The most discussed stories yesterday (2/25) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Westwood One’s Audio Active Group blog presents data about the sports talk genre as it experiences an apparent growth spurt. Based on ratings data from Nielen, the blog states, “Revenue shares and station counts are up. Nielsen reports the sports AM/FM radio format is number one in streaming shares among 18-34s and 25-54s. Ranking third of twenty-four AM/FM radio formats in household income, the sports AM/FM radio
audience over indexes for a slew of major purchase categories.” Some of the key findings in the study include: 1) The number of sports-formatted AM/FM radio stations has grown +14% over the last decade, while revenue shares increased +38%; 2) According to Nielsen, the sports format ranks an astonishing number one in streaming shares among 25-54s and 18-34s, while in-car listening is the dominant location of listening among over-the-air sports AM/FM radio listeners; 3) Advertising on sports AM/FM radio is more effective than TV sports because the AM/FM radio audience is far more attentive and sports engaged; and 4) Ranked third in income of twenty-four AM/FM radio formats, the sports format has seen household incomes grow 17% since 2020. See the full blog post here.
Premiere Networks announces that the long-running national weekend show “Keep Hope Alive with Rev. Jesse Jackson” will continue under the leadership of the program’s executive producer and host Santita Jackson, the eldest daughter of Rev. Jackson. Premiere Networks
president Julie Talbott says, “We’re deeply saddened by the loss of Rev. Jesse Jackson, and it has been an honor to work with him and his family throughout the past two decades of his ‘Keep Hope Alive’ radio show. Santita Jackson is uniquely positioned to carry forward his legacy and his unwavering commitment to community and social justice – values he championed so powerfully for listeners and stations across the country.” iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman adds, “Rev. Jackson has been a transformative voice in American life, and it was a privilege to work with him dating back to ‘The Jesse Jackson Show’ with Quincy Jones in the 1990s. We’ve valued our relationship with him over the years and look forward to celebrating his lasting impact on the national conversation and our culture – an influence that will continue to resonate for generations.”
The Salem Podcast Network debuts a new podcast hosted by conservative author Danielle Gill. She says, “I’m launching this podcast to create space for thoughtful conversations about culture, politics, and
Christianity. This podcast is an extension of the conversations I’m already having – about faith, family, and what it means to live with conviction in a liberal culture. I’m excited to bring those discussions to a wider audience.” Salem Media SVP of content Phil Boyce states, “Danielle represents the next generation of conservative voices. As Salem continues to invest in new talent and new platforms, her voice reflects both where the conservative audience is headed and the future we’re building at the Salem Podcast Network.”
Salem Radio Network VP/news & talk programming Tom Tradup will attend tonight’s State Of The Union address from the Visitors’ Gallery inside the U.S. House of Representatives, courtesy of U.S. Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK). Tradup tells TALKERS, “Over the years I’ve covered countless national political conventions and presidential inaugurations, but this will be my first time to see history unfold in-person during tonight’s Joint Session of Congress.” SRN’s live State Of The Union coverage will be anchored by Salem White House correspondent Greg Clugston and SRN’s Capitol Hill reporter Bob Agnew. Following Trump’s address, SRN will offer analysis and perspective from Salem personality and Family Research Council president Tony Perkins and former Congressman Ernest Istook (R-OK.) The network’s coverage will conclude with the Democratic Party’s response to the SOTU delivered by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger.
Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr is announcing the agency’s Pledge America Campaign designed to dovetail with the celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. The announcement says that “consistent with their longstanding public interest obligations, America’s broadcasters play a key role in educating, informing, and entertaining viewers and listeners all across America, and they are particularly well suited to air programming that is responsive to the needs and interests of their local communities. The Pledge America Campaign enables broadcasters to lend their voices in support of Task Force 250 and the celebration of America’s 250th birthday by airing
patriotic, pro-America content that celebrates the American journey and inspires its citizens by highlighting the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today.” Carr adds, “On July 4, 2026, America will celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That revolutionary document set forth our founding principles – including Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness – and put America on a collision course with destiny. Over the following centuries, the American story has defined modern history and spread freedom, opportunity, and prosperity across the globe. As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, it is important to reflect on the ideals and events that have defined our past while keeping an eye towards our country’s bright future. The White House is leading our national celebration of this historic event with the Salute to America 250 Task Force, which calls on the federal government, among others, to mark this momentous occasion. As part of this effort, I am calling on broadcasters to pledge to provide programming that promotes civic education, national pride, and our shared history.” Carr shares some examples stations could use, including:
Running PSAs, short segments, or full specials specifically promoting civic education, inspiring local stories, and American history.
Civic Media announces a revamped news/talk lineup for four of its Wisconsin stations as the Civic Media Network programming will air on: WXCO, Wausau; WMDX, Madison; WAUK, Milwaukee; and WISS, Oshkosh-Appleton. The company unveils three new shows in the new
daily lineup: “Daybreak with Brian and Jamie” airing 6:00 am to 9:00 am (starring Brian Noonan and Jamie Martinson); “The Jeff Santos Show,” airing from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm; and “Nite Lite With Pete Schwaba and Greg Bach” airing from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Civic Media vice president of product Aaron Carreno said, “We’re excited to refresh our programming with the addition of new radio shows and a continuous stream of digital content that meets audiences wherever they are. This growth reflects our commitment to delivering fresh voices, diverse perspectives, and engaging storytelling across every platform. By strengthening both our on-air and digital presence, we’re creating more opportunities for our community to connect, discover, and stay informed—anytime, anywhere.”
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
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 “What Matters Next” lands squarely in the middle of this tension, and its message is one radio people need to hear: AI isn’t the disruptor. Human behavior is. AI just accelerates the consequences.
The book’s central argument is blunt: The organizations that thrive in an AI-driven world are the ones that stay relentlessly human. Not sentimental – human. Curious. Adaptive. Willing to rethink habits that calcified long before the first smart speaker ever said, “Now playing.” That’s a mirror radio hasn’t always wanted to look into.
For decades, the industry has survived by optimizing the familiar: tighter clocks, leaner staffs, syndicated shows, templated production, and “good enough” digital. AI tempts some operators to double down on that instinct – to automate more, localize less, and hope listeners won’t notice. This book argues the opposite: AI punishes sameness and rewards originality. When every business has access to the same tools, the differentiator becomes the people who use them with imagination, empathy, and purpose. That should sound familiar. It’s what radio used to brag about.
O’Neill also warns against the other extreme, the fear-driven paralysis that keeps talented people from experimenting. AI isn’t a job eater; it’s a task eater. It clears the underbrush so humans can do the work only humans can do: judgment, storytelling, connection, and community presence. In radio terms: the stuff listeners actually remember.
Imagine a morning show that uses AI not to replace prep, but to deepen it, surfacing hyperlocal stories, analyzing listener sentiment, or generating alternate angles on a topic the hosts want to explore. Or a sales team that uses AI to tailor proposals to each client’s issues instead of reshuffling the same deck. How about a newsroom (remember those?) that uses AI to sift data so stations can spend more time delivering what’s special to listeners (and sponsors): helpful local news they can’t get anywhere else. None of that eliminates jobs. It elevates them.
This book’s most important warning is this: AI widens the gap between organizations that learn and organizations that cling. Radio has lived through this before – streaming, podcasting, social media, smart speakers. The winners weren’t the ones who panicked or the ones who ignored the shift. They were the ones who adapted early, experimented often, and stayed close to their 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
Audacy expands its WGR Sports Radio brand into the Rochester market, adding most of the Buffalo based programming to sports talk WROC-AM/W239BF. Audacy says that while the WROC call letters will remain, the station will carry WGR Rochester branding and feature a lineup anchored by WGR’s flagship programming, along with a dedicated local show for Rochester listeners. Gene Battaglia hosts the early afternoon show, “The Sports Bar,” a locally focused program dedicated to
Rochester sports. Audacy SVP and market manager Tim Wenger says, “This hybrid approach lets us bring the full strength and recognition of WGR’s established sports lineup to Rochester while still delivering a strong local voice tailored specifically to Rochester fans. We know how deeply connected Rochester listeners are to Buffalo-area teams, and this expansion allows us to serve that passion while preserving meaningful, local sports talk and engagement. With the launch of WGR Rochester, our reach now more fully covers the Rochester market and further cements WGR as Western New York’s sports giant and voice of the fans.”
Triton Digital releases its fourth annual U.S. Podcast Report for 2025 investigating how Americans are listening to podcasts across devices, platforms, genres, and demographics. Triton says, “Podcasting now reaches 53% of the U.S. population each month, surpassing the halfway mark for the first time and underscoring podcasting’s growing influence as a core channel for entertainment, information, and advertising.” Triton SVP, measurement product strategy Daryl Battaglia comments,
“Podcasting’s momentum strengthened in 2025, with audio remaining the foundation of the medium while video helped bring in new audiences. What’s most compelling is the diversity podcasting now delivers across content, platforms, and consumers. Triton’s report highlights where new listeners are engaging and how their evolving behaviors – including shopping and purchase intent – are creating a highly engaged audience that is increasingly attractive for brand investment.” One key finding from the study is that “consumption preferences vary sharply by genre. Categories primarily consumed via audio are Science (58%), History (56%), Fiction (54%), Arts (51%), and True Crime (50%), while Music (34%), Sports (32%), Kids & Family (31%), Comedy (30%), News (30%) skew more heavily toward exclusive video consumption. This emphasizes a need for differentiated content and monetization strategies.” See more about the report here.
Compass Media Networks promotes Sydney Sperling to director of affiliate sales. In her new role, Sperling will help create the affiliate sales
strategy and drive expansion across Compass Media Networks’ national audio portfolio. Compass SVP affiliate sales and content Nancy Abramson says, “Sydney has consistently demonstrated exceptional sales skills and a deep understanding of the affiliate marketplace. This promotion is well deserved and recognizes her ability to build strong partnerships and deliver results.”
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announces his appointments of George John and Kimberly Baum as chair and vice chair of the Commission’s World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee. The advisory committee was re-chartered on January 21 with the mission of providing the Commission with advice, technical support, and
recommended proposals for the International Telecommunication Union’s World Radiocommunication Conference, which will be held in 2027. The World Radiocommunication Conference is a treaty-level forum held by the International Telecommunication Union (a United Nations agency) every three to four years in which countries decide on the allocation of frequency spectrum to allow the deployment or growth of all types of radiocommunication services such as wireless, broadcasting, satellite, and aeronautical services.
Salem Media announced during the Salem Summit Breakfast at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, that it presented the 2026
Stuart Epperson Award for Excellence in Christian Media to Dr. David Jeremiah, senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church and founder of Turning Point Ministries. The award, established in 2024, honors the legacy of Salem co-founder and longtime chairman Stuart Epperson, who passed away in July 2023. Epperson co-founded Salem in 1974 with his brother-in-law Edward G. Atsinger III, building what would become a leading Christian and conservative media company.
The most discussed stories yesterday (2/18) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Cumulus Media’s Westwood One announces a new digital video series starring nationally syndicated host Mark Levin. The company says “Liberty’s Voice with Mark Levin” will publish vodcast episodes three
times per week – Monday through Wednesday – and will be available on both YouTube and Rumble in digital video format with future expansion on other platforms. The company adds, “For the first time, Levin will offer audiences access to original digital video content via an ad-supported model, instead of a subscriber paywall. ‘Liberty’s Voice with Mark Levin’ will present exclusive, in-depth commentary from one of America’s most influential constitutional scholars and political thinkers. Sharing his intellectual rigor, brilliant wit, and signature passion, Levin will draw on history, economics, law, and philosophy as he goes beyond the headlines to examine the ideas and principles that shaped the United States – and the forces challenging them today. Each episode will deliver substantive analysis of current events, grounded in the founding ideals of liberty, limited government, and individual sovereignty, while exposing the dangers of centralized power and historical amnesia.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (2/17) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
FOX News Media announces the expansion of FOX News Channel star Sean Hannity’s media footprint with the launch of a new podcast titled, “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” set to premiere on March 3. FOX says the twice-weekly podcast will deliver “long-form, unfiltered conversations with compelling and influential figures across culture, business, sports, 
politics, and beyond. Filmed from Hannity’s new set in Florida, dubbed the personal ‘man cave,’ the show will offer a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the conversations that take place when the cameras stop rolling.” FOX News Digital and New Media president Porter Berry says, “Sean Hannity remains one of the most influential voices in media, grounded by the same values and work ethic that defined his early days. We’re thrilled to expand our podcast portfolio with one of the most accomplished broadcasters to ever pick up a microphone.” Hannity comments, “I’ve always been interested in how people got to where they are – the risks they took, the failures they pushed through, and the lessons that don’t make it on TV. This podcast is a chance to slow down and have those conversations, no scripts, no talking points, just real discussions with people who have something meaningful to say.” In addition to the podcast, Hannity will continue to host his Premiere Networks nationally syndicated radio program, “The Sean Hannity Show,” while sunsetting “Sean” on FOX Nation.
UK-based news organization Guardian Media Group announces the coming launch of a video podcast for the U.S. market starring journalists
Carter Sherman and Kai Wright. Guardian U.S. editor Betsy Reed says, “This project is a major step toward bringing audio and video journalism to American audiences, showcasing the breadth of our global content and reporting muscle. It’s also 
the latest step in our ongoing US expansion, which we’ve seen in recent months across politics, media, sports, culture, breaking news, and more.” Carter has been serving the Guardian as reproductive health and justice reporter since 2023 and recently published the book, The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation’s Fight Over Its Future (2025, Gallery). Wright was most recently host and managing editor of Notes From America with Kai Wright and has served with WNYC, New York.
The most discussed stories yesterday (2/16) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Every radio conference agenda and much of what’s-up in the trade press and chat groups is about exploiting Artificial Intelligence. Often these conversations land in one of two places: fear (“Will this replace us?”) or fascination (“Look what it can do!”). Both miss the point.
In “Between You and AI” (Wiley) author Andrea Iorio cautions that when everyone has access to the same machine intelligence, advantage shifts to what remains scarce. That’s not just-more information. It’s better judgment, trust, empathy, and local savvy… the very things radio has always done best.
Haven’t got time to read all 254 pages? Here’s a short version, as it applies to our work:
AI is not radio’s replacement. It’s radio’s stress test. Stations that pass will be the ones that let machines handle the work so humans can handle the meaning.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
iHeartMedia swaps some frequencies in its Tampa Bay cluster, moving its “Rumba” music format off 95.7 FM and adding that full-market 100,000-watt signal to the broadcast of sports talk WDAE, effective next Monday (2/23). iHeartMedia Tampa market president Russell
Robertson states, “Expanding WDAE’s heritage brand strengthens our long-standing broadcast and marketing partnerships with the Tampa Bay Rays, Buccaneers, Lightning, Florida Gators and USF Bulls. This evolution also reflects our continued commitment to serving Tampa Bay listeners across multiple platforms.” WDAE program director and midday host Nick Wize adds, “I am beyond excited for Tampa Bay sports fans. This is a championship market, and we’re delivering a strong, engaging lineup that brings fans closer to the teams and conversations they care about most.”
MARC Radio Group is buying three radio stations head on five signals in
the Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida market from Hall Communications. The deal includes news/talk WLKF-AM (but not its current FM translator W244BJ at 96.7 MHz) country WPVC, and adult hits WONN-AM and its translators W296CS at 107.1 FM and W240DB at 95.9 FM. MARC Radio says it expects the deal to close in May, pending FCC approval.
For more than a decade, iHeartRadio has partnered with education non-profit DonorsChoose to launch the Thank a Teacher contest in 160 radio markets to ask listeners to nominate their favorite teacher for a chance to
be celebrated on-air and transform their classrooms with a $5,000 DonorsChoose gift card. iHeartMedia president of programming operations and digital music says, “iHeartRadio’s ‘Thank a Teacher’ aims to shine a light on the quiet and positive work happening in classrooms across the country and to offer a very public thank you to the teachers who are doing so much.” Over the course of the contest 60,000 teachers were nominated for $50,000 in gift cards shared by the 10 final winners. See the winners here.
Journalist Michael Sol Warren joins WNYC/Gothamist on the Day-of Desk as a dedicated New Jersey reporter. The public media organization says Warren’s primary focus has been coverage of environmental issues.
Hubbard Radio all-news WTOP-FM, Washington names Kristin Diaz co-anchor of the morning show alongside John Aaron. Diaz most recently
served as PM drive anchor at Audacy’s KRLD-AM, Dallas. WTOP director of news and programming Julie Ziegler says, “From the moment I met Kristin, I knew there was something special about her. Her commitment to telling stories that impact the diverse, local community she serves and doing so across platforms, aligns perfectly with WTOP’s mission. I can’t wait for the WTOP audience to get to know her.” Diaz was awarded the 2021 National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast. She was also the recipient of the 2023 Texas Association of Broadcasters award for Best Newscast.