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Sales

Pending Business: The ‘Who Cares?’ Test

By Editor | by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Time to sharpen up, drill down and pass the “Who Cares?” test. This is where we take a hard look at how you present your on-air talent for host reads.

If you are like most sellers or managers, you look for a comfortable rhythm in your proposals that works for your style and now fits the cut and paste culture. There is nothing wrong with time-saving technique — except when the shortcuts take you to an outdated comfort zone. In radio sales we all get hypnotized by what worked for years. After all, we are creatures of habit and why mess with past success? It’s a challenging but important part of radio sales strategy.

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Advice

Monday Memo: #NABShowNY

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

NEW YORK — Lots of long-time-no-see hugs among 9,500 of us at the Javits Center as the National Association of Broadcasters resumed its October event – like much of life, interrupted by COVID – and increasingly pertinent to radio.

Though long-timers long for the days when the exhibit hall was populated by jingle gypsies, Hiney Wine, and bumpersticker and T-shirt vendors, we now find the teleprompters and studio lighting and cloud software that are becoming tools of the trade for radio broadcasters who leverage their transmitter brand to take content (and advertisers) everywhere consumers consume us.

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Advice

Monday Memo: #NABShowNY

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

NEW YORK — Lots of long-time-no-see hugs among 9,500 of us at the Javits Center as the National Association of Broadcasters resumed its October event – like much of life, interrupted by COVID – and increasingly pertinent to radio.

Though long-timers long for the days when the exhibit hall was populated by jingle gypsies, Hiney Wine, and bumpersticker and T-shirt vendors, we now find the teleprompters and studio lighting and cloud software that are becoming tools of the trade for radio broadcasters who leverage their transmitter brand to take content (and advertisers) everywhere consumers consume us.

(more…)

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, October 20, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

‘CarPro’ Automotive Industry Expert Jerry Reynolds is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. Since its invention in the early 20th century, the automobile’s impact on society (not to mention radio) has been immeasurable… and it continues to be to this very day. The horseless carriage has shaped our culture and influenced us economically, architecturally, culturally, and even psychologically. Jerry Reynolds is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Reynolds is a giant in the world of automotive media. With over 40 years in the automotive industry, much of it as a hugely successful Ford dealer in Dallas, he is a trusted source of automotive news, insider insight, and new car reviews. For the past two decades he, along with co-host Kevin McCarthy, has hosted a Saturday midday talk radio show about cars called “CarPro.” It’s heard for three hours locally on WBAP in the Dallas/Fort Worth market, where Reynolds is a household name, and then for an additional two hours nationally on news/talk stations across America via the CarPro Radio Network. It’s no wonder that the show is such a success – information about automobiles ties in directly with most of the topics discussed on the news/talk format… the economy, the environment, and the day-to-day necessities of living. And a solid show about cars is a magnet for a wide and deep array of potential advertisers. Reynolds’ stated mission is to educate consumers about the car buying process and provide them with the latest information, so listeners can make the best car buying decisions for their needs and budgets. Harrison and Reynolds take an enlightening deep-dive into how today’s automotive industry operates. To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

NAB Reveals 2022 Marconi Award Winners; KTAR-FM Named Legendary Station of the Year. The National Association of Broadcasters presented the 2022 NAB Marconi Radio Awards during a dinner celebration held last night (10/19) at the Javits Center at NAB Show New York. Established in 1989 and named after inventor and Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, the NAB Marconi Radio Awards are given to radio stations and outstanding on-air personalities to recognize excellence in radio. Bonneville’s news/talk KTAR-FM, Phoenix was named Legendary Station of the Year. Bonneville Phoenix SVP and market manger Ryan Hatch states, “For more than 100 years, KTAR has been built on the backs of broadcasting legends. We are honored and thrilled to win one of the most coveted awards in broadcasting. I’m so proud of our talented Bonneville Phoenix team who continues to embody the legacy of building up, connecting, and informing the community that we serve.” Other spoken-word stations and personalities recognized by the NAB include: Joel Oxley of Hubbard Broadcasting’s all-news WTOP-FM, Washington was honored as Legendary Radio Station Manager; Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year went to Premiere Networks’ Dan Patrick; Major Market Personality of the Year is Greg Hill of Audacy’s sports talk WEEI, Boston; Major Market Station of the Year went to Cox Media Group’s news/talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta; Pathfinder Communications’ WOWO-AM, Fort Wayne was honored as Medium Market Station of the Year; CMG’s KRMG-FM, Tulsa was named News/Talk Station of the Year; Audacy’s WXYT-FM, Detroit took home Sports Station of the Year; and College Station of the Year went to Hofstra University’s WRHU-FM, Hempstead, N.Y. See the complete list of winners here.

Radio America to Syndicate ‘The Todd Herman Show.’ Former tech executive and current media personality Todd Herman is joining Radio America as the network is entering into a new distribution and sales agreement with his daily podcast and the debut of the new weekend program, “The Todd Herman Show,” beginning November 5. Herman hosted a regular program on KTTH-AM, Seattle for eight years and, for six years of that time, was a regular fill-in for Rush Limbaugh until Rush’s passing in 2021. Radio America president and CEO Mike Paradiso says, “Todd is a phenomenal talent that knows how to connect with listeners and advertisers. His daily podcast is a great addition to our podcast lineup and we love the opportunity to bring his show back to a national radio audience.” Herman a CEO and founder of a start-up and an executive with Microsoft, says, “I am feeling such gratitude to be welcomed to Radio America, where our God-given right to speak freely is practiced by some of the greatest voices in radio and podcasting. I thank God, my team, and my podcast family for getting us here.”

Triton Digital Releases Top U.S. Podcast Report for September. This report ranks the top podcasts in the U.S. for the month of September 2022, based on average weekly downloads. There was a little jockeying at the top of the chart as “NPR News Now” returns to the #1 position and audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” falls to #2. Wondery’s “Morbid” climbs to #3 and Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Ben Shapiro Show” falls back to #4. Other radio-related podcasts near the top of the chart include Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show” steady at #7, Salem Podcast Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” up one notch to #14, and Cumulus’ “The Mark Levin Podcast” is at #19. You can see the complete chart ranking the top 100 podcasts here.

PodcastOne Teams with XG Productions for ‘Talk to Me’ Podcast. A new partnership between PodcastOne and XG Productions includes the new podcast series, “Talk to Me.”  On this program, listeners will be taken into the exciting inside story of the world’s first hostage negotiation team, which was created inside America’s largest police department, the NYPD in the early 1970s. The first episode of “Talk to Me,” tells the story of the infamous Attica prison riots. Written and narrated by veteran South Bronx detective and New York Times bestselling author Edward Conlon, “Talk to Me” tells the inside story of how and why the field of hostage negotiations was created. In the wake of major 1970s tragedies such as the Attica prison riot, the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics, and the Brooklyn bank robbery that inspired the film “Dog Day Afternoon,” the NYPD recognized an urgent need to develop a protocol for handling incendiary hostage incidents. With news archives and first-hand accounts from hostage team founders Frank Bolz and Harvey Schlossberg, the podcast brings to life cases big and small to explore what worked — and what didn’t. The world’s first hostage negotiation team pioneered the use of psychology in saving lives and created a model that is still used around the world today.

GBH, El Planeta, and Harvard Medical School Team for Spanish-Language Podcast and Radio Show. Public media organization GBH announces it is teaming up with the journalists at the local outlet El Planeta (and its national counterpart, El Tiempo Latino), to produce “Salud,” a podcast and 30-minute radio show focused on health issues important to the Hispanic community. GBH News will lend its production facilities and distribution channels to the program. The Harvard Medical School Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership will provide expertise and guidance on medical matters. “Salud” will air on WGBH-FM 9:30 am on Saturdays, beginning on October 22 for an initial run of eight weeks. The show will be available on demand on YouTube and all major podcast platforms the Thursday before each broadcast date. GBH general manager for news Pam Johnston says, “Collaborating with El Planeta and the Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership at Harvard Medical School allows us to super-serve the local and national Hispanic communities with in-depth stories of significant importance to their health and well-being. Bringing these stories to the audience in their native language further reflects our deep commitment to engage with a broad and growing range of listeners.”

The Economy/New Tax Brackets, Russia-Ukraine War, Midterms, Donald Trump Legal Issues, Truss on the Ropes, and Kanye West Controversy Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (10/19). Inflation, the up-and-down financial markets, and fears of a recession, combined with the IRS’ announcement of new, lower tax brackets; Russia’s kamikaze drone strikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure; the debates ahead of November’s midterm elections; the numerous legal issues facing former President Donald Trump; Liz Truss’ tenuous hold on her Prime Minister role with Britain’s Conservative Party; and the anti-Semitic rants from rapper and fashion mogul Ye were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Sales

Pending Business: How Do You Handle Mistakes?

By Editor | by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Regular readers of this column know I am Florida based.

I needed a new screen door for our patio area one year prior to Hurricane Ian. Simple, you say. Not so simple in Florida where colors fade, styles change, hinges, pistons, handles, locks, are all exposed to the salt air yet still need to match and last. Most challenging is getting a replacement door to close and lock in place unassisted. When my screen door repair company finished, it worked perfectly. Within five days, the door would not completely close. They returned to fix it. About 10 days later, same issue; they returned to fix, again. And a third time. By now the project was a loss leader and the screen door company was more protecting a reputation than looking at their bottom line. Now the owner, toolkit in hand, returned to fix the issue. Finally, after four trips and adjustments all is good and there was never another charge or uncomfortable conversation. So, what does this have to do with radio sales?

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Advice

Monday Memo: Podcasting? Think How-Long, Not How-Many

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

BLOCK ISLAND, RI — You might know of the Pareto Principle, also called “The Rule of 80/20,” which states that 80% of sales come from 20% of customers. Ask any retailer. And radio audience measurement bears this out too. 70%+ of listening comes from 20%+ of a station’s listeners.

Because most podcasts are free, many are downloaded

But how many actually get heard? And how many get heard in their entirety?

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Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, October 13, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Jones Must Pay Nearly $1 Billion In Sandy Hook Defamation Case. A Connecticut jury has ordered “Infowars” talk show host Alex Jones to pay $965 million in total damages to the families of eight victims of the Sandy Hook school shootings and an FBI agent. Additional damages covering attorneys’ fees will be determined next month. The verdict came after three weeks of testimony in a state court in Waterbury. Not sounding remorseful on yesterday’s  radio show (Wednesday, 10/12), Jones railed against the jury’s decision, urging listeners to send money or buy supplements sold on his website. He stated, “They want to scare us away from questioning Uvalde or Parkland [but] we’re not going away, we’re not going to stop.” Jones actually cheered as the judge listed off millions in damages for each count. After one count was read, Jones said, “Get those numbers up.” At times he gave thumbs-up and raised his hand in the air. Jones and Free Speech Systems – parent of his Infowars content company – were held liable for defamation for spreading false stories that the Sandy Hook shootings were a hoax and the victims were actually “crisis actors,” who were following a script written by the government to build support for gun control. Fifteen plaintiffs were awarded damages in the case, one of three suits against Jones from his conspiracy theories about the shooting.  The largest single award of $120 million went to Robbie Parker, whose six-year-old daughter, Emilie, was killed in the shooting. Jones spent years mocking Parker as an actor. The plaintiffs also included an FBI agent who responded to the shooting; he was awarded $90 million in damages. An earlier suit in Texas awarded one victim’s parents close to $50 million. Another case is going to the damages phase after Jones lost the suit.

Jim Bohannon is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast.  Longtime talk radio superstar Jim Bohannon is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.”  Yesterday (10/10), the radio industry was shocked and deeply saddened at the announcement by Cumulus Media’s Westwood One in TALKERS that one of its longest running, most successful and universally beloved syndicated talk show hosts would be hanging up his headphones on Friday October 14th due to health issues. It was a surprise to many – but industry insiders were already aware that this broadcasting legend was suffering from an advanced case of esophageal cancer… and the prognosis was increasingly grim.  His career that spanned more than five decades including the past 30 as host of his solid late-night syndicated show is one of the greatest of all time.  His achievements include induction into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, the Radio Hall of Fame, and the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. He has received the First Amendment Award from the Radio-Television Digital News Association and the Lifetime Achievement Award from TALKERS magazine; along with numerous other awards and honors. Michael Harrison interviewed Jim Bohannon this past Sunday (10/9) afternoon.  It is candid, compelling and will no doubt be a historic audio document capturing a dramatic slice of radio history and culture – as well as deep insights into the human condition.  After recording the interview and podcast, Michael Harrison stated, “It is with profound sadness and love that I have the honor of presenting this interview to the public.”  Not to be missed!  To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

Gracie Awards Opens Call For Entries. For nearly 50 years, the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation-presented Gracie Awards have honored individual talent and exemplary programming created by women, for women, and about women in radio, television, and digital media in news and entertainment. AWMF president Becky Brooks comments, “We are more committed than ever to honor the remarkable work by so many in our creative community. As our most important fundraiser of the year, the Gracies enables the Foundation to deliver on its promise to further the connection, education and recognition of women in media.” The 2023 Gracie Awards co-chairs are: The Weiss Agency executive vice president Heather Cohen; McVay Media Consulting president Mike McVay; and Hallmark Media chief communications officer Annie Howell. Emmy winner Vicangelo Bulluck has produced the Gracie Awards since 2016 and will return in that capacity for the 2023 awards. Entry eligibility air dates are January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022; deadline for all entries is January 12, 2023 at 11:59 pm (ET).

Live365, TuneIn Strike Distribution Deal. Through a distribution agreement between internet radio companies Live 365 and TuneIn, Live365 broadcasters can access TuneIn On Air distribution as part of Live365’s premium packages – or – as an add-on to any other package. TuneIn On Air allows internet radio broadcasters to expand their reach to TuneIn’s 30 million U.S.-based listeners via TuneIn’s app and 200+ connected devices. TuneIn chief executive officer Richard Stern remarks, “This partnership with Live365 fits perfectly within our mission to reinvent radio for a connected world and democratize access to radio for broadcasters large and small. We believe great conversations are driven by the power of the human voice and we know our listeners rely on us to stay connected to the issues that matter to them most via our content catalog. We’re thrilled to help more broadcasters reach TuneIn’s expansive audience.” Live365 chief executive officer Jon Stephenson notes, “We’re excited to strike up this historic distribution deal with TuneIn to offer our Live365 broadcaster community access to TuneIn on air’s unparalleled distribution reach. As internet radio pioneers, this is an extraordinary opportunity to combine forces and allow broadcasters to utilize Live365’s easy-to-use tools and licensing coverage while reaching TuneIn’s millions of listeners. We’re proud to offer this to our community as we focus on expanding our distribution offering.”

TALKERS News Notes. The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, visits his former aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor for an interview that airs tomorrow (Friday, 10/14) at 7:00 pm as an episode of Sirius XM’s “Crooked Radio” (SiriusXM Progress). It will then be issued Saturday as a podcast. The former President’s “Pod Save America” appearance will be replayed tomorrow night (Friday, 10/14) at 9:00 pm and throughout the weekend. It will be his first on the show in exactly two years (10/14/2020). … Following a 24-year tenure at Los Angeles’ KNX “News 97.1 FM,” morning co-anchor/senior political correspondent Dick Helton (pictured at right) will retire tomorrow (Friday, 10/14) from the Audacy facility. Prior to joining KNX, Helton spent 29 years anchoring in Chicago at co-owned/similarly-formatted WBBM-AM.  … Per a report in The Lincoln Journal-Star, Damon Benning succeeds Matt Davison as analyst on University of Nebraska football radio broadcasts. Formerly a host on NRG Media Omaha sports talk KOZN “1620 The Zone,” Benning played for the Cornhuskers from 1992 – 1996. Davison had been a Nebraska analyst the past 19 years. … As part of an intra-Pennsylvania transaction, 34 full-power stations and 12 translators in five “Keystone State” markets are changing hands. Forever Media is the seller; Kristen Cantrell’s Southern Belle Media Family/Seven Mountains Media Family is the buyer. Among stations being sold include: sports talk WQWK, news/talk WRSC, W279DK, and W227DV (all in the State College market); Altoona market news/talk WFBG; news/talk WNTJ, W230BK, and W283CX, and news/talk WNTI (all in the Johnstown market); news/talk WMGW, W264DK, news-talk WTIV and W287DC, and news/talk WFRA and W251CL (all in the Meadville-Franklin market) news/talk WKST, W250CW, and W248DJ (all in the New Castle market); and Lebanon market news/talk WLBR. The complete transaction is for $17.375 million in assumption of promissory notes to Kerby E. Confer, the Judith M. Confer Irrevocable Trust, and Confermation, LLP.  Kerby E. Confer is Kristen Cantrell father.

A Podcast With “More To It” Debuts Next Tuesday. Co-produced by syndicated sports talk host Dan Patrick; iHeartPodcasts; Workhouse Media; Dat Dude Entertainment; and Jam Street Media, “More To It With Marcellus Wiley” will drop next Tuesday (10/18) on The Dan Patrick Podcast Network. Former co-host of FS1’s “Speak For Yourself” and ESPN’s “SportsNation,” all-pro defensive end Wiley played ten seasons in the NFL for four different teams. Patrick opines, “Marcellus’ frequent appearances on my show always stood out because he never showed up with cliché comments. He’s never been boring and I love that he brings something new to every conversation. I’m looking forward to listening to his new show and thrilled that he’s officially part of our family.” Wiley notes, “I’m honored to work with the legendary trailblazer Dan Patrick, whose path of success perfectly embodies the title of this podcast. I’m so excited to share these amazing journeys of perseverance and success with the world to inspire the inner power we all possess.” Wiley’s podcast will feature conversations with athletes, entertainers, and people with surprising stories that prove there’s more to everyone’s reality than meets the eye. It kicks off with an interview with rapper Lil Wayne. Future scheduled guests include Anthony Anderson, Charles Barkley, Snoop Dogg, Andrew Yang, Deion Sanders and Ben Horowitz.

Confusion On FM Booster Geotargeting. Several Texas and Colorado broadcasters have filed letters with the FCC, requesting their names be removed as supporters of a GeoBroadcast Solutions petition that supports geo-targeting on FM boosters. Dan Balla and Andrew Devall, presidents of Texas entities Falls Media and Q-Media Group, respectively, wrote they “were entirely unaware of our participation in this proceeding and did not knowingly consent to having our name included on such filings. We are relatively small radio broadcast operators with enormous demands on our limited time and resources. In general, we do not have the bandwidth to personally monitor activities at the FCC. Given this highly unusual circumstance, [we] respectfully request that the Commission remove the prior filings indicating our support for GBS’s requested rule change from the record.” According to Colorado broadcasters Scott Poese (Ranchland Broadcasting) and Warren Epstein (Pikes Peak College), comments filed under their names “do not accurately reflect our views. Contrary to what the comments indicate, [we] do not support the GeoBroadcast Solutions petition or believe it would benefit our stations or the public.”

Advice

Monday Memo: Plan NOW for the Big Story

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

BLOCK ISLAND, RI — After Putin said he’s not bluffing about tactical nukes, it’s prudent to take time to re-familiarize yourself with your network’s continuing coverage routine. When-the-fit-hits-the-shan they’ll shine, and news/talk stations need to be conspicuous.

  • Know now how you will be alerted when the net’ goes wall-to-wall or offers in-and-out updates during the hour.
  • WHO will do WHAT to break-into syndicated shows? In many clusters, a single person manages multiple stations’ largely-automated programming. Which staffer can pivot?
  • Use cluster-mate stations to remind their listeners that your news/talk stick is all-over-this.
  • When “The Big Story” blocks-out the sun, anyone at home will be glued to TV; so say “Stick with us when you’re in the car…”

This isn’t just Ukraine-watch. Gun nuts like that Buffalo supermarket shooter walk among us. And we’re recently reminded that so-called “100 year” storms come lots more often lately.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of radio and the Internet. And HC is author of the E-book “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download here: and “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books. And he’s offering FREE 60-second on-air features: “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” HC Follow him on Twitter @HollandCooke

Ratings Takeaways

September 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part Three

By Editor | by Editor

September 2022 PPM Data – Information for the September 2022 ratings period has been released for Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus.

Nielsen Audio’s September 2022 sweep covered August 18 – September 14.

Managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.

Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.

All comparisons noted are August 2022 – September 2022 (6+).

Note: The NFL season kicked off September 8; NFL – and MLB – flagships are noted where applicable.

PORTLAND

News/Talk: Alpha Media’s KXL “FM 101 News” 9.0 – 8.4, -.6, first to fourth

iHeartMedia-owned KEX “News Radio 1190” 3.1 – 3.5, +.4, #13 to #10

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Oregon Public Broadcasting’s KOPB 8.5 – 8.8, +.3, repeats in the runner-up slot

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia classic hits-oldies KLTH, first month, 7.9 – 9.7, +1.8

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies KLTH (+1.8)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: country KWJJ (-1.0)

CHARLOTTE

News/Talk: Radio One-owned WBT AM & WBT-FM “Charlotte’s News Talk” (Carolina Panthers) 5.4 – 4.5, -.9, fifth to tenth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Radio One’s WFNZ-FM “Sports Radio 92.7” 1.3 – 1.4, +.1, anchored at #17

Public Radio News/Talk: University Radio Foundation’s WFAE 4.9 – 4.8, -.1, seventh to ninth

South Carolina Educational Television Commission-owned WNSC .3 – .4, +.1, stays at #18

Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group urban AC WBAV, first month, 7.0 – 7.4, +.4

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: classic rock WRFX (+1.2)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease:  country WKKT (-1.7)

SAN ANTONIO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WOAI “News Radio 1200” 4.6 – 3.9, -.7, eighth to tenth

Alpha Media-owned KTSA “Stay Connected” 3.2 – 3.4, +.2, #12 to #11

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Texas Public Radio’s KSTX 2.5 – 2.1, -.4, #15 to #16

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies KONO-FM, eighth straight month, 9.4 – 9.7, +.3

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase:  classic hits-oldies KONO-AM (+.7)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KSAH (-1.6)

SACRAMENTO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM “News 1530 AM & 93.1 FM” 8.1 – 8.9, +.8, third to first and cluster-mate KSTE-AM “Talk 650” 3.8 – 4.5, +.7, eighth to sixth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Capital Public Radio-owned KXJZ flat at 4.1, remains in seventh-place

Number One 6+: news/talk KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM, first month, 8.1 – 8.9, +.8

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: adult hits KZIS (+1.0)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: country KNCI (-2.2)*

*Represents the largest August 2022 – September 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

PITTSBURGH

News/Talk: Audacy’s KDKA-AM “News Radio 1020 AM” 2.9 – 2.8, -.1, repeats at #13

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned KDKA-FM “93.7 The Fan All Sports All The Time” (Pirates) 5.5 – 6.0, +.5, fifth to fourth

Public Radio News/Talk: Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting’s WESA 3.5 – 3.7, +.2, #11 to #12

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia rock WDVE, second straight month, 9.9 – 10.5, +.6

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: country WPGB (+1.4)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease (Tie): adult hits WRRK and hot AC WLTJ (-.6)

SALT LAKE CITY

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM “Talk Radio” 9.1 – 11.6, +2.5, #1

Bonneville-owned KSL “News Radio 102.7 FM & 1160 AM” 6.1 – 6.7, +.6, fourth to second

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Utah’s KUER 3.9 – 3.7, -.2, ninth to tenth

Number One 6+: news/talk KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM, eighth month in succession, 9.1 – 11.6, +2.5

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: news/talk KNRS (+2.5)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: hot AC KBZN (-1.0)

LAS VEGAS

News/Talk: Beasley Media Group-owned KDWN “The Talk Of Las Vegas” 2.2 – 2.4, +.2, #18 to #16

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Lotus Spanish adult hits KWID, first month, 4.8 – 7.1, +2.3

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: Spanish adult hits KWID (+2.3)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KISF (-1.5)

Note: In a transaction expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year, Audacy is acquiring KDWN.

ORLANDO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTKS “Real Radio 104.1” 6.5 – 5.9, -.6, fourth to fifth

Cox Media Group-owned WDBO “Orlando’s News Talk” 3.7 – 5.0, +1.3, #11 to #8

iHeartMedia-owned WFLF “Orlando News Radio” 1.3 – 1.0, -.3, #17 to #19

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Community Connections-owned WMFE 2.7 – 2.8, +.1, #15 to #13

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic rock WMMO, second consecutive month, 7.5 – 8.5, +1.0

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: news/talk WDBO (+1.3)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WOCL (-1.4)

CINCINNATI

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WLW “700 Cincinnati’s News Radio” (Reds) 11.7 – 11.1, -.6, #1 and cluster-mate WKRC “55 KRC The Talk Station” 4.4 – 3.9, -.5, eighth to tenth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WCKY “ESPN 1530” (Bengals) .8 – 1.0, +.2, #20 to #19

Public Radio News/Talk: Cincinnati Public Radio’s WVXU 5.1 – 4.4, -.7, continues in seventh-place

Number One 6+: news/talk WLW, seventh month in a row, 11.7 – 11.1, -.6

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: hot AC WKRQ (+1.0)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: rhythmic hot AC WREW (-1.1)

CLEVELAND

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTAM “News Radio 1100” (Guardians) flat at 7.8, repeats in third-place

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WKRK “Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan” (Browns) 4.4 – 4.8, +.4, tenth to ninth and WKRK’s internet stream 1.6 – 1.2, -.4, #14 to #15

Public Radio News/Talk: Kent State University-owned WKSU 4.3 – 3.6, -.7, #11 to #12

Ideastream-owned WCPN’s internet stream .2 – .4, +.2, unchanged at #20

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia classic hits-oldies WMJI, first month, 8.0 – 8.1, +.1

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: country WGAR (+.8)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: urban AC WZAK (-1.1)

KANSAS CITY

News/Talk: Audacy’s KMBZ-FM “98.1 FM News, Traffic, Weather” 4.7 – 4.1, -.6, fifth to eighth

Cumulus Media-owned KCMO-AM “Talk Radio 710 AM” 1.5 – 1.4, -.1, repeats at #20

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s KCSP “Sports Radio 610 Our Teams, Our Town” (Royals) 3.4 – 3.0, -.4, #13 to #14

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Missouri-owned KCUR 4.4 – 4.0, -.4, remains at #9

Number One 6+: Cumulus Media classic hits-oldies KCMO-FM, sixth straight month, 8.6 – 8.3, -.3

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: country WDAF (+1.3)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease (Tie): news/talk KMBZ-FM and adult contemporary KCKC (-.6)

COLUMBUS

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WTVN “News Radio 610” 7.5 – 6.7, -.8, third to fourth  

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Tegna-owned WBNS-FM “97.1 FM The Fan” 6.8 – 9.4, +2.6, fourth to first

Public Radio News/Talk: Ohio State University’s WOSU 8.2 – 7.9, -.3, second to third

Number One 6+: sports talk WBNS-FM, first month, 6.8 – 9.4, +2.6

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: sports talk WBNS-FM (+2.6)**

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease (Tie): country WCOL and classic rock WLVQ (-1.0)

**Represents the largest August 2022 – September 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets, as well as the previous 24 PPM-markets

Up next: September 2022 overviews for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; Providence; Norfolk; Jacksonville; West Palm Beach; Greensboro; Memphis; and Hartford.

Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.  

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, October 6, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

WABC, New York’s Bernard McGuirk Dies from Prostate Cancer at 64. Longtime New York City radio personality Bernard McGuirk – most recently co-host of the “Bernie & Sid” show on WABC, died on Wednesday evening (10/5) after a battle with prostate cancer. WABC calls McGuirk “the brains of the 77 WABC ‘brains and muscle’ team of ‘Bernie & Sid in the Morning.’” McGuirk had been with WABC since 2007 as executive producer of the “Imus in the Morning Show,” where he was also featured as the program’s quick-witted, on-air contributor. McGuirk added color to local and national news updates with his own take on the serious and not-so-serious news of the day. McGuirk was with the “Imus In the Morning” show since its latter days at WNBC Radio. He made the move with Imus to WFAN, New York in 1988 and remained there until 2007. McGuirk was also part of the Imus team when the show became nationally syndicated in 1993. WABC says that McGuirk, who had been co-host of its “Bernie & Sid in the Morning” with Sid Rosenberg since April of 2018, helped bring WABC back to the top in New York, reaching #1 in share of the 12+ audience in morning drive in the August Nielsen ratings. The station says there will be a tribute and moment of silence for McGuirk on 77 WABC today, during the morning drive program. A special tribute for McGuirk, including memories and thoughts from the WABC staff, will air on Tuesday, October 11. Red Apple Media Group chief John Catsimatidis says, “We are all devastated by the loss of Bernie. He was a true New Yorker whose talent and intelligence propelled him to the top of New York morning radio. He had incredible insights on local, national, and world news that his listeners respected. He will be missed by everyone at WABC and his fans around the world.” Sid Rosenberg says, “Bernie was my partner and my friend. He was always the smartest guy in the room, and I was fortunate to be the guy next to him. I know our listeners join me in grieving the loss to radio and to New York.” Born in the Bronx in 1957, McGuirk was a graduate of the College of Mount St. Vincent. He is survived by his wife Carol, and their two children, Brendan and Melanie.

Tavis Smiley Is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. Independent radio station owner/operator and longtime multi-platform media commentator Tavis Smiley is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Smiley’s accomplished, three-decade career includes having hosted shows and making appearances on such national television platforms as BET, CNN, ABC, and PBS, as well as radio stations KABC and KGFJ in Los Angeles. He’s a prolific author and dynamic purveyor of the African American perspective in the media with his current radio focus representing the majority liberal side of the nation’s diverse black population. In 2021, Smiley’s company, SmileyAudioMedia, Inc., acquired a radio station in Los Angeles – the former hip hop legend KDAY, and turned it into a brand-new station and format launched on Juneteenth of that year – KBLA Talk 1580 – where he’s assembled an outstanding air staff, including himself, with the passionate mission of “unapologetically” serving people of color and political progressives. Harrison states, “Tavis Smiley is to be applauded for bringing two rare but extremely important entities to America’s talk media universe – an African American-owned-and-operated major market station as well as a commercial talk radio outlet that actually embraces liberalism. Putting his money where his mouth is, his belief in and support of radio itself is needed and inspirational.” To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

Howard Stern Praises Old Boss Bill Nosal Upon News of His Passing. Legendary radio personality Howard Stern had high praise for former longtime WCCC, Hartford program director Bill Nosal, who died recently at age 77. Stern said on his SiriusXM program that Nosal hired him in a move that brought Stern from a small station to a top 50 market and would give him the visibility needed to become the superstar that he is. Stern said his first audition for Nosal didn’t go well, but he got a second interview anyway. Stern said, “Either he was a genius like on the level of Lorne Michaels … or he was a complete moron who had no idea what he was doing. I choose to think he was a genius. He saw a diamond in the rough in me [when] no other person did.” Nosal would eventually leave WCCC and the radio programming business to launch his own advertising agency. You can read Stern’s comments here.

Report: Audacy Exploring Sale of Cadence13 Podcasting Unit. According to a piece by Axios, Audacy has retained investment firm Evolution Media Capital to explore the sale of its podcast studio Cadence13 in order to “alleviate some of the company’s debt as it faces financial challenges.” The story notes that in addition to Cadence13, Audacy has acquired Pineapple Street Studios, and podcast monetization platform Podcorn. While Audacy is not commenting on the matter, the Axios piece notes that on Audacy’s most recent quarterly conference call, company president and CEO David Field stated that the company’s podcast growth is coming from its local sports and news radio stations – as well as Audacy’s new sports podcast studio 2400Sports. The piece concludes that Audacy is shifting its podcast strategy to programs “based on its own intellectual property from its radio [holdings], rather than bidding on premium podcasts to distribute, which is Cadence13’s specialty.”

Triton Digital Releases August 2022 Streaming Ranker. The August 2022 Streaming Metrics Ranker from Triton Digital is released. Triton ranks streaming publishers based on Average Active Sessions or AAS that represents the average number of sessions at any point in time in the reported time period. iHeartRadio remains ranked #1 with 305,156 AAS. Other radio-related companies making the ranker include: NPR Member Stations at #2 (71,378 AAS), Audacy at #3 (64,858 AAS), Cumulus Streaming Network at #4 (42,893 AAS), Beasley Broadcasting Corporate at #7 (18,144 AAS), Hubbard Broadcasting at #8 (15,154 AAS), and Salem Communications at #10 (8,871 AAS). You can see the complete ranker here
.

TALKERS News Notes. The newest podcast from Newsweek is “The Kristal Knight Show,” hosted by Knight, whom the news organization calls “a leading voice on the progressive left.” She most recently served as the political director for Priorities USA, a Democratic super PAC, during the 2020 election cycle. Knight says, “I have worked on elections across the country in big cities and small towns. People vote with their party when their party reflects their values, but if their values aren’t reflected, they either don’t vote or vote third party. The Democratic Party today is bifurcated and on ‘The Kristal Knight Show,’ we want to present both sides in this ‘interparty debate,’ so people can decide for themselves what the party truly stands for at this juncture.”…..The board of directors of the New York State Broadcasters Association announces that Michael Strahan is named its Broadcaster of the Year for 2022. Strahan currently co-anchors ABC’s “Good Morning America.” During the NFL football season, he serves as an analyst of “FOX NFL Sunday,” for which he received a 2019 Sports Emmy Award nomination for “Outstanding Sports Personality – Studio Analyst” and a 2020 Sports Emmy Award nomination for ‘Outstanding Studio Show – Weekly.” Strahan also hosts the top-rated primetime game show favorite “$100,000 Pyramid” on ABC…..ESPN and host and commentator Bomani Jones have agreed to a new contract extension. Jones will continue to lead his popular ESPN Podcast, “The Right Time with Bomani Jones,” three times per week. Jones will continue to make regular guest appearances across ESPN Radio’s sports talk programming. He will also continue to be a key contributor across ESPN’s television studio lineup, including “SportsCenter,” “First Take,” “Pardon the Interruption” and more. Jones says, “I’m very happy to continue ‘The Right Time’ with ESPN. I remain indebted to everyone who has worked to build the podcast, particularly my producer Gabe Basayne.”…..SiriusXM announces that Dave LaGreca, the lead host of the pro wrestling show “Busted Open,” signs a new multi-year extension with the company. LaGreca says, “I am very happy to cement my relationship with SiriusXM. The platform will continue to be the home for ‘Busted Open’ and I appreciate every SiriusXM team member who has made the show a success.”

Russia-Ukraine War, Mar-a-Lago Documents Case, DACA Ruling, Biden Visits Florida/Ian Aftermath, The Economy/OPEC Decision, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race and ‘Rust’ Settlement Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (10/5). The annexation of parts of Ukraine by Russia’s Vladimir Putin and his attacks near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant; the legal battle over former President Donald Trump’s storing of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago; an Appeals Court rules that the DACA – that provides a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants – is illegal; President Joe Biden visits the destruction in Florida from Hurricane Ian and the search for missing residents; the high rate of inflation, financial markets activity, and OPEC’s decision to cut oil production; the November midterm elections and speculation over the nominees for president in 2024; and Alec Baldwin settles with the family of the cinematographer killed on the set of Rust were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

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Pending Business: The Aftermath of Ian

By Editor | by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — It’s about a three-hour drive, a little less than 200 miles from my home base, to Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

As we experienced strong winds and heavy downpours, Hurricane Ian destroyed most of Fort Myers Beach as well as other communities on Florida’s west coast. Ian tore a devastating path that continued through Orlando and into the Carolinas. Damage estimates are already over $60 billion, the death toll in Florida at 48 and still climbing. Ian is the worst storm in Florida history.

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Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, September 29, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Glenn Beck is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. 2022 marks the 20th anniversary that Glenn Beck’s show has been in syndication with Premiere Networks. The multi-platform star is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Heard by millions of listeners on more than 400 stations, Beck is a Radio Hall of Fame inductee, Marconi Award winner and past recipient of the prestigious TALKERS Freedom of Speech Award. He’s a communications industry entrepreneur – the co-founder of Blaze Media – who’s made his mark on radio, TV (CNN, FOX), and live events – not to mention, being a 13-time #1 bestselling author and one of the few in history to have had #1 national bestsellers in the fiction, non-fiction, self-help and children’s picture book genres. He’s also a humanitarian who has raised significant funds for a number of charitable causes including helping families in Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as fighting global sex trafficking and more. Harrison and Beck engage in a deep-dive conversation about politics, journalism, the media, privacy and the provocative topic of his latest book, The Great Reset: Joe Biden and the Rise of Twenty-First-Century Fascism (Mercury Radio Arts, Inc., 2022). Don’t miss this! To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

WMAL-FM’s Larry O’Connor Joins Salem News Channel for Prime Time Show. WMAL-FM, Washington morning drive personality Larry O’Connor is joining Salem Media Group’s OTT television network Salem News Channel to host a 9:00 pm ET show titled, “O’Connor Tonight.” O’Connor will be joined by top writers and editors from Salem’s Townhall.com where O’Connor also serves as a senior columnist and creative director. He says, “Salem News Channel represents the future of news content, going over the heads of the legacy media model and delivering informative, vital content directly to a passionate and informed audience. I am thrilled and honored to be affiliated with this dynamic company and am confident that ‘O’Connor Tonight’ will be an entertaining and relevant part of our daily American conversation.” Salem Media Group SVP of spoken word Phil Boyce comments, “Larry brings a wealth of experience and credibility to SNC and we are thrilled he has chosen to join us as we build this network. SNC’s prime time lineup of Andrew Wilkow, Brandon Tatum, Dinesh D’Souza, Eric Metaxas and now Larry O’Connor is second to none in the cable TV news world.”

Adams Radio Group Acquired by Adams Radio Acquisition Co., LLC.  This deal – expected to be completed by the end of this year – has Adams Radio Group being acquired by Adams Radio Acquisition Co., LLC.  This new entity is controlled by shareholders that were investors in Adams Radio Group when the group was originally formed in 2013. The company will continue operating under the Adams Radio Group banner. Adams president and CEO Ron Stone says, “I am grateful to [chairman and majority owner of the ownership group] Steve Adams for the opportunity to build a second Adams Radio Group. I served as Steve’s CFO in the original Adams Radio Corporation and had my first opportunity as a GM at KEZK, St Louis. The opportunity to work with Steve a second time and build a new group was a dream come true for me. We formed Adams in 2013 and it has been an incredible experience and I have been surrounded by some of the brightest people in the business. I look forward to seeing the company continue to grow and our most dedicated staff prosper under the new ownership and leadership.” Adams Radio owns and operates 18 stations in four markets. The press release states that sources close to the new shareholders say “plans are to continue to build upon the past 10 years and add new markets as opportunities present themselves.” Sharon Bordwell continues with the new company as CFO.  Ron Stone will continue to manage the group until closing. Stone says he expects to be busy for a few months post close wrapping up old company business and plans to take some time to assess new opportunities that will enable him to continue to make contributions to the radio industry, including continuing as president and executive director of the Independent Broadcasters Association. Kalil & Co Inc. was the exclusive broker on this transaction representing Adams Radio Group.

McFarlands Show to Launch on WNSR, Nashville. The Tennessean reports that Southern Wabash Communications’ sports talk WNSR-AM/W240CA, Nashville is launching a new mid-afternoon program starring radio pro Darren McFarland and television personality Justin McFarland, titled, “The McFarland Show with Darren and Justin.” The 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm show will debut on Monday (10/3). Darren McFarland previously served with Cromwell Media’s crosstown sports talker WPRT-FM “The Game 102.5 FM” and has been the Nashville Predators radio studio host since 2013. Justin McFarland is a morning reporter for WZTV-TV “FOX 17 News.” WNSR general manager Ted Johnson states, “It’s great having two such talented, experienced and wonderful people joining our crew. Darren and Justin will make a great team that listeners will gravitate to and enjoy. They’ll be a great complement to our daily lineup.” The two fill the slot left open by Tennessee sports personality George Plaster’s exit from the station in April of this year.

‘The Trap Nerds’ Episode to Take Place in iHeartLand on Roblox. The podcast The Trap Nerds – a collaboration between iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s The Black Effect Podcast Network – debuts a special metaverse episode event in iHeartLand on Roblox, streaming for users on the main stage at State Farm Park. During this inaugural podcast event, hosts Dre, Eli, Tony and Exavier will discuss the last book they read, what it means to be a Black nerd (“Blerd”), Dragon Ball Z and more. iHeartLand visitors on Roblox will experience the event beginning today (9/29) and run for 48 hours through Saturday. This will be followed by an iHeartLand encore event in Fortnite beginning October 13 at 7:00 pm ET through October 19.

TALKERS News Notes. The Washington Examiner’s Juliegrace Brufke reports that Salem Radio Network talk host Sebastian Gorka hopes to be involved with any investigation into Hunter Biden that might take place if Republicans take control of the House after November’s elections. The story indicates Gorka met with U.S. Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL) “on Wednesday as the Florida Republican attempts to recruit the controversial conservative pundit to become a staff director if a select committee is formed to examine the business dealings of President Joe Biden’s son, according to one source familiar with the meeting.”…..Red Apple Audio Networks, the syndication arm of John Catsimatidis’ Red Apple Media, owners of WABC, New York announces it has surpassed 100 affiliates across the country since it launched in February. The network’s roster consists of eight shows and features currently running on WABC, including Catsimatidis’s “The Cats Roundtable” and “The Other Side of Midnight with Frank Morano.”…..Television and radio pro Corny Koehl – formerly a programmer at ABC Radio Networks and former executive producer of Premiere Networks’ “The Dr. Laura Show” – is producing a weekly, short-form political satire podcast titled, “Thorn in the USA,” that she calls “an effort to counter the propaganda from elected officials on the far right.” It “centers on fictional host, Margaret Penelóp Taylor, aka Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s #1 fan girl/unofficial MTG whisperer. A self-described ‘Christian Nationalist’ and ‘Pro-Putin Pawn,’ Penelóp pours fuel on the culture wars and casts aspersions on her ‘libtard’ opponents. At the end of each episode is a ‘real’ call-to-action, followed by the host’s vivid sexual fantasies with her obsession, FOX News’ Tucker Carlson.”…..Cumulus Media announces the podcast “Afford Anything” joins the Cumulus Podcast Network. Creator and host Paula Pant focuses on helping listeners make smarter decisions about money, time, and life to align daily behaviors and habits with lifestyle goals. In the podcast, she also talks with guests about investing, travel, lifestyle design, financial independence, real estate, entrepreneurship, productivity, personal development, and the philosophy of money.

Hurricane Ian, The Economy, Russia-Ukraine War, Trump Legal Issues, Harris Asia Trip, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Immigration/Drug Trade, and Brazil Elections Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/28). Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Southwestern Florida; record high inflation and the sell-off on the world’s financial markets; Vladimir Putin’s attempt to annex portions of Ukraine and his nuclear threats; the legal battles facing former President Donald Trump; Vice President Kamala Harris’ trip to Asia and her visit to the Korean DMZ; the November midterm elections and speculation about the nominees in the 2024 presidential race; the Biden Administration’s immigration policy and the influx of fentanyl from Mexico; and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s battle to win reelection were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Sales

Pending Business: The Assumptive Renewal

By Editor | by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. –Will somebody please tell me who came up with this annoying habit?

Just email a schedule to a current client, build in a price increase attributed to everything from “political” to demand, and push your client to authorize.

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Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, September 22, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

FAIR’s Hold Their Feet to the Fire Radio Row 2022 Brings Hosts and Guests Together in Washington, DC. Today (9/22) is the second day of the two-day radio row presented by Federation for American Immigration Reform. The 15th annual “Hold Their Feet to the Fire” began on Wednesday with more than 65 talk media personalities interviewing politicians and immigration experts and discussing the hot-button issue of immigration reform and the problems the nation faces with the recent surges of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Pictured above are two of the hosts taking part in the radio row. Above left is WNRI, Woonsocket, Rhode Island personality John DePetro flanked by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), and above right is WRVA, Richmond afternoon host Jeff Katz with the media personalities Diamond and Silk.

WPHT, Philadelphia Talent Shuffle Includes New Morning Show; Zeoli Moves to PM Drive. A change in the programming schedule at Audacy’s news/talk WPHT, Philadelphia includes a new morning drive program titled, “Kayal and Company,” led by Nick Kayal and including Dawn Stensland and Greg Stocker (who also serves as station PD). Current morning drive host Rich Zeoli moves to the 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm daypart. Dom Giordano remains in the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm slot and Stensland continues her solo program from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. The changes become effective on October 3. Audacy Philadelphia SVP and market manager David Yadgaroff comments, “For the first time ever, WPHT will be live and local from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm, which further cements this fan favorite as the voice of Philadelphia and a reliable destination for our listeners. We’re excited to welcome Nick, who is trading in his sports background for his passion for politics, to our morning drive, and move Rich and his highly-successful program to entertain and inform listeners as they wind down their days.” Kayal previously worked in the market on sports talk WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic.”

The Ramsey Network Launches ‘Smart Money Happy Hour’ Podcast. A new podcast from the Ramsey Network is launched titled, “Smart Money Happy Hour,” starring Rachel Cruze and George Kamel. The podcast is described as “a mix of solid advice and snark from two friends who also happen to be money experts.” The show joins the Ramsey Network roster of podcasts that includes “The Ramsey Show,” “The Dr. John Delony Show,” “The Rachel Cruze Show,” “The Ken Coleman Show,” “The Fine Print,” “Borrowed Future” and “The EntreLeadership Podcast.” Ramsey Network EVP Blake Thompson says, “Rachel and George have such unique chemistry. One minute I was laughing along with them, the next I was thinking about money in a whole new way. People are going to love the pop culture references and the casual, pour-a-glass-of-wine environment these two have created in this new podcast.” Some of the “Smart Money Happy Hour” topics include: Is Convenience Culture Worth Being Broke?; HGTV: The Network That Brainwashed Us; How to Leave a Royal Legacy for Your Family; and Can the Middle Class Still Afford to Go to Disney?

SmileyAudioMedia Offering ‘Agenda for America’ Election Programming to Stations. As a part of its continuing election coverage, Tavis Smiley, SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. and KBLA, Los Angeles “Talk 1580” announce that they are offering exclusive election programming to urban stations nationwide. SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. and KBLA Talk 1580 are producing a live, four-part series titled, “Agenda for America: An African American Perspective” that is executive produced by Smiley and moderated by KBLA’s radio hosts. The company says these four national conversations featuring influential Black voices will be offered at no charge to other talk- and urban-formatted radio stations and audio platforms across the country. The four programs are: “The State of Black Women in America,” hosted by Areva Martin; “The State of Black Men in America,” hosted by Zo Williams; “The State of Black Youth in America,” hosted by Dominique DiPrima; and, “Why We Can’t Wait: The Urgency of Now,” hosted by Tavis Smiley. The series airs live on Thursdays from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm PT on KBLA “Talk 1580.” Smiley says, “KBLA ‘Talk 1580’ is not only a portal for talk and opinions for the progressive African American listening audience, but also a content provider of relevant programming for urban stations around the country. We intend for KBLA ‘Talk 1580’ to be the epicenter of election coverage, addressing local, state and national issues, affecting what matters most to our people.”

Audacy’s All-News WWJ, Detroit Unveils New Anchor Lineup. Beginning on October 3, the news anchor lineup changes at Audacy’s all-news WWJ, Detroit “News Radio 950.” The station says longtime anchor Jackie Paige (right) moves to mornings, joining Jonathan Carlson (left) from 7:00 am to 10:00 am. Paige will also host middays from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. Brooke Allen follows from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Tony Ortiz takes over at 2:00 pm and is joined by Allen from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Ortiz also hosts from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Erin Vermeulen remains the evening news anchor from 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight. Audacy Detroit SVP and market manager Debbie Kenyon comments, “We are excited to announce our new lineup, which is full of news anchors who are seasoned and well known in the community. This new slate will allow WWJ to continue its mission of keeping listeners informed of breaking news and the top stories of the day.”

BIA Advisory: WTOP Maintains Top Biller Spot for 2021. A report from BIA Advisory Services tallying radio’s top billers for last year reveals that Hubbard Broadcasting’s all-news WTOP-FM, Washington stayed in the #1 position with an estimated $70 million in revenue in 2021. BIA Advisory says that figure was an increase of 12.9% from $62 million in 2020. It goes on to say, “This surpasses the overall growth rate of 10.3% that BIA forecasts for over-the-air radio from 2020 to 2021, as the industry started to pull out of the pandemic slump. WTOP-FM is also the only station on this list to surpass its pre-pandemic revenue figure of $69.8 million in 2019.” The spoken word stations on the 2021 list that showed improvement include Audacy’s all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago – up to the #4 spot from #5 in 2020 ($34 million); Beasley Media Group’s sports talk WBZ-FM, Boston rose from #6 to #5 ($33.4 million); Audacy’s all-news WINS, New York was up from #9 to #8 ($31.6 million); its sports talk WFAN, New York rose from #10 to #9 ($31.5 million); and its all-news WCBS-AM, New York entered the top 10 at #10 ($30.9 million). The big change from the 2020 list to the 2021 list was Cox Media Group’s news/talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta falling from #4 to #12. BIA also ranked the top billing by radio companies. You can see both charts here.

Triton Digital Releases August 2022 U.S. Podcast Report. This report from Triton Digital ranks the most popular podcasts in the U.S. for the month of August based on Average Weekly Downloads. Changes from the July 2022 report include audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” rising from #3 to #1, bumping Cumulus Podcast Network’s “Ben Shapiro Show” from #1 to #3. Remaining in the #2 spot is NPR’s “NPR News Now.” You can see the complete list of the top 100 U.S. podcasts from Triton Digital here.

TALKERS News Notes. The New York City Radio Committee, a joint partnership of all the major radio broadcasters in New York City, is developing a marketing campaign to promote the power of radio. The campaign includes radio messaging on over 20 of New York’s most-listened-to stations, digital and social media marketing along with trade media. The multi-media campaign runs through November. The focus of the initiative is on advertising agencies and businesses that purchase advertising. Audacy New York market president and chairman of the New York City Radio Committee Chris Oliviero says, “Radio has been and continues to be a critical and valued part of millions of New Yorkers’ daily lives. These iconic brands, from music to news to sports, provide the soundtrack of the city. This campaign offers a fresh, fun and innovative approach to highlighting the efficacy of radio for media planners and advertisers.  The collaboration of the city’s major broadcasters shows a clear commitment to our belief that local radio, consumed on FM or AM or streaming or in podcasts, is an essential tool in any overall marketing strategy in the media capital of the world.”…..iHeartMedia extends the contract of Michael McGuinness through June 1, 2027 and changes his title from EVP – finance and deputy chief financial officer to EVP, deputy chief financial officer of the company and chief financial officer – multiplatform and digital segments…..FOX News Channel names Trace Gallagher anchor of “FOX News @ Night.” Gallagher takes over for Shannon Bream, who was recently promoted to anchor of “FOX News Sunday.” FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott says, “When it comes to breaking news coverage, Trace Gallagher is one of the best in the business and having a seasoned journalist at the helm of this hour ensures our viewers unrivaled 24/7 news coverage.”…..“The Todd Starnes Show” adds new affiliate KHTS, Santa Clarita, California to its roster of stations.

Inflation/Interest Rate Hike, NY Sues Trump Org, Trump Documents Case, Immigration/Migrant Transportation, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Zelenskyy UN Speech, Iran Protests, and Hurricane Fiona Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/21). Inflation, the rising price of gasoline, and the Fed’s interest rate hike; New York Attorney General Letitia James files a civil fraud suit against Donald Trump, his children, and Trump Org officers; an Appeals Court rules DOJ can resume criminal probe of Donald Trump documents case; the immigration troubles at the U.S.-Mexico border and the transporting of migrants from Southern states to Northern cities; the November midterm elections and speculation about the nominees for president in 2024; Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the UN General Assembly pressing for punishment for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the protests in Iran over the death of a woman in custody of the country’s “morality police”; and the destruction caused by Hurricane Fiona were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

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Streaming Has Saved Talk Radio

By Editor | by Editor

By Kathy Carr
Howie Carr Radio Network
President

 

BOSTON — Recently, I was signing up a new affiliate for “The Grace Curley Show” and one section of the agreement dealt with “territory,” meaning the area covered by the station’s terrestrial signal.

The template for this agreement was created just eight years ago, in 2014, but it now seems so archaic. With all the ways you can listen in 2022, what does it matter how strong the signal is and what exactly is “exclusive territory?” Because there is no exclusive territory now.

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Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, September 15, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Rush Limbaugh Book to Be Published Next Month. A book Rush Limbaugh was working on prior to his February 17, 2021 death will be published on October 25 by Threshold Editions. Titled, Radio’s Greatest of All Time, and credited to Limbaugh, his widow Kathryn Limbaugh, and brother David Limbaugh, Threshold says the book is “a collection of Rush Limbaugh’s greatest on-air moments, with special commentary and personal stories.” Threshold’s promotion of the book states: “Rush’s passing the following year sent shock waves through the conservative and broadcasting communities. In this timeless collection of his best work, his triumphant legacy as the greatest voice for conservatism is cemented in history. When Rush’s dear friend Vince Flynn first suggested the idea of this book, Rush considered the task daunting. ‘How can I possibly select the best of the best,’ he joked, ‘from all the years of pure genius?’ Over time, Rush came to love this project immensely, and recalled incredible details from his childhood and early career. Featuring commentary from loved ones, family, friends, and prominent figures such as President Donald Trump, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Governor Ron DeSantis, and more, Radio’s Greatest of All Time is the ultimate gift for any devoted listener and leaves no doubt about his profound impact on this country.

Management Promotions at iHeartMedia’s BIN: Black Information Network. The company announces two management changes at the BIN: Black Information Network. Andrea Coleman is elevated to vice president of news operations and Mike Stevens becomes BIN’s first-ever managing editor. iHeartMedia says, “As vice president of news operations, Coleman will lead the charge in keeping BIN: Black Information Network front and center while guiding newsroom operations to optimize the network’s reach, scale and influence. Coleman previously served as news director of BIN. In the new managing editor position, Stevens will work closely with Coleman to guide newsroom operations, as well as assign and coordinate national and local news coverage. The shift in leadership structure comes after the passing of Tanita Myers, a seasoned network and local news manager, producer, broadcaster and anchor who joined BIN in June 2020 and was most recently serving as vice president of news operations. BIN president Tony Coles adds, “A major part of Tanita Myers’ legacy at the Black Information Network will forever be the incredible depth of talent she hired. Following her passing, Andrea and Mike not only helped us to continue her work but have built upon this foundation. It only felt natural to elevate both to these leadership positions and trust them to continue bringing BIN to new heights. I am excited to see two of our best journalists advance into these new roles, and I am confident we will continue to grow under their leadership.”

KFBK, Sacramento Celebrates 100th Anniversary; Plans October Live Event. Sacramento news/talk KFBK-AM/FM is celebrating 100 years since its first on-air broadcast on September 17, 1922 all this week. iHeartMedia says of KFBK: “Signing on less than two years after the very first U.S. radio station, KFBK News Radio was first licensed to the Kimball-Upson department store located at 607 K St., which sold radios. The station’s first broadcast that Sunday evening began at 8:00 pm with “Song of the East,” played on the piano by a local musician. Additional songs and local news announcements followed to complete the evening’s first-ever radio broadcast. That inaugural day began Carlos McClatchy’s mission for KFBK to serve the Sacramento Valley and Northern California with local news, information, and entertainment. KFBK News Radio has been a springboard for talent who would go on to become nationally famous, including Rush Limbaugh and Tom Sullivan.” In celebration, the station is featuring rare historic audio highlights as well as a published timeline of the station’s history, rare photos, audio, video, and special podcasts, from the last 100 years. KFBK program director Bill White says, “The founding principle of KFBK News Radio remains the same today as it did in 1922, to provide relevant local news and information. Through the generations, KFBK’s team of talented news anchors, reporters, and talk hosts continues to proudly uphold that mission, to serve the listeners of Sacramento and Northern California.” iHeartMedia Sacramento will present a KFBK Centennial Celebration Event on Friday, October 21. It will be hosted by Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty from “The Armstrong and Getty Show” and will include appearances by current KFBK on-air talent including Cristina Mendonsa, Sam Shane, Tom Sullivan, Kitty O’Neal, John McGinness, Pat Walsh, and many KFBK alumni from the station’s previous years.

WSYR, Syracuse Celebrates 100 Years of Service. Another iHeartMedia station celebrating its 100th anniversary is Syracuse news/talk WSYR. A local proclamation from Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, along with local video greetings and dignitaries, can be seen at WSYR’s website today (9/15) to coincide with the station’s historic launch. In addition, News Radio 570 WSYR will reveal an online museum featuring previously archived photographs and biographies of past on-air personalities and more. iHeartMedia Upstate New York president Robert J. Morgan says, “From its earliest days, News Radio 570 WSYR has been an integral part of this community. Generations of Central New Yorkers have depended on News Radio 570 WSYR for relevant, accurate and up-to-the-minute coverage of the topics that matter most to the local community. We intend to build on this legacy in the next 100 years and will always be here with news, conversation, and companionship in times of crisis and celebration.” While WSYR was first licensed in 1926, the origin of its founding was September 15, 1922, when WMAC was started. WMAC would later be merged with WSYR.

Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Visit Affiliate KLBJ-AM, Austin. Last week, “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” visited affiliate KLBJ-AM, Austin “NewsRadio KLBJ – 590 AM/99.7 FM,” broadcast live from the station on September 8 and 9, and hosted a client and listener meet-and-greet. The duo also took in the Alabama vs Texas football game at Texas Memorial Stadium. Pictured above (from l-r) at the game are: Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Sexton, Senator Ted Cruz, Travis and Texas oil executive Bill Holmes.

TALKERS News Notes. The NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning is switching its radio flagship from iHeartMedia’s news/talk WFLA, Tampa to Cox Media Group’s hot talk WHPT-FM, Tampa “The Bone.” In making the announcement, the club cites WHPT’s strong signal as a benefit to fans. Vinik Sports Group president Mark Pitts says, “As we continue to grow our brand and fan base throughout the state, the Lightning are excited to partner with Cox Media Group to provide Bolts fans throughout Central Florida and beyond, the opportunity to hear all games on 102.5 The Bone…..PromoSuite announces it is promoting Nia Addison to the newly created position of customer success & renewal contract manager. In this role, Addison will manage the contract renewal process in collaboration with PromoSuite’s sales and customer success teams. She will also continue to work directly with PromoSuite customers to ensure their success utilizing PromoSuite Next, PromoSuite Mail and the all-new PromoSuitePlus workflow platform which includes PromoSuite Digital and PromoSuite Production…..Virtual News Center adds two new stations to its roster of affiliates. Adding the service for local newscasts and weather reports are BiCoastal Media’s news/talk KELA-AM and country KMNT-FM, Centralia-Chehalis, Washington.

Inflation/Financial Markets/Freight Rail Strike, Trump vs DOJ, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Immigration/Migrant Busing, Abortion Legislation, January 6 Investigation, Russia-Ukraine War, and Asian Leaders Summit Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/14). The still-rising price of food and consumer goods, the activity on the financial markets, and a potential freight rail strike; former President Donald Trump’s battle with the Department of Justice over classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago; the November midterm elections and speculation about the nominees for president in 2024; Biden Administration immigration policy and the relocating of migrants; Senator Lindsey Graham’s national abortion bill; former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows complies with a subpoena from the January 6 committee; Russia’s recent losses in the Ukraine invasion; and the summit of Asian leaders, including Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, in Uzbekistan were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Advice

Monday Memo: Like Sands Through the Hourglass…

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

BLOCK ISLAND — “…so are The Days of Our Lives.” The intro to that soap opera – er, daytime drama – is SO old that it outlived star MacDonald Carey, still heard voicing-over the beginning of each show on NBC-TV every weekday…until today. After 57 years and 58 Emmy Awards on broadcast television, the venerable melodrama will now be seen exclusively on NBC’s streaming platform Peacock.

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Ratings Takeaways

August 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part Three

By Editor | by Editor

August 2022 PPM Data – Information for the August 2022 ratings period has been released for Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus.

Nielsen Audio’s August 2022 sweep covered July 21 – August 17.

TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.

Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.

All comparisons noted are July 2022 – August 2022 (6+).

PORTLAND

News/Talk: Alpha Media’s KXL “FM 101 News” 8.0 – 9.0, +1.0, fourth to first

iHeartMedia-owned KEX “News Radio 1190” 2.4 – 3.1, +.7, #17 to #13

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Oregon Public Broadcasting’s KOPB 9.4 – 8.5, -.9, first to second

Number One 6+: news/talk KXL, first month, 8.0 – 9.0, +1.0

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase (Tie): news/talk KXL and adult hits KYCH (+1.0)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease (Tie): public radio KOPB and country KWJJ (-.9)

CHARLOTTE

News/Talk: Radio One-owned WBT AM & WBT-FM “Charlotte’s News Talk” 5.5 – 5.4, -.1, fourth to fifth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Radio One’s WFNZ-FM “Sports Radio 92.7” 1.6 – 1.3, -.3, locked at #17

Beasley Media Group-owned WSOC-HD3 “Fox Sports Charlotte” flat at .3, #21 to #18

Public Radio News/Talk: University Radio Foundation’s WFAE 4.6 – 4.9, +.3, tenth to seventh

South Carolina Educational Television Commission-owned WNSC steady at .3, #21 to #18

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia country WKKT, first month, 7.5 – 7.6, +.1

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase (Tie): adult contemporary WKQC and gospel WPZS (+.8)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: classic rock WRFX (-1.0)

SAN ANTONIO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WOAI “News Radio 1200” 3.9 – 4.6, +.7, ninth to eighth

Alpha Media-owned KTSA “Stay Connected” 3.0 – 3.2, +.2, #11 to #12

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Texas Public Radio’s KSTX steady at 2.5, #16 to #15

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies KONO-FM, seventh straight month, 8.2 – 9.4, +1.2

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase:  classic hits-oldies KONO-FM (+1.2)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: country KAJA (-1.1)

SACRAMENTO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM “News 1530 AM & 93.1 FM” 7.5 – 8.1, +.6, remains in third-place and cluster-mate KSTE-AM “Talk 650” 4.9 – 3.8, -1.1, sixth to eighth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Capital Public Radio-owned KXJZ 3.5 – 4.1, +.6, ninth to seventh

Number One 6+: Bonneville country KNCI, first month, 8.3 – 8.7, +.4

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: classical KXPR (+1.5)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: news/talk KSTE (-1.1)

PITTSBURGH

News/Talk: Audacy’s KDKA-AM “News Radio 1020 AM” 2.8 – 2.9, +.1, #12 to #13

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned KDKA-FM “93.7 The Fan All Sports All The Time” (Pirates) 5.0 – 5.5, +.5, anchored in fifth-place

Public Radio News/Talk: Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting’s WESA 2.5 – 3.5, +1.0, #13 to #11

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia rock WDVE, first month, flat at 9.9

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: hot AC WLTJ (+2.1)*

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: CHR WKST (-1.2)

*Represents the largest July 2022 – August 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

SALT LAKE CITY

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM “Talk Radio” 9.6 – 9.1, -.5, #1

Bonneville-owned KSL “News Radio 102.7 FM & 1160 AM” 5.6 – 6.1, +.5, sixth to fourth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Utah’s KUER 3.8 – 3.9, +.1, repeats in ninth-place

Number One 6+: news/talk KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM, seventh month in succession, 9.6 – 9.1, -.5

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase (Tie): hot AC KBZN and rock KBER (+.7)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: CHR KUDD (-1.1)

LAS VEGAS

News/Talk: Beasley Media Group-owned KDWN “The Talk Of Las Vegas” 2.1 – 2.2, +.1, repeats at #18

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group classic hits-oldies KKLZ, second straight month, 7.5 – 7.0, -.5

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: hot AC KVGS (+1.2)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KQRT (-1.5)

ORLANDO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTKS “Real Radio 104.1” 6.1 – 6.5, +.4, sixth to fourth

Cox Media Group-owned WDBO “Orlando’s News Talk” 2.0 – 3.7, +1.7, #15 to #11

iHeartMedia-owned WFLF “Orlando News Radio” 1.0 – 1.3, +.3, #20 to #17

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Community Connections-owned WMFE 2.0 – 2.7, +.7, repeats at #15

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic rock WMMO, first month, 7.0 – 7.5, +.5

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: news/talk WDBO (+1.7)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: Spanish tropical WRUM (-1.4)

CINCINNATI

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WLW “700 Cincinnati’s News Radio” (Reds) 12.3 – 11.7, -.6, #1 and cluster-mate WKRC “55 KRC The Talk Station” 4.3 – 4.4, +.1, repeats in eighth-place

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WCKY “ESPN 1530” .7 – .8, +.1, #21 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: Cincinnati Public Radio’s WVXU 4.7 – 5.1, +.4, remains at #7

Number One 6+: news/talk WLW, sixth month in a row, 12.3 – 11.7, -.6

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: country WUBE (+1.2)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary WRRM (-1.3)

CLEVELAND

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTAM “News Radio 1100” (Guardians) 7.4 – 7.8, +.4, fourth to third

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WKRK “Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan” 3.8 – 4.4, +.6, #11 to #10 and WKRK’s internet stream 1.5 – 1.6, +.1, repeats at #14

Public Radio News/Talk: Kent State University-owned WKSU 3.3 – 4.3, +1.0, #12 to #11

Ideastream-owned WCPN’s internet stream .1 – .2, +.1, #21 to #20

Number One 6+: Radio One urban AC WZAK, eighth month in a row, 9.4 – 9.0, -.4

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: public radio news/talk WKSU (+1.0)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: classic rock WNCX (-2.0)**

**Represents the largest July 2022 – August 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

KANSAS CITY

News/Talk: Audacy’s KMBZ-FM “98.1 FM News, Traffic, Weather” 3.9 – 4.7, +.8, #11 to #5

Cumulus Media-owned KCMO-AM “Talk Radio 710 AM” .7 – 1.5, +.8, #21 to #20

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s KCSP “Sports Radio 610 Our Teams, Our Town” (Royals) steady at 3.4, #14 to #13

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Missouri-owned KCUR 4.1 – 4.4, +.3, tenth to ninth

Number One 6+: Cumulus Media classic hits-oldies KCMO-FM, fifth straight month, 8.3 – 8.6, +.3

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase (Tie): news/talk KMBZ-FM and similarly-formatted KCMO-AM (+.8)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: contemporary Christian KJNW (-1.7)

COLUMBUS

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WTVN “News Radio 610” 8.2 – 7.5, -.7, first to third

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Tegna-owned WBNS-FM “97.1 FM The Fan” 5.9 – 6.8, +.9, sixth to fourth

Public Radio News/Talk: Ohio State University’s WOSU 7.9 – 8.2, +.3, repeats in the runner-up slot

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia CHR WNCI, first month, 7.7 – 8.5, +.8

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase:  rock WRKZ (+1.1)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease:  adult contemporary WSNY (-1.1)

Call letter oddity: This is the first month at #1 for Bonneville Sacramento country KNCI, as well as iHeartMedia Columbus CHR WNCI.

Up next: August 2022 overviews for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; Providence; Norfolk; Jacksonville; West Palm Beach; Greensboro; Memphis; and Hartford.

Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.  

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, September 1, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

KOGO, San Diego Launches ‘Slater & Lou’ Show. As part of a realignment of programming and a frequency swap in San Diego, iHeartMedia announces the launch of the new “Slater & Lou” program on news/talk KOGO-AM. Starring Mike Slater and Lou Penrose, the program will air daily from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm beginning today (9/1). Penrose had been hosting a one-hour show on KOGO and Slater had been hosting on co-owned KGB-AM “The Patriot.” iHeartMedia says, “The duo will join forces for a fast-paced, news-driven talk program for San Diegans that will focus on the day’s top stories both local and national. Slater’s extensive knowledge of history combined with Lou’s background in politics will provide listeners with an accurate understanding of topics and the impact they may have on people’s lives.” iHeartMedia San Diego director of news and programming Brian Long says, “Mike and Lou represent a fresh approach to talk radio. Joining KOGO’s lineup on the drive home next to ‘champion of government reform’ Carl DeMaio will provide the show with a great forum to deliver their unique perspectives to the KOGO audience.”

iHeartMedia San Diego Flips Frequencies; Adjusts Programming on News/Talk and Sports Outlets. Today (9/1), the frequency swap of iHeartMedia San Diego AM stations takes effect as the sports talk format heard on KLSD-AM “XTRA 1360” moves to KGB-AM where it will become “San Diego Sports 760” and conservative news/talk “The Patriot” moves to KLSD-AM’s 1360 signal as “The Patriot 1360 AM.” iHeartMedia president San Diego/Riverside region Noreen Ippolito states, “We are committed to delivering an audio sports platform with massive reach for our listeners and partners. Our goal is to reach fans wherever they are through the iHeartRadio App, KGB-FM HD2 simulcast, and on 760 AM’s massive day and nighttime signal which can be heard all over the West Coast.” The lineup on “San Diego Sports 760” remains the same, while the show lineup on “The Patriot 1360 AM” is now all syndicated with the move of Mike Slater to KOGO as noted in the story above. Talk host Mark Larson tweets that he also moves from KGB-AM to KOGO-AM to host the 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm “KOGO at Night” program.

Salem Appoints Tara Loring Eastern Regional Digital Sales Director. Audio sales pro Tara Loring is named Eastern regional digital sales director for Salem Media Group, effective September 12. Loring most recently served with Hubbard Broadcasting as general sales manager and director of digital media for the company’s West Palm Beach cluster. Salem VP and general manager Jon Latzer says, “Tara has been an active hands-on leader in both the broadcast and digital media industries for several years and her wealth of experiences will provide tremendous growth to our digital marketing firm – Salem Surround. In Tara, we have an individual who has experience working with multiple sales staffs and managing high-performance individuals. We are thrilled that Tara is joining our growing sales and operational efforts and will lead a team who is dedicated to helping Salem and our advertisers grow and thrive.” Loring comments, “I am thrilled to be joining the Salem Media team, one that truly embraces forward-thinking initiatives to produce real results for clients and partners. A big thank you to Jon Latzer, Jamie Cohen, and Dave Santrella for welcoming me with open arms. I look forward to taking my passion for building winning teams to Salem Surround and working with Jon to help continue their incredible revenue and operational growth.”

Edison Research: Top Podcast Genre is Comedy. Based on Edison Research’s data collected continuously from Q3 2021 through Q2 2022 by surveying weekly podcast consumers ages 18 and older in the U.S., the company reveals its list of the Top Podcast Genres in the U.S. and comedy once again takes the top spot as the genre consumed by most weekly podcast listeners. Here’s the updated Top 10 Genres for Q2 2022 in full:  1) Comedy, 2) News, 3) Society and Culture, 4) True Crime, 5) Sports, 6) Business, 7) Arts, 8) TV and Film, 9) Education, and 10) Religion and Spirituality.

TALKERS News Notes. Journalist Greta Van Susteren – host of the nightly Newsmax TV program “The Record with Greta Van Susteren” – has been honored by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who awarded her the Order of Merit, III Degree for her in-depth and hard-hitting project, “Putin’s Atrocities: Horror in Ukraine.” Newsmax says, “Much of the mainstream media has focused on weapons and the billions in financial aid given to Ukraine by the global community to fend off Moscow’s aggression. Van Susteren’s series, though, took a different tack, exploring the savagery displayed by Putin’s forces. Intriguing segments looked at reports of POWs being tortured and executed, alleged war crimes by Moscow, and the Kremlin’s campaign of terror against Ukraine’s women and children. Van Susteren says, “I have been on the ground in Ukraine and seen this war with my own eyes. Once you see it with your own eyes, you can’t turn your back. The world needs to know what is going on… especially the atrocities. This is why I am at Newsmax — the opportunity to do these important stories with great colleagues.”…..The WSB-AM, Atlanta-based, nationally syndicated Erick Erickson show adds new affiliate stations as KJJR, Kalispell, Montana and WETR, Knoxville add the program on weekends; WMAY, Springfield, Illinois puts the show on weekday evenings; and WDBO, Orlando moves the program into the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm daypart…..The Milwaukee Business Journal reports that Colleen Valkoun has exited her role as market president for iHeartMedia’s Milwaukee radio station operations that includes news/talk WISN, sports talkers WRNW-FM and WOKY-AM, plus four music brands. The Journal reports that Valkoun’s duties will be absorbed by iHeartMedia Area president Jeff Tyler…..Nielsen Holdings plc announces that at a court meeting and special meeting of its shareholders, its shareholders have approved the previously announced definitive agreement for Nielsen to be acquired by a private equity consortium composed of Evergreen Coast Capital Corp., an affiliate of Elliott Investment Management L.P., and Brookfield Business Partners L.P. together with institutional partners. Shareholders approved the $28.00 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $16 billion, including the assumption of debt. The transaction, which is expected to close in October 2022, remains subject to customary closing conditions. Upon closing, Nielsen will become a private company, and its shares will no longer be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

FBI Documents Investigation, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Biden Philly Speech, Student Loan Forgiveness, China COVID Lockdown, Migrant Busing, Russia-Ukraine War, and Jackson Water Woes Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/31). The FBI and Department of Justice investigation into the documents retrieved from former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago; the midterm elections, Sarah Palin’s special election loss, and speculation about the nominees for the 2024 presidential race; President Joe Biden’s planned prime-time speech tonight in Philadelphia; criticism of Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan; China’s COVID lockdown of 21 million in Chengdu; Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s busing of migrants to New York, Washington, and Chicago; the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the attempt to inspect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant; and Jackson, Mississippi’s water system failure were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.  

Advice

Monday Memo: Promoting Your Podcast with Email

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

BLOCK ISLAND, RI — You DO regularly communicate with an email list…right? Few opportunities to engage are more powerful than the ongoing conversation you have with followers. It’s a relationship that Pandora and Spotify and SiriusXM can’t emulate and smart radio hosts exploit well.

Send a link to your latest episode, invite feedback, and (of course) “Share with a friend.”

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Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, August 25, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

WPHT, Philadelphia Midday Icon Dom Giordano is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. The dean of Philadelphia radio talk show hosts, Dom Giordano, heard daily 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm on WPHT, is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Giordano is a former public school teacher now nationally recognized as one of broadcasting’s leading experts on education and advocates for its improvement in America. He also hosts a popular podcast series titled, “Readin’ Writin’ and Reason,” that tackles the most challenging issues facing education today. Harrison and Giordano discuss the decline of attention spans and general literacy induced by digital technology, the political weaponization of basic historical concepts and traditions due to radical “wokeness,” and the shift from academic discipline to the “touchy feely coddling” of students by many of today’s public schools and institutions of higher learning. Harrison says, “The subject of education is on my mind with the release this week of the Gunhill Road music video ‘Idiots’ (www.idiotsvideo.com) and the growing negative impact ignorance and illiteracy are having on the healthy functioning of American democracy. I know of no one better to turn to in discussing these matters than our learning go-to guy – Dom Giordano.” To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

KIRO-AM, Seattle Brings Brock & Salk Back for Morning Drive. The sports talk duo of Brock Huard and Mike Salk is getting back together as Bonneville’s sports talk KIRO-AM, Seattle “Seattle Sports” announces the return of the “Brock & Salk” show to morning drive on September 6. “Brock & Salk” previously aired on “Seattle Sports” from April 2009 through September 2019 and transitioned to a weekly podcast shortly thereafter. Salk has been hosting the morning show solo. Huard says, “I am thrilled to come back on the air with Mike Salk, though I feel like I never left. My heart and passion are for the Pacific Northwest community, its teams, and its fans. On September 6, that daily connection begins again.” Station program director Kyle Brown comments, “At ‘Seattle Sports’ we aim to be the preeminent voice for sports fans in the region. The return of Brock Huard to an already strong weekday lineup helps cement our status as the go-to destination for sports coverage in the Pacific Northwest.”

KBLA, Los Angeles to Present Live Election Forums. Los Angeles talk station KBLA-AM “Talk 1580” announces it is presenting election coverage of heated races with its Public Safety Forum that it says is “designed to provide a place to discuss politics for Black voters.” The first live broadcast will feature incumbent Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva facing off against challenger, former Long Beach chief of police Robert Luna on September 12 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The forum will be moderated by KBLA owner and media personality Tavis Smiley, who will be joined by radio hosts Dominique DiPrima, Angela Reddock-Wright, and KBLA chief national political affairs analyst Nii-Quartelai Quartey. The forum will be livestreamed via KBLA1580.com, KBLA’s YouTube channel, and Facebook with an encore broadcast to air on KBLA Talk 1580. Smiley says, “We intend for KBLA Talk 1580 to be the election information station for our audience. We will be covering all of the local, state and national elections that matter to our listeners. This particular sheriff’s race is perhaps the most hotly contested in some time, and we are appreciative that the candidates have agreed to speak to our audience directly.”

TALKERS News Notes. This Labor Day weekend, news/talk ABC News Radio affiliates have two special programs available to them. “Impact: Climate & Sustainability” is hosted by correspondent Aaron Katersky and explores the recent surge in wildfires, the effort to bring alternative power to communities nationwide, the jobs created by the clean energy industry, and a look at why there is an increase in shark sightings on Long Island. “Your Voice, Your Vote 2022” is a one-hour preview of the upcoming midterm elections hosted by ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers and political director Rick Klein. They will be joined by reporters, analysts and experts to discuss what’s at stake in the election, voting rights and more…..Audacy and Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres announce an extension to their broadcast partnership agreement today that keeps KWFN-FM “97.3 The Fan” the flagship station for Padres baseball through 2027. The station has served as the radio home of the team since 2018. As part of the extended partnership, “97.3 The Fan” will continue to serve as the radio home of Padres baseball, broadcasting all of the team’s regular season and postseason games. Audacy San Diego SVP and market manager Michael Valenzuela says, “As one of the most exciting teams in Major League Baseball, the Padres have brought championship aspirations back to San Diego, and we’re delighted to deliver every minute of the action to our listeners for the foreseeable future.”…..SiriusXM kicks off the 2022 college football season with play-by-play of 95 live games from August 27 through September 5. The opening week schedule on SiriusXM features games from every team from the Associated Press Top 25 poll, including #1 Alabama vs. Utah State, the season’s first Top 5 matchup of #5 Notre Dame at #2 Ohio State and the Top 25 matchups of #11 Oregon at #3 Georgia and #23 Cincinnati at #19 Arkansas.

Biden’s Student Loan Relief, Abortion Bans, FBI Raid/Documents Investigation, Russia-Ukraine War, The Economy, Uvalde Police Chief Fired, and Vanessa Bryant Lawsuit Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/24). The student loan debt cancellation executive order announced by President Joe Biden; bans on abortion go into effect in three states; the aftermath of the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago and the documents investigation; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the deadly strike on a civilian train; the high price of food and consumer goods and concerns about a recession; the Uvalde, Texas school board fires police chief Pete Arredondo; and Kobe Bryant’s widow Vanessa wins a $16 million judgement against Los Angeles County were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Sales

Pending Business: This Is Urgent

By Editor | by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Last week Apple shook the ad world tree again. This time recalibrating the contribution advertising delivers to their bottom line.

The announcement surrounding the “Today” concept in the App Store is particularly relevant to the radio business.

(more…)

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, August 18, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Rhode Island Talk Radio Host John DePetro Arrested During Facebook Live Stream. According to a report from WLNE-TV, Providence, WNRI-AM, Woonsocket talk radio personality John DePetro was arrested on Tuesday (8/16) after producing a Facebook Live stream outside a home in Warwick, Rhode Island that was previously investigated relative to the disappearance of a local woman named Charlotte Lester who’s been missing since May of this year. DePetro was charged with willful trespassing. He tells WLNE-TV, “We can continue to search for answers into the disappearance of Charlotte Lester. We will offer a vigorous courtroom defense and I expect to be fully exonerated at trial where we will call the owner of the home to the stand.” DePetro has a September 1 court date.

Triton Digital Releases Top U.S. Podcasts Chart for July 2022. The most recent monthly chart of the Top 100 Podcasts in the U.S. from Triton Digital is released for the month of July 2022. Triton Digital’s chart is based on Average Weekly Downloads and ranks entities that opt-in for measurement. Sitting at the #1 spot again this month is “The Ben Shapiro Show” from Cumulus Podcast Network/Westwood One. “NPR News Now” is #2 and audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” is #3. Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show” rises to the #7 rank in the July chart. Other shows related to the radio business that went up in rank from June to July include Cumulus Podcast Network’s “Mark Levin Podcast” at #18 and “The Michael Knowles Show,” which rises to #22.

Edison Research’s Top 50 U.S. Podcasts for Q2 2022 Published. This chart of the U.S. Top 50 Podcasts Q2 2022 from Edison Research ranks the 50 biggest podcasts by audience size, based on Edison Podcast Metrics. Edison notes that Edison Podcast Metrics is “the only podcast measurement service that measures the relative audience size and demographics of all podcast networks in the U.S. It is the only measurement based on actual podcast listening, not downloads, and does not require an opt-in from podcast networks.” The top six podcasts did not change from the previous survey: #1 is “The Joe Rogan Experience,” “Crime Junkie” from audiochuck is #2, and “The Daily” from The New York Times is #3. Other radio related shows on the chart include Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Ben Shapiro Show” at #7, Cumulus’ “The Dan Bongino Show” at #16, and “The Ramsey Show” from Ramsey Networks at #29. Edison says its Top 50 Podcasts of Q2 2022 list is derived from data collected continuously Q3 2021 – Q2 2022, from surveying podcast consumers ages 18 and older in the U.S. Participants indicate which podcasts they listened to in the past week along with a variety of demographic, psychographic, and purchase behavior information.

Andrew Williams Named Brand Manager for BetQL Network. Radio producer and programming pro Andrew Williams is named brand manager for Audacy’s BetQL Network. In this Washington, DC-based role, Williams will oversee all producers, talent and audio content for the BetQL Network’s 100 hours of original content per week. Audacy SVP of sports Matthew Volk says, “Andrew possesses a proven track record of creatively reaching audiences through the creation and development of rich multimedia content, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to BetQL Network as that is one of the core principles of the network. We look forward to welcoming him and his leadership to our brand, which has seen rapid growth across all platforms over the last year and watching his experience and expertise help continue to grow the network.” Williams most recently served as senior producer for SiriusXM in Washington D.C.

AdLarge Names Matt Turck Head of Podcast Growth and Strategy. Podcast advertising pro Matt Turck is named head of podcast growth and strategy at AdLarge. In this role, Turck is charged with overseeing revenue development, partnership growth and with contributing to the overall strategy of the podcast portfolio. Turck co-founded Megaphone (acquired by Spotify in December of 2020) and most recently served as the head of Megaphone Publisher Solutions at Spotify. AdLarge co-CEO Cathy Csukas says, “Matt brings an abundance of experience and expertise to the AdLarge team. With the speed at which the marketplace continues to move, it’s wonderful to have him on board to help us continue our expansion as well as provide exceptional service and products to the industry.”

FBI Raid/Documents Investigation, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Giuliani Grand Jury Testimony, Inflation, CDC Overhaul, U.S.-Taiwan-China Tensions, Russia-Ukraine War, Opioid Ruling, and Drought Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/17). The aftermath of the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago and the documents investigation; Liz Cheney’s primary loss on Tuesday, the November midterms, and the 2024 presidential race; Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani’s appearance before a grand jury in Atlanta related to the 2020 election; inflation’s effect on U.S. household income; the CDC promises an overhaul after admitting shortcomings dealing with COVID and Monkey Pox; the tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan; Russia’s losses in Crimea after Ukraine strikes; a judge awards damages against CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart in the opioid crisis; and the ongoing drought were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, August 11, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Greta Van Susteren is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. Cable news/talk TV icon Greta Van Susteren is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” The former criminal defense and civil trial attorney recently launched a new daily 6:00 pm ET show, “The Record with Greta Van Susteren” on Newsmax TV. Her dynamic talk media career as a player on major cable outlets goes back to 1994 and includes show hosting at CNN and MSNBC as well as a 14-year stint at FOX News Channel. She is widely respected for her fairness, insight and intelligence in dealing with the major issues of the day as well as her well-honed interviewing skills. Harrison and Van Susteren talk about how working at Newsmax TV is different than her other network experiences as well as the present state of journalism and media in America. They also talk about the hot issues of the day including US-China Relations, Donald Trump and the future of the GOP, Hillary Clinton’s possible presidential aspirations and the crime wave plaguing American cities. Don’t miss this! To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

Round Three of July PPM Released. The third of four rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio’s July 2022 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Portland, Charlotte, San Antonio, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Columbus. Nielsen’s July 2022 sweep covered June 23 – July 20. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Charlotte, Radio One’s news/talk WBT-AM/FM adds a half share to wrap the survey with a 5.5 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) and rises to the #4 rank in the market. iHeartMedia’s news/talk KFBK-AM/FM, Sacramento stays flat at a 7.5 share and remains ranked #3 while sister talk KSTE tacks on nine-tenths for a 4.9 share that pushes it up to the #6 rank. In Salt Lake City, iHeartMedia’s news/talk KNRS-AM/FM dips six-tenths for a 9.6 share finish but stays in the #1 spot, while Bonneville’s crosstown news/talk KSL-AM/FM sheds 1.2 shares, finishing with a 5.6 share that drags it from #2 to #6. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well as the previous two groups) here.

Emmis Dismisses Eight Staffers Ahead of Urban One Indy Acquisition; Longtime WIBC News Reporter Eric Berman Among Them. According to a report in the Indiana Business Journal, Emmis Corp has let eight staffers go from its Indianapolis radio station group as the company prepares to close on its $25 million sale of the stations to Urban One. The Journal says WIBC-FM news reporter Eric Berman was the only air staffer to be let go with the others serving in marketing, IT and online content creation capacities. Berman tweeted on 8/10, “Some personal news: this morning my tenure at WIBC came to an end. For 28 years, it has been my privilege to bring you fair and detailed coverage of news affecting Hoosiers’ lives, and I hope you’ll stick around for whatever comes next.” Emmis issued the following official statement on the matter: “Today, Emmis notified eight individuals that their positions have been eliminated. Impacted individuals are being provided severance and offered insurance coverage. These are difficult days, and we wish them nothing but success.” Emmis’ sale of the Indianapolis radio stations effectively takes the company out of the radio business. It began as a broadcasting company in 1981 with the ownership of WENS-FM, Indianapolis. Earlier this year Emmis stated that after the sale of its media holdings it has “redeployed capital into new ventures which emphasize its sales and marketing experience including: Lencore Acoustics, a leader in high-quality sound masking solutions for commercial applications; Sound That BRANDS, the Los Angeles-based podcasting studio specializing in branded audio content for national advertisers; and Digonex, a leading provider of dynamic pricing solutions for attractions and live entertainment industries.”

Cumulus Media Renews with Learfield and Air Force Academy. A new, multi-year agreement is signed between Cumulus Media, Learfield, and Air Force Sports Properties that continues the broadcast of Air Force Academyathletic events on Cumulus Colorado Springs’ radio stations KVOR-AM and KCSF-AM “XTRA Sports 1300.” This new agreement renews the partnership with the Air Force Academy that has been in place for 40 years and increases the number of women’s basketball games that will air on “XTRA Sports 1300” each year. Air Force football and men’s basketball games will continue to be heard on KVOR-AM, while hockey games and women’s basketball games will be heard on “XTRA Sports 1300.” The stations will also broadcast coaches’ shows for football, men’s basketball, and hockey. KVOR’s Jim Arthur will continue to be the play-by-play voice for football and men’s basketball, and XTRA Sports 1300’s Ryan Kaufman will call the broadcasts of the women’s basketball games. Cumulus Colorado Springs VP and market manager Scott Jones says, “It’s an honor, once again, to extend our partnership with Air Force Athletics and Learfield. These broadcasts of Falcons’ sports are extremely important to us at Cumulus, to our listeners and to the entire community. We’re committed to putting a first-class broadcast on the air to match the product the Falcons put on the field, court and ice.”

Mar-a-Lago Search/NYC Deposition, Midterms/2024 Election, The Economy, and Russia-Ukraine War Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/10). The FBI search of former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence for government records and Trump’s deposition in New York related to the investigation of the Trump Organization; the results of Tuesday’s primaries, the November midterms, and speculation about the nominees in the 2024 presidential race; the falling price of gasoline, the still rising price of food, and worries about a recession; and Russia’s loss of seven fighter jets in Crimea as its invasion of Ukraine continues were some of the  most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Ratings Takeaways

July 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part Three

By Editor | by Editor

July 2022 PPM Data – Information for the July 2022 ratings period has been released for Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus.

Nielsen Audio’s July 2022 sweep covered June 23 – July 20.

TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.

Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.

All comparisons noted are June 2022 – July 2022 (6+).

PORTLAND

News/Talk: Alpha Media’s KXL “FM 101 News” 8.2 – 8.0, -.2, locked in fourth-place

iHeartMedia-owned KEX “News Radio 1190” 2.1 – 2.4, +.3, #19 to #17

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Oregon Public Broadcasting’s KOPB 9.5 – 9.4, -.1, second to first

Number One 6+: public radio news/talk KOPB, first month, 9.5 – 9.4, -.1

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: country KWJJ (+1.5)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies KLTH (-1.8)

CHARLOTTE

News/Talk: Radio One-owned WBT AM & WBT-FM “Charlotte’s News Talk” 5.0 – 5.5, +.5, seventh to fourth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Radio One’s WFNZ-FM “Sports Radio 92.7” 1.3 – 1.6, +.3, repeats at #17

Public Radio News/Talk: University Radio Foundation’s WFAE flat at 4.6, eighth to tenth

Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group urban AC WBAV, first month, 6.1 – 7.9, +1.8

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: urban AC WBAV (+1.8)*

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: alternative WEND (-1.0)

*Represents the largest June 2022 – July 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

SAN ANTONIO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WOAI “News Radio 1200” 4.2 – 3.9, -.3, eighth to ninth

Alpha Media-owned KTSA “Stay Connected” 2.6 – 3.0, +.4, #15 to #11

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Texas Public Radio’s KSTX 2.4 – 2.5, +.1, #17 to #16

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies KONO-FM, sixth straight month, 7.6 – 8.2, +.6

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase:  rock KISS (+1.7)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: rhythmic hot AC KVBH (-.9)

SACRAMENTO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM “News 1530 AM & 93.1 FM” flat at 7.5, repeats in third-place and cluster-mate KSTE-AM “Talk 650” 4.0 – 4.9, +.9, seventh to sixth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Capital Public Radio-owned KXJZ 3.3 – 3.5, +.2, continues at #9

Number One 6+: Audacy classic rock KSEG, seventh month in a row, unchanged at 9.0

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase:  country KNCI (+1.4)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease (Tie): rock KRXQ and regional Mexican KVMX-FM (-.4)

PITTSBURGH

News/Talk: Audacy’s KDKA-AM “News Radio 1020 AM” 3.0 – 2.8, -.2, continues at #12

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned KDKA-FM “93.7 The Fan All Sports All The Time” (Pirates) 5.3 – 5.0, -.3, repeats in fifth-place

Public Radio News/Talk: Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting’s WESA 2.4 – 2.5, +.1, remains at #13

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia classic hits-oldies WWSW, first month, 9.5 – 10.1, +.6

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: classical WQED (+.8)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WKPL (-.7)

SALT LAKE CITY

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM “Talk Radio” 10.2 – 9.6, -.6, #1

Bonneville-owned KSL “News Radio 102.7 FM & 1160 AM” 6.8 – 5.6, -1.2, second to sixth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Utah’s KUER 3.5 – 3.8, +.3, tenth to ninth

Number One 6+: news/talk KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM, sixth month in succession, 10.2 – 9.6, -.6

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: rock KBER (+.7)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: news/talk KSL (-1.2)

LAS VEGAS

News/Talk: Beasley Media Group-owned KDWN “The Talk Of Las Vegas” flat at 2.1, #15 to #18

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group classic hits-oldies KKLZ, first month, 6.3 – 7.5, +1.2

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies KKLZ (+1.2)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: hot AC KVGS (-.7)

ORLANDO

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTKS “Real Radio 104.1” 5.9 – 6.1, +.2, seventh to sixth

Cox Media Group-owned WDBO “Orlando’s News Talk” 1.4 – 2.0, +.6, #18 to #15

iHeartMedia-owned WFLF “Orlando News Radio” 1.3 – 1.0, -.3, #19 to #20

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Community Connections-owned WMFE 1.6 – 2.0, +.4, #16 to #15

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia CHR WXXL, second straight month, 7.9 – 8.5, +.6

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: Spanish tropical WRUM (+1.2)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary WMGF (-2.2)**

**Represents the largest June 2022 – July 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

CINCINNATI

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WLW “700 Cincinnati’s News Radio” (Reds) 11.4 – 12.3, +.9, #1 and cluster-mate WKRC “55 KRC The Talk Station” 5.0 – 4.3, -.7, sixth to eighth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Cincinnati Public Radio’s WVXU 4.5 – 4.7, +.2, eighth to seventh

Number One 6+: news/talk WLW, fifth month in a row, 11.4 – 12.3, +.9

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: news/talk WLW (+.9)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: rock WEBN (-.8)

CLEVELAND

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTAM “News Radio 1100” (Guardians) 6.7 – 7.4, +.7, repeats in fourth-place

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WKRK “Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan” 3.6 – 3.8, +.2, #12 to #11 and WKRK’s internet stream 1.3 – 1.5, +.2, remains at #14

Public Radio News/Talk: Kent State University-owned WKSU 3.7 – 3.3, -.4, #11 to #12

Number One 6+: Radio One urban AC WZAK, seventh month in a row, 10.4 – 9.4, -1.0

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: rock WMMS (+.8)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: urban contemporary WENZ (-1.5)

KANSAS CITY

News/Talk: Audacy’s KMBZ-FM “98.1 FM News, Traffic, Weather” 4.1 – 3.9, -.2, repeats at #11 and cluster-mate KMBZ-AM “Talk 980 AM” 1.1 – .9, -.2, flat at #20

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s KCSP “Sports Radio 610 Our Teams, Our Town” (Royals) 3.2 – 3.4, +.2, #15 to #14

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Missouri-owned KCUR 4.5 – 4.1, -.4, seventh to tenth

Number One 6+: Cumulus Media classic hits-oldies KCMO-FM, fourth straight month, 7.7 – 8.3, +.6

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: country WDAF (+.9)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: alternative KRBZ (-1.6)

COLUMBUS

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WTVN “News Radio 610” 9.1 – 8.2, -.9, #1

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Tegna-owned WBNS-FM “97.1 FM The Fan” 5.7 – 5.9, +.2, seventh to sixth and co-owned WBNS-AM “ESPN 1460 AM” .2 – .3, +.1, #21 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: Ohio State University’s WOSU 6.6 – 7.9, +1.3, fourth to second

Number One 6+: news/talk WTVN, sixth straight month, 9.1 – 8.2, -.9

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase:  public radio news/talk WOSU (+1.3)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease:  hot AC WVMX (-1.2)

Up next: July 2022 overviews for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; Providence; Norfolk; Jacksonville; West Palm Beach; Greensboro; Memphis; and Hartford.

Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.  

Sales

Pending Business: When Controversy Strikes

By Editor | by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Is someone out there in talk radio land ready to help us understand the new boundaries of controversy in talk radio?

A little help here, I’m getting lost.

Abortion laws will quickly become a leading topic again as states begin to weigh in on laws. Social media is already buzzing about Brittney Griner’s sentencing and what about her stance on honoring our National Anthem? The January 6 hearings continue to produce new fodder for talkers as the Russia-Ukraine-China-Taiwan storyline is on the radar — literally. Those topics don’t touch what’s happening in your neck of the woods. Somewhere along the way one of your local talent or nationally syndicated talent will say something that will offend listeners, sponsors, or both.

(more…)

Advice

Monday Memo: The Resourceful Podcaster, Parked

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

BLOCK ISLAND, RI — The pandemic shutdown changed the standard for remote broadcasting.

  • Cable news talking heads – previously on-set or in a professional studio elsewhere – began appearing at home. And TV’s aesthetic is forever changed. Webcam video is the good-enough new-normal, and “Zoom” has become a verb. On Twitter, witty @RoomRater does just that, critiquing screen shots from various shows. On my TV show, TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison predicted that the new generation of TV news/talk sets will resemble “Frasier’s living room,” the at-home look IN-studio, rather than the Lucite desk and garish casino-looking graphics that have been the norm. And shows are saving a bundle NOT-paying as much as a thousand dollars for remote studio time + to Uber guests who may only appear for several minutes. A local station interviewed my state rep sitting in his truck talking into his phone cam.’ It was “authentic.”

(more…)

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, August 4, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Richard Neer is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. Legendary WFAN, New York sports talk show host/rock radio pioneer Richard Neer and TALKERS founder Michael Harrison have been close friends and radio colleagues for more than half of the medium’s 100-year history. Needless to say, they always have plenty to talk about regarding media and popular culture – past, present, and future. Richard Neer is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview” marking his record-breaking seventh visit since the program debuted as one of the platform’s earliest offerings in 2015. In addition to his rich on-air history, Neer is the prolific author of 10 Riley King murder mystery novels and his historic overview of album rock radio, FM: The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio (Villard, 2001) remains a literary milestone chronicling the golden days of the AOR era. On this podcast, Harrison and Neer talk about a wide variety of topics including Joni Mitchell’s recent performance at the Newport Folk Festival, the high cost of Bruce Springsteen concert tickets, the controversial LIV Golf tour backed by Saudi Arabia, changes in the record business, the challenges of writing and publishing historical fiction, movies, TV, CGI and a whole lot more. To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

Cumulus Media Q2 Net Revenue Rises 5.4%. Reporting its financial data for the second quarter of 2022, Cumulus Media reveals net revenue of $236.7 million – an increase of 5.4% over the same period in 2021. The company also reports net income of $8.7 million for the quarter after posting a net loss of $5.9 million during Q2 of 2021. Total broadcast revenue for Cumulus fell 0.3% to $175.7 million compared to the second quarter of 2021. While radio spot revenue was $127 million – up 5.1% over Q2 2021, network revenue slipped 12% to $48.7 million. Cumulus Media’s digital segment rose 20.3% to $37.8 million. CEO Mary Berner comments, “Our ability to deliver yet another quarter of strong results is testament both to the quality of our strategic plan and the discipline and relentlessness with which we implement it.  Specifically, we have deployed our multi-platform audio-first content strategy, developed multiple digital businesses, significantly reduced fixed costs, undertaken high ROI internal investments, and created a best-in-class balance sheet that gives the company substantial financial flexibility and capital allocation optionality. Given our track record, we have tremendous confidence in our ability, under this plan, to grow shareholder value. Despite the challenging macro environment, we increased revenue in the quarter by more than 5%, driven by our digital businesses whose growth accelerated in Q2 to 20% year-over-year. Additionally, bolstered by our ongoing focus on fixed cost reductions, this quarter we generated additional cash from operations and increased net income, EBITDA and EBITDA margins vs. the same period last year. We also efficiently executed nearly half of our $50 million share repurchase authorization and bought back $50 million of bonds at a discount, while simultaneously reducing net leverage to 3.8x, the lowest it’s been in more than a decade. With a robust political spending season anticipated, we are on trend toward achieving our net leverage target of less than 3.5 times and EBITDA at the low end of our 2022 guidance range.”

Conservative Media Figures Gather at CPAC 2022. Pictured above (from l-r) are WMAL-FM, Washington, DC morning drive personality Larry O’Connor, Salem Radio Network VP, news & talk programming Tom Tradup, and author and TOWNHALL.com contributor Kurt Schlichter in Dallas for the first day of CPAC 2022. The annual event runs through Sunday and speakers scheduled to address the gathering include: former President Donald Trump, Senator Ted Cruz, British conservative leader Nigel Farage, and Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Former WFTL, Fort Lauderdale Talk Host Rich Stevens Passes. TALKERS magazine has learned that former WFTL, Fort Lauderdale talk host Rich Stevens died on July 30 at the age of 68 after suffering a heart attack. Stevens worked in music radio prior to hosting his talk show on WFTL, serving at such signals as WPLJ-FM, New York and WJHM, Orlando. He also served at WABC-TV, New York as an entertainment reporter.

TALKERS News Notes. As part of RAB’s Radio Works initiative, the next live presentation in the series titled, “Radio Works for Restaurants,” takes place on Wednesday, August 17 at 1:00 pm ET and will provide industry insights and trends intended to help broadcasters gain a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the restaurant industry and how radio can continue to serve this category. Since the beginning of the pandemic, restaurants have endured closures, staffing shortages, product supply strains and inflationary pressures making for a challenging business environment. Hudson Riehle, senior vice president, research & knowledge group at the National Restaurant Association, will provide an update on the “State of the Restaurant Industry” to help radio sellers understand the areas where businesses in this category need support. It’s free for RAB members and they can register here…..ESPN and Omaha Productions are expanding their relationship in the audio space with the premiere of a new show, “Kyle Brandt’s Basement,” led by NFL Network “Good Morning Football” host Kyle Brandt. The daily show debuts August 8 and “explores the ins and outs of the NFL through lively guest interviews with the top voices in the sport and inventive segments unique to Brandt to bring fans closer to the action on and off the field.” Brandt comments, “I’m thrilled about this show, and I’ll be shot out of a cannon every single day. It’s in my own basement and I’ve got games, toys and takes. I can promise one thing: it will not be boring.”…..Pictured at left is WGKB-AM/W269DL, Milwaukee “101.7 The Truth” talk host Tory Lowe during last weekend’s 7th Annual Stop the Violence Peace Walk during which he walked from Milwaukee to Chicago (more than 80 miles) to “raise awareness and bring an end to violence in our communities.” Lowe says, “It is important for us to build a bridge between Milwaukee and Chicago, open the lines of communication, and bring awareness to the violence that plagues our communities.”

Kansas Abortion Vote, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Pelosi Taiwan Visit, January 6 Investigation, Russia-Ukraine War, The Economy, COVID-19, and U.S. Rep. Walorski Killed Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday. Kansas voters elect to keep abortion rights in the state’s constitution; the primary races for the November midterm elections and speculation about the nominees in the 2024 presidential race; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and China’s angry response; the January 6 investigation and the DOJ subpoenas issued to former White House counsel Pat Cipollone and former deputy counsel Patrick Philbin; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the impact on the global economy; the falling price of gasoline and the still-high cost of food in the U.S. and concerns about a recession; the rate of BA.5 subvariant cases in the U.S.; and U.S. Rep Jackie Walorski (R-IN) and two staffers are killed in a car accident were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Advice

Monday Memo: Review Airchecks… Later.

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

BLOCK ISLAND, RI — The radio coaching concept seems quaint now:

  • The single-station PD (remember them?) met with local talent (remember them?) at regular intervals to review a recent show. As a young DJ, I was fortunate enough to work for two PDs who sat me down weekly.
  • Most important thing I learned? Each bit has a beginning, middle, and end.

Back to the future:

  • Whole-cluster “Brand Managers” have replaced PDs, mostly managing feeds from syndicated and/or voice-tracked talent.
  • For remaining station-based talent, routine critique is unlikely. That manager is just TOO busy, and might lack the chops.
  • The product suffers, from content of questionable interest, and unkempt execution that tests listeners’ patience.

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Sales

Pending Business: One Thing Every Advertiser Should Know

By Editor | by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Here is a simple question that every talk radio seller who wants to be successful must answer: “What is the one ‘thing’ every advertiser should know about my on-air talent?” In other words, what is the unique selling point that can be connected to your on-air talent and only the talent you represent.

And try your best to move past audience ratings because they come and go. “We’re number #1!” is an important validation, but when the time comes to move into the price=value equation, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, July 28, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

WFAN And Yankees Extend Their Partnership. A multi-year extension is announced between Audacy New York sports talk WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM and MLB’s American League East New York Yankees. English-language broadcasts will continue to be heard on WFAN and streamed digitally on the Audacy app for those within the team’s broadcast territory. WFAN will also continue to produce the Spanish-language broadcasts for local radio affiliates, as well as for the Audacy app. Audacy New York market president Chris Oliviero declares, “The New York Yankees are the city’s premier sports franchise and WFAN is the city’s premier sports platform. Together, we form a potent combination for fans and client partners. [This – 2022] is our 21st consecutive season of broadcasting the ‘Bronx Bombers.’ We look forward to continuing to have the honor of being the soundtrack to more memorable and historic pinstripe moments.” New York Yankees chief operating officer Lonn Trost notes, “The Yankees are excited to extend our longstanding relationship with WFAN and Audacy. WFAN has been our flagship station for over two decades, and we look forward to fans continuing to enjoy Yankees baseball over its airways and on the Audacy app.” From 2002 to 2014, Yankees games were heard on WFAN’s sister station, all-news WCBS-AM (currently the flagship of the New York Mets); WFAN has served as the Yankees flagship since 2014. John Sterling, (class of 2022 Radio Hall of Fame inductee) Suzyn Waldman and Sweeny Murti are the English-language broadcasters, while Spanish-language broadcasts will be handled by Rickie Ricardo, Francisco Rivera and Rene Luna. As part of Audacy’s MLB partnership, WFAN and the Yankees will produce co-branded podcasts.

Newsmax, Verizon Sign Multi-Year Carriage Agreement. The deal between Newsmax and Verizon extends distribution of news channel in HD on Verizon Fios. Newsmax Media chief executive officer Christopher Ruddy remarks, “Verizon has carried Newsmax for many years. We are delighted to be extending our distribution through the Fios platform. We have found them to be outstanding partners who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the presentation of diverse, independent voices through their programming. We’re glad that we are continuing with this new agreement.” Newsmax will retain its broad distribution on the Verizon platform, which reaches approximately 3.5 million subscribers in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.

SiriusXM Q2 Revenue Increases. While revenue was up 4% year-over-year to $2.25 billion in this year’s second quarter, SiriusXM’s net income declined from $433 million to $292 million (11 to 7 cents/basic share, 10 to 7 cents/diluted share). Adjusted EBITDA was off 3% to $679 million. SiriusXM chief executive officer Jennifer Witz notes, “We are pleased with our results in the second quarter, and while we continue to navigate an uncertain economic environment, we delivered strong financial performance and continued to make strategic investments in our business that will set us up for an exciting new era. We remain committed to creating compelling experiences for our listeners by investing in innovative technologies to deliver best-in-class, curated, comprehensive audio entertainment. Most recently, [we expanded] our relationship with the NFL to deliver the most extensive sports lineup in audio entertainment; we will continue to enhance our platform to ensure broad appeal.” Executive vice president/chief financial officer Sean Sullivan adds, “[Our] churn was steady at approximately 1.5% in the quarter, underscoring the strength of our business, products, and loyalty of our customers. In the second quarter, we delivered focused expansion in key streaming offerings and maintained a strong balance sheet. This quarter, we returned over $300 million in capital to stockholders, comprising $217 million in common stock repurchases and $86 million in dividends, and ended the quarter with net debt to adjusted EBITDA of 3.6 times.” Self-pay subscribers increased by 23,000 and paid promotional subscribers increased by 54,000. Satellite and streaming division totaled 34 million subscribers at the end of the quarter; self-pay churn was flat at 1.5%. The division’s revenue rose 5% to $1.7 billion, and gross profit rose 6% to $1.1 billion.

Marketron Releases Political Advertising Toolbox. Per BIA Advisory Services, political advertising will raise $8.6 billion for local media companies. Marketron’s collection of online resources combines all the political advertising content the company has developed at a single location for companies interested in increasing their share of political advertising. Marketron senior vice president/client success Christian Kligora opines that, “Political advertising is an important category for local media. It’s much different than any other and that requires a unique approach. We’ve been developing content on the topic all year long with a focus on how to support media sellers. Bringing it together in one spot makes it easier to learn from and access.” Each resource will reportedly provide media salespeople with tips, strategies, and insights for political advertising. Included are specialized considerations such as the “overall trends in the advertising ecosystem; the need to reach different demographics; the objective of persuading people to vote; and the regulatory compliance requirements” for how media companies price/offer inventory to candidates.

TALKERS News Notes. Changes at Audacy Philadelphia sports talk WIP “Sports Radio 94” find the station’s fill-in host Jody McDonald and Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski co-hosting weekend shows with Glenn Macnow. McDonald will partner with Macnow on Sundays (10:00 am – 1:00 pm), while Sielski joins Macnow in the same time slot each Saturday. According to Macnow, “I have a comfort level with Jody. He’s the guy I broke in with [and] the guy our listeners heard me with from 28 years ago. Working with Jody is like an old pair of shoes – it’s easy and I like it. The Saturday show will now be me and the best damn sports columnist in town, Mike Sielski.” … Former Baltimore Ravens defensive back Rod Woodson will join play-by-play voice Gerry Sandusky this season on the NFL team’s broadcasts on Hearst Baltimore news/talk WBAL “News Radio 1090 AM & 101.5 FM.” According to Sandusky, “Rod brings the unique perspective of someone who has both played and coached at the highest level of the game. He does it in a down-to-earth way that is approachable, likable and just plain fun. It’s a privilege to work with a broadcast partner like Rod.” Woodson states that, “Being a part of the Ravens’ gameday broadcast team is a blessing. To be back with the team that I won my only Super Bowl with will be fun.” … After eleven years with Nashville’s WPRT-FM, midday co-host Darren McFarland departs the Cromwell Radio Group sports talk outlet. Program director Chase McCabe confirms to The Tennessean that “Sports Radio 102.5 The Game” decided to part ways with McFarland, who formerly worked at Cumulus Media’s cross-town/similarly-formatted WGFX “104.5 The Zone.” McCabe, Willy Daunic, and Derrick Mason continue in middays on “The Game.” … Effective August 22, Cheddar News Washington bureau chief Megan Pratz will join NPR as political editor. In addition, NPR promotes congressional correspondent Sue Davis to political correspondent and interim congressional correspondent Dierdre Walsh gets to remove “interim” from the title. … Skyview Networks’ sports talk program “OutKick 360” picks up three Withers Broadcasting-owned affiliates: KYRK, Marble Hill, Missouri; WGKY, Wickliffe, Kentucky; and WFRX, West Frankfort, Illinois. Skyview Networks is the exclusive distributor, affiliate sales representative and network sales partner of Jonathan Hutton, Chad Withrow & Paul Kuharsky-hosted “OutKick 360.”