NAB Show: Competing on the Omnimedia Landscape
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
“We are competing in an attention economy,” and Magid COO Jaime Spencer reckons that “the playing field is massive.”
For decades, Magid has been known as a TV news research and consulting firm. But its newest Omnimedia work widens the lens – and radio should be paying close attention. Because the consumers Magid describes aren’t “viewers” or “listeners.” They’re attention grazers, moving across platforms, devices, and dayparts without ever thinking in “TV” or “radio” terms. And that shift changes our game.
Magid’s core point lands hard: We no longer operate in a content economy. We operate in an attention economy. Radio isn’t competing
with the station across town anymore. It’s competing with 50,000 news brands, nearly half a million podcasts, and an infinite scroll of feeds that never sleep.
And here’s the kicker: the audience doesn’t distinguish platforms – only relevance. They follow whatever captures attention in the moment. If your brand can’t travel across social, smart speakers, mobile, and on air with a consistent voice and value, you could be invisible to the modern consumer.
Spencer also flags a new disruptor: AI as a news gateway. “17% of people now discover news first on AI platforms – higher than push alerts and newsletters. Considering that platform didn’t exist two years ago, that’s a big number.” That’s also a flashing red light for radio. If AI becomes the first stop for facts, radio must become the first stop for context, clarity, and humanity – the things AI can’t localize, empathize with, or improvise.
“Consumers are overwhelmed.” They’re juggling nearly six streaming services and still feel behind. That’s an opening. Radio’s superpower has always been curation – a trusted voice cutting through the noise. In an Omnimedia world, that skill becomes a premium product.
Finally, Magid’s emotional driver research reinforces what great programmers already know: passion beats function. Utility alone (i.e., “Breaking News”) won’t hold audience. Emotional gravity will. “Consumers are looking for comfort and affirmation.” Per Magid’s Trust Index research: Public media outlets like NPR perform strongly, while polarizing figures such as Glenn Beck, Rachel Maddow, and Sean Hannity also rank in the top quartile, skewed by affirmation of audience beliefs.
The bottom line? The Omnimedia consumer is already here. Radio wins by being the most human, most local, most emotionally resonant voice in a chaotic media diet – not by being “radio,” but by being essential wherever the audience happens to be.
See Jaime Spencer’s deck here.
If you missed yesterday’s NAB Show update, click here. And if you are here in ‘Vegas this week, look for me. Maybe we can grab a cuppa cawfee. If you aren’t here, look for my NAB Show update here tomorrow.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
sports talk KSAC-AM/K284CM, effective September 2. This comes five years after he was fired by Bonneville’s KHTK, Sacramento and the Kings after a social media exchange with former Kings player DeMarcus Cousins about the Black Lives Matter movement and used the phrase, “all lives matter.” Napear sued Bonneville and lost but is currently appealing that ruling. Napear tells the Bee, “It’s going to be the Grant Napear show that people have listened to for decades. I’m competitive. I’m not only coming back to Sacramento. I’m coming back to win.” 
Metrics and “Share of Ear” Report, MRI-Simmons, Screen Engine/ASI, Podscribe, and Magellan AI. Four of the key findings from this are: 1) Podcast ad campaigns are too light: No brand is coming close to “saturating” podcast audiences; Brands should allocate 5% of digital budgets to podcasting; 2) After five years with a median age of 33 to 34, podcast audiences finally age to 36, reflecting broader appeal with older audiences; 3) Screen Engine/ASI: Podcast audiences offer CTV advertisers significant incremental reach; and 4) Podcasts tighten their grip on audio audiences: Among podcast listeners, 35% of all audio time spent now goes to podcasts. 
WTOP.com, Outstanding Newscast and the Best in Show Award for all radio for Outstanding News Operation. WTOP director of news and programming Julia Ziegler comments, “In addition to the breaking news, traffic and weather WTOP offers, we have also made a concerted effort to offer a balanced news diet to our consumers across platforms. There are great ‘good news’ stories happening across the DC region every day. It is a great honor to see some of them honored in this way.”
Yesterday’s column
councilmember Kevin DeLeon and councilmember Gil Cedillo along with former labor leader Ron Herrera – reveals them uttering racist remarks, derogatory comments toward council colleagues, and disruptive, racially charged rhetoric about how the City Council could “skew” redistricting. The station says, “Now that a full year has passed, KBLA Talk 1580 will host two important conversations unpacking what transpired in the community since these divisive, hurtful comments were made and what the future holds for the City of Los Angeles.” Tavis Smiley will host a show featuring community voices on October 9 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Then on October 12 (from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm), the Institute for Nonviolence in Los Angeles will host “Days of Dialog: The Anatomy of Anti-Black Racism and Bigotry.” 
responded to former Sacramento Kings player DeMarcus Cousins’ social media post asking him what he thought of Black Lives Matter and Napear responded, “ALL LIVES MATTER… EVERY SINGLE ONE.” Bonneville fired him citing a clause in his contract that holds him responsible for anything that “might discredit the goodwill, good name or reputation” of the company. In allowing the wrongful termination suit to go forward, Judge Drozd wrote that Napear “has stated a plausible cause for retaliation” under California Labor Code sections 1101 and 1102, stating further that “the court finds that plaintiff has sufficiently alleged a ‘rule, regulation, or policy’ under (section) 1101 by alleging … defendant used his termination ‘as an example to all other employees of the Company as an implicit warning that anyone that dared to speak out publicly and criticize the politics of the Black Lives Matter movement would be summarily terminated.’” 
dismissed Napear’s suit last month but gave him 21 days to file an amended suit. Napear was let go after former Kings center 
says of their decision in 2021 to go with Outkick, “The timing was perfect, but we also had a chance to grow what we were already doing. We didn’t have to leave Nashville. We own our intellectual property; you don’t have that with radio companies. We’re able to form our own show company, so to speak, and we’re part of the much larger grand scheme of Clay’s vision.” Gallagher’s piece looks at the digital frontier the trio began exploring with Outkick and chronicles their return to the Nashville airwaves. 
stations. In the bigger picture, Fischer writes, “Today, no one radio host commands the same level of power and influence that Limbaugh did, but a number of new voices are emerging — blending the reach of traditional and digital platforms — and collectively proving to be more powerful in shaping conservative opinion for younger audiences.” TALKERS magazine publisher Michael Harrison is quoted in the piece saying, “The world is changing and there are questions as to how Limbaugh, had he lived and remained healthy — based upon his mindset and his approach to the business — would have remained as pertinent as he was. He was not as flexible when it came to social media and some of the other forms that it takes right now to be a media presence as opposed to just a radio presence.” 
FM translator W269DL (fed by WGKB-AM and branded “101.7 The Truth”) and, eventually, WNOV-AM “860 The Voice.” Civic Media says it created the Milwaukee Black Media Trust to ensure no individual or corporation can sell, consolidate, or redirect these institutions away from the community they serve. Civic Media CEO Sage Weil comments, “We are very excited about Milwaukee Black Media because it puts these important community media assets under the control of the community that they serve, with a financial structure that benefits the employees doing the work. We look forward to working closely with Milwaukee Black Media to support the new organization’s growth and success in the years to come.” Civic Media will support Milwaukee Black Media’s operations through a services agreement, providing administrative, technology, and sales support services but Milwaukee Black Media will operate with full editorial and programming independence. The newly formed trust entered into a local marketing agreement with Good Karma Brands to program “The Truth,” with an option to purchase the station. Good Karma CEO Craig Karmazin states, “Good Karma Brands is proud to support a model that keeps these important media institutions rooted in the community they serve and expands the opportunity for our teammates. From the start, our focus has been on building a strong platform and positioning it for continued growth and impact.”
To quote a radio friend, “Some talk show hosts think the news of the day only exists to serve up interesting fodder for their shows.” Many media practitioners, whose jobs encompass letting their audiences know about the pain and suffering of “others,” feel personally exempt from experiencing a connection to the talking points of poverty, ignorance, violence, and injustice that they eagerly collect (and even welcome) as fresh “content” for their platforms. It’s all just “material” to them.
and Gabriel Brotman of Soros Fund Management. Audacy president and CEO Kelli Turner states, “The appointments of Walker and Gabe to the Audacy board of directors further advance our ability to capture all the opportunities we see across the fast-changing audio landscape. Their expertise and guidance will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our platform, strengthen our partnerships, and drive long-term value for our audiences, advertisers and shareholders.”
2025. The company reports declines in all segments of its business; even digital revenue was off 8.3% ($33.5 million). Network spot revenue was down 25% ($33 million), and broadcast spot revenue was $67.7 million, a decline of 16.3% from Q1 of 2025. Cumulus president and CEO Mary G. Berner says, “We are pleased to report first quarter earnings. The Court’s recent approval of our reorganization plan marks a pivotal milestone in strengthening our financial foundation and positioning the company to compete in the evolving media landscape. While we await FCC approval of the plan, we remain focused on leveraging our core strengths to drive long-term value creation.”
As a newly minted program director (remember them?), I found the 1980 “NAB Radio Programming Conference” downright enchanting. New-tech cart machines (remember them?) would FIND the splice! And after the cart played, a flashing light saved careless DJs from accidentally playing it again.
In a 
previously disclosed Plan of Reorganization. Cumulus Media president and CEO Mary G. Berner says, “When we initiated this prepackaged restructuring in March, we did so with a clear objective: to right-size our balance sheet to support long-term success. The court’s prompt approval of our plan keeps us firmly on track to eliminate approximately $600 million in debt and positions us to emerge with a significantly stronger financial foundation. We look forward to completing the restructuring and emerging as a well-capitalized company, better equipped to compete in the evolving audio landscape.”
U.S. newspapers has shrunk, but right now it accounts for less than 10% of total revenue. In fact, “Revenue from that cohort has declined 25% over the past few years, while revenue from tech companies has grown roughly 200%.” The story goes on to note, “Over the past few years, the AP’s business has evolved to become less reliant on local newspaper revenue and more reliant on a broader set of customers, including digital outlets, broadcasters and non-news companies.” 
iHeartMedia division president Jeff Thomas says, “Over the past three months I have had the opportunity to work with Care and I can say without hesitation that she is the best person for this important role. Her leadership and coaching skills make her a perfect fit for the position.” Jones comments, “I’m absolutely thrilled to step into the role of market president at iHeartMedia — it’s an incredible honor and an even greater opportunity. I can’t wait to celebrate big wins, chase bold goals and grow alongside a truly exceptional team.”
show while Hale was away on vacation in Florida. Blueberry vice president Bruce Biette told the paper it is “time to evolve the station.” Biette added, “Simply put, George has had a magnificent media career. He’s the reason a lot of us chose to get into this business, and we here at Blueberry Broadcasting appreciate everything he’s done for VOM.” The Daily News states, “WVOM is an influential station because it is one of only three in the state that runs a locally produced news talk show and the only one based in the Bangor area. WGAN and WLOB, with shows hosted by conservatives Matt Gagnon and Ray Richardson, respectively, are based in the Portland area.” 
Worldwide provides audio creation tools, media intelligence, music analytics and television operations technology. She takes over for Philippe Generali. RCS says, “Her leadership roles in major markets further shaped her as an operator who understands scale, complexity, and the disciplined, data‑driven decision‑making required to deliver strong performance across diverse portfolios.”
The recent shutdown of CBS News Radio isn’t just another media headline – it’s a wake-up call. A clear example of what happens when decisions about our information, our communities, and our voices are made in corporate boardrooms disconnected from real life.
If you work in radio, you’ve heard every flavor of AI anxiety. Some fear it will wipe out jobs. Others treat it like a super shortcut – cranking-out spots, promos, and proposals faster and cheaper. Kate O’Neill’s 
music-driven and spoken-word programming. Maryland Media One CEO Steve Clendenin says, “The landscape of radio programming is changing. We’re here to partner with stations to develop and distribute top-tier music and spoken-word formats and content. Our goal is to help stations grow with compelling programming that is affordable, easy to implement, and designed for today’s radio and streaming environment.” Among the first offerings available through Seaboard Networks is the Outdoor Radio Network, a full-time programming format built around hunting, fishing, conservation, and outdoor lifestyle content.
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.” 
“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.”
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.