“Seattle Sports” Debuts “The Cal Raleigh Show”
Bonneville’s sports talk KIRO-AM “Seattle Sports” announces “The Cal Raleigh Show,” starring the Seattle
Mariners catcher that will air Thursdays at 5:00 pm throughout the 2025 season. On the program, Raleigh sits down with Mariners insider Shannon Drayer for “engaging and in-depth conversations on “Wyman & Bob.” “Seattle Sports” program director Kyle Brown says, “We’re thrilled to provide our fans with more access to Mariners players and the stories behind the scenes. Cal’s insights into his leadership, his role on the team, and the Mariners’ season will offer fans an even closer connection to the team in 2025.”
Broadcasting’s budget in its sights. NPR.org reports Maher says of the hearing, “This could be a perfect storm. That’s why this moment does feel different. It feels as if this is a time that we really do need to step up and make as clear a case as possible.” U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene chairs the Subcommittee on Delivering On Government Efficiency and she’s quoted saying, “I want to hear why NPR and PBS think they should ever again receive a single cent from the American taxpayer. These partisan, so-called ‘media’ stations dropped the ball on Hunter Biden’s laptop, downplayed COVID-19 origins, and failed to properly report the Russian collusion hoax. Now, it is time for their CEOs to publicly explain this biased coverage.” 
Podcasting is no longer a niche platform lacking scale. Podcasts deserve a larger role in media plans as opposed to “test and learn” experimental buys. 158 million Americans, 55% of persons 12+, are reached monthly. Among persons 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54, monthly reach is now 65% to 73%; 2) It is feasible to consider shifting TV budgets to podcasting given that podcast 18-34 weekly reach (52%) is as big as TV’s (52%); 3) Brands targeting women should give podcasts a starring role in media plans: Podcast female audiences have hit record highs in habituation and reach; 4) Among male demographics, monthly reach is now in the low 70% range; and 5) Adopt agency media legend Arnie Semsky’s “5% solution” to podcasts: Allocate 5% of digital ad budgets to podcasts. 
Thank you, TALKERS for placing me on two panels at the IBSNYC conference. All student conferences have one underlying goal: Attendees want to know how to land a starter job in media. Here’s the information I shared with the eager crowd.
commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission has been the honor of my life. With my extraordinary fellow commissioners and the incredible career staff at the agency, we have worked hard to connect all Americans, promote innovation, protect consumers, and ensure national security. I have learned so much from my time in this position, particularly when I have heard directly from Americans on the issues that matter to them. I have been inspired by the passion, engagement and commitment I have seen from colleagues, advocates, and industry. Over the next few weeks, I look forward to working with the chairman and my fellow commissioners, and all FCC staff, to further the mission of the agency.” Starks is one of two Democrats currently serving on the Commission.
Television Stations; and Peter H. Smyth, former chairman and CEO Greater Media, to its board of directors. Broadcasters Foundation chair Scott Herman comments, “We are delighted that broadcast executives of this caliber will serve on our Board. Their advocacy for our charitable mission is exemplary. Their input and ideas will help us continue to reach out to broadcasters across America to help those in our business who are in critical need.”
camera app showed the image you see in the photo here – a man who appears dressed as a cop with an AR-15 outside his house. Pags says he quickly called 911, identified himself, told the operator he thought he was being swatted and asked if the police were at his house. After confirming that it was the police, Pags was able to get the officers to stand down and they were assured there was no reason to be there. Pags tells his listeners that the goal of the swatters was to get him to grab his gun and go outside, in which case he likely would have been killed. 
Thank you, TALKERS for having me on panels at the TALKERS Generations 2025 IBSNYC conference this past Saturday (3/8). Moderator and Philadelphia talk show god Dom Giordano asked us the inevitable: “What is the future of radio?”
104.1 that had been the home to hip hop WHHL-FM “HOT 104.1.” In return, KMOX gives up translator K254CR at 98.7 to the hip hop outlet. These changes become effective on March 24. Audacy St. Louis and Wichita SVP and market manager Becky Domyan says, “We’re thrilled to expand KMOX’s reach and bring the trusted news and entertainment our listeners rely on, as well as Cardinals baseball, on an enhanced FM signal that covers the greater St. Louis region.”
respectively. Other podcasts of note include Cumulus Podcasts Network’s “Shawn Ryan Show” at #5 and Dan Bongino’s “The Dan Bongino Show” at #6. DailyWire’s “The Ben Shapiro Show” rises three spots to the #10 rank in February and The New York Times’ “Ezra Klein Show” debuts on the chart at #15. 
International Day of the United Nations, February 13 became World Radio Day (WRD). Each year WRD focuses on a specific theme involving radio that is timely, and important. This year the theme is “Radio and Climate Change.” UNESCO points out: Radio contributes to the achievement of its international objectives by supporting populations through climate disasters such as tropical storms and floods. It helps with the dissemination of fact-based information, listeners’ voices, and dedicated radio shows. 
indelible mark on the industry, growing Audacy from a few small radio stations into a scaled multi-platform audio content and entertainment powerhouse. He has built a great company with leading positions across the country’s largest markets and an outstanding portfolio of exclusive, premium audio content. Under David’s dedicated leadership, Audacy has been positioned for longterm success, and we look forward to working with Kelli and the entire team as the company begins its next exciting chapter.” In a statement, Field says, “Since I joined Audacy, then Entercom, we have grown from $10 million in revenues with ten niche radio stations into a $1.2 billion, multi-platform audio leader with one of the country’s two scaled radio broadcast groups, one of the largest podcast networks and the unrivaled top position in sports audio. Audacy recently completed a very successful 2024, delivering industry-leading EBITDA growth of more than 70% through the third quarter and significant revenue share gains across our radio and digital businesses. With the company in a strong competitive and financial position, now is the optimal time to pass the baton to new leadership. I am deeply proud of our extraordinary team and everything we have accomplished for our listeners, customers, partners, and communities. The company is in great hands, and I look forward to seeing the next chapter of Audacy’s success.”
Whitepaper: The Extraordinary Cost of Dull,” the analysis notes that 1) Neutrality, the absence of emotion, is the most common reaction to ads; 2) Business-to-business ads are even duller with greater neutral “feeling nothing” responses; and 3) 
did editorials on WFAA-TV, Dallas for six years. Krok shared the following message via his social media: “It’s been an amazing 15-year run at the biggest news/talk station in America’s 4th largest market. We’ve gotten to know each other so well, and I can’t wait to share the airwaves again, doing what God made me to do – tell stories, react to life, and have fun together.” Krok tells TALKERS that he has a nice home studio where he fills in on network and local shows. He says he’s available for fill-in work and is ready to talk about his next opportunity. Reach him at: 
cause of death is not revealed in the story. Gallo’s program, “The Gallo Radio Show,” aired on the SuperTalk network of talk stations across the state. The network issued a statement saying, “For over five decades, Paul didn’t just talk about Mississippi — he helped shape its story. Paul dedicated his life to his listeners, his state, and the pursuit of the truth. From DJ to program director, from sales and management to ownership, Paul mastered every facet of the industry.”
At my very first “Consumer Electronics Show” they were showing-off VCRs. Back to the future. What we have witnessed this week is less about things than experiences.
Las Vegas-based, nationally syndicated (TMN) talk radio star, Daliah Wachs, M.D. continues her philanthropic ways. Each year, Opportunity Village holds its Magical Forest event in Southern Nevada that runs from Thanksgiving through the New Year. Opportunity Village helps those with intellectual disabilities and their families through enrichment, empowerment, and employment programs and services. Sponsors decorate a tree that comprises a huge beautiful magical forest, one of their largest fundraisers to fund their programs and employment placement. Wachs (pictured above with her “medical tree”) tells TALKERS, “It’s super cool and our show has helped support their mission for years. We create a medical tree with an EKG sign and it’s one of our favorite local charities we support.” Wachs is a member of the TALKERS Heavy Hundred and a past recipient of the TALKERS Humanitarian of the Year award.
In the opinion of TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison, we are entering an era in which it is possible – even likely – for robot voices generated by artificial intelligence to replace at least some human talk show hosts, especially in the wake of relentless corporate cost-cutting by radio’s largest companies. On the music radio side, the process of “voice tracking,” although initially controversial, has become a widely employed budget-tightening process. However, voice tracking still employs organic talent to generate the verbal content.
AI, on the other hand, bypasses the human element completely. In a guest appearance yesterday (8/22) on the Manny Munoz mid-morning show on WIOD, Miami, in which the subject of AI was being discussed, Harrison said, “AI is upping the bar. If talk show hosts don’t stay on their game and avoid relying too heavily on the talking points – if they are not creative thinkers and leaders – they can easily be replaced by computer operators.” Harrison continued, “It won’t be too long from now – actually, it is already possible – that two robots could be having a plausible conversation if both have been fed all the talking points.” Harrison explained, “Each robot will have instant access to all the existent talking points at the speed of light. Robots are already beating human experts at Jeopardy or chess. The only thing a robot can’t do – at least for now – is to be creative outside the realm of what already exists in cyberspace. That’s the challenge facing anyone who wants to be a live traditional radio talk show host in this coming brave new world.” Harrison’s appearance on WIOD was part of his ongoing talk radio “Obsolete Slobs” tour in which he’s been promoting the Gunhill Road music video “Artificial Intelligence (No Robots Were Injured in the Production of this Song” (www.
treat an aneurysm, according to his family. Farley began his career in New York at 1010 WINS and would hold numerous positions in New York and network news over the years, including as managing editor at ABC Radio Networks. He is best remembered for serving as vice president of news & programming at all-news WTOP-FM, Washington from 1996 through his retirement in 2013. He worked as a news consultant after leaving WTOP and lived in Florida with his wife Jo. 
A collaboration among iHeartPodcasts, Universal Television, and Wolf Entertainment, unscripted “Law & Order: Criminal Justice System” is scheduled to premiere next Thursday (8/22). It marks the first venture into investigative journalism for the “Law & Order” franchise. iHeartPodcasts president Will Pearson tells TALKERS, “Listener interest in true crime continues to flourish with new stories constantly being sought out across platforms. ‘Law & Order’ is a legendary series. It’s an honor to team up with UTV, Wolf Entertainment, and executive producer Elliot Wolf to develop this original slate of podcasts.” Wolf Entertainment’s EVP/digital Elliot Wolf is co-creator of the upcoming Amazon Prime series “On Call.” He comments, “We’re thrilled to join forces with iHeartPodcasts and UTV to bring the real stories that have shaped our criminal justice system, the bedrock of the ‘Law & Order’ brand, to life. The goal coming in was always to push the boundaries of audio storytelling. This series delivers on that while still being deeply informative and entertaining.” The series will consist of four seasons, each with 12 episodes. The first season will be hosted by former Brooklyn homicide prosecutor Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi and will focus on the American mafia in New York City during the late-1970s.
reveal that AM/FM ads far outperform most social media ads. For example, the firm Adelaide found that for revery $1,000 spent on AM/FM ads it would require spending $2,635 on Facebook ads for the same amount of attentiveness. However, it also found that just $698 of YouTube ads would yield the same degree of attentiveness as $1,000 of AM/FM advertising. The blog post also addresses the myth that video ads are necessarily more effective than audio ads.