Last night, the 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards were presented at the ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas at SXSW. The Podcast of the Year honor went to “Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. The Best News award was given to with journalist Kara Swisher and NYU professor Scott Galloway for their show “Pivot.” The Best Political podcast honor was presented to “The Megyn Kelly Show.” See all the winners here.
New York City-based comic and former Silicon Valley engineer David Cooper strikes a deal to get his talk show, “The Last Show with David Cooper” on six Canadian signals: CKNW, Vancouver; CFIQ, Toronto;
CHQR, Calgary; CHED, Edmonton; CJOB Winnipeg; and CFPL, London. Cooper is focusing on Canadian markets because he was born in Toronto and was heard in Canada on the iHeartRadio talk network. Cooper says, “It’s what happens when you mix relationship advice, scientific breakthroughs, and the world’s weirdest headlines into one show. Somehow, it all makes sense.” Cooper says the show targets the 25-54 demographic. He also serves as technical director and host at Burning Man Radio during his annual Nevada festival pilgrimage. He adds, “What do I know? Talk radio programmers call it a strategic counterprogramming solution, designed to capture audiences from alt-rock or NPR stations.”
Cumulus Media and Major League Soccer’s Rhode Island FC are continuing their partnership and announcing that sports talk WPRV, Providence “790 The Score” is expanding its coverage of the club’s season. WPRV will air live-action coverage of all 17 RIFC away games and the first home game.
Broadcasting the matches will be WPRO-FM personalities Nick Giuliano and Tommy Quinlan. In addition, Rhode Island sportswriter and columnist Kevin McNamara will host a new feature to air on the station every Thursday at 6:20 pm throughout the season titled, “Extra Time with Rhode Island FC.” Cumulus RVP and market manager Holly Paras says, “We are thrilled to continue and expand our broadcast partnership with Rhode Island FC. It’s an exciting time for Rhode Island soccer fans, especially with the opening of the new stadium this year. We look forward to a great season.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (3/10) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Financial Markets Plunge
2. GOP Spending Bill/Government Shutdown Threat
3. Russia-Ukraine War
4. DOGE/Elon Musk-Trump Relation
5. U.S.-Canada Relations
iHeartMedia names Larry Mendte the new, permanent host of the morning drive program on news/talk WOR, New York. “Mendte in the Morning” airs from 6:00 am to 10:00 am on 710 WOR, The Voice of New York. WOR program director Tom Cuddy says, “Since joining our team in 2023 as our news director and
morning drive news anchor, Larry has built a strong connection with our listeners, who have responded very positively to his time as our interim morning show host. His remarkable career, which includes an astounding 97 Emmy awards and stints at WABC Radio, Channel 7 Eyewitness News, WPIX/11 and ‘Access Hollywood,’ speaks for itself. With all of this experience, he’s the ideal choice to wake up the tri-state area.” Longtime New York radio news anchor Jacquelyn Karl will deliver updates on “Mendte in the Morning,” while Natalie Vacca will continue in her role as executive producer.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Observation, as a heavy CNBC viewer: Artificial Intelligence is to 2025 what Dot Com was to the late 1990s, game-changer… and shiny object.
Everyone seemed to be chanting “AI” at this year’s CES. In a previous column here, I offered, from experience, some Do’s-and-Don’ts for crafting commercial copy. And as vendors are applying AI to various other broadcast content and operational functions, I asked the app itself: “How would you caution radio broadcasters against over-reliance on ChatGPT?” SECONDS later, the robot replied:
“Here are some key points to consider:
1. Maintain Authenticity: Radio broadcasting thrives on the personality and authenticity of its hosts. Relying too heavily on AI-generated scripts or content can make broadcasts feel robotic, inauthentic, or detached. Listeners tune in to hear the voice, opinions, and personality of the broadcaster, not just information being read off a script. ChatGPT is great for generating ideas, but it shouldn’t replace the genuine voice of the host.
2. Human Connection: One of the strengths of radio is the personal connection that hosts build with their audience. This connection comes from spontaneous moments, personal anecdotes, and relatable conversations. AI can’t replicate the unique, emotional bond that a human broadcaster forms with listeners. Overusing AI could distance the host from the audience and make the show feel more like a recorded message than a live, engaging experience.
3. Accuracy and Fact-Checking: While ChatGPT can generate a lot of information quickly, it’s not always accurate or up-to-date. Broadcasters need to be mindful that AI-generated content might contain errors, outdated facts, or biased perspectives. Relying on AI without fact-checking could lead to broadcasting misinformation, which can seriously damage the station’s credibility.
4. Tone and Nuance: AI like ChatGPT can struggle with tone, emotion, and subtlety in language. Radio broadcasters need to ensure that the tone of the broadcast fits the subject matter and the audience. AI might miss the mark on this, especially in more nuanced or sensitive topics. A human touch is often needed to tailor the message effectively.
5. Audience Engagement: ChatGPT can provide content, but it can’t engage with listeners the way a broadcaster can. Over-relying on AI could take away opportunities for live interaction, audience call-ins, and real-time feedback. Broadcasting is about creating a dialogue, not just delivering information, and AI isn’t capable of fostering real-time, dynamic conversations.
6. Creativity and Innovation: While AI can assist with generating ideas, true creativity comes from the human mind. Broadcasters should focus on bringing fresh, original ideas to the table—things AI can’t easily replicate. Over-relying on ChatGPT might limit creativity, turning broadcasts into predictable, generic experiences.
In summary, while AI tools like ChatGPT can be incredibly useful for research, inspiration, and content generation, broadcasters should ensure they don’t lose the human element of their shows. Maintaining authenticity, personal engagement, and creativity are key to keeping radio content fresh and compelling. AI should be a tool, not a substitute for the broadcaster’s unique voice and connection with the audience.”
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
Over the weekend, iHeartMedia presented special programming in celebration of International Women’s Day that spotlighted four of its women staffers: Angela Yee, host of “Way Up with Angela Yee”; Eileen
Woodbury, vice president of marketing at iHeartMedia Los Angeles; Sarah Spain, host of iHeart Women’s Sports “Good Game” podcast; and Jessica Marventano, executive vice present of government affairs. The 30-minute special aired on iHeartRadio stations nationwide on March 8 and 9. The interviews were conducted by Debra Mark from KFI, Los Angeles; Nathalie Rodriguez and Erica Rodriguez from WIOD, Miami and Kathy Walker from KOA, Denver.
The Salem Radio Network nationally syndicated program “Armed American Radio,” hosted by Mark Walters, adds new affiliates as Steckline Communications’ KGYN-AM, Guymon, Oklahoma; K292HJ, Liberal, Kansas; and Taylor Made Broadcasting’s KGLC-FM, Miami, Oklahoma add the show to their lineups.
PodcastOne will participate in the upcoming 37th Annual ROTH Conference taking place March 16-18. PodcastOne president Kit Gray and CFO Ryan Carhart will host one-on-one meetings with institutional investors on site during this annual invitation-only event.
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Budget Battle/Government Shutdown Threat
2. DOGE/Trump-Musk Relationship
3. Tariffs and Financial Markets
4. Israel-Gaza War/Russia-Ukraine War
5. Mark Carney to Replace Justin Trudeau
The radio industry knew these cuts were coming as the rumors of a company-wide RIF were plentiful. On Thursday (3/6), Audacy made the staff reduction that affects people across all departments – corporate, on-air, and off-air. An Audacy spokesperson issued the following statement: “Audacy has made workforce
reductions to ensure a strong and resilient future for the business. We are streamlining resources to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving media landscape and to best position Audacy to continue serving listeners and advertisers with excellence.” The Desk is reporting a list of those affected by the cuts and in the spoken-word formats, those people include: WINS, New York sports director Marc Ernay; KNX, Los Angeles reporter Charles Feldman; WWL, New Orleans news staffer Mark Menard; KMOX, St. Louis digital content producer Wilson Truong; and others. Read The Desk’s coverage here.
According to data from Nielsen, an estimated 36.6 million people watched President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday (3/4). Nielsen says that viewership peaked from 9:45
pm to 10:00 pm ET with 37,895,000 viewers across the 15 networks that televised the address. This year’s audience was up over 13% compared with the 32.2 million viewers that watched President Biden’s State of the Union address in 2024. Breaking down Tuesday’s audience by age, 5.7% of viewers were aged 18-34; 20.5% of viewers were aged 35-54; and 70.7% of viewers were aged 55 and older.
David Linder, owner of Sub Arctic Media, died in an avalanche in Alaska while on a ski trip. Linder’s Sub Arctic Media owns and operates news/sports/talk KTOE, Mankato, Minnesota, news radio KMHL, Marshall, Minnesota and a number of other stations in those markets. Linder, who was described as an expert skier, leaves behind his wife and three children.
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc annually compiles and analyzes the number of women in radio broadcasting who are rising to the ranks of management. Data gathered for this annual MIW Gender Analysis Study specifically tracks the progress of female professionals holding general manager, sales manager, and program director/brand manager positions. The raw data for this study was collected by PrecisionTrak and is from all U.S.-based commercial radio stations and is for the calendar year 2024.
21.67% of stations had women in the general manager position, a decline of half a point from last year, but a large increase from 2004 when 14.9% of stations had a female GM. MIW says the best management opportunities for women in radio continues to be in sales management as 35.67% of stations had a woman sales manager in 2024, up more than a full percentage point from 2023. When it comes to programming, MIW says the greatest challenge for women in radio management continues to be in the area of program directors/brand managers. Women currently program 12.38% of stations, a slight gain from 11.50% in 2023. MIW board president Sheila Kirby comments, “While we are encouraged by the progress in sales management and programming, the overall numbers show that there is still significant work to be done. Leadership opportunities for women in radio must continue to grow, and our mission at MIW remains steadfast – empowering, mentoring, and advocating for more women to rise into key decision-making roles across the industry.”
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (3/3-7) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories/Topics
1. Trump Speech to Congress
2. Trump Tariff Whiplash / Economy
3. Trump-Musk Relationship
4. Musk-DOGE Activities / Federal Firings
5. Russia-Ukraine War
6. Israel-Hamas War
7. ICE Deportation Crackdown
8. Trump First Amendment Issues / GOP Town Halls
9. Big Tech / Misinformation / Censorship
10 Healthcare / Avian (Bird) Flu / Measles Outbreak
People
1. Donald Trump
2. Elon Musk
3. Vladimir Putin / Volodymyr Zelenskyy
4. Benjamin Netanyahu
5. JD Vance
6. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
7. Jeff Bezos
8. Mike Johnson
9. Pete Hegseth
10.Al Green
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
Edison Research reveals that, according to data from its ongoing Share of Ear study, the majority of podcast listening does not take place in the car. Edison says, “At-home listening accounts for an impressive 67% of total daily podcast consumption time according to the most recent Share of Ear. Besides the reality that
people spend by far the most amount of their time at home, the at-home environment offers a variety of listening devices including smart speakers, internet-connected TVs, and computers, in addition to mobile phones… And we know from our qualitative research that podcast listeners can listen while they multitask at home.” After listening at home, listening at work contributes 16% to the overall daily listening time to podcasts, while in-car listening captures 11% of daily listening time. Edison adds, “We can theorize that because people often take short drives during the day including quick trips to the store, or school, or on errands, that those short trips might not be conducive to becoming fully engaged with a podcast.” Finally, 6% of listening happens in various other locations, such as gyms, grocery stores, or while walking.
The 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards Live at SXSW will be hosted by Jack O’Brien and Miles Gray of “The Daily
Zeitgeist” podcast at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas on Monday, March 10 at 8:00 pm ET. Presenters for the 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards will include Annaleigh Ashford and Melissa Moore, Cam Jordan, Chelsea Handler, Dennis Quaid, Ed Helms, Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgiraff, Joe Manganiello, Kyle MacLachlan, Sarah Spain, Sophia Bush and more.
Westwood One is presenting a total of 19 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball games from Conference Championship Week beginning on Saturday (3/8) with the Ohio Valley Conference Championship game, and continuing through Selection Sunday, March 16, with broadcasts that day of the Ivy League, the SEC, and the American Athletic Championship games. Westwood One will also broadcast Selection Sunday, revealing the 68-team field for both the men’s and the women’s tournaments. Jason Horowitz will host Selection Sunday coverage with PJ Carlesimo and Debbie Antonelli as analysts.
iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s Black Effect Podcast Network announce the debut of “Hunting 4 Answers,” a daily true crime podcast dedicated to shedding light on the silent epidemic of missing and murdered Black women in America. New episodes will post every weekday beginning February 24. Hosted by Atlanta journalist Hunter Gilmore, “Hunting 4 Answers” will bring attention to the heart-wrenching and often ignored stories within the Black community that deserve to be told. The podcast will highlight both current and cold cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls across the country.
Virtual News Center adds affiliates WLVL and WEBR, serving Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York. Anchoring the news for WLVL and WEBR are broadcasters Peter Kileen on weekdays and Sandi Conner on weekends.
SmileyAudioMedia, Inc announces four new affiliates for the “Tavis Smiley” show. The program is now
heard on WERE, Cleveland; WOLB, Baltimore; WDBZ, Cincinnati; and KDEE-FM Sacramento. The “Tavis Smiley” program is now heard in 40 markets across the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Tavis Smiley says, “The show’s expansion into four additional high-profile markets underscores our ongoing commitment to enhancing the show’s innovative and unapologetically progressive programming. Following November’s election, the demand for our programming is growing exponentially. We will continue to deliver enlightening and empowering content aimed at African Americans and other people of color.”
Las Vegas-based, nationally syndicated talk host Wayne Allyn Root tells TALKERS that he is a member of
the “Private Economic Council” – a Washington, DC-based organization composed of “influential business leaders, entrepreneurs and economists promoting free market tax policies, advocating for taxpayers, and helping to support and promote President Trump’s economic agenda.” It also includes former Trump senior economic advisor and former member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board Steve Moore, Papa John’s founder John Schnatter, and former U.S. congressman and current Liberty University School of Business Dean Dave Brat.
Cumulus Media’s KESP-AM, Modesto-Stockton “Sports Radio 970 AM” is the new Central Valley radio broadcast home of the San Francisco Giants. The station is also the official radio broadcast home for the San Francisco 49ers, the Golden State Warriors, and the San Jose Sharks. Cumulus regional VP and market manager Patty Hixson says, “We are thrilled to have this affiliation with the San Francisco Giants. This is a very special franchise and now we get to share all the baseball action with our Sports Radio AM 970 fans. Go Giants!”
Newsmax Inc. announces the closing of its previously announced offering of Series B Preferred Stock. Newsmax says the offering exceeded its initial target of $150 million with the company closing last week on its maximum offering amount with gross proceeds of $225 million, before the deduction of placement agent fees and other offering expenses. More than 8,000 accredited investors participated in the private offering.
Now, is submitting IPO offering materials with the SEC and is seeking a public offering with a planned listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NMAX” later this year. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy states, “This achievement reflects the strong results Newsmax has demonstrated and testifies to the trust and support the company maintains with investors, viewers and friends. We’d also like to thank Digital Offering LLC, for their expertise, hard work and their positive commitment to supporting us throughout this process. We are excited to be one step closer to our upcoming IPO which will provide us a tremendous opportunity for growth. A public offering will allow tens of thousands of Americans to directly partner with us and join our news revolution. We look forward to delivering long-term value to all of our shareholders.”
The Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog post this week looks at the effects of the changes to Nielsen’s PPM ratings system that has provided significant increases in listening across demographics and time periods. This audience growth is due to Nielsen’s three-minute qualifier modernization which provides a significantly more comprehensive and realistic definition of AM/FM radio’s audience and their listening behavior. The post notes that Nielsen found 23% of PPM listening occasions
were three or four minutes. Under the old five-minute listening qualifier rule, none of this tuning would have received listening credit. Effective with the January 2025 PPM survey, Nielsen is now crediting tuning occasions that are three minutes or greater. What are the results so far? First, drive times and weekends experience the greatest growth. Comparing January 2024 to January 2025 for persons 12+ and 25-54 reveals double-digit growth for all dayparts. Weekends and drives times have the greatest increases. Second, AM/FM radio’s listening profile now skews younger: Every major buying demographic has a higher composition of listening. Persons 65+ is the only demographic where AM/FM radio’s audience composition is reduced. Persons 25-54, AM/FM radio’s most popular buying demographic, experiences the largest increase in audience composition. Persons 18-49 have the next largest growth. And third, format shares remain stable. Versus October 2024, PPM January 2025 format shares are very consistent. An uptick in news/talk AQH composition is most likely more due to a heavier news cycle (major weather stories and a new president) than a PPM methodology enhancement. In local markets, there is more share variation. See the complete blog post here.
iHeartMedia New York promotes David Montague to promotions director for New York City stations news/talk WOR-AM and music outlets hip hop WWPR-FM and classic rock WAXQ-FM. iHeartMedia New
York director of marketing and promotions Emily Magelof says, “David’s creativity, vision, and dedication have been instrumental in driving our brands. We are excited for him to continue elevating our promotional efforts, ensuring even greater success in the future.” Montague comments, “I am truly honored for this accomplishment and excited for the future. I want to thank my support system at iHeartMedia, friends and family for their continued confidence and believing in me.”
The Talk Media Network nationally syndicated program “The Dr. Daliah Wachs Show” is added to the program lineup at KEUN-AM, Eunice, Louisiana; WGNY-AM, Newburgh, New York; and WNRI, Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
The most discussed stories yesterday (3/3) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China
2. U.S. Pauses Ukraine Aid/Trump-Vance-Zelensky Spat
3. Elon Musk and DOGE
4. Cryptocurrency Reserve Plan
5. Measles Outbreak
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Often, Millennials and GenZ-ers sound like they’ve replaced “T” with a soft “H.”
“Putin” comes out “Pooh’in.” “Groton” becomes “Groh’en.” “Dayton?” “Dayh’en.” Cold outside? Wear your “mih’ens.” Shark attack! Who got “bih’en?”
It’s as though as the “T” was “forgoh’en.” It’s not the way the script is “wrih’en,” just the way they read it. The biggest retail advertising spenders are radio’s lifelong habitual users: adults. Sound grown-up.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
Lotus Communications is seeking an experienced and results-driven broadcasting general sales manager to lead their sales team and drive revenue growth across our diverse broadcasting portfolio. The GSM directs
the team to develop, sell and service local business. The position is responsible for delivering assigned revenue targets through managing sales team efforts, developing sales talent and monthly business planning. The GSM develops relationships with businesses, engages with networks such as chambers, business alliances etc. to uncover opportunities within the local market. The GSM will maintain an account list while helping the sales team sell and develop cohesive campaigns for new direct businesses. Send your resume here.
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump- Zelensky White House Meeting
2. Court Battles Over DOGE Firings
3. U.S. to Exit NATO & UN?
4. GOP Town Halls Blowback
5. Academy Awards
During the fourth quarter of 2024, iHeartMedia brought in $1.1 billion, an increase of 4.8% over the same period in 2023. For the full year of 2024, revenue was $3.85 billion, an increase of 3% over the full year of 2023. The company breaks down its operating results by division and Multiplatform Group (which includes
radio stations) Q4 2024 revenue was $684 million, flat compared to Q4 of 2023. The company’s Digital Audio Group Q4 2024 revenue was $339 million, an increase of 7%. Withing the Digital Audio Group, podcast revenue was $140 million, an increase of 6%. For the fourth quarter of 2024, the company reports net income of $31.9 
million. For the full year of 2024, it reports a net loss of $1 billion. iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman states, “Our fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $246 million was up 18.2% vs. prior year, our highest percentage increase in almost three years, and our consolidated revenues were up 4.8% compared to the prior year, demonstrating the inherent operating leverage in this business. We are pleased that we successfully completed the comprehensive exchange transaction discussed last quarter – extending the majority of our debt maturities by three years; keeping our consolidated annual cash interest expense essentially flat; and providing overall debt reduction. This provides the company with the flexibility to remain focused on creating shareholder value in 2025 and beyond.”
Audacy’s all-news KYW, Philadelphia “Newsradio” is honoring 10 leaders making a difference and uplifting the lives of people in and around Philadelphia’s communities of color. This year’s honorees were recognized at a ceremony hosted by KYW Newsradio community impact reporter Racquel Williams at Audacy’s headquarters last night (2/27). Audacy SVP and market manager David Yadgaroff states, “KYW Newsradio’s annual GameChangers is a meaningful honor given to the community by the community. We are proud to spotlight the unsung heroes whose contributions shape and elevate us all. It’s a privilege to amplify their stories and the lasting impact they have through our platforms.”
Reporting its operating results for the fourth quarter of 2024 and for the full year of 2024, it says net revenue for Q4 was $218.5 million, a decrease of 1.2% from the same period in 2023. For the full year of 2024, net revenue was $827 million, a decrease of 2.1% from the full year of 2023. The company posts a net loss of $283.3 million for 2024 “compared to net loss of $117.9 million, reflecting a 2024 pre-tax non-cash
impairment charge of $224.5 million compared to a pre-tax non-cash impairment of $65.3 million in 2023, both primarily reflecting FCC-related charges.” Cumulus president and CEO Mary G. Berner states, “Since the pandemic’s onset, the radio industry has experienced tough economic and secular headwinds. In the face of those, we outperformed our peers through the end of 2023 on key metrics including cost takeouts, EBITDA 
margin recovery, free cash flow generation, net leverage, and liquidity. 2024 brought additional challenges, including accelerated national headwinds as well as an industry-wide slowdown in local radio advertising. In response, we doubled down on investing in growth areas, particularly in our digital marketing services business, which is pacing up 30% in Q1. Additionally, we continued evolving our broadcast go-to-market strategies, including with new offerings that are successfully attracting large new broadcast clients, and we drove additional cost efficiencies with 2024 actions that will result in $43 million of annualized fixed cost savings, of which $15 million benefited 2024 with the balance in 2025. Though the industry environment remains challenging for now, our 2024 refinancing efforts provided us with the time needed to both execute our day-to-day blocking and tackling and, in parallel, continue to reimagine the ways in which we can get the most out of our key assets to create new revenue streams and build additional long-term value.”
SiriusXM is partnering with the New York Post to launch “Page Six Radio,” a new daily morning show highlighting the latest celebrity and pop culture news from the paper’s Page Six. The program is being hosted by Danny Murphy, Evan Real, and editor Ian Mohr and will debut on March 31. The two-hour show
will air on SiriusXM’s Stars channel from 8:00 am to 10:00 am. SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein comments, “Page Six has been a powerhouse for all celebrity news for nearly half a century, and by teaming up with our in-house experts here at SiriusXM, this new show is sure to be the ultimate destination for pop culture fans. With the launch of ‘Page Six Radio,’ we are transforming the publication’s stories to a dynamic new format that will expand its reach and resonate with SiriusXM listeners who turn to the platform for all the latest entertainment news.”
The California governor is launching new podcast via iHeartPodcasts titled, “This is Gavin Newsom.” iHeart
says, “Governor Newsom is going solo and diving into the real issues that matter – government, politics, affordability, quality of life, and the cultural moments shaping our world. No spin, no script, just real talk about what impacts listeners most.”