Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend
Negotiations in Congress over border legislation and aid to Ukraine and Israel; the U.S. military strikes Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria; MAGA’s Taylor Swift-NFL conspiracy theory; the 2024 presidential race; Donald Trump’s legal battles; the Fani Willis–Nathan Wade relationship; Sunday evening’s Grammy Awards; an atmospheric river drenches Southern California; and Apple’s Vision Pro headsets hit stores were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
other members of our unit. First and foremost, we denounce layoffs in their entirety; we believe this form of ‘cost cutting’ is fundamentally avoidable, and we don’t think innocent, hardworking staff should ever lose their livelihoods over mismanagement at the highest levels of a company. As previously reported, our parent company, Audacy, filed for bankruptcy at the beginning of this year after racking up $1.9 billion in debt. This same company also gave out at least $3.2 million in executive bonuses just months prior… Today, our union began the bargaining process where we will be fighting for the severance that our colleagues deserve — compensation that honors the immense time, skill, and creativity that each of them dedicated to the company over the years.”
amount raised brings the fundraising total to more than $4.2 million since 2010. Audacy Minneapolis SVP and market manager Jeff Gonsales says, “I couldn’t be prouder of everyone’s hard work on this event. This is yet another great example of how local radio can truly help change lives. We’re so grateful that WCCO can partner with Second Harvest Heartland and impact the community on such an amazing and rewarding day.”
announced. Neuhoff states in announcing the sale that this “transaction is part of an overall strategic decision on behalf of the Neuhoff family to depart the broadcast industry after nearly 70 years,” according to Julian Hickman and Makena Neuhoff, trustees of the Neuhoff family. The company still owns 13 radio brands spread across the Springfield, Illinois; Bloomington, Illinois; and Lafayette, Indiana markets and it “expects to make additional announcements regarding future agreements as the Neuhoff divestiture process moves forward.” Hickman states, “We are proud of what broadcast ownership has meant to our family, our employees, and the markets we serve. Our grandfather, Roger Neuhoff, began his ownership in the business during the mid-1950s. He loved the broadcast industry and was proud of the way our radio and television stations served their local communities.” Neuhoff Media president Mike Hulvey adds, “We are pleased to see the iconic local media brands of Neuhoff Media’s Danville and Decatur markets all brought together through this historic transaction with the Champaign Multimedia Group. The next chapter for the Danville and Decatur radio stations and digital platforms will create something very special for each community.” Kalil & Co., Inc. acted as the exclusive broker for this transaction.
talk KILT-AM “SportsRadio 610.” McClain’s role with the station included appearing on the station’s programs, writing stories for its website and co-hosting a podcast with station personality Sean Pendergast. The 72-year-old McClain tells the Chronicle that he’s not ready to leave the Houston radio market, adding, “I’ll see if people are interested. I’m a free agent now.” 
states, “We are excited to air ‘The Other Side of Midnight with Frank Morano.’ We were looking for a live, informative, interactive and entertaining show that will rekindle the joy of overnight radio.” Morano comments, “I’m excited to join the KMOX lineup and bring live programming to overnights in St. Louis. St. Louis is a terrific market and KMOX is a legendary talk station, with an incredible audience and history that goes back nearly a century. I’m looking forward to being a big part of their history when the chapter on their next century is written. We’re going to have a blast.”
with Jay Glazer: A Mental WEALTH Podcast” to better reflect the uplifting message of the program. Glazer says, “When we launched the podcast, it was really important to give words to what many of us are experiencing with our mental health. We led that charge, and after more than a year of conversations with leaders and champions in every field, we’re shifting to a focus on sharing personal stories of overcoming adversity, the tools people use to incur MENTAL WEALTH, and paths to success so we can help motivate, uplift and inspire even more people and help set them up to win.”
Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian does a deep-dive into the recent performances of the all-news format during Nielsen Audio’s “Holiday” PPM ratings period. He writes, “Ever since Arbitron (now Nielsen Audio) instituted the Portable People Meter as ratings currency in 2007, the ‘Holiday’ ratings period has been a veritable goldmine for stations employing the wall-to-wall Christmas music programming strategy. Adult contemporary comprises the overwhelming majority of those outlets. Usually substantial, however, is the negative impact on many other formats in ‘Holiday’ sweeps.” 
appointed to the National Association of Broadcasters Radio Board of Directors by Radio Board chair Collin Jones. Berge started her career in the broadcast industry in 2011 as an account executive for iHeartMedia in Eau Claire. She was named SVP of sales in 2018, before assuming her current role as market president. Berge assumes the board seat of Joel McCrae.
Step” chronicles allegations of sexual abuse by the founder of New Hampshire’s largest addiction treatment center. Several acts of vandalism followed the release of ‘The 13th Step’ at the homes of some of the NHPR journalists involved in that reporting, and their families. NHPR news director Dan Barrick says, “‘The 13th Step’ is an excellent example of the kind of journalism NHPR’s newsroom strives to produce every day: grounded in the issues facing New Hampshire, with the public’s interest at its heart. We’re very proud and grateful for this reporting to get national recognition.” 
The Ankler team will anchor “Entertainment Thursday” on “LAist 89.3,” reporting the latest news from Hollywood and offering insightful analysis throughout that day every week. SCPR chief content officer Kristen Muller comments, “Ankler Media is essential reading for the entertainment industry – from the studio C-suite to set builders and makeup artists.”
Ever since Arbitron (now Nielsen Audio) instituted the Portable People Meter as ratings currency in 2007, the “Holiday” ratings period has been a veritable goldmine for stations employing the wall-to-wall Christmas music programming strategy.
follows a multi-year advertising sales and production partnership between the two organizations. Terms were not announced. Crossover Media Group managing member Sue Freund states, “Throughout her more than four decades in talk radio and now podcasting, Dr. Laura has amassed an enormous following with her frank, direct, captivating style, which is sometimes provocative, always interesting and insightful, and never dull. After many years of working with her and her team at Take On The Day, we’re proud to expand our relationship and commitment to her programs, and to continue to grow our presence as a leading partner to the nation’s top audio-talk hosts.” Take On The Day LLC president Geoff Rich comments, “Crossover Media Group’s investment in Take On The Day adds so much to our ability to reach more listeners and help more sponsors. With Sue and her partners Ron Hartenbaum and Scott Calka joining the management team, we are supercharging the future of the Dr. Laura programming and brand.”
served as the sole lifeline during times of crisis like 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, and other major storms and floods,” Gottheimer has sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, urging them to require auto manufacturers that exclude AM radio reception from their motor vehicles to display a safety warning in the car’s window sticker that should read: “Warning: No AM Radio. Vehicle Unsafe in Certain Emergencies.” Gottheimer is also a supporter of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act that would require auto manufacturers to keep AM radio in vehicles, without charging customers extra for it. Gottheimer says, “Buying a car without AM radio is like buying a car without an emergency parking brake. You may not use it every day, but you’ll be glad you have it if your brakes ever go out.”
back episodes published before they subscribed. Since many if not most of those were never listened to, the data about listening habits was inaccurate. As the blog notes, podcasts that publish frequently will be most affected. “This is a crucial reset for the podcast industry, a much-needed rightsizing of audience data. This is a defining moment advertisers and podcast creators should both welcome. As hosts look at their downloads and reach for the Advil, they should know Apple is putting the podcast industry on the road to more accurate data. Better audience data inspires more confidence among advertisers and agencies.” Another new feature in iOS 17 is that users who haven’t listened to five downloaded episodes over the past two weeks will stop getting automatically downloaded podcasts. 
market, Cumulus operates news/talk WBAP-AM/FM, news/talk KLIF-AM/FM, sports talk KTCK-AM/FM and two country music brands. Cumulus regional vice president Dan Bennett says, “I can’t say enough about our air talent and programming team who understand that serving our community in Dallas-Fort Worth means raising awareness for organizations that give a lift to people who need it. They give so much of their time to make a difference and 2023’s efforts show the incredible results.”
I’m no expert, but I do have a theory.
sales division. Farber was most recently an executive director in sales at The Walt Disney Company and ABC. iHeartMedia SVP of sales Joe Donnarumma says, “Nicole’s extensive expertise and Todd’s strategic acumen, paired with their 
proven leadership in navigating the Bay Area’s competitive landscape, make them ideally suited to lead our sales teams toward greater success.” iHM San Francisco region president AJ Punjabi adds, “Bringing Nicole and Todd on board reinforces our mission to innovate and excel. Their fresh approaches are key to elevating our position as a leader in the evolving landscape of audio and digital media.” 
As The Beatles sang, “It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter.” ‘Still is, eh?
Rosa Road in Camarillo, California. Although the company officially moved its headquarters to Irving, Texas, the Camarillo offices are still the base of some of its corporate operations. In notifying and seeking approval from lender Siena Lending Group LLC, Salem notes that the Camarillo officers are being sold to Greg Robinson for $6.2 million and that cash will be applied to the company’s debt. It will then lease the property for $500,000 per year.
and an extended 30-minute Crosstalk segment – from 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm – with afternoon drive hosts “Waddle & Silvy,” (Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman) who will stay on the air until 6:30 pm. ESPN Chicago director of content Danny Zederman says, “We’re excited to offer our fans more of what they love – sports conversations, entertainment, and passion from our ‘ESPN Chicago’ talent. Carmen and Jurko have been an on-air duo for 15 years, and we are excited to offer fans more of the show. The new programming lineup with ‘Waddle and Silvy’ live until 6:30 p.m. will take you all the way home on your commute.”
February 5. In this role, Tatar will work closely with Houston SVP and market manager Sarah Frazier. She says, “I have admired Bill’s work in the Houston market for the past 15 years, so I am very excited about him joining our team. He has deep relationships in the market, a tremendous work ethic, and a creative mind that will help take our brands to the next level for both our consumers and partners.” Tatar has served with Cox Media Group in the Houston market since 2002.
available, ‘The Adam Carolla Podcast’ has remained one of the most popular podcasts on the planet for well over a decade. Fans grew to love the pairing of Adam Carolla & Dr. Drew Pinsky that originated on the world famous KROQ radio and became a cultural touchstone and in 2012 they reunited the partnership for ‘The Adam and Dr. Drew Show.’ In each episode Adam and Dr. Drew take uncensored, nothing-off-limits, calls about sex, drugs, medical and relationship issues. Dr. Drew brings the medicine while Adam’s comedic rants are the spoonful of sugar to make it go down.” PodcastOne president and co-founder Kit Gray adds, “Adam Carolla’s contributions to the medium of digital audio entertainment are immeasurable. From his devoted audience of listeners and advertisers, Adam has inspired legions of loyal fans who tune in daily to hear his comedic take on a wide array of topics. His camaraderie with Dr. Drew is the stuff of legends. This is a podcasting duo that will go down in history as one of the greatest partnerships. As we have grown as a network, so have Adam and Drew and we are thrilled to keep the momentum growing.”