TALKERS News Notes
Andrea Mitchell to Receive Prestigious Award. Alliance for Women in Media (AWM) has announced that Andrea Mitchell, NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent and chief Washington correspondent, will be honored with the prestigious Gracies Icon Award at the 2024 Gracies Leadership Awards. The awards luncheon will take place on Tuesday, November 19, at Tribeca 360° in New York City. The 2024 Gracies Leadership Awards will also celebrate previously announced honorees, including Sylvia Bugg, Sonia Coleman, Jennifer Leimgruber, Deborah Parenti, Jen Sargent, and Holly Tang. In addition, Sylvia Strobel will be recognized with the Legacy Leadership Award for her significant contributions to the industry and the Alliance for Women in Media. For tickets and more information about the Gracies Leadership Awards, please visit their website.
Radio One Charlotte Hosts “Help One Another” Radiothon. 
Radio One Charlotte, in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, is presenting an all-day radiothon today (10/17) to support those affected by Hurricane Helene. This event is taking place from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm across Radio One Charlotte stations: WOSF, WFNZ, WLNK, WPZS, WOSF-HD2 and heritage news/talk WBT. Marsha Landess, Radio One Charlotte regional VP, tells TALKERS, “We are focusing the power of our six radio stations to help raise funds for the relief efforts for our neighbors in the western part of our state. We know their lives have been turned upside down, and we want to do our part to assist them in rebuilding and recovering. Our goal is to raise a substantial amount to help them begin to put their lives back together. Every dollar counts, whether large or small.” Kay Carter, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, adds, “Everyone at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina is so grateful to Radio One for all their efforts to assist us as we work to help the many victims of Hurricane Helene. The needs are great, and we want to thank all the radio stations and their listeners for considering a donation to the Radiothon. We promise to use the donations wisely to provide food and other supplies throughout the affected areas.”
Cox Media Group Provides Nearly $1 Million Plus Critical Support For Hurricane Relief Including Meals, Water, Money and Other Assistance. 
Even as its stations were airing hundreds of hours of continuous live news and storm coverage during hurricanes Helene and Milton, Cox Media Group (CMG) was raising nearly $1 million and providing food, water and necessities for impacted people and communities. That includes taking mobile charging stations into communities for people to charge their phones and other devices. Hurricane relief efforts took place across CMG’s southeast TV and Radio stations. “These efforts by our CMG family highlight the indispensable role of our stations – and our entire broadcasting industry – as we work together to make a powerful and positive impact on the communities we live in and serve,” said Dan York, CMG’s president/CEO. “As importantly, none of this would have been possible without the incredible support from our local partners and audiences. The response of our viewers and listeners has been nothing short of remarkable.” CMG radio stations include news/talker WDBO 107.3 / AM 580 in Orlando.
Clay Travis Broadcasts from News Radio 570 WWNC, Asheville, NC to Support Hurricane Relief. 
Premiere Networks personality Clay Travis co-hosted “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show” live from affiliate News Radio 570 WWNC in Asheville, NC (10/11). Travis toured the area via helicopter to witness the extensive damage from Hurricane Helene in an effort to continue raising awareness, funds and volunteers for hurricane relief that will be needed for months to come. During the visit, WWNC morning host/news director Mark Starling joined the broadcast for a powerful conversation about the devastation the community has experienced. He detailed how the station covered Hurricane Helene, providing vital information to the Asheville community including coordinating rescue efforts and reuniting families. Starling, who stayed at the station for 14 days straight during the hurricane, said: “…when TV couldn’t do it, the newspaper couldn’t do it, there was nothing online, the only thing left was AM/FM radio. All seven stations stayed on the air simulcasted… we were wall-to-wall…what we wanted to do here at the radio station, at iHeart Asheville, was we wanted to show the community that we can get through this. And we’ve been kind of repeating this line: ‘community is the answer to this crisis.’ …what we have seen is the absolute best in humanity in an absolute horrific, horrific time.” Listen to their full conversation HERE.
Benztown Offers Stations Free Election Day AudioPack in Run-Up to the 2024 Elections. Benztown, a global leader in radio imaging, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingles is offering a free Election AudioPack with world-class FX and audio about issues of listener interest and major election discussion topics. The Benztown Election AudioPack also presents daily breaking news updates and other audio from Benztown’s news/talk libraries that can enhance a radio station’s election coverage. Check out the Election Day drones, sweepers, liners, listener audio, and more. You can download yours for free now through Tuesday, November 5, 2024 by clicking here. For more info, contact Masa Patterson, VP, sales/perations, Benztown, at: mp@benztown.com or at (818) 842-4600.
According to a report in The Forum, Fieldstone Group, which owns Fargo heritage radio station “The Flag” at AM 1100 / FM 92.3, is planning to purchase WDAY Radio from Forum Communications, owner of WDAY-TV and The Forum. In November 2020, Fargo-based Fieldstone Group began managing WDAY. If the sale is approved by the FCC, Fieldstone will own the 102-year-old AM radio station, its online properties, social media accounts, and transmitter/tower site. Terms of the sale were not immediately disclosed by the buyer or the seller. “We are thrilled to see this day arrive,” said Steve Hallstrom, president and managing partner of Fieldstone Group. “We thank the Marcil family and the leaders and staff of Forum Communications for a great partnership these last four years. WDAY Radio has always had a tradition of serving the community with great news, weather, ag, and sports and we’ve enjoyed the journey of growing those elements with the help of our friends and partners at Forum Communications.” Hallstrom said it’s been important to have WDAY Radio “serve the community with quality local programming from sunrise to sunset, which is becoming a rarity in our business. I also want to thank our listeners for their loyalty and the many local businesses and organizations that have trusted us with their advertising and marketing dollars.” Fieldstone Group also owns KTGO “The Flag” in Tioga, N.D, at AM 1090 and FM 92.7, three stations in Grand Rapids, Minn: KOZY 1320 AM / 93.1 FM, KMFY 96.9 FM and KBAJ 105.5 FM; and The McKenzie County Farmer newspaper based in Watford City, N.D. “WDAY Radio is North Dakota’s longest-serving broadcast operation,” said Scott Hennen, VP/partner of Fieldstone Group and general manager of WDAY Radio from 2001-2009. “It is an honor to take ownership of this iconic community source of information.”
This edition explores game-changing shifts in creativity, artificial intelligence, measurement, and audience activation—highlighting key trends crucial for navigating the evolving ad environment. KEY FINDINGS: According to research compiled in the guide, emotional messaging is gaining renewed importance in audio advertising, driving an 8.2% increase in consumer action with ads that evoke positive feelings. In the creator economy, “test and see” strategies are becoming obsolete, as authentic creator partnerships are now essential to media plans. In fact, 40% of advertisers are shifting from one-off campaigns to year-long collaborations with creators, recognizing the lasting value these partnerships offer.
“Our industry is going to take a while to reset itself, like the newspaper industry,” he said, estimating that this “reset” would come in 10 years, or not at all. “This might be the new normal.” Pictured above: Adell (l) with radio historian and videographer Art Vuolo (r). Vuolo tells TALKERS, “He invited me to video in studio the launch of Super Station 910 the first week of September a year ago as he re-branded WFDF-AM 910 as news/talk. He wanted to go after WJR, but with mostly syndicated programming from Premiere Networks. Interestingly 910 now with 50 kw is the third biggest AM signal in Michigan!” For more info, see the entire Detroit Free Press article here. 
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. (MIW), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of female leadership in radio broadcasting, and the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF), name Rachel Haggerty as the 2024 MIW NABLF Launch Program mentee. Started in 2023, Launch is a partnership between MIW and the NAB Leadership Foundation dedicated to supporting and guiding women in radio who are relatively new to the industry. 
The first of its kind, this program fosters the development and curation of talent. Haggerty graduated from Seton Hall University in 2019, where she was actively involved with WSOU-FM, serving as assistant technical operations director and later as student manager. After graduation, she completed the National Association of Broadcasters Technology Apprenticeship Program, interning with iHeartMedia’s New York City radio stations. She then worked locally and with a national support team at iHeartMedia before becoming the assistant chief engineer at WABC-AM. Since 2023, she has returned to iHeartMedia New York, working with Premiere Networks on nationally syndicated talk shows. Rachel is also an active member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers and holds a Certificate in Broadcast Radio Engineering.
Harrison addressed the issue of artificial intelligence’s impact on talk show hosts as well as society in general presenting a mixed forecast of both good and bad news. To watch the video in its entirety please click here 
Cumulus Media announces that Detroit news/talk station WJR AM 760 will air NFL football on Monday and Thursday nights through a new agreement with Westwood One. WJR AM 760 will provide exclusive and comprehensive coverage of the 2024-2025 NFL season, broadcasting Monday and Thursday night regular season football games on the station and in a simulcast on Cumulus Media’s WDVD-FM HD2. WJR AM 760 coverage will also include the NFL Playoffs, beginning with the wild card round and ending with the Super Bowl. Coming up on WJR AM 760’s NFL coverage is the Buffalo Bills match-up against the Miami Dolphins in Miami tonight (9/12) at 7:30pm. Ann Thomas, PD of WJR AM 760, tells TALKERS, “WJR is thrilled to partner with Westwood One to bring Monday and Thursday night NFL football to Michigan residents.”
Pictured above are the on-air celebrities and athletes who participated at the Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, NY. For more information about the BFoA, please click here 
WABC, New York/Red Apple Media owner/CEO John Catsimatidis continues to add intriguing live elements to the lineup of his radio station and leverage them into product for his growing syndication platform, Red Apple Audio Networks. The latest such addition to the station and network is unapologetically controversial political strategist Roger Stone. Since the 1970s, Stone has worked on the campaigns of Republican politicians, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Jack Kemp, Bob Dole, and most recently, Donald Trump. Stone’s show is heard on WABC, Sunday afternoons from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET. The first two hours focus on national and world news and are available to radio stations across the nation via the Red Apple Audio Network. The third hour is specific to WABC and issues focused on the New York area. In making the announcement about his new association with Stone, Catsimatidis tells TALKERS, “His insightful commentary on the political landscape and what’s ahead for America will be of tremendous value to our listeners in New York, around the country, and around the world.” Stone adds, “John has done a great job bringing in big names from politics, business, and entertainment and I’m looking forward to enjoying being on the radio, sharing my perceptions about what’s going on in Washington and the world, and connecting with listeners across America.”
The New York Festivals® 2025 
Beasley Media Group has announced the official launch yesterday (8/28) of Augusta Today, a new online news site. Augusta Today will focus on local news in, around, and about the Greater Augusta metro area. Developed with the goal of giving people both “the stories they want and the news they need,” the hyper-local publication features established Augusta-area writers and media figures such as Ashley Brown, Austin Rhodes, and Kris Fisher. Augusta Today will be free. “Free and easy – that’s the mantra,” says editor-in-chief Steven Uhles. “We wanted to make sure that these stories were not blocked by a paywall and that our conversations with the community remain unfettered and unencumbered.” Inspired by both the classic daily newspaper model and the more free-wheeling approach of alternative weeklies, Augusta Today has been developed “to educate as well as entertain” featuring breaking local news, sports coverage, lifestyle features and an array of columns. “We all are extremely excited about Augusta Today and what we believe it will mean to this community,” Kent Dunn, VP/market manager of Beasley Media Group tells TALKERS. “We see this as a great addition to our portfolio of radio stations here in the Augusta market and a real extension of our local-first approach to engaging with the community.” To visit Augusta Today please 
As an industry, radio has a peculiar modesty. We diminish our magic and power in relating to listeners and colleagues by using the wrong slang terminology. May I suggest new “labelling” of commonly used radio terms?
WCBS 880 Final Tribute
“This Old House” Personality Roger Cook Dies. 
As the iconic run of legendary WCBS Newsradio 880 in New York City draws to a close after 57 years of service to the Big Apple, the storied outlet presented a live special called “WCBS 880 News: The People, the Moments, and the Events that Shaped Our Lives,” running today (8/22) between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm (still on air at press time). The event will replay this weekend. Familiar voices such as Charles Osgood, Charles Kuralt, Wayne Cabot, Deborah Rodriguez are just some of the hundreds of larger-than-life personalities to call the station home for more than half a century. While live anecdotes and tributes poured in from former on-air anchors and staff, the only news elements that ran during the time were weather and traffic. A party atmosphere blared every time the studio door opened. Wayne Cabot, hosting a portion of the morning, drew attention to this by saying, “And as you can hear from the newsroom, our own colleagues are not listening to us – as usual.” The radio station’s owner, Audacy, will keep the 24/7 all-news format in New York with 1010 WINS. The call letters WCBS will retire and emerge as ESPN New York and WHSQ-AM on August 26.
on Monday, September 2. The new sports talker will feature the FOX Sports Radio lineup in addition to the Sacramento-based program, “The Rob, Anybody, and Dawn Show,” (Rob Williams and Dawn Rossi) in morning drive. Station general manager Kurt Bagelmann says, “Lotus is ecstatic to deliver a game-changing experience to Northern California listeners by combining the market’s most iconic morning show, ‘Rob, Anybody & Dawn,’ with the powerhouse lineup of FOX Sports Radio. This dynamic one-two punch, now available for the first time on both AM and FM, is poised to redefine the sports radio landscape in Sacramento.”
A collaboration among iHeartPodcasts, Universal Television, and Wolf Entertainment, unscripted “Law & Order: Criminal Justice System” is scheduled to premiere next Thursday (8/22). It marks the first venture into investigative journalism for the “Law & Order” franchise. iHeartPodcasts president Will Pearson tells TALKERS, “Listener interest in true crime continues to flourish with new stories constantly being sought out across platforms. ‘Law & Order’ is a legendary series. It’s an honor to team up with UTV, Wolf Entertainment, and executive producer Elliot Wolf to develop this original slate of podcasts.” Wolf Entertainment’s EVP/digital Elliot Wolf is co-creator of the upcoming Amazon Prime series “On Call.” He comments, “We’re thrilled to join forces with iHeartPodcasts and UTV to bring the real stories that have shaped our criminal justice system, the bedrock of the ‘Law & Order’ brand, to life. The goal coming in was always to push the boundaries of audio storytelling. This series delivers on that while still being deeply informative and entertaining.” The series will consist of four seasons, each with 12 episodes. The first season will be hosted by former Brooklyn homicide prosecutor Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi and will focus on the American mafia in New York City during the late-1970s.
York market president Chris Oliviero states, “New York has always been proudly unique in supporting two all-news radio brands, but the news business has gone through significant changes. The headwinds facing local journalism nationwide made it essential to strategically reimagine how we deliver the news for the most impact. WCBS 880 has been one of the most respected radio stations in history, with a legacy cemented by the hundreds of world-class journalists, on and off the air, who willed it into existence over the decades. If it happened in New York or the world, you heard about it on WCBS 880. Today, 1010 WINS@92.3FM, equally iconic, moves forward as New York’s only 24/7 all-news station with the best distribution platform, the largest audience and the most recognized brand in the industry. All-news is a pillar of Audacy, and this decision, though difficult, fortifies that leadership position for generations to come.” Audacy says that to honor WCBS 880’s meaningful impact, the station will broadcast a live commemorative special, “WCBS 880 News: The People, the Moments, and the Events that Shaped our Lives,” on August 22 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm ET. This special edition of “NEWSLINE” with Brigitte Quinn will include interviews and historical clips. Audacy New York will continue to serve as the exclusive rights holder and flagship audio home of the New York Mets. Audacy-produced broadcasts will continue to air on 880 AM and stream on the Audacy app.
the HD2 channel of talk WTKK-FM. It will be branded “FOX Sports 106.1 FM HD2” and feature the full lineup of the FOX Sports Radio network. iHeartMedia Multi-Platform Group – Raleigh president Michael Burger says, “Raleigh/Durham has long been a market that has celebrated the best in athletics. Partnering with FOX Sports Radio is an incredible opportunity to share the news and stories that shape the sports world daily. This partnership will also bring unique sponsorships and marketing engagement for existing and new clients. We are incredibly excited to add FOX Sports Radio to our already strong lineup.”
2025, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. In commemoration of this golden milestone, AWMF unveils a newly refreshed logo, shown here. AWMF president Becky Brooks says, “As we approach the 50th Annual Gracie Awards, we reflect on five decades of tremendous progress made in advancing women in media. The Gracies have been a beacon of recognition for the incredible talents and contributions of women in our industry. Next year’s celebration is not only a tribute to our past but also a spotlight on the bright future ahead. We are eager to honor the trailblazers who have paved the way and the rising stars who continue to shape the media landscape.”
since 2014 and a part of the Pittsburgh sports media landscape for nearly 25 years. He takes over for Bill Hillgrove, who retired after serving for 30 seasons. King is joined in the booth by color analyst Craig Wolfley. King says, “The Steelers hold a special place in this community and across the country. I am thankful to Art Rooney II, the Steelers and iHeartMedia for giving me this incredible opportunity to be a meaningful part of one of the greatest organizations in professional sports. I look forward to getting started, doing the job well and bringing the enthusiasm of the games to people around the world. I could not be more excited.”
trade publication’s most popular features. He also recently appeared as the moderator of the “Generating News/Talk Revenue” panel at the recent TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond conference – a role he also played at the 2023 installment of the TALKERS conference. Lapa was highly active as an advisor to Newsmax Media for the past decade in the development of its multimedia operations including Newsmax Radio. Starting on-air, then working through the ranks of programming, production and sales, Steve Lapa, at age 25, became the youngest general manager in the US of a group owned top 30 DMA radio station WGRQ, Buffalo. Continually assigned to lead turnaround properties, Steve focused on delivering revenue and audience growth through the insightful opportunities blending on-air talent creating unique programming with high-profile event partnerships. He quickly became a category innovator. Steve’s first-mover concept, developed in the early era of superstar stadium concerts, proved highly profitable across program channels, talents, and venues at all levels. Steve held upper-level management positions at 28 radio and TV stations for public and privately held companies from South Florida to San Francisco. One of his most recent positions was as VP/GM of talker WFTL, Fort Lauderdale/Miami. After successfully managing and innovating for others, Steve and financial partner Myer Feldman co-founded Ardman Broadcasting of Florida and Cape Cod, to acquire underdeveloped broadcast assets, which were developed then divested at 200-400% returns. Steve went on as founder of his own Lapcom Communications generating the same results at his wholly owned stations. Lapcom Communications was the parent company for Lapa’s current business activities until his death today. More information including arrangements will be posted when available.
states in a press release, “It’s with a great deal of regret that I announce today the end of an era in local broadcasting. KURM has been a mainstay in this region for nearly 45 years, dedicated to the coverage of local events across a three-state region. Our style of radio is hard to do. That, coupled with some unfortunate health circumstances, have led to this decision.” Steve Womack put the station on the air in 1979 and the Herald Leader says he managed it for 11 years before leaving to join the Army ROTC program at the University of Arkansas. Steve Womack tells the paper, “It’s a sad day, to be sure. But over time, not only has this business changed dramatically, but the listening habits of people have changed. There are simply too many outlets competing for consumers. My father is an institution. He’s among the last of a vanishing breed. He is KURM, and if he is unable to continue, it is fitting that the station retires with him.”