Industry News

More Affiliates for Mark Walters’ “Armed American Radio” and “Daily Defense” Shows

Programs from Mark Walters’ CCW Broadcast Media added new affiliate imgstations in February and March. His “Armed American Radio” and “Daily Defense Hour” shows are now heard on KVOC, Casper, Wyoming. WOBX, Wanchese, North Carolina adds the “Daily Defense Hour.” “Armed American Radio” also joins WNRJ, Huntington, West Virginia and WXIC, Waverly, Ohio. Additionally, WKDP, Corbin, Kentucky bumps the “Daily Defense Hour” to live, daily from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Industry News

Study: 96% of Americans Want Car Radios

Research firm Critical Mass Insights says its recent study indicates that 96% of Americans say having a built-in AM/FM radio is important when purchasing a new car, and 98% say it’s important that radio remains easy to find on the dashboard. Critical Mass Insights says that its findings “cut across every demographic group surveyed, with consumers ages 18 to 74 overwhelmingly agreeing that access to radio is essential – even among those who don’timg regularly listen to AM or FM.” Company SVP of research Elizabeth Falke states, “The bottom line here is just how much people value having easy access to both AM and FM radio in their cars. Consumers want radio for a variety of different reasons that are largely unique to local radio – everything from discovering what new music matters to weather updates, the latest sports reports and local news and events.” As the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 makes its way through congress, Falke says its important that manufacturers understand the absence of radio would also influence new car purchasing decisions. The study found that 96% of Americans would miss radio if it were removed and 89% say the lack of a radio would likely keep them from buying that vehicle. She concludes, “This research is crucial for car manufacturers as we see that, immediately, half of consumers wouldn’t even look at buying a car without a radio. The ease and simplicity of radio is embedded in the lives of drivers consuming various forms of audio in their cars.”

Industry News

New Affiliates for “Our American Stories”

“Our American Stories,” hosted by Lee Habeeb and syndicated by Premiere Networks,img announces new affiliate stations that include WOR, New York; KNEW, San Francisco; WTAM, Cleveland; WOAI, San Antonio; WSJS, Greensboro; WSTP, Charlotte; KKXT, Corpus Christ; WHLO, Akron; KYQQ, Abilene; KIXW, Riverside; and WOND, Atlantic City. “Our American Stories” is now heard on 480 stations nationwide.

Industry News

Our American Stories’ Lee Habeeb Tells Boston Massacre Trial Story as Part of White House’s “Story of America” Series

img“Our American Stories” founder and host Lee Habeeb was tapped by the White House to tell the story of John Adams and his defense of the Redcoats in the trial the Boston Massacre. This is part of the White House’s America 250 “Story of America” series that’s being created in partnership with Hillsdale College and the US Department of Education. You can see the story that Habeeb wrote here.

Industry News

WWO: 36% of Americans Can’t Name an Auto Dealer

This week’s blog from Cumulus Media | Westwood One’s Audio Active Group looks at marketing strategies for new and used auto dealers – historically radio’s biggest advertiser category. Nielsen senior clientimg solutions executive Michael Katz writes that, according to Scarborough consumer purchase data, consumers were asked to “select auto dealerships where you or other household members might shop if you were planning to buy or lease a new or used vehicle (including in-store and online shopping)” and 36% were unable to name an auto dealer. Katz adds that one out five auto intenders (21%), those who will lease or buy a new or used vehicle in the next year, cannot name one auto dealer. He says, “Auto dealers need ads that teach people who they are and build their brands.” Read the full blog post here.

Industry News

The American Miracle Premieres at the Kennedy Center

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On June 4, Heroic Pictures and Patterns of Evidence Foundation hosted an exclusive VIP red carpet premiere at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. for the new film, The American Miracle: Our Nation Is No Accident. The film was inspired by talk radio host Michael Medved’s bestselling book of the same name and portrays the successful American Revolution as happening due to the intervening hand of God. The movie was produced and directed by Timothy Mahoney and stars Pat Boone and Kevin Sorbo, among numerous others. Pictured above is Michael Medved with his wife Diane and actors in period costumes.

Industry News

Edison: Most Americans Rise Between 6:00 am and 7:30 am

Edison Research says that according to a new custom survey it is conducting, the radio industry now knows exactly what time Americans 13+ wake up on weekdays. According to the survey, just over 30% ofimg Americans 13+ are awake by 6:00 am during the weekday. The two most popular half hour increments Americans set their alarms for are between 6:00 am-6:30 am and 7:00 am-7:30 am. For radio station programmers wondering how important the 5:00 am hour is, just over 14% are awake by 5:00 am with another 17% rising sometime during the 5:00 am hour. Edison says other data indicates most Americans are waking up slightly later than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic shifted routines and schedules to spend more time in the home.

Industry News

FCC’s Simington Argues for American Reindustrialization

In an op-ed piece published in The Daily Caller, FCC Commissioner Nathan A. Simington – with newly appointed chief of staff Gavin M. Wax – makes the case for American reindustrialization to effectively compete with China. He says, “Today, a growing fraction of China’s manufacturing strengthimg lies in its ability to deploy high-end, labor-light, automation-heavy processes at scale. It’s a productivity story now, driven by robotics, industrial AI, and, most crucially, advanced 5G infrastructure deployed as an industrial platform — not just as a consumer gimmick.” He adds, “Compare this with our own policy environment, where even the best private sector players are hamstrung by outdated regulations, capricious permitting processes, and the dogma that government shouldn’t pick winners — especially in telecom or manufacturing. That ideology might have made sense in the 1990s, but it’s lethal to the future of our telecommunications industry now, and in consequence, our manufacturing future.” See the entire op-ed here.

Industry News

Armed American Radio Adds New Affiliates

The nationally syndicated “Armed American Radio” show hosted by Mark Walters adds new affiliateimg stations including KOMY-AM, Monterey-Salinas, California; WSCW-AM, Charleston, West Virginia; and more.

Industry News

The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation Presents the 2024 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts Awards

LABF
The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF) paid tribute to distinguished industry leaders for lifetime achievements during the 2024 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts luncheon and awards ceremony yesterday afternoon (11/12) at Gotham Hall in New York City.  The event was emceed by CBS News 60 Minutes’ correspondent and 2018 Giant Bill Whitaker.  The 2024 honorees include:  Al Roker, weather and feature anchor, TODAY and co-host, “3rd Hour” of TODAY; Christine Baranski, two-time Tony and Emmy Award winning actress; Mike McVay, president, McVay Media Consulting; Patricia C. Smullin, president and owner, California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc.; Stephen A. Smith, commentator, ESPN; Steve Jones, president and CEO, Skyview Networks; and Wendy McMahon, president and CEO, CBS News and stations & CBS media ventures (CMV). The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the past, reflecting the present, and informing the future. The awards presentation celebrates the remarkable creators, innovators, leaders, performers, and journalists who have blazed trails in the radio and television broadcasting industry.  Pictured above l-r: LABF co-chair Heidi Raphael, Christine Baranski, Mike McVay, Patricia Smullin, Al Roker, Wendy McMahon, Stephen A. Smith, Steve Jones, LABF co-chair Jack Goodman and 2018 Giant and event emcee Bill Whitaker.  (Photo by Wendy Moger-Bross.)

Industry News

Edison Research: Radio Grabs 36% of Americans’ Audio Listening

According to data from Edison Research’s Q4 2023 Share of Ear study, Americans 13+ spend 36% of their audio consumption listening to AM/FM radio. Edison says, “AM/FM radio continues to make up theim largest share of listening, accounting for more than one-third of daily time with audio among those age 13+. The vast majority of that listening (31%) is to AM/FM over-the-air signals.” (The other 5% comes from radio streams.) Behind AM/FM in listening is streaming music (20%), YouTube (14%), podcasts (11%), SiriusXM (8%), owned music (4%), TV music channels (3%), audiobooks (3%) and other (1%).

Industry Views

Monday Memo: “A Pepper & Egg Sandwich on American Bread”

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Recommended interview: The author is retired radio host and newsman Joe Taylor, a voice you might remember from KDKA and elsewhere.

His story is the sort of interview Jim Bohannon used to love, a reminiscence of growing up in the 1950s, what life was really like in that “Great” America that Donald Trump romanticizes.

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Joe recalls a time when many people still considered Italians “not-quite-real Americans, traversing two very different worlds, attending school with kids whose last name didn’t end in a vowel.”

Joe writes – and speaks – with affection, respect, humor, and humanity, and new relevance. Contact joetaylor43@comcast.net

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

Industry News

Lee Habeeb of Our American Stories is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast

Going all the way back to the beginnings of language, meaningful communication between human beings has been built on the foundation of storytelling. One of modern talk radio’s greatest storytellers, Lee Habeeb, is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Habeeb is the hostim and founder of “Our American Stories,” a storytelling radio show and podcast featuring narratives that represent the best of America: history, sports, music, free enterprise, charity, faith, family and more. It can be heard five days a week, two hours a night, on well over 250 affiliates, including many heritage outlets, across the country. And archives of the show are available as an evergreen series of podcasts. In 2021, “Our American Stories” was signed to a syndication deal with Premiere Networks, giving it an added layer of distribution muscle as the property continues to show non-stop growth and display tremendous compatibility with more traditional forms of news/talk radio programming. According to Harrison, “Lee Habeeb is one of the most positive, as well as successful, players in the news/talk radio community with a compelling message of goodness and unity. He is a shining light of hope and growth for our industry and America.” Listen to the podcast in its entirety here.

Industry News

Our American Stories Offers Memorial Day Special

America Private Radio’s “Our American Stories” is again offering a Memorial Day tribute special to stations to air during the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend. The three-hour program will feature a Gold Star father’s storyim of his son who gave his life in Afghanistan trying to save a fellow soldier, an event that became the inspiration for the popular country song, “I Drive Your Truck,” plus the story of the USS Indianapolis, America’s worst naval disaster. Also, host Lee Habeeb shares a personal story of his uncle who was killed by Nazis after D-Day. The program is available on a market-exclusive basis with barter. The show is available via FTP delivery. “Our American Stories” is distributed by Premiere Networks and is heard in over 310 radio markets across the U.S. For more information contact: 855-276-8020 or affiliates@ouramericanstories.com or LGay@PremiereNetworks.com

Industry Views

The Uniqueness of the American Radio Talk Show Host

By Walter Sabo
Consultant, Sabo Media
A.K.A. Walter Sterling
Radio Host, Sterling on Sunday

Talk show talent, program directors, show producers and broadcast business decision-makers represent the core readership of this publication. Sometimes we are so close to something that we fail to see it for what it really is. That is the case of the “talk show host” in American radio. Michael Harrison refers to the often-shameless targeting of audiences as “the daily dance of affirmation.” I view the daily process of radio talk show hosting at its very core, as “the daily dance of freedom.”

Talk show hosts are a rare breed and endangered species who enjoy a unique freedom in American radio. Hosts can actually talk about whatever they want! Of course, they are subject to both the rewards and consequences of this freedom – but the process of doing a live talk show, sparked by opinion and controversy, is so spontaneous and uniquely dynamic that it cannot be controlled on a minute-to-minute level without losing the flavor that makes it so special and long-lived.

During a decade as a top-five market and network talk show host, no one has ever told me what to talk about. And for zillions of years as a programming executive prior to that, I never told a host what to talk about on their next show.

Talk hosts are granted remarkable radio freedom!  Music jocks haven’t had that freedom since the 1960s. Music jocks have to get up the courage to ask permission to merely change the order of songs on their play list. Talk show hosts “own” three or four hours a day on a significant station or stations to say whatever they wish. That’s amazing! At first that freedom was a daunting, humbling challenge for me. However, I have been guided by my experience in programming or having launched some of the world’s most successful talk stations.

Based on that experience from both sides of the mic, here’s what works: Talk can entertain a listener of any age and demographic if the host talks about the listener’s day. I talk about my day framed for a listener, one listener – water in the basement, trouble with the sister-in-law, the parent-teacher conference, more trouble with the sister-in-law, the check engine light in the car never wants to go out, life at Walmart. I talk from a place of trust.

Trust that events that poke the landscape of our lives are a very big deal. Trust that I will never find the “right” topic on any editorial page. Trust that you, dear listener, already know who you are going to vote for in any election and that this English major does not have the magic wand to change your mind. Trust that my on-air opinion must never waiver or we have no show.

Listen to talk shows and stations that reach demos under 50:  WMMS, Cleveland; KFI’s John and KenCasey Bartholomew at WBAP, Dallas; KMBZ, Kansas City; KFBK, Sacramento; the Elvis Duran Show; and streaming with Bubba the Love Sponge or Phil Hendrie. Those successful shows embrace the scope of conversation two best friends would have on the phone today. If two best friends would discuss a topic, why wouldn’t you share it on the air? If two best friends would never discuss it, why would you ever put it on the air?

Walter Sabo, consultant, can be contacted at Sabo Media: walter@sabomedia.com. Direct phone: 646-678-1110.  Check out www.waltersterlingshow.com. 

Industry News

Falun Gong Reaches Out to American Talk Media Hosts for Support

The spiritual movement called Falun Gong (also referred to as Falun Dafa) has become very popular in China encompassing many of the meditation, health and philosophical tenets of Buddhism and other ancient Eastern religions. After its public introduction in 1992, Falun Gong spread peacefully throughout China until 1999, at which point the Communist government began to see it as a threat to its supreme authority and began persecuting its practitioners. In a short amount of time, it became the most popular form of qigong in China. Various government surveys and media reports placed the number of people practicing between 70 and 100 million by 1998. Thousands of people could be seen practicing Falun Gong exercises outdoors in parks in China’s large cities as well as cities around the world, including the U.S. Before the persecution started, Falun Gong had become an integral part of Chinese society. By the time the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) turned against Falun Gong in 1999, there were 100 million Falun Gong practitioners. The CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong is a comprehensive nation-wide effort that encompasses many different forms of cruelty and inhumanity. Torture, murder, brainwashing, imprisonment, rape, forced labor, propaganda, slander, robbery, and economic deprivation form the foundation of the campaign. The harvesting of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners for transplant sale has taken the persecution to a whole new level. TALKERS magazine is in communication with the New York City-based Falun Dafa Information Center which reports the following message to our readers: The fact that the CCP is enacting these crimes in the world today creates a series of questions. If China is willing to do this to a harmless and innocent group of its own citizens, what wouldn’t it do to the rest of the world if it felt that it had the power and incentive to do so? Would it violate the human rights of other nation’s citizens, invade a neighboring country, or try something worse? Do we each have a responsibility to stand up for innocent victims who are being tortured and slaughtered by their own government? If your neighbor was not bothering you but they were slaughtering their family members what would your responsibility be? Given the truth of this situation, what is your responsibility?  TALKERS encourages the talk media community to make contact with Levi Browde, executive director of the Falun Dafa Information Center to arrange interviews with him and other experts to raise consciousness among Americans to this dire human rights threat as well as other detailed insights into tenuous U.S.-China relations. He can be reached via email at levib@faluninfo.net.

Above: Falun Gong practitioner arrested at Tiananmen Square

Industry News

Dynamic TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter Agenda Emerging

The 28th installment of the iconic TALKERS conference is only one month away, and its power-packed agenda features an array of more than 60 speakers representing the past, present, and future of talk media with a focus on radio’s changing role in the digital era.

Here’s the way it is shaping up thus far:

8:00 am – 9:00 am

BREAKFAST

Sponsored by the Sean Hannity Show

8:20 am to 8:25 am (during breakfast)

EMCEE GREETING: “WELCOME TO TALKERS 2026”

Emcee: Kevin Casey, VP/Executive Editor, TALKERS

____________________________________________________________

8:25 am to 8:45 am (during breakfast)

SPECIAL KICKOFF ADDRESS: “THE ART OF STORY TELLING”

Speaker: Lee Habeeb, CEO/Host/Producer, “Our American Stories”/ American Private Radio ____________________________________________________________

 8:50 am to 9:00 am (during breakfast)

ONE-ON-ONE CHAT: “DOING TALK ON A MUSIC STATION”

Speaker:  Mike “Bax” Baxendale, Morning Co-Host, WAQY-FM (Rock102), Springfield, MA

Facilitator: Harry Hurley, Morning Host, WPG, Atlantic City, NJ

____________________________________________________________

9:00 am to 9:05 am

NATIONAL ANTHEM

Performing on Sax: Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo, Host, “The Joe Pags Show”

____________________________________________________________

9:05 am to 9:25 am

SPECIAL ADDRESS: “REFLECTIONS ON RADIO – PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE”

Speaker: Walter Sterling, Host, WABC, New York

Introducer: Lee Harris, VP, News WABC, New York and The Worldwide News Network

____________________________________________________________

9:30 am to 10:00 am

PANEL DISCUSSION: “GAINING TRACTION IN A NOISY DIGITAL WORLD”

Sponsored by C. Crane

Moderator: Mike McVay, President, McVay Media Consulting

Panelists: Heather Cohen, President, The Weiss Organization; Sherry Goldman, founder, Goldman Communications Group, Inc.; Ryan McCormick, Co-Founder, Goldman McCormick Public Relations; Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo, Host, “The Joe Pags Show”

Introduction: Lee Elci, Host, WJJF, New London, CT

____________________________________________________________

10:10 am to 10:40 am

PANEL DISCUSSION: “INDEPENDENT STATION OWNERSHIP”  

Sponsored by Our American Stories

Moderator: John Caracciolo, CEO, JVC Broadcasting

Panelists: Vince Benedetto, CEO, Bold Gold Media Group; John Fredericks, CEO/Host, John Fredericks Media Network; Paul Gleiser, Owner, KTBB, Tyler, TX; Joe Thomas, Co-Owner, WTON, Staunton, VA / Host, Talk Media Network; Michael “MZ” Zwerling, Owner, KSCO, Santa Cruz

____________________________________________________________

 10:45 am to 11:20 am

PANEL DISCUSSION: “BRAVE NEW WORLD”

Sponsored by The Ramsey Show

Moderator: David Bernstein, Professor, Caldwell College / General Manager Broadcast Operations, TALKERS

Panelists: Scot Bertram, General Manager, WRFH, Hillsdale College; George Capalbo, VP/Chief Technical Officer, Backbone Networks; John Mullen, General Manager, WRHU, Hofstra University; Shawn Novatt, Director, WHPC, Nassau College / Conference Chairperson, Intercollegiate Broadcasting System; Norm Prusslin, Founder/Advisor, WUSB-FM, Stony Brook University / Board Chairperson, Intercollegiate Broadcasting System

____________________________________________________________

 11:25 am to 11:45 am

SPECIAL PRESENTATION: “THE INNER WORKINGS OF A MORNING SHOW”

Sponsored by “The Dr. Asa Show”

Speakers: Bo Thompson and Beth Troutman, Morning Show Co-Hosts, WBT, Charlotte ____________________________________________________________

 11:50 am to 12:05 pm

ONE-ON-ONE CHAT: “WHAT DOES TALK RADIO HAVE IN COMMON WITH PRO WRESTLING?”

Speaker: Dr. Asa Andrew, Host, “The Doctor Asa Show” / Head of Sports Medicine, Ringside Physician, TNA Wrestling

Facilitator: Harry Hurley, Morning Host, WPG, Atlantic City

____________________________________________________________

12:15 pm to 12:40 pm

 PANEL DISCUSSION: “PROGRAMMING NEWS/TALK RADIO”

Sponsored by Premiere Networks

“Studio A” Television Sound Stage

Moderator: Jeff Katz, Host, WRVA, Richmond, VA

Panelists: Phil Boyce, Senior VP, Salem Radio Network, Salem News Channel, Salem Podcast Network; Michael Czarnecki, Program Director, WFEA, Manchester; Allan Lamberti, Program Director, WICC, Bridgeport, CT; Lisa Polizzi, Brand Manager, WBEN, Buffalo; Ralph Renzi, CEO, Newsmax Radio; Greg Stocker, Brand Manager, WPHT, Philadelphia

____________________________________________________________

 12:45 pm to 1:00 pm

SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE: FROM CAB DRIVER TO TALK STAR

Speaker: Jimmy Failla, Host, Fox News Radio / TV

____________________________________________________________

1:00 pm to 2:15 pm

LUNCH

Sponsored by Newsmax

________________________________________________________

1:30 pm to 1:35 pm (during lunch)

SPECIAL WELCOME TO HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

Speaker: Mark Lukasiewicz, Dean, School of Communication, Hofstra University

_________________________________________________________

1:40 pm to 1:45 pm (during lunch)

SPECIAL WELCOME FROM NEWSMAX

Speaker: Ralph Renzi, CEO, Newsmax Radio

____________________________________________________________

KEYNOTE ONE-ON-ONE

1:50 pm to 2:15 pm (during end of lunch)

Special Guest Speaker: John Catsimatidis, Owner, WABC, New York / Red Apple Audio Networks

Facilitator: Michael Harrison, Publisher / Founder, TALKERS

____________________________________________________________

2:20 pm to 3:00 pm

PANEL DISCUSSION: “THE BIG PICTURE”

Sponsored by Gunhill Road

Panelists: Steve Jones, President, CEO & Chairman, Skyview Networks; Chad Lopez, President, WABC, New York / Red Apple Audio Networks; Chris Oliviero, Chief Business Officer, Audacy; Frank Morano, Member New York City Council / Former Host, WABC, New York; Tavis Smiley, Owner/Host, KBLA, Los Angeles; Rich Valdés, Host, “This Is America with Rich Valdés,”

Moderator: Michael Harrison, Publisher / Founder, TALKERS

____________________________________________________________

 3:05 pm to 3:20 pm

FIRESIDE CHAT: “ONE-ON-ONE WITH TODD STARNES”

Sponsored by Comrex

Special Guest: Todd Starnes, Owner, KWAM, Memphis / Host “The Todd Starnes Show” / Host, Newsmax TV

Facilitator: Harry Hurley, Morning Host, WPG, Atlantic City

____________________________________________________________

3:30 pm to 4:10 pm

PANEL DISCUSSION: “OVERCOMING CHALLENGES AS A TALK MEDIA TALENT”

Sponsored by Backbone Networks

Moderator: Mike Gallagher, Salem Radio Network

Panelists: Kathy Barnette, Host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Tara Granahan, Host, WPRO, Providence; Andy Hooser, Co-Owner, Hooser Media Network / Host, “Voice of Reason with Andy Hooser;” Kevin McCullaugh, Host, “That KEVIN Show,” Salem Radio Network; McGraw Milhaven, Program Director, KTRS, St. Louis / Host, “America at Night,” Westwood One; Dr. Daliah Wachs, Host, Talk Media Network.

____________________________________________________________

4:15 pm to 4:55 pm

PANEL DISCUSSION: “JOURNALISM, ETHICS, THE LAW, AND CREDIBILITY IN AN ERA OF FAKES”

Sponsored by Radio America

Moderator: Dom Giordano, Host, WPHT, Philadelphia

Panelists: Lee Harris, VP, News WABC, New York and The Worldwide News Network; Matthew B. Harrison, Associate Publisher, TALKERS / Senior Partner, Harrison Legal Group; Joe Salzone, News Director, Operations Manager, Cayuga Media Group / Morning Host, WHCU, Ithica, NY: Lisa Wexler, Host WICC, Bridgeport, CT; Martha Zoller, Host, WDUN, Gainesville, GA

Introduction: Mark Goldman, Managing Partner, Goldman McCormick Public Relations

____________________________________________________________

5:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Sponsored by Red Apple Audio Networks

CLOSING RECEPTION

Various speakers TBD

Crane Radio Drawing / Door Prizes

(Program subject to change.)

Conference Registration and Hotel Information

To register for TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter or to obtain sponsorship information, call Barbara Kurland at 413-565-5413.

To book a hotel room at the nearby Long Island Marriott – Uniondale, please click here: www.TalkersRoomRate.com  or call 516-794-3800 and mention TALKERS 2026.  Act quickly because the number of rooms available at the hotel for this event are limited.

Industry Views

NAB Show: Hot Digital Trends: What to Know About Video, Podcasts, AI

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgMy notes from a real useful session with Amazon’s Andy Slater, Audacy’s Michael Biemolt, and YouTube’s Neha Taleja, moderated by WTOP’S John Wardock.

Video trends: 

  • Internet Advertising Bureau: Digital video revenue is strong, +25.4% year-over-year.
  • “It’s an accelerant” to podcasting. “Multi-modal engagement finds your audience where they are.”
  • Adding video to audio work builds trust. When they see the-face-behind-the-voice, they know you more.
  • “You’ve likely created the bulk of the content.” Adding video, “you’re repurposing.”
  • Low cost of entry. “You have an iPhone, buy a tripod.”
  • 233 million Americans have at least one smart TV, another distribution channel.
  • To be smart TV-friendly: solid lighting, quality mic, upgrade camera, catchy graphics/colors, make-up.
  • What makes someone click? Thumbnails!
  • NOT doing video is “a lost opportunity.”

Podcasts:

  • Podcast Time Spent Listening recently eclipsed Spoken Word radio TSL.
  • 58% of Americans are monthly podcast consumers.
  • “Audio + Video = podcasting in 2026.”
  • Service used most for consumption: YouTube 39% — Spotify 20% — Apple Podcasts 11%
  • “YouTube [#2 search tool, second only to owner Google] is a podcast discovery engine.”
  • IAB: 2025 podcast revenue: $2.9 billion.
  • “If you’re a radio station, you’re already in the audio business.”
  • Cannibalizing radio listening? No. “Your audience wants to spend time with your talent. Make it more convenient.”
  • “Podcasting was in ‘the training mode.’ Now it’s ready to run a marathon.”

AI trends:

  • Check out new YouTube AI tools! Among features: A/B testing thumbnails.
  • See also: OpusClip, Headliner, Descript, VivIQ, Riverside.
  • AI apps can translate work to other languages.
  • “Use it to save manhours. You have a very smart [virtual] intern.”

During Q+A, I asked: “You’ve given us some real useful ‘Do’s.’ What are the ‘Don’t’s?”

  • “Nonauthentic content”
  • “Anything forced, unnatural”
  • “Not listening. Losing connection with your audience.”
  • “Be careful with sports betting content, which dates quickly, short shelf life.”

If you missed any of this week’s NAB Show updates, click here.

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

Talk Radio Mile Markers

By Pamela Garber, LMHC
Grand Central Counseling Group
New York

imgIn a piece I recently wrote for TALKERS I encouraged talk show hosts and producers to book more guests from the mental health profession to provide much-needed relief from the alarming level of anxiety afflicting American society. Since then, the non-stop news cycle, replete with the media pushing people’s buttons to keep them sucked in, has me further convinced this need would benefit the medium as well as the public. Win-win.

People today are negatively impacted by fear, pressure, disgust and confusion. Pressure to keep up with runaway technology. Fear of crushing financial responsibilities and institutional betrayal. Anger over ever-lurking danger from scams, identity theft, and violent assault on the street. Confusion over rapidly changing values, diminishment of ethics, and contentious relationships.

The result: talk radio listeners (as well as potential ones) are drowning in anxiety.

Where does the tumult of an increasingly noisy and uncertain world reach a daily crescendo?  On news/talk radio, of course. That unto itself is not a bad thing. The airing of news and views in the public marketplace of ideas is both therapeutic and a healthy exercise of our First Amendment rights. It is also grimly entertaining.

However, as both a therapist in practice for over two decades and a guest on many talk show interviews, I strongly believe that people need an occasional “spoonful” of relief to “help the medicine go down.” It’s not that I’m advocating sugar coating the content. But even just acknowledging the problems real people are facing from a human perspective can alleviate pain.

Mile markers to the rescue

My experience as a running enthusiast evokes a talk radio reference to the “mile markers” that dot the paths of long-distance races.

It was at mile 18 in the New York Marathon when I first yearned for a mile marker. Mile markers are those coveted little stations along the running races where everyone who extends their arm to offer runners a cup of water or Gatorade is Florence Nightingale to each participant who grabs the “reward.”

A little mile marker has such a big impact on going the distance in races (and in life). Life is hilly, sometimes suddenly downhill, with sprints and injuries, struggling to keep pace, and pretending to be slow. Mile markers in real life give us a boost.  That occasional mental health expert popping up every now and then as a news/talk radio element can put things in context, offer solutions, and stop the spread of those deadly words: “I can’t listen to this anymore; It make me too anxious.”

Check out this talk radio hit, “Close My Ears,” by Gunhill Road by clicking here.

Pamela Garber, LMHC is a practicing therapist based in NYC and South Florida and a longtime guest mental health commentator on radio and television news programs across the nation. She can be contacted by phone at 646-745-6709 or email at Pamelagarber@gmail.com.  Her website is Grandcentralcounselinggroup.com.

Industry News

Philadelphia to Be Prominent in Beasley’s America’s 250th Initiative

Beasley Media Group announces that in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, its Community of Caring Initiative will roll out across on-air, digital, and in-car platforms, leading up to the historic milestone with Philadelphia playing a key role as the birthplace of American independence. The company says that as part of the initiative, stations will air public service announcements multiple times daily, ringing to lifeimg the defining moments of 1776 – from the leadership of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to the actions of the Continental Congress and George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware. These messages will be complemented by live and recorded interviews throughout 2026, featuring special guests sharing stories and perspectives tied to America’s founding and evolution. Beasley chief communications officer Heidi Raphael adds, “At this pivotal time in our nation’s history, Philadelphia holds an especially unique and powerful place in telling America’s story. Through our Community of Caring Initiative, we’re proud to share that story across our platforms – connecting our audiences to the past while celebrating what lies ahead.”

Industry News

Dr. Murray Sabrin Launches Weekly Podcast

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Noted “public intellectual” and longtime talk media guest Dr. Murray Sabrin has launched a weekly video podcast titled, “Health, Wealth, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”  In it, he interviews experts and colorful figures from the worlds of health care, finance, and politics in addition to sharing his own commentaries. A prolific author, Substack columnist, and public speaker, Sabrin has been one of the most sought-after guests in news/talk media for the past three decades. He is one of America’s most visible experts on libertarianism and free market economics – ideologies that have strong followings within the influential arena of talk radio. Sabrin is emeritus professor of finance at Ramapo College of New Jersey, an associate scholar at the Mises Institute, and a former Libertarian Party standard bearer for governor in the Garden State. He is the founder of a grassroots movement, “Make Americans Financially Independent (MAFI)” – a counterpoint to the present tendency toward runaway, unconstitutional government spending that has led the U.S. to take on trillions of dollars in stifling debt. Sabrin’s guest on the debut installment of the podcast is psychotherapist Joe Sansone. To view the podcast, please click here. To book Dr. Sabrin as a guest, please call Victoria Jones at 917-865-3991 or email: victoria@dcradiocompany.com.

Industry News

Edison: Radio Still Dominates In-Car Listening

Citing data from its Q1 2026 Share of Ear, Edison Research says that even though consumers have more audio options than ever before in their cars, AM/FM radio takes up the majority of time spent listening toimg audio in the car among Americans 13+. Edison adds, “As of Q1 2026, 55% of in-car audio time is spent listening to AM/FM radio. The next closest platform in the car is streaming audio. Time with streaming audio has grown over the 12-year history of Share of Ear but remains a distant competitor to AM/FM radio among the total population ages 13+, with 16% of in-car audio time going to streaming platforms… Among Americans 13-34, 46% of their in-car audio time is spent listening to AM/FM radio and 30% with streaming audio sources.”

Industry News

Audacy: 84% Trust All-News Radio

Audacy says that based on a study by Alter Agents that it commissioned, 84% of respondents placed their confidence in all-news radio for local news and information – outpacing both broadcast TV and social media. This comes at a time when Americans report low confidence in traditional media. Additionally, while cable news audiences skew either heavilyimg conservative or liberal – depending on the channel – all-news radio’s audience is almost perfectly balanced. Audacy adds that it matters when it comes to election season. “While most national news platforms reach consumers who already lean one way or another, all-news radio’s neutrality makes listeners more willing to hear a message – even from a candidate they might initially distrust. The Alter Agents study found that 77% of listeners considered all-news advertisers to be ‘trustworthy’ simply by running adjacent to the content.” See the full story here.

Industry News

Westwood One: Radio Reaches 64% of Registered Voters

A blog post by the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group using data from Edison Research’s Share of Ear study says “AM/FM radio is an alternative to YouTube and CTV that can generate strong voter reach and impact during election seasons.” Using the recent Q4 2025 Share of Ear study, the post says data reveals how politicalimg agencies can use AM/FM radio in their upcoming media plans. Some key points include:1) AM/FM radio has a 64% share of ad-supported audio among registered voters; 2) AM/FM radio has substantial shares (62% to 65%) among Independents, Republicans, and Democrats: 3) Marketers and media agencies significantly underestimate AM/FM radio listening shares and dramatically overestimate Spotify and Pandora audiences; and 4) Digital audio only reaches a third of Americans. With AM/FM radio, reach soars to 73%. See the blog post here.

Industry News

FCC Commissioner Gomez Criticizes “Unlawful” Nexstar-Tegna Merger

FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez issued a statement on Friday (3/20) after the FCC’s Media Bureau approved the Nexstar/TEGNA merger, which Gomez notes violates the existing 39% national ownership cap inimg federal law. She says, “The FCC has once again chosen bureaucratic cover over public accountability. This merger was approved behind closed doors with no open process, no full Commission vote, and no transparency for the consumers and communities who will bear the consequences. A transaction of this magnitude, which includes new and novel issues before the FCC, demands open deliberation before the full Commission, not a quiet sign-off meant to avoid public scrutiny. Given the increasingly alarming pace of reckless media consolidation, the American public deserves to know how and why this decision was made.

“Local journalism is under extraordinary strain. Across the country, newsrooms are being consolidated, reporters laid off, and editorial decisions made far from the communities broadcast stations are licensed to serve. The Nexstar/TEGNA merger will accelerate exactly that trend, concentrating broadcast power in fewer corporate hands, shrinking independent editorial voices, and prioritizing national business interests over local needs. Nexstar has already begun cutting newsrooms throughout the country, and as these billion-dollar companies grow even larger, their increased negotiating leverage will drive up fees that translate into higher monthly bills for those families who can least afford them. The consequences of this rubber stamp approval will be felt in living rooms and newsrooms across the country, resulting in fewer voices, less competition, and higher costs for consumers.”

Industry News

AWMF Announces 2026 Gracie Award Winners

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation reveals the winners of the 51st Gracie Awards in both national and local categories. National award winners will be honored at the Gracie Awards Gala at the Beverlyimg Wilshire on May 19. Local television, radio, and student award recipients will be recognized at the Gracie Awards Luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York on June 16. Some of the notable radio winners include: Deborah Rodriguez news anchor for CBS News Radio; Kristen Farrah, producer of “Radio Health Journal” for American Urban Radio Networks; WABC Radio’s “Cats & Cosby” (John Catsimatidis & Rita Cosby) talk show; WGN, Chicago’s “The Lisa Dent Show”; and co-host Debra Green of WSB-AM, Atlanta’s “The Mark Arum Show.” See the full list of winners here.

Industry News

Michael Harrison Guests on Dom Giordano Education Podcast

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In an effort to “Make America Smart Again,” TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison appears as a guest on this week’s installment of the groundbreaking education podcast, “Old School, New School, Next School,” hosted by WPHT, Philadelphia talk radio icon Dom Giordano. A former schoolteacher, Giordano is widely recognized as a leading expert on the American education system and is one of talk media’s most outspoken activists on bringing it up to speed.

Giordano and Harrison bemoan the state of America’s level of education and the fact that the nation is consistently falling behind other nations academically. They talk about a variety of topics including school choice and parental rights. To listen to the podcasts in its entirety, please click here.

Industry News

Edison Breaks Down Spoken-Word Listening

Edison Research is expanding on the recent data from its Share of Ear Study that concluded podcast listening has overtaken AM/FM radio among ad-supported spoken-word audio. Edison reveals that, according to its data, among Americans 13+, 40% of time spent with spoken-word audio is spent listening to podcasts; 39% is spent listening to AM/FMimg radio (including AM/FM streams), the historic spoken-word listening leader. Edison adds, “Spoken-word listening time among Americans 13-34 is dominated by podcasts, with 53% of time being spent with that specific platform, versus 23% of time going to AM/FM radio. Radio does rebound among 35–54-year-olds but still falls short with 47% of their spoken-word listening time going to podcasts and 35% going to AM/FM radio. Our story completely changes among Americans ages 55+, who spend the majority of their spoken-word listening time with AM/FM radio, at 55%, and less than one-quarter of their time with podcasts at 22%. The dominance of podcast listening among younger age cohorts can certainly be attributed to their preference for on-demand content that also includes visual elements, qualities specific to podcasts and not radio. AM/FM radio carries a wide variety of spoken-word offerings, ranging from sports play-by-play and sports talk, NPR programming, news and entertainment talk shows, to political talk.”

Industry News

Radio America Unveils Helios Media Podcast Network

Radio America announces the launch of Helios Media – a dedicated podcast network “built to develop, distribute, market and monetize the next generation of podcast content.” In making the announcement, Radio America says it “has a proven track record in podcasting, producing successful shows including, ‘The Dana Show Podcast,’ ‘Chicks on theimg Right,’ and ‘3 Martini Lunch.’” Radio America president and CEO Mike Paradiso states, “Helios Media is the natural progression of what Radio America has been building for decades – trusted content, powerful reach, and authentic voices that resonate with millions of Americans. With Helios Media, we’re giving creators the tools, the platform, and the audience to stand out in the competitive landscape of podcasting and digital media.” Radio America adds, “While Radio America continues its leadership in radio syndication – home to popular shows like ‘The Dana Show’ with Dana Loesch and ‘The Chad Benson Show’ – Helios Media serves as a distinct brand, purpose-built for podcast development, distribution, marketing and sales, amplifying news, culture, and entertainment stories through voices that challenge the mainstream and speak with conviction.” See more about Helios Media here.

Industry News

AURN Partners with AdGrid for Cultural Audience Accelerator

American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) announces a strategic partnership with advertising technology platform AdGrid to launch the “Cultural Audience Accelerator.” AURN says the new initiative isimg “designed to help brands reach and engage multicultural audiences across today’s digital media landscape.” AURN CEO Chesley Maddox-Dorsey says, “AURN has always been committed to helping brands connect authentically with multicultural audiences. Our partnership with AdGrid allows us to expand that connection beyond audio and into the broader digital ecosystem, giving advertisers new ways to reach these influential audiences with scale, cultural relevance and measurable results.”

Industry News

FCC Chair Threatens Licenses of Those Broadcasting “Fake News”

Over the weekend, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr posted to social media a warning to licensees that they face losing their licenses when renewal time comes. He posted: “Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions – also known as the fake news – have a chance now to correct course before theirimg license renewals come up. The law is clear.  Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not. And frankly, changing course is in their own business interests since trust in legacy media has now fallen to an all time low of just 9% and are ratings disasters. The American people have subsidized broadcasters to the tune of billions of dollars by providing free access to the nation’s airwaves. It is very important to bring trust back into media, which has earned itself the label of fake news. When a political candidate is able to win a landslide election victory after in the face of hoaxes and distortions, there is something very wrong.  It means the public has lost faith and confidence in the media.  And we can’t allow that to happen. Time for change!” Carr included a Truth Social post from President Donald Trump in which he complains about papers such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reporting on a strike against the U.S. base in Saudi Arabia that hit five refueling tanker planes. Trump said the reporting was intentionally wrong.

Industry News

Bold Gold Foundation Announces 10th Event & Dinner Featuring Jimmy Failla

The non-profit arm of Bold Gold Media Group is The Bold Gold Broadcast & Media Foundation whose goal is to support educational programs that help students prepare for careers in broadcast journalism. The organization announces that its signature Event & Dinner this year will feature national radio and TV host, Jimmy Failla. Failla hosts hisimg nationally syndicated radio show, “FOX Across America,” and his FOX News Channel show, “FOX News Saturday Night.”  The theme for this 10th Event & Dinner at Mohegan Pennsylvania on May 5 is “250 Years of American Liberty!” Bold Gold president Vince Benedetto says, “This being our 10th event and coinciding with imgAmerica’s 250th Birthday, we are doing everything bigger this year. In addition to celebrating 250 years of America, we’ll be celebrating 250 years of freedom of speech… and there is no greater daily example of that freedom that radio broadcasters. Radio, especially talk radio, remains America’s modern town hall. Our efforts at this event will help the next generation of radio broadcasters.” The Bold Gold Foundation will also be honoring Northeast Pennsylvania business leader and philanthropist Robert Tamburro with The Atlas Award for Citizenship.  Bold gold says the Atlas Award is bestowed on individuals who, through their hard work and bold actions, show what is possible to achieve in a free society, and who exhibit extraordinary dedication to the highest ideals of character, community service, entrepreneurialism, patriotism, leadership, and virtue.