Terry Fahy Retires from Salem
Salem Media Group announces that company executive Terry Fahy retires from the company he’s served for the past 43 years. Fahy began his career with Salem in 1982 as general manager of KDAR-FM and quickly rose through the ranks to hold key leadership roles, including as general sales
manager at KKLA-FM, market manager for Los Angeles, and regional vice president overseeing major markets such as Seattle, Sacramento, San Francisco, Oxnard, San Diego, and most recently, Honolulu. Salem Media Group CEO David Santrella comments, “Terry’s vision, integrity, and deep commitment to Salem’s mission have left a lasting mark on everyone who has had the privilege to work with him. His contributions extend beyond radio programming into building meaningful community experiences and nurturing strong leadership in our teams.” Fahy reflects, “I am grateful for the opportunities and support Salem’s leadership has afforded me to make a spiritual impact in Southern California and other West Coast markets. I also treasure the talented and hard-working broadcast and media professionals I have had the privilege to work alongside. I am proud of what we accomplished, not only on air but also with our community events. Many people hope to look back on their careers with a sense of purpose and accomplishment. By God’s grace that has been my experience and privilege at Salem.”
In a ruling that should catch the attention of every talk host and media creator dabbling in AI, a Georgia court has dismissed “Armed American Radio” syndicated host Mark Walters’ defamation lawsuit against OpenAI. The case revolved around a disturbing but increasingly common glitch: a chatbot “hallucinating” canonically false but believable information.
launched his first optometry clinic in 1991. Since then, he’s built his businesses on the power of radio advertising and has long championed the value of local broadcast radio.” Dr. Zoellner states, “We’re thrilled to welcome these incredible radio stations into the Zoellner Media Group family. Radio has played a crucial role in my business success, and I have always been passionate about its ability to connect communities and drive meaningful engagement. This acquisition allows us to build upon a legacy of excellence while fostering innovation across broadcast and digital platforms. I couldn’t be more excited to get started.” Tapped to manage the station group as president and general manager is Steve Hunter, who served for 22 years as director of operations at Cox Media Group Tulsa and seven years with Griffin Media. The transaction is subject to FCC approval and is expected to close early in the second half of 2025.
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. 
TALKERS 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).
floated debilitating rate regulation schemes that target national network broadcasters for their newsrooms’ editorial decisions, harassed private companies for their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, and threatened tech companies that respond to consumer demands for content moderation and fact-checking. Separately, they have attempted to shutter Voice of America and sought retribution against lawful residents that protest Administration policies.” She cited two occasions where presidents – FDR in 1939, and John F. Kennedy in the early 1960s – asked their FCC Chairs to shut down media outlets critical of their policies and those FCC Chairmen boldly refused. 
distributed over 30 podcasts with Bloomberg Media that offer critical news alongside compelling storytelling across the world of business and finance. We are thrilled to continue our partnership to develop, distribute and monetize this impressive lineup and grow our audience worldwide. With an impressive lineup of upcoming shows in the pipeline, our renewed partnership will continue to leverage iHeart’s massive audience reach to expand upon Bloomberg’s community of listeners and provide them with engaging content across the current economic landscape.”
2022. Prior to joining WGFX-FM, Anderson was a sports anchor, reporter, and digital contributor at WKRN-TV, Nashville. While this sounds like a budget move on the station’s part, Anderson didn’t mention the reason she’s out in her X post: “First and foremost, thank you so much to our loyal listeners, you made my time in radio here so amazing. You all are so passionate about your teams here in Middle Tennessee and I love that. I’m gearing up for the next chapter of my book to write itself. All I’ve ever known is to keep navigating it to the best of my ability.”
earned a Peter Lisagor Award for their 2023 interview with the student editor of The Daily Northwestern. Williams also accepted the William Booth Award from The Salvation Army at their annual Chicago Civic Luncheon held May 8 at Navy Pier. The William Booth Award is one of the highest awards conferred upon an individual by The Salvation Army and honors people who show strong character and commitment to their community. Williams hosts a radiothon on WGN Radio every December for the organization. In addition to his on-air work, Williams also hosts “The Mincing Rascals” award-winning podcast featuring a roundtable discussion with Chicago journalists about top news stories released every Wednesday.
original interviews, including 28 with individuals who have had near-death experiences (NDEs). He says, “This series weaves together stories of survival, grief, revelation, and spiritual awakening. It brings together voices rarely heard in one place: grief counselors, psychologists, metaphysical teachers, mediums, and survivors of clinical death – all sharing their deeply human experiences and insights.” He adds, “This series was created for people in mourning and for those who are curious about life beyond this world. The program is not driven by ideology or dogma. It’s about opening a door and letting others walk through it in their own way. I truly hope this presentation can bring people some measure of peace.” 
radio.” Nielsen says delineating between total listening (or viewing) and the ad supported universe is vital in today’s burgeoning media landscape where consumer choice grows by the day and marketers are looking at every available opportunity to cut through. In the first quarter of 2025, ad supported audio represented 64% of total listening. This is similar to TV, where 72% of total viewing was spent on ad supported platforms, in Q1 according to Nielsen’s recently launched Ad Supported Gauge report. Looking at ad-supported audio, consumers spent 66% of their daily listening time with radio, 19% with podcasts, 12% with streaming audio services and 3% with satellite radio. Radio accounts for anywhere from 47% of daily ad supported audio time among people 18-34 to 73% among 35+. Meanwhile, podcasts are the inverse, representing 15% of daily audio time for people 35 and older compared with 32% among those 18-34. 
Fame. Root tells TALKERS that he was a friend of Pete Rose. They both lived in Las Vegas, Rose was a guest on Root’s radio show and that led to Root and Rose starring in a national TV commercial together and becoming fast friends. Root wrote a column in 2020 imploring the president to pardon Rose, but it was this February when Root felt compelled to text the president. Root says that within 15 minutes of his sending that text the president announced he would pardon Rose. Root adds, “This all started with an interview on my radio show. I’m sure Pete is looking down from heaven with a big smile. His final dream was to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s about to come true. All because of a Vegas friendship late in Pete’s life with a guy who just happened to know the President of the United States! Thank you, President Trump.”
Right now, dozens of well-suited, over-priced, unpleasant lawyers are fighting in Hollywood over the title credit their client should receive on a movie, TV show, or book cover. Placement within the credit roll at the end of a show is a battleground of egos and legalities. Part of the process of securing proper credit is governed by multiple union rules negotiated by multiple unions and corporate dictates of corporate masters. (You don’t get to be CEO of Paramount by being a nice guy.)
expectations: core radio advertising finished at -12.4% excluding digital, and Cable TV advertising was -6.3%. Our cable TV ratings stabilized significantly in the first quarter of 2025 and are performing in line with our 2025 budget. Second quarter core radio advertising pacings have weakened over the past several weeks and are now -8.7%. Our first quarter 2025 digital revenues were down 16.1% driven by expected weakness in streaming and podcasting revenues. Based on our year-to-date performance, we reaffirm our full year guidance of $75 million in Adjusted EBITDA. Our cumulative debt repurchases so far in 2025 are $88.6 million at an average price of 53.9%, resulting in reduced gross debt of $495.9 million, and we currently have approximately $79.8 million of cash on hand. In a challenging marketplace, our focus remains on controlling costs, managing leverage and retaining a strong liquidity position.”
and Fayetteville. Dunn says, “After much thought and reflection, I’ve made the decision to retire and begin the next chapter of my life. Beasley Media Group has been more than just a workplace – it’s been my extended family. I feel incredibly fortunate to have spent over 30 years doing what I love, with people I deeply respect and admire. It’s been an absolute privilege to work with late company founder George Beasley, Caroline, Brian and Bruce over the years.” CEO Caroline Beasley comments, “Kent’s contributions to Beasley Media Group – and to the radio industry at large – have been nothing short of exceptional. His strategic insight, collaborative spirit, and passion for radio have guided teams and inspired generations of broadcasters. We are deeply grateful for his decades of service and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”
some changes in our lifestyle, our geography and our living standards to protect our safety and sanity that include an international move. That simply makes this job no longer feasible.” Reflecting on his career, Grayson remembers getting into the business. “As a kid I was always steered away from potential careers that depended on personal talent alone, since my mom was convinced that people who made their living that way were somehow possessed of a magic that us regular folks don’t have. But the day I first heard talk radio – a day I remember very clearly – I fell in love. I had no choice in the matter. From calling in to talk shows as a college student to beating down the doors of my local station to hire me, this business always held a kind of allure I found irresistible.” During his career, he worked in Tampa, Nashville, and St. Louis, where he worked at KTRS and KMOX. At KMOX he hosted the syndicated “Overnight America” program. 
Music 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. 
is owned by Alexander Medecovich. According to a story in the Rockland News, Medecovich endured a personal family tragedy and preceded his eventual exit from the radio business. Currently, WRCR is simulcasting WABC, New York’s content.
those consumers report having taken an action based on radio ads, in particular. Such actions can be recommending something to others, posting or following on social media, visiting a website, going to a retail location, or actually making a purchase. While we do not know which advertisers’ messaging they responded to, we do know that these radio-influenced consumers are highly engaged across categories, making them advantageous to brands – and more valuable than ad-influenced adults in general. Radio-influenced consumers are more likely to be spending money on sports betting, vacations, cars, movies, and retail than the average adult, and even more than other ad-influenced adults.” 
after four years to take a job on Capitol Hill in Washington. The ideal candidate must have at least three years of talk radio experience with a strong background in politics and news. This position is based in Memphis. Send resume and air check to 
“Hosting Will Cain in our performance space underscores the dynamic synergy between our broadcast platforms and live events. This special event will provide NewsRadio 1080 KRLD listeners with an engaging experience while championing a vital cause through our partnership with Hounds & Heroes. We’re proud to facilitate this connection between talent, audience, and community impact.” Cain comments, “I’m incredibly excited to host a live episode of ‘The Will Cain Show’ from the Audacy Dallas performance space. I never wanted a one-way relationship with the audience, so it’s perfect for the show to have an in-studio audience where I can hear from them and talk with Texans. I can’t wait!”
investment. Other notes from the first quarter include: Revenue from new business accounted for 18% of net revenue; Local revenue, including digital packages sold locally, accounted for 71% of net revenue; Digital revenue was comparable to the first quarter of 2024 but increased 6% year-over-year to $10.8 million, on a same-station basis; Digital revenue accounted for 22% of net revenue; and Digital segment operating margin was 18%. Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley says, “Our first quarter results 
reflect the strength of our ongoing transformation and the resilience of our core strategy. While revenue was impacted by persistent macroeconomic headwinds, we mitigated this through disciplined cost management, operational streamlining, and continued momentum in our digital business, resulting in an Operating Loss of $2.0 million and year-over-year Adjusted EBITDA growth. Digital revenue now represents over 20% of total revenue, and the meaningful expansion in digital segment operating income underscores the scalability of our platform and the impact of our strategic investments. As we look ahead, we remain focused on unlocking margin expansion, accelerating our digital evolution, and driving long-term value for our stockholders through thoughtful execution and innovation. We are particularly encouraged by the continued growth in our high-margin digital offerings and the early success of new digital and content initiatives. With a more agile operating structure, a differentiated content portfolio, and deepened advertiser engagement, we believe Beasley is well-positioned to navigate short-term market challenges while building a more durable and diversified revenue base.”
revenue, uniquely positioned to evaluate and pursue strategic growth opportunities.” In addition to its broadcast properties, Connoisseur owns and operates the digital marketing services company Ferocious Digital. The company says that when integrated with Alpha Digital, the combined 
organization “will continue to expand and enhance its digital capabilities – delivering forward-thinking integrated marketing services.” Jeff Warshaw comments, “We are thrilled to welcome Alpha Media into the Connoisseur family. In getting to know the Alpha team, it has become clear that we share many of the same values — a passion for serving our local communities, a deep commitment to our clients, supporting our colleagues and fostering a culture of integrity, creativity and achievement. This transaction underscores our commitment to the irreplaceable role local broadcasters play in providing news, information and entertainment that truly resonates. Together, we will build an industry-leading platform of broadcast and digital. I could not be more excited to get started.” The two companies have entered into a Local Market Agreement and expect the deal to close in the second half of this year. 
“Wellness Unmasked with Dr. Nicole Saphier” program, effective Tuesday, May 13. Dr. Saphier serves as a FOX News contributor, is a New York Times best-selling author, and a board-certified physician. She says, “I am thrilled to join the dynamic Clay & Buck team as we launch ‘Wellness Unmasked,’ a podcast dedicated to cutting through the noise and delivering honest, science-based insights on all things health and wellness. Together, we will empower listeners with knowledge to live their best lives.”