Industry News

Audacy and Southern Cross Austereo Announce Content Deal

Audacy and Australian broadcasting company Southern Cross Austereo enter into an agreement for Audacy’s library of digital content to be available on the LiSTNR digital audio platform and for SCA to be theimg exclusive sales rep for the Australian market. With this deal, Australian advertisers will be able to access Audacy’s titles as part of their audio campaigns. The partnership broadens the breadth of available content for LiSTNR audiences and increases the reach for clients, with access to a range of titles including “Office Ladies with Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsley,” “Fly on the Wall with David Spade and Dana Carvey,” “Search Engine,” “The Moth” and dozens of podcasts from CBS Sports and CBS News & Entertainment.

Industry News

WWO Offers Media Planning Guide

imgThe Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group unveils an audio planning guide based on data from Edison Research and Nielsen data. Saying that there are incorrect assumptions among strategists and media planners about which audio media have the most listeners, chief insights officer Pierre Bouvard underscores that AM/FM radio is still the dominant ad-supported audio platform with a 66% share. Podcasting is second with a 20% share and this is true across all demographics. For those who are all-in on digital audio only, Bouvard says they are missing 70% of the potential audience as ad-supported Spotify, Pandora and podcasts reach only 30% of the U.S. in a typical day. Further, Bouvard says the data suggests an optimal allocation of audio ad spend: “The ideal allocation for a 25-54 audio plan is 62% AM/FM radio, 24% podcasts, 12% music streaming (Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music), and 2% SiriusXM satellite radio.” See the complete blog post here.

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (9/2)

The most discussed stories yesterday (9/2) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Trump to Challenge Tariff Rulings
2. Guard Troops to Cities
3. China Military Parade / Russia-China-India Economic Talks
4. Epstein-Maxwell Hearings
5. Caribbean Drug Vessel Strike

Industry News

Edison: New Podcast Consumers Engage with Video Content

Data from Edison Research’s Infinite Dial and Edison Podcast Metrics reveals how important video content is to people just discovering podcasts and those likely to in the future. Edison calls the audience that started consuming podcasts within the last year “First-Years,” and those consuming for five years or more,img “Longtimers” and notes that 77% of “First-Years” are consuming podcasts while actually watching the video compared to 69% of “Longtimers” doing the same. Edison says that most new consumers and established podcast fans are actively watching while listening to video podcasts but that video is even more important for engaging with new audiences. While “Longtimers” currently have an affinity for audio only podcasts, that may change over time. Edison concludes that although podcasting is an audio-first platform, “many creators and marketers are likely missing an audience acquisition and engagement opportunity by not considering how to fit video content and video platforms into their strategic planning.”

Industry Views

SABO SEZ: What You Need to Know About the “Law of 200”

By Walter Sabo
a.k.a. Walter Sterling, Host
WPHT, Philadelphia, “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night”
and TMN syndicated, “Sterling on Sunday”

imgThe risk is real. Suggesting that a technique used with great success in the recent past might be beneficial to the present is a perilous course. Is the idea out of touch with today’s reality? Is the author ignoring current trends?

A factual current event from which our industry and our lives suffer: Sales are down. Sales for the radio industry are down every quarter.

Hard research-and-math-people will point to the usual causes. Add to that list the fact that the same dollars that bought spots priced at X for the big morning show are being fed into podcasts for 10 percent of X. But podcasts are digital! Therefore, they are sexy to Wall Street. The result of that dollar transfer is quarterly investor calls featuring CEOs declaring that “digital is a sweet spot.” Actually, “digital” is a cheap whore but back to the topic:

Methods deployed to sell radio today are not working. Salespeople work hard, but the strategies they are given are weak. That’s why sales are down – every quarter. Spreadsheets, ROI, CPP, programmatic are elegant math-major systems. But our product is not math. Our product is emotion. Match sales techniques to the product. Tap the power of emotion.

Everything is ultimately purchased from our emotions. Everything.  Case in point: Joe Girard* understands cars better than anyone in history. No, no, don’t be dismissive of Joe because he was a car salesman; cars are very expensive. Cars have impacted you and your family for years. Cars make you feel great or awful. Powerful purchase.

Happy Birthday! One month a year, Joe would mail out a birthday card to all of his past customers and all of his prospects. All of them. In the same month. One out of 12 recipients were thrilled that Joe remembered their birthday! The other 11 would call Joe and tell him that he had their birthday date wrong. They called Joe. A car salesman.

Joe gave all of them information on the phone about the latest models and deals for… a new car. They called Joe.

The Law of 200. Catholic funeral masses hand out prayer cards featuring a photo of the deceased. Ask a priest how many cards are printed. The answer is 200. Caterers will tell you that the standard number of wedding guests is… 200!

Seems we know 200 people who will come to our wedding and our funeral. Major life events. Buying a car is a major, emotional life event. Joe realized that if he sold a good car, 200 people would learn that the customer was satisfied.

OR 200 were not happy. He gave all car buyers a box, a box of his business cards. 200 cards. He urged customers to hand out Joe’s cards to their friends.

Do those 22-year-old time buyers still want concert tickets, merchandise, meals, autographs, meet and greets? Before the power point presentation starts, book the good seats.

Yes, our product is emotion driven. How many arguments have you had about music repetition? New music? Controversial topics? Borderline morning show jokes? Those are emotional not intellectual discussions. There’s our power – in the center of the rink. Put the commercial on the mat.

How to Sell Anything to Anybody by Joe Girard https://a.co/d/fTpuzoZ

Walter Sabo has been a C Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General and many other leading media outlets. His company HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers.. His nightly show “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at sabowalter@gmail.com.

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (8/19)

The most discussed stories yesterday (8/19) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Russia-Ukraine War Meetings
2. Trump vs Smithsonian
3. Guard Troops in DC-Crime Stats Challenge
4. Texas & California Redistricting
5. Security Clearance Revocations

Industry Views

The Annual (Radio Station) Physical

By Jonathan Little
TroyResearch
President

imgAn annual physical is a wise idea. Doc asks, “How are you doing?”. Then he or she asks some detailed questions based on your medical history. Then “how have you been feeling? Any issues?” Doc always orders blood draws to see what might be lurking. Is the statin drug keeping your cholesterol in check? Are you getting plenty of exercise, plenty of sleep? How’s your diet? Over the years, I’ve visited about my health with at least a dozen different doctors. I’m convinced that the good ones always ask good questions and then listen carefully. Good questioner – good listener. That’s the doc I can respect and put my trust in. 

If you operate a radio station, your station could benefit from an annual physical. You already know how it’s doing based on ratings, revenue, and profit. Your listeners know how you’re doing for them personally because they’re the users of your radio product. Is it pleasing, challenging, inspiring or annoying, irritating, and easily ignored with a click? If you ask them, they’ll tell you. You should ask them at least once a year. 

TroyResearch has been in the business of asking listeners what they think for 27 years. We recently teamed up with Midwest Communications, Inc., in Green Bay to conduct an exploratory research project with their news/talk station WTAQ. TroyResearch’s association with MCI goes back nearly 27 years, doing music and perceptual research for the Duke Wright music stations. The WTAQ project was something new. Our goal was to discover what actionable data the opinions of loyal listeners might produce. TroyResearch worked with VP Programming Jeff McCarthy and Operations Manager Jason Hillery to develop a 25-question study. 

Survey respondents were recruited over the air and were encouraged to go to the WTAQ website to take a brief survey. Clearly, we wanted to hear from P1’s, those listeners who produce 60%+ of reported listening. Their answers provided a clear picture of WTAQ loyalists – what they like, what they don’t like, their political affiliation, their listening behaviors (radio, podcasts, TV news, cable news, etc.), favorite news outlets, trustworthiness of news outlets, their thoughts about protests becoming riots, and their favorite podcasts to mention a few. 

More than 200 respondents, Persons 18+, completed the WTAQ perceptual study. (32% 18-54, 68% 55+). With Jeff’s and Jason’s permission, we share some results. 

Political Affiliation

1% Democrat
78% Republican
15% Independent
6% Other, like Libertarian, Socialist

In car listening

80% Local radio
10% Satellite radio
6% Streaming services like Spotify
3% Podcasts
1% Other like personal playlists 

Listening to WTAQ, which simulcasts

76% FM
9% AM
8% Streaming from WTAQ app
6% Streaming from a smart device
1% Streaming from WTAQ.com

Where do you get your news? (Select all that apply)

93% Radio
46% Broadcast TV (local channels)
41% Cable news like Fox, CNN, MSNBC
29% Social Media like X, Facebook, Tiktok
16% Internet news like NY Post, Washington Post
10% Newspaper
12% Other 

Your primary news source

58% Radio
15% Cable news like Fox, CNN, MSNBC
8% Broadcast TV (local channels)
7% Internet news like NY Post, Washington Post
7% Social Media like X, Facebook, Tiktok
3% Other
1% Newspaper

When does a protest/demonstration become a riot? (Select all that apply)

85%+ When protesters strike police, throw projectiles, set fires, do property damage
75% When protesters spit on police officers
60% When protesters burn the American flag
37% When protesters curse at police officers

Do you listen to podcasts?

23% Frequently
29% Occasionally
35% Rarely
13% Never

What podcast platform do you use? (Select all that apply)

32% YouTube
25% Spotify
19% iHeart
19% Apple
10% Amazon
2% Rumble
1% The Blaze
1% Daily Wire 

As a broadcaster that reports news and information, WTAQ is interested in knowing how trustworthy you consider the reporting presented by these companies. (1 = very untrustworthy, 5 = very trustworthy)

4.43 WTAQ Radio, Green Bay
3.78 Fox News
3.59 Fox 11, Green Bay
2.92 WBAY, Channel 2, Green Bay
2.83 WFRV, Channel 5, Green Bay
2.77 WHBY Radio, Appleton
2.71 NBC 26, Green Bay
2.22 Green Bay Press Gazette
2.01 Wisconsin State Journal
1.99 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
1.46 MSNBC
1.37 CNN 

WTAQ asked the 0-10 Customer Endorsement Score question – “On a scale of 0-10 how likely would you be to recommend WTAQ to a friend or colleague?” Those scores reflect the listeners’ opinions of how the station is doing and it’s a forecast of WTAQ’s future. As a rule, a CES of 50 or higher indicates a healthy and sustainable product. WTAQ scored a strong 73 Customer Endorsement Score. 

VP Jeff McCarthy and OM Jason Hillery are pleased with the results of this exploratory study. The WTAQ Sales Team is delighted with the data. 

Good questioner … Good listener! WTAQ asked good questions. And now their leadership team is “listening” to the answers and determining what adjustments, if any, may result in improved ratings, revenue, and profit, on the way to an 80 Customer Endorsement Score with the next WTAQ study. 

Jonathan Little is president of TroyResearch. He can be phoned at 608-219-1077 or emailed via: jlittle@troyresearch.net

Industry News

Nielsen and Edison Collaborate on “Podcast Fusion”

Nielsen announces a new collaboration with Edison Research to launch Nielsen Podcast Fusion powered by Edison Research. Nielsen says, “For the first time, advertisers and agencies will be able to plan, optimize and compare all major media types – including podcasts, TV, radio, digital and social – in oneimg place. This new data fusion will integrate the industry-leading Edison Podcast Metrics into Nielsen’s widely used media planning tool, Nielsen Media Impact img(NMI).” Nielsen adds, “As podcast listenership continues to grow, it is critical for advertisers to have sophisticated tools and data to effectively plan, measure and optimize their audio investments. Nielsen Podcast Fusion in NMI will provide an even more holistic view of media planning and help users uncover valuable insights and demonstrate the effectiveness of their campaigns. NMI users will also be able to optimize media plans by specific podcast networks and genres, as well as top podcast programs.” NPR and Ocean Media are among the charter subscribers at launch.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Edison Releasing Top Podcast Badges. Edison Research announces the release of an official Top Podcast badge for shows to use that designate them as having achieved a spot within the top rankings of weekly podcast listeners, based on Edison Podcast Metrics. The Top Podcast badge is available for shows in the Top 10, Top 25, and Top 50 rankings from Edison Podcast Metrics in both the U.S. and the UK.

Compass Enters Deal with Deja Vu. Radio personality and ABC Television contributor Déjà Vu is working with Compass Media Networks to manage all aspects of marketing, distribution, and advertising sales for “The Deja Vu Show.” She says, “I love radio, and it is my mission to continue to do whatever it takes to grow our presence on the radio in every possible market in the country.”

Audacy Partners with C-Word Podcast. Audacy Podcasts partners with award-winning writer, director, actor, and producer Lena Dunham and writer, historian, and curator Alissa Bennett to handle sales and distribution for their podcast, “The C-Word,” bringing the previously paywalled podcast to all major podcast platforms for free for the first time. The two creators say, “We loved making ‘The C-Word,’ and now we’re thrilled to bring her out of the vault and into the hearts of listeners everywhere. These stories are just as resonant today as when we first told them, and partnering with Audacy allows us to reach a broader audience.”

Industry News

Edison: Podcast Consumption Hits Record High

Edison Research releases its latest study, The Podcast Consumer 2025 that it says “charts the continued rise of podcast listening in the U.S and underscores the significant appeal of video podcasts.” Among the takeaways from this report are: 1) Podcast consumption continues at a record high: 73% of those ages 12+img have ever consumed a podcast, 55% have consumed a podcast in the last month, and 40% have consumed a podcast in the last week, each measure being an all-time high; 2) Video podcast consumption has redefined the podcast landscape: Over half (51%) of the U.S. 12+ population has ever watched a video podcast; 37% have watched a video podcast in the last month and 26% have watched a video podcast in the last week. Those who actively watch video podcasts are younger and more diverse than those who only listen to audio-only podcasts; and 3) Podcasts offer high engagement and trust from listeners: 88% of weekly podcast consumers agree that hearing ads is a fair price to pay for free content; 68% say they don’t mind hearing ads on podcasts. You can see The Podcast Consumer 2025 here.

Industry News

Audacy: In Marketing Mix Models Radio is “Quietly Efficient”

Audacy SVP of research & insights Ray Borelli writes in an insights piece that data consistently shows that in marketing mix models (MMMs), there is a large gap in the perception of its effectiveness versus how it actually performs. Borelli writes, “Despite outperforming most channels in ROI, Audio can be overlooked byimg marketers, not because it’s ineffective, but because it’s quietly efficient.” He adds, “Low levels of variability and the lack of granular data at the campaign and market levels can cloud the results. Smaller campaign investments can also fly under the radar, making it harder for models to detect Audio’s true impact.” Borelli says Audacy is working with other audio companies and with partners like the RAB and IAB to provide more granular data and to standardize model inputs. “We’re running model audits and retroactive studies to properly demonstrate Audio’s impact including replacing media plan data with ‘as-run’ actuals because as-run data provides significantly more variation, which stimulates the models to more effectively identify radio’s correlation with sales results.” See the complete piece here.

Industry Views

SABO SEZ: Music on the Weekends Can Build Cume

By Walter Sabo
a.k.a. Walter Sterling, Host
WPHT, Philadelphia, “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night”
and TMN syndicated, “Sterling on Sunday”

imgMusic on the weekend provides multiple positive strategic weapons for talk stations. From launch, “New Jersey 101.5” (1,000,000+ cumer); WTKS-FM “Real Radio,” Orlando; WABC, New York; WPHT, Philadelphia; and other major market winners air music all weekend or on dayparted shows.

When launching WTKS, NJ101.5 and many others, Sabo Media researched talk stations throughout the country to find any facility that did as well or better on the weekend than during the week. Not one. KGO at the time was dominant in San Francisco, but its weekend audience share was HALF its weekday share. Then we studied music formats looking for genre that did better on the weekends than during the week.  Answer: oldies and alternative rock.

Music on the weekend works:

Music prevents an outlet from suffering the negatives of being a “talk station.”Music blows off the chronic callers and people who need the station for companionship. You know who they are.
A carefully chosen song list targets a specific cume. People sample radio on weekends. They have fewer utilitarian needs for radio listening and can indulge in entertainment. When they hear a song they like—they lock in the frequency. The station enjoys fresh sampling. WTKS FM plays alternative rock all weekend, the result is a very young overall cume base.
Music is good for sales.  Clubs, concerts, festivals, and comic cons buy music radio. Music on the weekend keeps talk stations on those buys!
Innovative execs replace infomercials with specialty music shows. They sell those shows to wedding venues, wedding suppliers, party stores, mobile DJs, boat and RV rentals, as well as home improvement retailers.
Publisher Michael Harrison posits that genre and chronological segregation of songs is not as essential today as it was back in the day. 13-year-olds love the Beatles and Beach Boys. Hits are always absolute necessities but “Never My Love” by the Association, “Light My Fire” by the Doors and the #1 song today, “Ordinary,” are all hits and could be played back-to-back.

In most cities, the second highest audience daypart is midday Saturdays. Stations that recognize that fact by offering quality, local, live entertainment grow their cume.

Walter Sabo has been a C Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General and many other leading media outlets. His company HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers.. His nightly show “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at sabowalter@gmail.com.

Industry News

Katz Radio: New Data on Marketer Misperceptions

Katz Radio presents more data that supports the notion that radio’s effectiveness is misperceived by marketing professionals. The report cites data from Nielsen’s Global Annual Marketing Survey that askedimg marketers about perceived media effectiveness in which radio came in last place, behind all measured traditional and digital media types. According to Nielsen’s global ROI benchmarks, radio delivers the second highest return for advertisers, second only to social media. Nielsen’s ROI benchmarks show radio delivers higher returns for advertisers than all other other traditional media. While radio is perceived to be less effective than digital media, it delivers an ROI +30% higher than video and display, and +70% higher than search and CTV. See more about the study here.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Edison Research Unveiling Podcast Report. Edison Research is presenting its The Podcast Consumer 2025 in a webinar on July 23 at 2:00 pm ET. Edison says a key focus in the new report is the evolving definition of podcast “consumption,” exploring podcast viewing as well as listening. You can register for the webinar here.

Saga to Present Q2 Financial Data. Saga Communications, Inc announces that it will release second quarter 2025 operating results at 9:00 am on August 7 and will hold an investors conference call the same day at 11:00 am ET.

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (7/1)

The most discussed stories yesterday (7/1) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Big, Beautiful Bill Debate / Musk-Trump Feud
2. Trump Visits “Alligator Alcatraz”
3. Paramount Settles Trump Suit
4. Israel-Gaza War
5. Trump Threatens Mamdani

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (6/30)

The most discussed stories yesterday (6/30) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Big, Beautiful Bill Debate / Musk-Trump Feud
2. “Alligator Alcatraz” to Open
3. Trump vs Harvard
4. Israel Strikes in Gaza
5. Kohberger Guilty Plea

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Feature the Moments That Matter

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgAre archived shows – whole hours – your station’s only on-demand offering? It’s an easy checkbox: post the aircheck, call it a podcast.

And why not? In our on-demand culture, why expose this work – and its sponsors – only to those who happened to be listening in real-time? But few listeners will sit through an hour – or three – of linear audio. Most don’t when listening live. They’re busy. The only person who hears the whole show is the host (which is why I cringe when I hear “hour number three”).

Trim the fat, serve the steak 

Many more will be interested in highlights, those couple minutes of Pet Pro Dr. Donna Stone’s tips for “Helping Your Critters Keep Their Cool During a Long Hot Summer,” or whatever “money moments” aired.

im

— Give these excerpts a title, incorporating words someone might include in Search. Add a sharable description. Let MS Copilot or ChatGPT make you a graphic. For this example, make it a cute puppy.
— In addition to the station’s website, these clips should be all over your social media. Think of your whole show as a movie. Hashtag-laden Tweets that include a click-to-listen link are the trailer. Script several versions and post at intervals.
— Get good at this, and your posts will get shared.
–And Dr. Donna can share her moment to her followers.

This is something music station morning shows do better than talk stations, because archiving whole songs is taboo. They’re forced to cull. 

Find the time

It’s an investment in reach, relevance, and revenue. Don’t just archive – curate. You can find new ears, using these audio appetizers to offer people who don’t know your show to try the entrée.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a media consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry Views

SABO SEZ: Managing the Meters is a Fatal Time Waster

By Walter Sabo
a.k.a. Walter Sterling, Host
WPHT, Philadelphia, “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night”
and TMN syndicated, “Sterling on Sunday”

imgAt first, I thought it was a joke. When I realized there were serious people having serious meetings about the joke, it became both horrific and symptomatic

The sitcom is called: MANAGING THE METERS. Note: As a suited consultant I was a prime mover to get Arbitron off diaries and onto meters.

Worldly success is often the result of being highly focused on what one can control versus imagining what can be controlled. Nielsen can manage their meters. You can’t.

Imagining what can be controlled has led to wasting time playing MANAGING THE METERS.  To participate one must learn where Nielsen meters are placed, which station has which meters, and who is carrying “your” meters. Yes, one can learn, for example, that a 19-year-old in Glendale listens to KIIS-FM for 17 hours a week. More than 17 hours in radio conference rooms will be spent playing whack-a-mole with that 19-year-old’s meter; where will it land next?

Playing MANAGING THE METERS is a major time waster and cume killer. Once upon a time many music stations embraced “request line call-in research.” Shudder. Stations would tally which songs were getting how-many requests and make on-air playlists based on those counts. Obviously call-in request playlists would appeal primarily to existing listeners and do nothing to reach new listeners. Sure, P1s are appeased but cume always dies.

And here we are: Super-serving meter holders who already listen to a station will appease P1s but cume will diminish every month. It is pure myth that “talk” is high TSL and low cume.  In fact, most current talking stations do everything possible to lower cume. Casual cuming is virtually impossible. (Who is talking? What’s the number? Thanks for holding on! Who has time to hold on?). The MANAGING THE METERS fantasy gives “science” to cume-killing actions and reactions.

MANAGING THE METERS, rather than making better, bigger shows has resulted in fear, indecision, and the crime of overthinking. Nothing could be worse for a medium that thrives on emotional wallops than turning feelings into math.

What to do when tempted to play MANAGING THE METERS:

Go for a pleasant walk and imagine a better show, new promotions, fresh promos and surprising, possibly weird topics.
Eat your favorite ice cream and imagine a better show, new promotions, fresh promos and surprising, possibly weird topics.
Call your father and thank him and imagine a better show, new promotions, fresh promos and surprising, possibly weird topics.
Remember that innovative programmers who CREATE – rather than copy – great stations give all of their attention to P2s and then imagine a better show, new promotions, fresh promos and surprising, possibly weird topics.

Walter Sabo has been a C Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General and many other leading media outlets. His company HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers.. His nightly show “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at sabowalter@gmail.com.

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (6/11)

The most discussed stories yesterday (6/11) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. LA Protests / Trump’s Use of Military
2. U.S.-Iran Tensions / Middle East Diplomats Recalled
3. U.S.-China Trade Negotiations / Tariffs
4. Saturday’s Military Parade
5. Brian Wilson Dies

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (6/7-8)

The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. LA ICE Protests-National Guard Callup
2. Abrego Garcia Returned to U.S.
3. Gaza Aid Ship Intercepted
4. U.S.-China Trade Negotiations
5. ABC Suspends Terry Moran

Industry Views

Mark Walters v. OpenAI: A Landmark Case for Spoken Word Media

By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Media Law, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer

imgWhen Georgia-based nationally syndicated radio personality, and Second Amendment advocate Mark Walters (longtime host of “Armed American Radio”) learned that ChatGPT had falsely claimed he was involved in a criminal embezzlement scheme, he did what few in the media world have dared to do. Walters stood up when others were silent, and took on an incredibly powerful tech company, one of the biggest in the world, in a court of law.

Taking the Fight to Big Tech

Walters, by filing suit against OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, become the first person in the United States to test the boundaries of defamation law in the age of generative artificial intelligence.

His case was not simply about clearing his name. It was about drawing a line. Can artificial intelligence generate and distribute false and damaging information about a real person without any legal accountability?

While the court ultimately ruled in OpenAI’s favor on specific legal procedure concerns, the impact of this case is far from finished. Walters’ lawsuit broke new ground in several important ways:

— It was the first known defamation lawsuit filed against an AI developer based on content generated by an AI system.
— It brought into the open critical questions about responsibility, accuracy, and liability when AI systems are used to produce statements that sound human but carry no editorial oversight.
— It continued to add fuel to the conversation of the effectiveness of “use at your own risk” disclaimers when there is real world reputational damage hanging in the balance.

Implications for the Radio and Podcasting Community

For those spoken-word creators, regardless of platform on terrestrial, satellite, or the open internet, this case is a wake-up call, your canary in a coal mine. Many shows rely on AI tools for research, summaries, voice generation, or even show scripts. But what happens when those tools get it wrong? (Other than being embarrassed, and in some cases fined or terminated) And worse, what happens when those errors affect real people?

The legal system, as has been often written about, is still playing catch-up. Although the court ruled that the fabricated ChatGPT statement lacked the necessary elements of defamation under Georgia law, including provable harm and demonstrable fault, the decision highlighted how unprepared current frameworks are for this fast-moving, voice-driven digital landscape.

Where the Industry Goes from Here

Walters’ experience points to the urgent need for new protection and clearer guidelines:

— Creators deserve assurance that the tools they use are built with accountability in mind. This would extend to copyright infringement and to defamation.
— Developers must be more transparent about how their systems operate and the risks they create. This would identify bias and attempt to counteract it.
— Policymakers need to bring clarity to who bears responsibility when software, not a person, becomes the speaker.

A Case That Signals a Larger Reckoning

Mark Walters may not have won this round in court, but his decision to take on a tech giant helped illuminate how quickly generative AI can create legal, ethical, and reputational risks for anyone with a public presence. For those of us working in media, especially in formats built on trust, voice, and credibility, his case should not be ignored.

“This wasn’t about money. This was about the truth,” Walters tells TALKERS. “If we don’t draw a line now, there may not be one left to draw.”

To listen to a longform interview with Mark Walters conducted by TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison, please click here

Media attorney, Matthew B. Harrison is VP/Associate Publisher at TALKERS; Senior Partner at Harrison Media Law; and Executive Producer at Goodphone Communications. He is available for private consultation and media industry contract representation. He can be reached by phone at 724-484-3529 or email at matthew@harrisonmedialaw.com. He teaches “Legal Issues in Digital Media” and serves as a regular contributor to industry discussions on fair use, AI, and free expression.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

iHeartMedia Launches “True Crime Tonight.” iHeartMedia announces the premiere of “True Crime Tonight” in collaboration with KT Studios. “True Crime Tonight” will initially launch on more than 20 broadcast radio stations across the country Sunday through Thursday evenings live at 10:00 pm local time beginning June 1. The two-hour show is being led by Stephanie Lydecker, founder and CEO of KT Studios; Courtney McKenna Armstrong, producer and voice of KT Studios’ podcasts; and Baudi Moovan, crime analyst and star of Netflix’s “Don’t F*** with Cats.”

Edison Unveils Infinite Dial UK. At The Podcast Show in London, Edison Research released its finding about UK digital media consumption via it’s the Infinite Dial UK 2025. The study looked at tech ownership, social media usage, online audio, and podcast listening in the UK.

Podcast One Acquires New Shows. PodcastOne announces it broadens its programming slate by adding several new and acquired podcasts to its network. Acquisitions include “Love Murder,” “The Broadside” and “Intrusive Thoughts” by Adam Rippon, with new podcasts “Yestergays” with Justin Sylvester and Blakely Thornton and “A Lot of You Have Been Asking” from comedian Hayden Cohen.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

New Affiliates for “America Tonight.” The nationally syndicated show “America Tonight” starring Kate Delaney adds two new affiliate stations as WORD, Daytona Beach and KLIS, St. Louis both add the program to their lineups. Delaney tells TALKERS magazine that she is celebrating 16 years of hosting “America Tonight.”

Townsquare Officers to Present at Investor Conferences. Townsquare Media’s CEO Bill Wilson, CFO Stuart Rosenstein, and EVP investor relations Claire Yenicay are participating in two upcoming investor conferences – the Barrington Research Virtual Spring Investment Conference on May 29 and the Noble Capital Markets’ Virtual Investor Conference on June 4.

Saga Declares Dividend. Saga Communications’ board of directors is declaring a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share to be paid on June 27, 2025, to shareholders of record on June 6, 2025. The aggregate amount of the payment to be made in connection with the quarterly dividend will be approximately $1.6 million. The quarterly dividend will be funded by cash on the company’s balance sheet. Including this dividend, the company will have paid over $138 million in dividends to shareholders since the first special dividend was paid in 2012.

Industry News

WWO: News/Talk & Sports Make Up 28% of Streaming Audience

This week’s blog from Cumulus Media | Westwood One’s Audio Active Group analyzes data from Edison Research’s ongoing Share of Ear study to determine what advertisers should consider for animg ad-supported media campaign. Among the findings is that in order to ensure that digital audio buys are effective, marketers should commit news/talk and sports stations because they represent 28% of all 25-54 AM/FM radio streaming audiences. Among 25-54s, spoken-word formats have a massive 28% streaming share, 2.4 times larger than the overall spoken word share of 12%. The news/talk format has a 6.7% share of total AM/FM radio listening. The streaming share for news/talk is 15.4% — more than double its total share. The sports format has a 12.5 share of the streaming audience, 2.5 times bigger than its overall 5 share. Further, the data indicates that for the 18-34 demographic, sports and news/talk streaming is a combined 19.6% share. See the full blog post here.

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (5/19)

The most discussed stories yesterday (5/19) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Trump & Putin’s Russia-Ukraine Call
2. Big, Beautiful Bill
3. Moody’s U.S. Rating / Financial Markets
4. SCOTUS Venezuelans Deportation Ruling
5. Biden Cancer Diagnosis

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Your Passion, Your Media Station

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgTALKERS publisher Michael Harrison introduced the term in the 1990s, inviting us to think-beyond the real-time audio we were sending up those towers. What he described seemed conceptual, even futuristic, back then, when we were still logging-onto AOL via dial-up (screech).

The “Media Station” he reckoned we would be producing by now seemed more like a place than a show. It wouldn’t be bound by regulation or sponsor sensitivities or an on-air format. Content needn’t be 30- or 60-seconds or minutes. It won’t even have to be audio. Or governed by how long you can last between bathroom breaks or eating or sleeping, because it won’t be the real-time content that radio was confined to then.

Back to the future. Among headlines from 2025 Edison Research “Infinite Dial” research:

— 248 million Americans are on social media.
— 91% (262 million) own a smartphone.
— 101 million own a smart speaker.
— 40% of vehicles now on the road have phone integration.
— Though AM/FM is still the #1 in-car audio, #2 is online audio, #3: podcasts.
— 210 million listen to online audio every week.
— “Podcast consumption is at an all-time high.” 55% of Americans listen each month.

Anyone anywhere can publish something that is available to everyone everywhere.

im

Most who read this are probably content creators, many working full or part-time at radio stations, doing the station’s business. Using that same skill set, build your own, a Media Station. Most of the tools are free, including ChatGPT, which will even help you plan it.

What’s your area of expertise?? Your hobby? Your passion? Your media station could include:

— Podcasts
— Blog, inviting participation
— Tutorial videos about a craft or skill
— Tips-N-Tricks about ____
— Checklists/worksheets/recipes/other documents, as PDF downloads
— Stories about businesses or artists, traditions or customs, history, science, tech
— DIY projects, of any sort
— Makeover transformations
— Fitness routines and workout tips
— Money topics
— Food topics of all sorts, including restaurant reviews
— Relationship topics
— Travel
— Product reviews/recommendations
— Sports
— Amazon Associate links to earn commission on related products
— Whatever!

NOT saying: Build a media station so it becomes your livelihood after the next round of cutbacks. But, hey…

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Music Lessons For Talk Radio

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgMusic radio’s competitors were vinyl, then tape, then CDs – before smartphone streaming and satellite radio offered more portability and variety. And before consolidation, broadcasters were under less of the revenue pressure that now commercializes many stations beyond listeners’ tolerance. TALKERS NAB Show coverage included Edison Research founder Larry Rosin lamenting “many, many [music] stations now loading all their spots into two interminable breaks per hour.” I cringe hearing FMs struggle to remain among listeners’ music appliances. And I fret that monologue-heavy talk radio is relinquishing interactive dialogue to social media.

Before moving to all-news, and eventually news/talk, I worked in music formats less-structured than today’s. So now I hear music radio as an outsider, more like a consumer. Which got me wondering: How does my format sound to music consultants? So, I asked several whose work I respect.

Beware the one-joke act

Mike McVay reckons that “listeners want to know a little bit about a lot of things,” a point other colleagues echo. Explaining that “music radio is all about variety,” adult contemporary specialist Gary Berkowitz: “To me, listeners are tired of all this political back and forth. Sure, it has its place, but it’s like if music radio only played five different artists!” Jon Holiday – who customizes station playlists for a variety of formats – asks “are talk listeners getting what they want?” Calling some formats “very artist-heavy,” he thinks stations were right to play so much Taylor Swift in 2024, certainly her year. And 2025 sure is Trump’s, but Holiday calls “banging the same drum all day, every day” the most common flaw he hears on talk radio.

McVay says listeners like “stories that pull on their heart strings. It’s why “NBC Nightly News” ends with a touching story. It’s not fluff. It’s information relief.” He also recommends topics you are likely to overhear at the next table during lunch: “Discretionary Time Information” (binge-worthy shows on Apple+, Max, Netflix). Health. And – lately more than ever – what Mike calls “purse” stories (think: eggs). Been to Costco? On weekends it’s mobbed. Ask any member and they’ll recite a shopping list of Kirkland-brand bargains.

Play the hits

 When Gary Berkowitz – then an accomplished music programmer – took over stately WJR, he “approached it like it was a music station, the only difference was my ‘songs’ were my personalities, news coverage and, at the time, play-by-play of all the major Detroit teams.” He bought a jingle package “to ‘decorate’ the station;” and “got ‘JR involved with everything that was happening in Detroit. All I did was put it all together and present it like my top-40 upbringing taught me.”

I can relate. Before I programmed all-news WTOP, Washington, I had no news experience. I came from a music FM. The WTOP staff I inherited was impressive, and their work was solid, but the station wasn’t “programmed enough.” I was sent there to convert Cume to Average Quarter Hour – the blocking-and-tackling formatics fundamental to music radio. We owned “the Top news…instantly” image, and we said those very words LOTS. But research told us that traffic and weather were “the hits;” and how we presented them moved the needle.

im

Great talkers are great listeners 

In every transaction, consumers now expect to interact; and “listeners like to hear others’ voices,” Mike McVay observes: “When the audience is comfortable enough to weigh in with an opinion, their own story, or a reaction, you’ve created a ‘friend circle.’” Jon Holiday tells morning shows he works with to “take time going into breaks to be topical and interact with callers.” And engage by texting and social media. And don’t just push-TO listeners. Be quick to REPLY, and you will make them feel special. 

Yet, in three decades coaching talk hosts, the most unwelcome word I say seems to be “callers.” Imitating gifted Rush Limbaugh, many hosts are prone to windy monologue, rather than inviting the busy dialogue that makes a station sound popular (something local advertisers notice). DJs deftly weaving interactivity into music shows often sound more inviting than sermonizing talkers. Holiday remembers El Rushbo as “a master at having fun, particularly in his early days as a syndicated personality.”

Prescription: Local 

Twenty years ago at the TALKERS conference, publisher Michael Harrison’s advice was elegantly simple: “Give them something they can’t get anywhere else.” Especially now, with so many non-local audio competitors. Regardless of format, helpful local information can increase Occasions of Tune-In per week.

Simply doing local news is a start. But does yours enable the listener by telling what an item means to him or her? On any given day, what you’re overhearing at lunch is something big that’s happening somewhere else. Can you explain the local impact? “National news needs to mean something to me, my community, my region or state,” according to McVay.

With weather so erratic in so many places, owning that image is gold. If you’re news/talk, don’t assume that you’re the market’s weather station. If you’re music, don’t assume you can’t be. Noting typical news/talk demographics, Jon Holiday surmises that, “as we get older, we seem to be more interested in weather.”

And as successful music stations have always done, show up! Gary Berkowitz had WJR go all-in on Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day parade, “with our people all over the parade route. It was better than the TV coverage!”

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Erick Erickson Wins MRC’s Bulldog Award. WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta-base, nationally syndicated talk host Erick Erickson is honored with the Media Research Center’s MRC Bulldog Award for Outstanding Radio Talk Show. The award is given to Erickson for “following in the footsteps of the revered Rush Limbaugh by blending humor with hard-hitting political analysis.”

“The Road to Cooperstown” Launches. A new season of the baseball podcast series “The Road to Cooperstown” has dropped on SiriusXM. Each episode of features host Jon Paul Morosi sitting down with a different Hall of Famer and the first episode features Philadelphia Phillies great Mike Schmidt.

Industry News

NYPR Speaks Out Against Stripping CPB Funding

NYPR president & CEO LaFontaine E. Oliver issued a statement to listeners in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s executive order to withhold Corporation for Public Broadcasting funds. He says, “If it holds, the executive order will restrict New York Public Radio from using CPB funding to purchase programming or services from NPR. CPB said in a statement that the White House had no legal authority over the company, and NPR called it ‘an affront to the First Amendment.’ Public radioimg and public television have enjoyed bipartisan support since 1967. The system has a profound impact on Americans in all 50 states and in every type of community—urban, suburban, rural, and remote. This indispensable service costs the American taxpayer about $1.60 a year, and it is one that the majority of Americans want to maintain. Recent polling from the Pew Research Center shows that only 24 percent of Americans support cutting federal funding. The budget request and executive order are only part of the administration’s ongoing effort to dismantle the American public broadcasting system as we know it. We expect even more to come. If successful, the effort will exacerbate existing news deserts and create new ones, as public radio has become the main (or only) remaining source for fact-based local news, educational and cultural programming, and critical emergency broadcast services in many communities across the country.” He encourages them to contact their legislators and to either donate or increase one’s current contribution to the public broadcasting organization.

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Make AI Your Intern, Not Your Replacement

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgWhen a blogger found “no biography, or further information about the woman who is supposedly presenting this show,” it forced Australian Radio Network to acknowledge that Artificial Intelligence supplies the voice of “Workdays with Thy” on one of its stations (CADA, available on the iHeartRadio app). “Exploring how new technology can support great content,” the network statement rationalized.

If you’re a (human) music DJ, this is chilling. If you’re a talk host, are you next? Hey, IBM’s Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997, back when we were still dialing-up Internet access. So don’t think souped-up AI couldn’t someday interact with human callers. Or the fake callers vendors now offer.

Flip-the-script, to put the robot to work for you and sound local and super-relevant. Here’s how, step-by-step.

1. Use Google Trends, filtered to your metro area.

— Go to Google Trends.
— Set the location to your city, state, or region.
— Look at:
-Trending Searches (daily hot topics)
-Related Queries (people often search “near me” + other urgent needs)

2. Focus on “Near Me” signals that reflect tension, urgency, or curiosity

— “Near me” searches usually spike when:

– People have a problem (e.g., “urgent care near me”, “cheap gas near me”).
– There’s a trend or event (e.g., “earthquake near me”, “protest near me”).
– There’s fear, confusion, or excitement (e.g., “layoffs near me”, “concerts near me”).

— These are rich veins for call-in topics because:

– They touch emotions (fear, anger, hope).
– They’re localized — content your new-tech audio competitors won’t have.
– They’re now — you can spin them for immediate reaction.

im

3. Translate “Near Me” searches into talkable angles

— Example:

Search Trend Possible Call-In Topic
“Layoffs near me” “Are you worried about job security? Have you or someone you know been laid off recently?”
“Protests near me” “What’s your take on the demonstrations downtown? Are they making a difference or making things worse?”
“Gas prices near me” “Have high gas prices changed your driving habits? Are you cutting back or just absorbing it?”

4. Bonus Tip: Cross-Reference “Near Me” with social media buzz

— Use X (Twitter) trends and Facebook community groups to see if local chatter matches what Google is showing.

5. Create a simple daily habit

— Spend 5 minutes a day on Google Trends.
— Pull one or two local “near me” topics.
— Frame them into emotionally loaded questions for on-air teasing:

– “Do you feel less-safe after [recent incident? [phone number].”
– “Have YOU or someone you know been affected by the [local layoffs]?”

Evidence that you can make AI your assistant, and not your replacement? I asked ChatGPT to outline the instructions above; and this fill-in-the-blanks a Topic Mining Sheet you can use daily to systematically turn Google “near me” trends into great call-in topics.

Oh, and from the website for that Australian station: “We are an inclusive workplace embracing diversity in all its forms.” You do the punchline.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

Industry News

Nelson Appointed Audacy CMO

Audacy promotes Jenny Nelson chief marketing officer. In this role, Nelson will oversee all Audacy’simg marketing efforts, including brand/design, research, B2B marketing/activation and corporate communications. The company says she will also continue to focus on sales enablement and supporting Audacy’s local and national sales. Most recently, she served as EVP marketing solutions & strategy.

Industry News

Monday Memo: Podcasting in the Age of Attention Deficit

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgRemember how Larry King would interrupt rambling callers to ask, “What’s your question?” It could sound gruff, but it was really a courtesy, to viewers or listeners. Larry feared TV clickers and dashboard radio buttons. He kept-it-moving to keep viewers and listeners from wandering.

And if you follow research on podcast consumption, you understand that attention there is an even heavier lift than for real-time broadcast programming which asks less of the consumer to acquire. Accordingly, these tips:

— Hook early, hook hard: Your first 60 seconds (max) are your billboard. Don’t waste them. Create curiosity about what listening to the episode will deliver, early-in (or before) your produced intro.
— Edit aggressively: Cut fluff and filler, avoid rabbit holes. Trim “um,” “you know,” and circular chit-chat. Each listening moment needs to earn the next moment.
— Apply proven radio techniques: teasing, resetting, production tactics.

im

— Be “sticky with structure:” A consistent format helps make your podcast habit-forming. If applicable to your topic, think “Problem-Story-Solution.” Note how Keith Olbermann’s podcast emulates his previous TV show format. I’m not saying do THAT format; I’m saying HAVE one.
— Speak to one person – like radio does, but even more so – because podcast listening is so intentional, and topics can be so specialized. Make eye contact, and don’t talk to “the audience.”– Create “next time” anticipation: Plant seeds for the next episode.
— Make replayable moments. Your slam-dunk is having listeners share your podcast with their friends. Deliver content that somehow enables them. Or makes them laugh, or cry, or care.

Like broadcasting, podcasting competes with EVERYTHING, TikTok, text messages, EVERYTHING, and life’s chaos. Make every second count.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn