iHeartMedia Gets into Asian Podcast Business
iHeartMedia will launch a slate of multi-language podcasts from high-profile hosts across the fast-growing Asian market. This push into the Asian Pacific region will be in partnership with Mammoth Media Asia.
iHeartMedia says the Asia Pacific podcast market was valued at US $373.57 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 30.2% to $3.1 billion value from 2024 to 2031. iHeart Digital Audio Group CEO Conal Byrne comments, “We’ve seen the strong growth of the Asian markets – both on a domestic level and with influence across global markets and we are excited to partner with Mammoth Media Asia to launch the first-ever slate of iHeartPodcasts developed in Asia.”
Carr of “illegally targeting broadcast networks and media companies perceived to be unfavorably covering the Trump Administration – wasting critical agency resources on bogus investigations in the process.” The lawmakers are also questioning Carr’s “commitment to his agency’s independence, given his frequent trips with the president to Mar-a-Lago and his targeting of entities that the president has criticized or sued in his personal capacity.” Committee Ranking Members says that “under Carr’s leadership, the FCC has harassed CBS for routine editing practices, reinstated lawfully denied complaints against ABC and NBC, launched a bogus investigation into KCBS-AM in San Jose simply for reporting publicly available information, and directed the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau to launch investigations into NPR and PBS based on false allegations.” The Committee is requesting documents and communications “related to its investigations of media entities,” “all communications between Carr and current White House officials and between Carr and other Trump Administration officials that relate to investigations,” as well as Carr’s travel records. 
2019. iHeartMedia CEO and chairman Bob Pittman says, “When we began this journey together back in 2019, Brad was only able to promise us one term as a director due to his enormous commitments to Altimeter and its portfolio companies, and we’re grateful he gave us five terms. We appreciate all the contributions he made during that time, especially his experience and view of technology and the future – which helped us determine how to make the technology transitions we needed to maximize our revenue opportunities in an increasingly data-focused and technology-led marketplace. He’s had a significant impact on iHeart’s success and our vision for the company’s direction.” The company announces that its board of directors is nominating Robert Millard to stand for election at the its 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on May 13. Millard is a director of Evercore, an international investment bank, and co-founder and former Chairman of the Board of L3 Technologies, a major defense technology company.
Counting.” KBLA personalities Tavis Smiley, Dominique DiPrima, and Nii-Quartelai Quartey will speak with a panel featuring survivors, community leaders, activists, experts, and more to “reflect on the 100 days since the fire erupted and address hard and heart questions about where the community goes from here.” KBLA says this is part of its continuing coverage of the fire, the aftermath, and its long-term impact on the Black community in Altadena. The station also broadcasts a one-hour, weekly live program called “Conversation Live: Altadena Rising,” hosted by James Farr. 
many of the shows within the Gamut Podcast Network have already been established across Hubbard’s markets, but this marks a transformation: from podcasts as supplemental to radio, to podcasts as a focused, scalable business in their own right. Hubbard CEO Ginny Hubbard states, “The launch of Gamut is more than a rebrand; it’s a pivotal evolution for our company. By establishing Gamut as a core component of our business, we are embracing the future of media and ensuring Hubbard’s relevance for the next century.” John Goforth joined Hubbard in August and is serving as vice president and general manager of Gamut Podcast Network. He says, “Gamut is designed to reflect both where the industry is and where it’s going. Yes, we’re building a national powerhouse – but we’re just as focused on lifting up unique voices and staying true to the communities we serve. It’s about reach and relevance. That balance is what makes Hubbard special, and it will make Gamut special too.”
hosts to connect to each Gagl session. Gagl + Hotline is a premium tier for US-based clients that enhances the audio quality from mobile phone callers. A 10-digit phone number is provided to Hotline subscribers which allows one contributor in the Gagl session to connect by dialing a number instead of clicking a web link. Gagl Solo is available for individuals to connect to the studio at no cost. Comrex is also unveiling its new FieldLink – a hardware-based IP audio codec that serves as a “press box” codec designed to replace expensive wireless mic/IFB solutions and move audio from sideline reporters efficiently to the pressbox. For more information on FieldLink or other Comrex products visit 
in Cape Town — in which the broadcasters shared ideas about better serving their communities, the broadcasters came together to record an original song co-written and produced by broadcast engineer Dr. Andy Gladding EdD (WRHU-FM and Salem Media Group New York). The song is performed by DJs from “Bush Radio” and WKZE, Red Hook, New York. 
radio services report in 27 languages serving audiences in 23 countries. On Thursday (3/27), the Trump administration reversed course and restored funding for the news organization two days after a federal judge temporarily blocked the closure saying the president can’t dismantle the organization created by Congress. According to a report in The New York Times, the administration also reinstated 33 employees at the Office of Cuba Broadcasting that targets Cuba’s Communist government. 
communicate directly with the Company’s management and directors regarding our views and concerns.” Gate City owns an almost 14% stake in Saga. Melby expresses Gate City’s concerns about Saga, saying, “Gate City’s decision to nominate directors was based on our belief that Saga was determined to pursue its Digital Transformation regardless of the negative impact the transformation could have on Saga’s profitability, cash flow, and share price. Our determination was made following careful analysis and nearly nine months of conversations with the Company’s senior leadership and Board. We repeatedly expressed our concerns 
that Saga lacked the expertise, and the competitive advantages required to succeed in the low-margin and highly competitive digital advertising space. The pursuit of the Digital Transformation would also divert time, attention, and resources away from the Saga’s core broadcast business, where Saga has competitive advantages and earns high incremental margins. Saga also failed to provide investors with any meaningful financial targets or metrics associated with the Digital Transformation including expectations for incremental revenues, costs, margins, and return on investment. Our recommendation that Saga partner with a digitally-savvy company with the capability and experience to execute Saga’s digital strategy without the added costs and risks associated with the transformation was also dismissed.” Melby’s criticism of Saga Communications’ business strategy continues, “In 2024, the Company’s station operating income fell 23.1% year-over-year to $21.1 million, the Company’s operating income fell 79% year-over-year to $2.4 million, and the Company’s operating profit margin fell to 2.1% in 2024 from 10.2% in 2023, a decline of over 800 bps. To make matters worse, this deterioration in financial results occurred during a presidential election year, when Saga should benefit from elevated levels of political spending. Our concern that the pursuit of the Digital Transformation strategy could detract from the Company’s highly profitable broadcast business also appears prescient. On Saga’s Q4 2024 earnings call, the Company noted that it generated $3.3 million in political revenue in 2024. Saga’s 2024 political advertising revenue declined 52% from the $6.9 million generated in 2020 (the last presidential election year) and also fell from the $3.6 million generated in the 2022 midterm election year. The Company’s two largest stations by revenue are located in the battleground states of Ohio and Wisconsin, calling into question the Company’s explanation that Saga’s stations were not in the correct markets. In addition to posting poor financial results, on March 18, 2025, Saga issued a financial filing stating that the Company would be unable to file its 10-K annual report in a timely fashion. This filing further highlights the potential challenges faced by the Company in executing the Digital Transformation.” 
was co-host of the morning drive show with co-host Kevin Bowen. Cook was co-host of the midday “Query & Company” program with Jake Query. In the aftermath, Sweeney posted to X: “Let me say this… I loved covering your teams. The @Pacers are a class act organization and covering an NFL team @Colts was something I wanted. Also, it was great working with super dudes like @KBowen1070 and @MarcD1075. I wish them the best, but they won’t need it.” 
is being distributed in the same daypart – 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET – as Dan Bongino’s show prior to the latter’s giving up his media role to take on the deputy director at the FBI. Trump addressed the issue of Greenland and Vice President J.D. Vance’s trip there this week, saying, “We have to have that land because it’s not possible to properly defend a large section of this Earth – not just the United States – without it.” The president also addressed the Signal group chat matter, telling Coglianese that it was possibly an innocent error made by a lower-level staffer for national security advisor Mike Waltz. He noted that it did not impact the success of the attack, but that they would determine how the error happened so it would not happen in the future.
stint, effective May 9. In a memo to fellow staffers, Abernethy says, “It has been a privilege to work alongside you during the past 10-plus years with the company, and for some, my 36 years in the industry. Each market, team and person I have had the pleasure to work with has made a lasting impression on me. I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished together and confident in your continued success.” 
election, its reporting on the origins of the coronavirus in China, and the investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia during his first term. U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) told Maher, “You guys were 0-for-3 on three of the biggest stories in the country.” Maher was also pressed by U.S. Rep. William Timmons (R-SC) about comments she made before she was CEO of NPR in which she called Donald Trump a sociopath, a racist and deranged and asked how she could helm a news organization with that kind of inherent bias. She replied, “There is strong firewall between me and the newsroom,” and said her political thinking and personal worldview have changed in recent years, adding, “I regret those tweets; I would not tweet them again today.” The story notes that Maher said she “respected” the lawmakers’ concerns and promised NPR is doing more under her watch to “beef up our editorial standards” and “make sure we have more points of view reflected in every story.” 
operating income was approximately $38.6 million, an increase of 1.7% from the same period in 2023. Net loss was approximately $35.7 million for the quarter, compared to net loss of $11.0 million for the same period in 2023. Urban One CEO and president Alfred C. Liggins, III states, “Our Adjusted EBITDA of $103.5 million came in at the mid-point of guidance, helped by strong political advertising revenues in the radio division. The radio outperformance was offset by declines in both advertising and affiliate revenues at the cable TV segment, as audience delivery continued to underperform expectations. We are however seeing some stabilization in the first quarter cable TV delivery, which should help to mitigate the continuing decline of linear TV subscribers. First quarter core radio revenue demand weakened, with pacings down 13.6%, although the second quarter is showing signs of improvement, with core pacings currently down 1.7%.” 
making companies think twice about the way they describe internal diversity programs. They’re afraid the government may retaliate against them simply because of actions that are responsive to how consumers use their services or choose to buy their products. Sadly, the hard-fought lessons of the civil rights movement are being erased – or worse, distorted – to claim that fairness for all requires discrimination against some. That could not be further from the truth.” Gomez says she’s concerned about the Commission weaponizing “its regulatory authority to enforce government mandates that seek to eliminate voluntary efforts by private companies to increase fair and equal employment opportunities.” 
Broadcasting’s budget in its sights. NPR.org reports Maher says of the hearing, “This could be a perfect storm. That’s why this moment does feel different. It feels as if this is a time that we really do need to step up and make as clear a case as possible.” U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene chairs the Subcommittee on Delivering On Government Efficiency and she’s quoted saying, “I want to hear why NPR and PBS think they should ever again receive a single cent from the American taxpayer. These partisan, so-called ‘media’ stations dropped the ball on Hunter Biden’s laptop, downplayed COVID-19 origins, and failed to properly report the Russian collusion hoax. Now, it is time for their CEOs to publicly explain this biased coverage.” 
NAB says, “Local radio stations provide trusted news, sports and entertainment to their communities free of charge, but stations’ ability to do so would be greatly threatened if faced with a new performance tax, on top of the hundreds of millions of dollars local stations already pay each year in copyright and streaming fees.” The second resolution calls on legislators to support the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act that would ensure the continued availability of AM in all newly manufactured vehicles. NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt comments, “On the heels of an incredibly successful State Leadership Conference, where over 560 local TV and radio broadcasters traveled to Washington, DC to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, congressional support for local radio is strong. State broadcaster associations play a pivotal role in our advocacy efforts, and I am proud to see the collective unity behind these resolutions.”
had a storied career in Chicago media. First at newspapers, he moved to television in 1963 working at WBBM as a news writer, reporter and political editor. From 1973 to 1982, Jacobson co-anchored WBBM-TV’s “The 10 O’Clock News” with Bill Kurtis and the two dominated the ratings for nine years. His “Perspective” pieces date to those newscasts when Jacobson would deliver them live from his office. WGN Radio VP and general manager Mary Sandberg Boyle comments, “I ‘knew’ Walter Jacobson mostly for his TV news work virtually all my life. He and Bill Kurtis revolutionized the look and feel of television news broadcasts in Chicago at CBS 2 and it’s still talked about by those who watched them in the 70s. Working with him at WGN Radio and getting to know him in-person has been an honor. After seeing firsthand his uncompromising devotion to his craft, it’s easy to see why he is the media legend that he is. Walter’s personality, contributions and ever unique ‘Perspective’ will be greatly missed.”
by Brandon Contes for Awful Announcing, he writes that Bernstein was taken off of his regular afternoon show with co-host Marshall Harris after threatening to reveal the identities of a follower’s children as retaliation for that person accusing Bernstein of lying about releasing a fish that he had caught and posted a picture of. Bernstein write on social media, “I never respond to trolls, but questioning my sportsmanship and conservation awareness sets me off. Wanna fight? I’m a bad enemy. Want your kids involved?” 
Thank you, TALKERS for placing me on two panels at the IBSNYC conference. All student conferences have one underlying goal: Attendees want to know how to land a starter job in media. Here’s the information I shared with the eager crowd.
employing an investment bank to see if there might be a buyer for the 40 radio and 12 television stations that make up Cox Media Group. Bloomberg reports that other TV groups, including Nexstar Media Group and Gray Media, might be interested in the television stations. 
Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley says, “2024 was a transformative year for Beasley as we took decisive actions to strengthen our balance sheet, streamline our operations, and position the company for long-term success. Through disciplined cost management and strategic capital initiatives, we achieved approximately $20.0 million in annualized expense reductions, improved our leverage profile, 
and enhanced our financial flexibility. These efforts, combined with the continued momentum of our digital business—now representing nearly 20% of total revenue—have reinforced our ability to navigate industry challenges while capitalizing on new growth opportunities in audio and digital media. As we enter 2025, we remain focused on executing our strategy to drive sustainable revenue growth, expand our digital offerings, and optimize our sales approach. We see substantial opportunities in harnessing data-driven insights, enhancing direct-to-consumer engagement, and providing our advertisers with cutting-edge marketing solutions. With a refined portfolio of premium brands, a leaner and more agile cost structure, and a strengthened financial foundation, Beasley is well-positioned to accelerate our digital evolution and deliver long-term value for our shareholders, audiences, and partners.”
“Up First” at #2. Remaining at #3 is Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show.” Moves of note in February include iHeartRadio’s “The Daily Show: Ears Edition” rising five places to #20; Audacy’s “We Can Do Hard Things” falling six places to #25; and iHeartRadio’s “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” dropping eight places to #37. The Triton Digital U.S. Podcast Ranker is based on weekly average downloads. 
KLIX-AM, Twin Falls, Idaho; and more. Premiere Networks EVP of affiliate sales Peter Tripi states, “We couldn’t be happier to celebrate this milestone with Clay and Buck. They’ve worked hard to develop a unique brand that stands out in the marketplace and delivers unparalleled results for our partners. In addition to producing the highest-quality program, their dedication to working directly with our affiliates to drive success in markets across the country is what sets them apart.”
Television Stations; and Peter H. Smyth, former chairman and CEO Greater Media, to its board of directors. Broadcasters Foundation chair Scott Herman comments, “We are delighted that broadcast executives of this caliber will serve on our Board. Their advocacy for our charitable mission is exemplary. Their input and ideas will help us continue to reach out to broadcasters across America to help those in our business who are in critical need.”
fires on the historic Black middle-class community of Altadena, California. The company says, “This groundbreaking series will explore the significance of Altadena, its legacy and the personal stories of survivors and community members who lived through one of the region’s most destructive natural disasters.” The series is hosted by Black Information Network journalist Mimi Brown.
(pictured here) that aired on the program yesterday (3/13). TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison was among those interviewed for the eight-minute segment called Radio Diaries. Pyne began his career as a disc jockey but after injecting political commentary into his show was encouraged to do more talking and that eventually evolved into the Joe Pyne radio show that the NBC Radio Network put into syndication in 1966. Pyne enjoyed bringing controversial guests – including “hippies, women’s libbers, Scientologists, swingers, a snake charmer, members of the Ku Klux Klan and the John Birch Society.” He then segued to television in Los Angeles. Harrison is quoted in the segment saying, “There were a lot of people that didn’t like Pyne, but they watched him anyway because they thought it was — amusing? Entertaining? Sensational? Different? You know, not boring.” Photo: Everett Collection 
offering a format in which shows use the Rumble Raiding technology to follow one another and carry audiences seamlessly into the next show. Rumble chairman and CEO Chris Pavlovski says, “This is more proof that the content creator community at Rumble is the best place to be, because this new daily lineup will help everyone and be great programming for viewers. Creators in the lineup will build off each other’s audiences, and everyone on the platform will benefit by increased traffic across the board. Unlike the broadcast day on a television network, Rumble adheres to the principles of free speech and these are shows that people actually want to watch.” 
and market manager Tish Boden says, “Team Cumulus Fayetteville is excited to have Gilbert Baez join our team as the new host for ‘Good Morning Fayetteville’ on WFNC News Talk. When you say the name Gilbert Baez in the market it is synonymous with news. I look forward to Gilbert’s success on Good Morning Fayetteville.” WFNC program director Kelvin Culbreth adds, “Gilbert Baez brings a deep desire to report the news and a true sense of devotion to Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, and Cumberland County. He’ll bring his wealth of knowledge about our area and his vast cache of connections. We have heard, ‘Everyone knows Gilbert and Gilbert knows everyone.’ He is the perfect host to carry GMF into the future.”
Thank you, TALKERS for having me on panels at the TALKERS Generations 2025 IBSNYC conference this past Saturday (3/8). Moderator and Philadelphia talk show god Dom Giordano asked us the inevitable: “What is the future of radio?”