Industry News

Westwood One: Audio Personalities Highly Effective Connection to Listeners

This week’s blog post from Cumulus Media | Westwood One’s Audio Active Group reveals data from studies indicating that audio personalities – both AM/FM and podcast hosts – are highly effective in connecting listeners to advertisers. According to Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2023, DJs/hosts/shows are the main reasonim for listening for 60% of consumers. According to a study by MARU/Matchbox, there are a number of reasons listeners gravitate to AM/FM. First is comedic relief: 90% strongly or somewhat agree that their favorite DJs make them laugh. Second is local feel: 73% say personalities understand what makes my city/town unique. And third is thought-provoking: 64% agree that they make them think.  Additionally, Magna and Vox Media surveyed 2,028 weekly podcast listeners and asked, “Whose influence matters most?” A stunning 75% cited podcast hosts while only 15% named social media influencers or TV/movie celebrities (10%). See the complete blog post here.

Industry News

Triton Digital Releases April Streaming Rankers

Triton Digital publishes its latest ranking of digital audio publishers for April of 2023, based on Average Active Sessions (AAS can be calculated by dividing Total Listening Hours by the number of hours within the reported time period). iHeartRadio remains the #1 streaming publisher in the U.S. (299,103 AAS), followed by NPRim Member Stations at #2 (75,116 AAS), and Audacy at #3 (66,485 AAS). Cumulus Streaming Network is ranked #4 (40,662 AAS). Beasley Broadcasting Corporate is #6 (19,040 AAS), followed by Hubbard Broadcasting at #8 (14,953 AAS), Urban One at #10 (9,743 AAS), and Salem Communications at #12 (8,297 AAS). See the complete ranker here.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

FOX News Media is presenting the third installment of “The Senate Project” series on June 12 at 11:00 am ET from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston and will feature Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in a forum moderated by FOX News Channel chief political anchor Bret Baier. The hour-long event will focus on a variety of topics, including foreign policy and homeland security.

Cumulus Media’s Westwood One announces it is broadcasting every game of the Women’s College World Series beginning with the preliminary games on June 1 through the finals on June 9. The broadcast crews for the Women’s College World Series will feature Ryan Radtke and Chris Plank as play-by-play announcers; former Oklahoma and Team USA outfielder Destinee Martinez and Hall of Famer Leah (O’Brien) Amico.

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Yesterday’s (5/30) Top News/Talk Media Stories

The debt ceiling deal works its way through congress; the 2024 presidential race and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visits Iowa; global AI leaders call for regulation of AI development to limit possibility of mistakes; former President Donald Trump’s legal battles; the strained U.S.-China relationship and the countries’ interdependent economies; Ukraine attacks Moscow in ongoing Russia-Ukraine war; UK politicians work to control the country’s soaring inflation; a mob attacks three U.S. Marines in San Clemente, California; and the Los Angeles Dodgers-Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence flap were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Industry News

Audacy Shareholders Approve Reverse Stock Split

Audacy filed a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday (5/26) that details the actions taken during the company’s annual shareholders meeting on May 24. Among the actions shareholders approved was the “approval of an amendment to the company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to permit the company to effect a reverse stock split of its outstanding Class A and Class Bim Common Stock, at a ratio with a range between one-for-two and one-for-30, subject to and as determined by a committee appointed by the board of directors.” This action comes after Audacy received notice from the New York Stock Exchange that it is commencing proceedings to delist the company’s Class A Common Stock from the exchange due to Audacy’s stock reaching “an abnormally low selling price.” Trading of Audacy’s Class A Common Stock was halted on May 16 after the share price fell about 12% to $0.09 per share. Now, the NYSE will apply to the Securities and Exchange Commission to delist the company’s common stock pending completion of applicable procedures. Trading of Audacy’s common stock on the NYSE is suspended but the common stock will continue to be able to be traded over the counter. With the value of Audacy’s Class A Common Stock at less than $0.10 per share, the reverse stock split would have to be at least more than a 1-for-10 split in order for the share price to be over $1.00 per share.

Industry News

The Weekend’s Top News/Talk Media Stories

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reach an agreement over the debt ceiling; the 2024 presidential race and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ entrance into the GOP primary; the legal issues facing former President Donald Trump; drone strikes hit Moscow in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war; the Memorial Day holiday weekend and the spate of shootings that took place over the three days; the Texas legislature votes to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton; Target, Bud Light, and the backlash against LGBTQ activism were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Industry News

PodcastOne to Host Adam Carolla Pay-Per-View Event

PodcastOne is producing a live, pay-per-view event starring its leading podcast talent Adam Carolla. The June 4 show titled, “Adam Carolla & Friends,” airs at 9:30 pm ET from the Belly Up Tavern outside of San Diego and features Carolla plus comics Brad Williams, Kimbles Hume and other special guests. PodcastOneim says that in 2020, “Carolla made history when he partnered with LiveOne and PodcastOne for a livestream event that garnered an impressive 1.1 million views.”  PodcastOne president Kit Gray comments, “We are excited that PodcastOne and LiveOne have partnered with Adam to produce and distribute Adam’s very first headlining pay-per-view event. Very few comedians are as entertaining in an intimate club environment as Adam. Each show he performs is unique and tailored and to be able to bring this to a worldwide audience exemplifies how we’re able to create opportunities for our podcast hosts outside of the traditional audio driven mediums.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Stories for Week of May 22-26

The official, glitchy Twitter announcement of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ bid for the GOP nomination for the 2024 presidential race was the most-talked-about story in news/talk media this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the negotiations between the White House and congressional leaders over the debt ceiling, followed by the legal battles facing former President Donald Trump at #3. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed in news/talk media and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s complete chart here.

Industry News

KXEL-AM and Mudd Produce “Iowa Talking Points” Program

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NRG Media news/talk outlet KXEL, Waterloo, Iowa and Mudd Advertising are partnering to produce a series of cross-platform events in advance of Iowa’s caucuses. The series, titled, “Iowa Talking Points,” will be produced for live video stream, video and audio on-demand playback, and radio rebroadcast. The events will be hosted by KXEL program director and host Jeff Stein and will be conducted in front of a live studio audience at Mudd’s state-of-the-art “Studio5@Mudd” facility in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The first program will be tomorrow (5/26) with GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Stein – who has covered every Iowa Caucus since 1980 – says, “This will be the only place for multiplatform conversations about issues important to Iowa caucus-goers. The unique synergy of these partners allows us to provide access across multiple outlets to persons across Iowa and across the U.S.” Pictured above is Stein in the KXEL studios with Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley.

Industry News

Ramsey Solutions Hosts EntreLeadership Summit 2023

Ramsey Solutions is hosting EntreLeadership Summit 2023 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville May 31 through June 2. Ramsey Solutions says, “EntreLeadership Summit is for business owners and leaders with a heart for investing in themselves and their teams. This year’s speakers include Ramsey Solutions’ CEO Daveim Ramsey, bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell, clinical psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson, Food Network celebrity chef and restaurateur Maneet Chauhan and more. Dave Ramsey comments, “World-class leadership is becoming more important because that’s who people want to follow. Something happens when you get thousands of powerhouse leaders in one room. After leaving Summit, you’ll be ready to hire and retain top talent, lead with confidence, and strengthen your company culture.” Find out more about the event here.

Industry News

Premiere Networks Host, Producer Honored with Gracie Award

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Two Premiere Networks staffers were honored at the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation’s 48th annual Gracie Awards at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show” producer Alice Mroczkowski was honored in the Producer – Talk [Radio – Nationally Syndicated Commercial] category and “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” co-host Danielle Monaro was honored in the Co-host [Radio – Nationally Syndicated Commercial] category for the second time in her career. Pictured above are (from l-r): Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott, Mroczkowski, and Monaro.

Industry News

TALKERS 2023 Officially Sold Out

The 26th annual installment of the talk media industry’s longest running and most important gathering set for Friday, June 2 at Hofstra University on Long Island is officially sold out. In order to comply with health and comfort considerations and maintain the intimate, qualitative environment for which this event is known, the absolute registration cutoff point was reached yesterday at 5:00 pm ET. According to TALKERS VP/executive editor Kevin Casey, “Industry professionals who have attended the TALKERS Conference in the past enjoy it and find it to be a valuable experience for a number of reasons beyond the remarkable quality of the speakersim and pertinence of the agenda. They appreciate the intimacy of the environment and outstanding ‘who’s who’ in talk media makeup of their fellow attendees. We work diligently to keep this event within those parameters. It is only open to people who work within or are associated in some way with the talk media industry – there is no online open registration – and it all happens within one power-packed day with absolutely no down time.” More than 65 luminaries from the talk media industry are set to speak at a content-heavy day of fireside chats, solo addresses, panel discussions, workshops, award presentations, new equipment showcases and endless networking opportunities. All in a beautiful indoor/outdoor state-of-the-art environment conducive to one-on-one conversations. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison adds, “People attend this seminar not only to see and hear the speakers… they come to meet them and each other as well! This event offers that opportunity.” The entire agenda of events at TALKERS 2023 will be video recorded and posted for world-wide viewing at a later date. Some sponsorship opportunities still exist.  See more about the agenda, sponsorship and hotel information here.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Audacy radio stations were honored with 30 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards from the RTDNA. WCCO, Minneapolis; KNX, Los Angeles; WBBM, Chicago; WBEN, Buffalo; and WCBS, New York captured the distinguished “Overall Excellence” Award.

Edison Research announces that its Edison Podcast Metrics is launching in the U.K. The first survey is underway with data from Q2 2023 to be available for subscribers sometime in Q3. Edison SVP Melissa Kiesche says, “We are incredibly enthusiastic about the expansion of Edison Podcast Metrics to the U.K. We have seen how beneficial the data has been to those in the podcast industry in the U.S. and we are looking forward to seeing the thriving podcast community in the UK take advantage of this research.”

ABC Audio has two Memorial Day programs for news/talk stations. “Uvalde 365,” hosted by ABC News correspondent Michelle Franzen, chronicles the May 24, 2022 shooting of 19 students and two teachers. This one-hour program is part of a larger ABC News initiative in which a team embedded in the community for one year follows survivors and families of victims as they cope with the loss of their loved ones and the inaction of the police, their fight for justice, and developments in the investigation. “America Remembers,” hosted by correspondent Alex Stone, features Iraq and Afghanistan veterans still struggling with PTSD and highlights gold star family members who have lost loved ones during their time of service and who talk about how they are moving through their grief.

Industry News

Yesterday’s (5/24) Top News/Talk Stories

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announces his bid for the White House via a glitchy Twitter event; the negotiations between President Joe Biden and congressional leaders over the debt ceiling; IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley removed from the Hunter Biden investigation goes public; Microsoft IDs Chinese hackers targeting U.S. infrastructure; the legal battles facing former President Donald Trump; Target pulls some Pride merchandise after blowback; and music legend Tina Turner dies at 83 were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Industry News

Save AM Radio in Cars Campaign Wins First Round

After Ford’s Tuesday announcement that it is reversing its previous course and will not eliminate AM radios from its gasoline vehicles in 2024, supporters of the campaign are enjoying a victory lap. Ford said it would make AM radio available in all gas vehicles in 2024 and will make upgrades available for owners of 2023 electric vehicles who want an AM radio. This comes on the heels of a bi-partisan, bi-cameral bill filed by congressional leaders in Washington that would give the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration authority to require AM radios in new vehicles at no additional cost, citing safety for citizens, access to foreign language programming and more. Ford is not the only auto manufacturer to announce phasing out of AM radio in gasoline and electric vehicles and proponents of AM radio are saying this but one battle in the war to save AM radio in vehicles. TALKERS magazine publisher Michael Harrison appeared on FOX News Channel to talk about the issue. See the video of his appearance here.

Industry News

Portland’s “The Game” Renews with Host John Canzano

Alpha Media’s sports talk KXTG-AM, Portland “750 AM The Game” extends its partnership with “The Bald Faced Truth” hosted by John Canzano. Canzano, who has been with the station since its launch in 2007, says,im “I’m thrilled with the momentum we have and love our team. We get the best guests and the in-depth reporting and commentary sets the show apart. But, more than anything, it’s three hours of fun. I love that the show serves as an escape for listeners.” Station content director Keith Abrams states, “‘750 The Game’ is very fortunate to have John Canzano and ‘The Bald Faced Truth’ as part of the team! He IS the voice of truth regarding the Ducks, Beavers, Trail Blazers, the Pac-12 and all things ‘sports!’”

Industry News

Spotify Tops Edison Research Top Podcast Networks Chart

Edison Research releases its latest ranking of the Top Podcast Networks in the U.S. based on total network reach for Q4 2022 – Q1 2023 among weekly podcast listeners age 13+. They are ranked by the reach of theim producer or network that represents the advertising for the show, not the platform or app that the listener uses to access the podcast. For this period, Spotify, SiriusXM Podcast Network, and iHeartRadio take the top three spots, respectively. Other commercial radio-related networks making this ranker include: Audacy (#8), Cumulus Podcast Network (#10), The Ramsey Network(#25), and Blaze Podcast Network (#28).

Industry News

WTOP-FM, Washington Wins Regional Murrow Award

Hubbard Radio’s all-news WTOP-FM, Washington takes home a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award from the RTDNA in the Breaking News Category for its coverage of the Roe v. Wade decision.  WTOP director of newsim and programming Julia Ziegler says, “This award is one that we really won as team for our collective work as journalists committed to making a difference in our community. We are so honored to be recognized with this regional Edward R. Murrow award.” WTOP now advances to the national round of the competition where it will compete against regional winners from across the country.

Industry News

MIW Announces Mary Zukin is First “Speak Up” Mentee

Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio announces that Mary Zukin, senior sales & marketing executive at Iliad Media Group in Boise, Idaho is the first “Speak Up!” mentee. Created in partnership with Media Staffing Network and Laurie Kahn before her passing, “Speak Up!” is a one-year program designed for one menteeim from any department in a small to medium radio market. MIW says, “The program is designed to encapsulate so much of what Laurie brought to the industry – a mentorship that encourages and empowers women to develop confidence and sharpen communication skills, to hone the ability to effectively speak up in order to further attain her goals.” MIW board president Ruth Presslaff says, “This program will always hold a special place in our hearts as Laurie has left an unforgettable impact on all of us in the industry. We had a number of talented candidates to choose from, so it was a tough decision. Mary’s energy and vibrant character really illuminated our reasons for curating this program and we’re excited to have her as our first inaugural mentee!”

Industry News

Yesterday’s (5/23) Top News/Talk Media Stories

Negotiations between the White House and congressional leaders over the debt ceiling; Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expected to announce presidential bid with Elon Musk via Twitter; Ford announces it will keep AM radio available in 2024 models; anti-Putin Russians attack Russia’s Belgorod region from positions in Ukraine;  the surgeon general issues a report warning of the dangers of social media for children; Donald Trump’s legal battles; and South Carolina legislature approves six-week abortion ban were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Industry News

Ford Reconsiders – Will Keep AM Radio in 2024 Cars and ’23 EVs

According to a report by the AP, Ford is changing its previously announced policy regarding AM radios. Ford CEO Jim Farley states, “We’ve decided to include it on all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles. For any owners of Ford’s EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update.” Reacting to Ford’s earlier decision, U.S. lawmakers rolled out a bi-partisan, bi-cameral bill that would authorize the National Highway Trafficim Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost, citing safety for citizens, access to foreign language programming and more. While Ford’s change of heart takes some of the immediate heat off the industry, there’s no indication legislators won’t continue pushing the legislation. Reacting to the bill, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation called the bill unnecessary and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System sends public safety messages across numerous platforms including FM radio, streaming sites, satellite radios, and cellular networks. Read the AP story here.

Industry News

Audacy Strikes Deal with AMG for New Audio Streams

Audacy and Allen Media Group announce a content distribution partnership that will allow Audacy to launch three new audio streams for AGM properties The Weather Channel television network, Pattrn, and The Weather Channel en Español. The companies say The Weather Channel stream will only be available duringim severe weather events as a live audio simulcast of The Weather Channel television channel. The Pattrn stream will be a daily live audio simulcast of the Pattrn FAST channel, which explores climate, the environment and how the Earth is changing and elevates new voices to imthe conversation. The Weather Channel en Español stream will be a daily live audio simulcast of The Weather Channel en Español network.  Audacy SVP digital audio content Tim Clarke says, “Audio and radio are time-tested, reliable ways for listeners to access critical and potentially life-saving information during severe weather events. This partnership will add a new layer to our best-in-class news content offering while expanding the reach of The Weather Channel’s broadcast weather coverage to Audacy app users across the country.”

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Fisher House Foundation Offers Free Memorial Day Programming

Fisher House Foundation is announcing The Jeff Wyatt Group has a Memorial Day Weekend edition of “The Fisher House Story: On the Road to 100 Houses” for 2023 now available for download at no cost. “The Fisher House Story” is a radio special available in varying lengths for news/talk radio stations as well as a 30-minuteim public affairs show for ALL formats in the U.S. and around the world. Fisher House Foundation provides a home away from home for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. Fisher Houses provide temporary free lodging so families can be close to their loved ones during a medical crisis. The three-hour, one-hour, 25- and 30-minute radio specials are hosted by radio personality Larry O’Connor (WMAL-FM, Washington) and feature stories of our nation’s heroes, the families who serve by their side, and how Fisher House plays a role in their journey. Hear the demo, register, and download today at radio.fisherhouse.org.

Industry News

Katz Named Honorary Captain for Police Charity Hockey Squad

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WRVA, Richmond afternoon drive talk host Jeff Katz (above, left) has been “drafted” by the Prince George Patriots! Katz, a former police officer, was named Honorary Captain of the team of Central Virginia law enforcement officers who play charity hockey games throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Katz, who himself used to play defense, said, “I’m honored to help! While I’m not sure if I will lace up a pair of skates or put on the foil, I will definitely be cheering for my favorite cops on skates!” The Patriots face off against the United States Secret Service team in Richmond on June 3 for a benefit to fight colorectal cancer.

Industry News

Yesterday’s (5/22) Top News/Talk Stories

The negotiations between the White House and congressional leaders over the debt ceiling; the legal battles facing former President Donald Trump; the 2024 presidential race and the entrance of Senator Tim Scott into the GOP primary; reports that a second IRS whistleblower has been removed from the Hunter Biden investigation; the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine; Florida Governor Ron DeSantis versus the LGBTQ community; the three-state pact to reduce use of water from the Colorado River; and the NBA and NHL playoffs were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.