing on KBLA Talk 1580, a Los Angeles-based, Black-owned, progressive radio station, to discuss their campaigns and the race for California’s top office.”
two FM translators it acquired last fall from Milwaukee Radio Alliance. Civic Media plans to continue to air the classic hits format with local news on the signals. Civic Media operates progressive news/talk WAUK in the market.
latest addition to Gamut’s growing 312 Sports network, a Chicago-focused lineup anchored by “Dan Bernstein Unfiltered” and featuring shows such as “Forward Progress: A Chicago Bears Podcast” and “Organizations Win Championships,” a Chicago Bulls podcast. Gamut Podcast Network head John Goforth comments, “This isn’t just another recap show. Chicago fans don’t think about their teams in a vacuum, and we’re not going to talk about them that way either. ‘Off the Ivy’ is about what it all means – what a win says, what a loss exposes, and where this team is actually headed. If you care about the Cubs, this is the conversation you want to be part of.”
Community Food Bank. Audacy SVP and market manager Michael Spacciapolli states, “We’ve seen firsthand how the power of local radio rallies the community around causes that matter. Every year, the ‘Feed the Need Radiothon’ reminds us what makes this city special. Pittsburghers continue to show up for one another in extraordinary ways, and we’re incredibly grateful to our listeners, partners and sponsors who help make a real difference for families across our region.”
unique, compelling content, embraced meaningful evolution, and made a real difference for our communities, our advertisers and one another. I am incredibly proud of the people in the Philadelphia radio market and across the country, whom I’ve had the opportunity to hire, train and mentor. Watching their growth and success has been a joy. After an extraordinary run of dedicating myself to radio and my colleagues for decades, it feels like the right time to step away and take time for myself, spend more time with family and friends, pursue new opportunities and contribute to organizations in meaningful new ways. I leave with deep gratitude and confidence in the future.” Audacy region president Mark Hannon says Yadgaroff will stay in his position through the end of May as they work on a smooth transition for the staff and the stations’ clients. The Audacy cluster includes news/talk WPHT and sports talk WIP-FM. 
Worldwide provides audio creation tools, media intelligence, music analytics and television operations technology. She takes over for Philippe Generali. RCS says, “Her leadership roles in major markets further shaped her as an operator who understands scale, complexity, and the disciplined, data‑driven decision‑making required to deliver strong performance across diverse portfolios.”
In ongoing discussions about the dwindling relevance of radio in the modern world, the medium is grudgingly defended as a reliable “first responder” during times of public emergencies.
of modern-day media Sterno.
using print and television. The owner was stunned that in a local group of 125 people not one could name his company. Doug Hansen‘s Bug-a-Way Pest Control then embarked on an AM/FM campaign in which a jingle was created for his business and soon his company went from zero unaided awareness to 20%. The campaign helped create future demand for his company as 29% of locals surveyed said they would call his company if they needed pest control. 
hosting “The Tom Barnard Podcast” since leaving the station in December of 2022. On the podcast, Barnard was joined by family members including his wife and podcast co-host Kathryn Brandt who said they began to have concerns about Barnard’s health shortly after he retired from KQRS. Barnard says he’s been undergoing treatment that has had a positive effect on him, but he acknowledges that there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s. 
outstanding principal amount of the 9.200% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2028. This exchange offer includes an exchange of all of the Existing Second Lien Notes for newly issued 10.000% Senior Secured Second Lien PIK Notes due 2027 at an exchange ratio of 50.0% of the aggregate principal amount of the Existing Second Lien Notes tendered for exchange, and an offer to purchase up to $15,899,000 of the Existing First Lien Notes at a price equal to 100% of the par value thereof.
federal law. She says, “The FCC has once again chosen bureaucratic cover over public accountability. This merger was approved behind closed doors with no open process, no full Commission vote, and no transparency for the consumers and communities who will bear the consequences. A transaction of this magnitude, which includes new and novel issues before the FCC, demands open deliberation before the full Commission, not a quiet sign-off meant to avoid public scrutiny. Given the increasingly alarming pace of reckless media consolidation, the American public deserves to know how and why this decision was made.