FCC Adopts FM Booster Program
The FCC adopts changes to its rules that will allow FM booster stations to originate programming, subject to future adoption of processing, licensing, and service rules as proposed in the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The Commission notes that “FM boosters currently serve the limited purpose of rebroadcasting primary FM (or LPFM) stations in areas of poor reception. GeoBroadcast Solutions, LLC has developed technology that is designed to allow licensees of primary FM broadcast stations to
originate content using FM boosters and is intended to do so without raising the potential for harmful co-channel interference to the reception of the primary station’s signal outside the coverage area of the booster station or to previously authorized secondary stations.” GBS filed a petition on March 13, 2020, proposing to give FM broadcasters the option to use boosters to originate programming to specific zones within their stations’ service area, proposing to allow program origination for a limited period totaling three minutes per hour… During that limited period, GBS proposes that the FCC allow the booster to originate geo-targeted advertisements, promotions for upcoming programs, and other hyper-localized content, suggesting it would benefit small and minority-owned broadcasters, because potential advertisers that currently find it prohibitively expensive to buy spots reaching a radio station’s whole service area might purchase lower-cost airtime reaching a more targeted area, thereby becoming a new source of station revenue.”
in population take place in the U.S. – with growth often seen in southern markets – the ratings giant adjusts its rankings. Among the notable changes are the Dallas-Fort Worth market leapfrogging San Francisco to the #4 market and San Francisco now at #5. Other markets moving up include Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood to #11 and San Diego to #18. 
quarters, according to Nielsen Media Research. FNC adds that its primetime lineup sweept cable news every hour. “The Ingraham Angle” (7:00 pm ET) finished the quarter averaging 2.2 million viewers and 222,000 in the 25-54 demo. “Jesse Watters Primetime” (8:00 pm ET) delivered 2.8 million viewers and 284,000 in the 25-54 demo. “Hannity” (9:00 pm ET) remained dominant, nabbing 2.4 million viewers and 266,000 in the 25-54 demo, easily winning the timeslot and topping CNN and MSNBC in both categories. And “FOX News @ Night” (10:00 pm ET) delivered 1.2 million viewers and 187,000 in 25-54 demo.
Podcasting deserves a larger role in media plans as opposed to “test and learn” experimental buys. 135 million Americans, 47% of persons 12+, are reached monthly. Among demographics such as persons 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54, monthly reach is in the low 60% range; 2) It is feasible to consider shifting TV budgets to podcasting given that podcast 18-34 reach performance is as big as TV; 3) The ratio of monthly audiences who also listen weekly is an excellent measure of podcast habituation. At present, 71% of the monthly female podcast audience also listen weekly. This is the strongest female podcast habituation in the last decade; and 4) Currently, podcasts only represent 1% of total national ad spend, per Guideline’s Standard Media Index reporting. At the dawn of cable TV, legendary BBDO media chief Arnie Semsky created the “5% solution,” which stipulated that brands devote 5% of media budgets to cable. 5% is enough of allocation to generate meaningful impact. Semsky was prescient. His brands hugely benefited from taking an early, bold, and strong position in a growing new medium, a lesson for the marketers of today when it comes to podcasts. 
consumer behavior and technology adoption across smart platforms. Marketers and media buyers turn to these insights for important media trends in key channels such as radio, streaming audio, podcasts, social media, and more. Audacy will host a webinar on April 3 with head of research & insights Idil Cakim and Edison Research president Larry Rosin, who will share key trends from The Infinite Dial 2024, including: Media consumption and device adoption, in-car listening habits, podcast trends among key demographic groups, and observations and advertiser insights. 
week’s installment of the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” The program includes an archived interview conducted with Lieberman in 2018 for the podcast which offers valuable insight into his perspective on the Electoral College and the presidency of Donald Trump among other historic issues. Harrison describes the late senator and former VP candidate as, “one of the last true American statesmen of the modern era.” 
Monticello Media’s WCHV-AM, Charlottesville, Virginia, is acquiring WTON-AM, Staunton, Virginia and two FM translators (W255DS, Harrisonburg at 98.9 and W266BQ, Crozet at 101.1) from Stu-Comm, Inc. for $275,000. Thomas is buying the station via his company Thomas Media LLC. After Monticello Media learned of the deal, it severed its relationship with Thomas. He tells TALKERS magazine, “We are looking forward to bringing local news and conversation back to the valley the same way we did for WCHV. We also hope to have my show back on the air in Charlottesville soon.”
The thing about outstanding performance is there is one key trait in the performer we can all agree on. It was on full display in front of millions during the past two weeks. It shows up every time an athlete takes the game to new levels, or an artist moves us out of our seats and collective comfort zone.
Pick a day, any day. At least one news item will have the little voice in your head hollering “TELL me you’re kidding!” After recent headlines, and as various plots thicken, that little voice might need a lozenge.
Townsquare’s Cash Flow from Operations increased 35% year-over-year to $68 million, or approximately $4.07 per basic share based on shares outstanding as of March 28, 2024. Pro forma for this transaction, Cash Flow from Operations per basic share increased to approximately $4.47, representing accretion of approximately 10%. Following the transaction, the Company has 15.2 million shares outstanding. Townsquare CEO Bill Wilson says, “We are very pleased to share that we have repurchased just under 10% of our total shares outstanding in an immediately accretive transaction for our shareholders. Since 2021, we have repurchased 16.2 million shares at an average price of $7.19, while simultaneously reducing leverage. The strong cash generation characteristics of our business model, which produced $68 million of cash flow from operations in 2023, has afforded us the opportunity to accretively repurchase equity and debt, while also investing internally in our digital growth engine. In addition, we introduced a high-yielding dividend in 2023, and recently increased it by 5%. Our dividend has a yield of 7% as of March 28, 2024. With a strong cash balance of $40 million following this transaction, we will retain financial flexibility moving forward and we are confident in our ability to build shareholder value for our investors through long-term net revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and cash flow growth, net leverage reduction, future dividend payments, and potential future share repurchases.”
population has listened to a podcast in the last month, up 12% year over year; 34% of the U.S. 12+ population has listened to a podcast in the last week, up 10% year over year. Despite changes in how downloads are being delivered and counted, listening levels are up markedly; 2) Growth in podcast reach is driven by large increases among the number of female listeners: 45% of women in the U.S. age 12+ have listened to a podcast in the last month, up from 39% in 2023, an increase of 15%; 32% of women in the U.S. age 12+ have listened to a podcast in the last week, up from 27% in 2023, an increase of 19%; 3) Online audio listening hits the highest mark ever: 76% of those in the U.S. age 12+ have listened to online audio in the last month, an estimated 218 million people, 90% of those age 12-34 and 85% of those age 35-54 have listened to online audio in the last month; 4) 70% of those age 18+ who have driven or ridden in a car in the last month currently ever listen to radio as an audio source in their primary car; 55% listen to online audio and 32% listen to podcasts; and 5) 60% of those age 12+ have a traditional AM/FM radio set in their home. 
week on Real America’s Voice TV network. Root, who hosts the weekend program “America’s Top Ten Countdown with Wayne Allyn Root,” is being added to the network’s weeknight schedule as his “The Root Reaction” airs weeknights from 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm ET beginning April 1. Root says, “My new show will be an America First, MAGA, in-your-face, heart-pounding, pedal-to-the-metal, balls-to-the-walls, 180 MPH race through the biggest news stories of the day.”
sports. He’ll continue to serve as vice president of affiliate sales for news/talk and sports. Brewer, a 14-year veteran of the company, is named executive producer – sports programming. Kleiber, a 10-year veteran of the company, is been named senior producer – sports programming. Compass Media Networks CEO/founder Peter Kosann comments, “For over 16 years, Compass Media Networks has set a standard of excellence for national play-by-play sports with Chris, Rob, and Tyler playing a vital part in our success. It is our pleasure to give these three talented executives their day in the sun, knowing that they will continue to work incredibly hard to carry on this tradition of excellence.”
ideology on an issue-by-issue basis – although infuriating his fellow Democrats on many an occasion. After leaving the Senate in 2012, he withdrew somewhat from the political spotlight to serve as an attorney in private practice and a college professor but remained outspoken on issues of politics and public policy. His most recent activities included founding the No Labels Group which condemns what Lieberman described as the “partisan polarization of our politics which prevents us from making the principled compromises on which progress in a democracy depends.” Lieberman said, “We need bipartisan leadership to break the gridlock in Washington that will unleash all the potential that is in the American people.” TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison had the opportunity to get to know Joe Lieberman very well while serving as a talk show host on Connecticut’s leading talk station, WTIC, Hartford in the early 1990s. Harrison states, “Joe Lieberman was always available at a moment’s notice to appear on the air with me during those golden days of talk radio’s modern era and it was apparent to me – as well as talk show hosts across the nation – that he wasn’t your ‘run of the mill politician’ who put party over country and avoided answering the tough questions. There was a profound honesty in his words and tone that inspired confidence, among even those who disagreed with him, that they were talking to a very solid, principles-based man.” Harrison continues, “Talk show hosts on both sides of the political divide loved him for his warmth, candor and accessibility.” Harrison concludes, “Al Gore would have been better served during his run for the presidency to have let Joe have freer reign over his media availability during the campaign, something the VP failed to do. Every request for Joe to be a guest – many of which were squashed – had to go through the Gore campaign which turned off a lot of Joe’s friends and admirers in both radio camps.”
Solicitation to exchange any and all of its outstanding 6.750% Senior Secured First-Lien Notes due 2026 for new 8.750% Senior Secured First-Lien Notes due 2029 to April 2, 2024. This offer will expire then unless extended or terminated. As of March 26, approximately $15 million aggregate principal amount of the Old Notes had been validly tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation and not withdrawn.
Awards that celebrate outstanding achievements in media dedicated to women, by women, and about women across diverse platforms in news and entertainment. This year’s winners will be celebrated at AWMF’s annual gala on May 21 at the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles. Local and student award recipients will be honored at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 18 at Cipriani’s in New York City. 
director Mark Garrison after he asked if President Joe Biden suffers from dementia. Garrison did ask Jean-Pierre that question and she responded, “Mark, I can’t even believe you’re asking me this question. That is an incredibly offensive question to ask.” Then, after presenting the president’s accomplishments, Jean-Pierre thanked Garrison and ended the call. The White House says WBT was given seven minutes as part of Jean-Pierre’s media schedule and that she ended the interview at that time. The White House also suggested that the station employed a bit of theater by adding a dial-tone sound effect to the end of the interview that its phones don’t make after a call ends. 
they will end their program at the end of June. The two have hosted the afternoon show at Hubbard Broadcasting’s talk KTMY-FM “MyTalk 107.1” since 2002. Barghini and Cobbs – both in their early 60s – say they want more time for themselves. Barghini told listeners she started thinking about retiring after the death of her father last summer. 
as a satellite radio studio for Bold Gold Media’s four local broadcast radio stations, including news/talk WVOS-AM/W223DB “Catskills News Talk 92.5 & 94.9.” Bold Gold Studios will be available for lease opportunities, and offers brand new professional audio and video recording gear, with experts available to assist in recording, producing, and even marketing branded multi-media podcast or A/V productions. The company will hold a grand opening celebration on April 19. Bold Gold New York general manager Dawn Ciorciari says, “We are grateful to Bruce Davidson at the Liberty Theater for partnering with Bold Gold Media to create and manage this state-of-the-art studio in his historic building. This studio will extend Bold Gold Media’s reach in Sullivan and the Catskills and serve as a new professional space for audio and video content creators.”
content, providing an accurate assessment of the audience’s attentiveness and engagement.” Some of the key findings include: 1) Despite lacking “sight, sound, and motion,” AM/FM radio programming was +13% more engaging than Mediaprobe’s norm for television in the U.S. For advertisers, this means the AM/FM radio context for their ads has greater engagement than the TV context; 2) Overall, AM/FM radio advertising’s Emotional Impact Score (EIS) outperformed TV advertising by +12%. These new findings validate the recently released Dentsu/Lumen study, which revealed audio ads outperform video for attention and brand recall; 3) AM/FM radio news was the most impactful genre, consistently measuring as a high-quality contextual environment for advertising (+14% greater than Mediaprobe TV News norms and +8% than total AM/FM radio); 4) Mediaprobe audio benchmarks reveal the sound contrast between AM/FM radio programming and the ads drives higher attention and brand recall. For example, ads with music and jingles perform very well in spoken word programming due to the contrast; and 5) Creative best practices: Use female voiceovers, jingles, and include five brand mentions. 
negotiations with iHeart – KJR since the start of January and in the last few weeks we mutually agreed that I would be off the air until we reached a deal… Both sides worked hard to get a deal done and the process was long and time consuming. Late last week I received the offer that I had been looking for and was excited and grateful to get back to work on Monday. However, a day after receiving the offer I learned that my partner Jim Moore was terminated as part of nationwide layoffs within the company. The timing of the move left me angry, sad, confused and conflicted… Many, many sleepless nights has led to my decision to part ways with the station and not seek a new contract. I’m a firm believer in loyalty and the treatment of others. From my perspective I couldn’t in good conscience continue to do the show despite my love to do so… This is not goodbye forever. The process has energized and motivated me to great lengths. Stay tuned because very soon I’ll deliver the same nonsense in a different form.”