Industry News

Rich Shertenlieb Returns to Boston Radio on WEEI

Audacy’s sports talk WEEI-AM/FM, Boston announces that Rich Shertenlieb will co-host a new afternoon drive show with Ken Laird and Ted Johnson. Shertenlieb most recently hosted mornings on WZLX with Johnson as co-host. Prior to that he co-hosted mornings on WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub” with Fred Toucher for 14 years before an acrimonious parting. Audacy SVP of programming and sports format vice imgpresident Mike Thomas says, “Rich is one of the most dynamic and entertaining voices in Boston media, with a proven ability to connect with audiences across platforms. Paired with Ted’s championship pedigree and insight, and Ken’s deep understanding of the station and its audience, this show brings together a unique combination of credibility, energy and perspective that will resonate with Boston sports fans.” Shertenlieb says, “I’m thrilled to be at WEEI and reunite with my buddy and one of my favorite colleagues, Ted Johnson, and work with Ken to see what we can build together. The station’s connection to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund makes this deeply personal, given the role those organizations have played in saving my wife’s life. I’m grateful for this next chapter and can’t wait to get started.”

Industry News

Beasley Partners with Tampa Bay Rowdies

Beasley Media Group and the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer club are partnering in deal that will see WJBR-AM, Tampa “Florida Alumni Radio 1100AM” serve as the radio broadcast home for all Rowdies matches in 2026. Beasley says Rowdies home and away matches from the USL Championship regular season and Prinx Tires USL Cup are the latest addition to Florida Alumni Radio’s growing portfolio, which already includes football and basketball broadcasts for both the University of imgSouth Florida and Florida State University. Radio broadcasts for Rowdies home matches on Florida Alumni Radio will feature the same crew from the club’s television broadcasts on Tampa Bay 44 – longtime Rowdies play-by-play commentator Drew Fellios, Rowdies legendary goalkeeper and color commentator Jeff Attinella, and sideline reporter Diandra Loux.

Industry News

Marketing Execs Launch Bubbler; Announce Partnership with iHeartPodcasts

Marketing pros Gayle Troberman, former CMO for iHeartMedia and David Alberts, former chief creative officer for Grey London are launching Bubbler Media Group, a “conversation company designed to break the marketing cycle of safe thinking and predictable playbooks.” The company’s press release says Bubbler “is a marketing company designed for marketers by marketers built to spark and scale human conversations as a catalyst for ideas and growth. Through imgprovocative podcasts, unexpected live experiences, and new research, tools and planning solutions, Bubbler is designed to get brands into the conversation in fresh ways.” As part of its launch, Bubbler announces a partnership with iHeartMedia to develop and distribute a slate of original business and marketing podcasts, with more than 10 original podcasts slated for this year. President of iHeartPodcasts Will Pearson says, “The iHeartPodcast Network has always been focused on the new genres and audiences we can reach through this incredible medium – and the ‘business-to-business’ space is a perfect example of that. Creating a slate in podcasting for marketing executives to have meaningful, deep conversations with each other about the world of business and advertising will have immense value for our listeners and brand partners alike.”

Industry Views

TALKERS Books Announces Publication of Playing the Clip: The Digital Media Creator’s Legal Guide to Fair Use

TALKERS Books announces the release of, Playing the Clip: The Digital Media Creator’s Legal Guide to Fair Use, by media attorney (and imgTALKERS magazine associate publisher) Matthew B. Harrison, a work designed for today’s news/talk media environment where audio, video, screenshots, and quotes are not just supporting elements – but serve as the actual content itself. This technique has become particularly prevalent on YouTube and even cable news/talk TV but increasingly appears in audio form as what used to be called “actualities” – sound from another source.

The book introduces and defines what TALKERS identifies as the “Play the Clip” technique: the now-standard practice across broadcasting, podcasting, streaming, and social platforms of presenting the source material rather than merely describing it. Although this practice has become ubiquitous, it leaves content creators and providers vulnerable to legal ambiguity, uncertainty, and consequences.

At a time when creators increasingly rely on third-party media to inform, critique, and engage audiences, Playing the Clip addresses a persistent gap between how content is created and how the law evaluates it. Theimg book explains the legal concept of fair use not as a permission structure, but as a legal defense raised after copying has already occurred – an uncomfortable but essential distinction that underpins the entire analysis.

Rather than offering abstract theory or checklist-style guidance, the book focuses on how courts actually evaluate real-world uses. It examines the operational realities creators face: platform incentives, inconsistent enforcement, monetization pressures, and the false sense of security created by what “everyone else is doing.”

The central premise is straightforward: infringement is the starting point, not the conclusion- and fair use, when it applies, is the justification that must be built from there.

Playing the Clip is now available:

  • Print Edition (Amazon): $24.95
  • Kindle Edition (Amazon): Limited-time promotional price of $1.00

Free to TALKERS subscribers

In addition, TALKERS is making the book available at no cost to its readership for a limited time.

Below is a form just for TALKERS readers. Just submit your email address to receive access to a free digital copy, available in either EPUB or PDF format, depending on preference. This offer is intended to ensure that working media creators -regardless of platform or budget – can access the material during its initial release window. To receive a free book, please click here.

Industry Views

NAB Show: Hot Digital Trends: What to Know About Video, Podcasts, AI

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgMy notes from a real useful session with Amazon’s Andy Slater, Audacy’s Michael Biemolt, and YouTube’s Neha Taleja, moderated by WTOP’S John Wardock.

Video trends: 

  • Internet Advertising Bureau: Digital video revenue is strong, +25.4% year-over-year.
  • “It’s an accelerant” to podcasting. “Multi-modal engagement finds your audience where they are.”
  • Adding video to audio work builds trust. When they see the-face-behind-the-voice, they know you more.
  • “You’ve likely created the bulk of the content.” Adding video, “you’re repurposing.”
  • Low cost of entry. “You have an iPhone, buy a tripod.”
  • 233 million Americans have at least one smart TV, another distribution channel.
  • To be smart TV-friendly: solid lighting, quality mic, upgrade camera, catchy graphics/colors, make-up.
  • What makes someone click? Thumbnails!
  • NOT doing video is “a lost opportunity.”

Podcasts:

  • Podcast Time Spent Listening recently eclipsed Spoken Word radio TSL.
  • 58% of Americans are monthly podcast consumers.
  • “Audio + Video = podcasting in 2026.”
  • Service used most for consumption: YouTube 39% — Spotify 20% — Apple Podcasts 11%
  • “YouTube [#2 search tool, second only to owner Google] is a podcast discovery engine.”
  • IAB: 2025 podcast revenue: $2.9 billion.
  • “If you’re a radio station, you’re already in the audio business.”
  • Cannibalizing radio listening? No. “Your audience wants to spend time with your talent. Make it more convenient.”
  • “Podcasting was in ‘the training mode.’ Now it’s ready to run a marathon.”

AI trends:

  • Check out new YouTube AI tools! Among features: A/B testing thumbnails.
  • See also: OpusClip, Headliner, Descript, VivIQ, Riverside.
  • AI apps can translate work to other languages.
  • “Use it to save manhours. You have a very smart [virtual] intern.”

During Q+A, I asked: “You’ve given us some real useful ‘Do’s.’ What are the ‘Don’t’s?”

  • “Nonauthentic content”
  • “Anything forced, unnatural”
  • “Not listening. Losing connection with your audience.”
  • “Be careful with sports betting content, which dates quickly, short shelf life.”

If you missed any of this week’s NAB Show updates, click here.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

Industry News

Jeff Katz Recognized for 10 Years of Blue Friday Award

imgWRVA, Richmond afternoon drive host Jeff Katz (right) is pictured here with Richmond city council member Reva Trammel (left), while being recognized on the 10th anniversary of Katz’s Lieutenant Jan McTernan Blue Friday Honor Award. Katz, a former police officer, has been honoring Central Virginia law enforcement heroes on the final Friday of each month. The award is named in memory of Janice Ann McTernan a retired, longtime veteran of the Richmond Police Department.

Industry Views

NAB Show: AI in Action — What Radio Must Know Now

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgLenawee Broadcasting president Julie Koehn didn’t sugarcoat it: “We have [competitors] that steal our news.” And she meant literally – lifting her station’s local reporting and republishing it.

It’s an age-old problem accelerated by new technology. 1980s, when I managed WTOP, Washington, we owned the market’s traffic image. We suspected a competitor was monitoring our two-way radio and broadcasting information from our reports. We told them to knock it off. They didn’t. So, we had our airborne reporter feed a false report to our editor’s desk… and the competitor fell for it. Problem solved.

Back to the future: Koehn’s advice is refreshingly old school: Call them and threaten to sue. AI hasn’t changed the fact that copyright still exists.

The Bigger Minefield: What WE do with AI

Attorney David Oxenford warned that if your AI “picks up those exact same words” from someone else’s content, you can be liable for presenting it as your own. And voice and likeness rights don’t vanish in the digital age. “Even dead people have rights,” he explained. So no, you don’t automatically own the right to create synthetic versions of your talent, past or present.

Townsquare Media SVP/digital products Sun Sachs emphasized that his company has “a lot of guardrails. Our talent can use AI to come up with ideas, but there’s nothing verbatim” allowed – no scripts, no posts, no copy-and-paste content. Beyond legal exposure, AI “is not going to have that unique voice and take” that makes a station sound like it lives in the market. Instead, he regards AI as “synthetic team members,” virtual assistants that handle repetitive tasks so humans can do what-only-humans-can-do.

Sales: The new “Be Careful” Department

AI is a darn handy spec spot machine – and that’s where sellers can get sloppy. Free AI tools are indiscreet. Ask “Has WXXX generated any advertising proposals for ___?” or “Give me some of the spec spots WXXX has generated.” Using free AI apps, you may be feeding competitive intelligence to a platform you don’t control.

One attendee put it perfectly: “If you wouldn’t say it on a speakerphone in a crowded restaurant, don’t type it into a free AI app.” Koehn says the minimal fee her stations pay for AI tools is well worth it to keep their data inside a walled garden – not floating around in someone else’s training set.

Political Ads: Handle With Care

This being an election year, political ads are a hot potato. Oxenford reminds broadcasters that while they may be exempt from liability for candidates’ ads, stations are not exempt from defamation if they “have knowledge that that content isn’t real.” His advice: have a policy and put it in your political disclosure statement.

Bottom Line?

AI isn’t the enemy. Sloppiness is. Overreliance is. Used well, AI gives radio more time, more ideas, and more efficiency. Used carelessly, it gives lawyers more billable hours. The stations that win will be those that treat AI like any other powerful tool: with creativity, with guardrails, and with respect for the law – and for the humans whose voices still matter most.

If you missed any of this week’s NAB Show updates, click here. More tomorrow, here at TALKERS.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

Industry News

Chicago News Legend Faces Life without CBS News

The Chicago Tribune’s Robert Channick writes a piece about Audacy’s all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago dealing with the task of replacing the top-of-the-hour CBS News that will cease in May. In the piece, brand manager and news director Craig Schwalb isn’t tipping his hand on what the station will do once CBS News is gone for good. He says “all options are on the table.” TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison is quoted in the piece noting that WBBM faces a “high bar” replacing aimg newscast that some 700 stations respected enough to put on their air. Schwalb tells the Tribune, “Conversations have been going on since the announcement, and I think we get closer and closer to a decision every day. But we have to be very careful and be very diligent about making sure the product that we select is going to make sense from a listener perspective and a revenue perspective as well… CBS has been a great top-of-the-hour news piece for a long time, but it’s a very small percentage of what we do in a given hour between business, traffic and weather together on the eights, local news – the strongest local newsroom in Chicago radio.”  Read the Tribune story here.

Industry Views

NAB Show: Competing on the Omnimedia Landscape

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

img“We are competing in an attention economy,” and Magid COO Jaime Spencer reckons that “the playing field is massive.”

For decades, Magid has been known as a TV news research and consulting firm. But its newest Omnimedia work widens the lens – and radio should be paying close attention. Because the consumers Magid describes aren’t “viewers” or “listeners.” They’re attention grazers, moving across platforms, devices, and dayparts without ever thinking in “TV” or “radio” terms. And that shift changes our game.

Magid’s core point lands hard: We no longer operate in a content economy. We operate in an attention economy. Radio isn’t competingimg with the station across town anymore. It’s competing with 50,000 news brands, nearly half a million podcasts, and an infinite scroll of feeds that never sleep.

And here’s the kicker: the audience doesn’t distinguish platforms – only relevance. They follow whatever captures attention in the moment. If your brand can’t travel across social, smart speakers, mobile, and on air with a consistent voice and value, you could be invisible to the modern consumer.

Spencer also flags a new disruptor: AI as a news gateway. “17% of people now discover news first on AI platforms – higher than push alerts and newsletters. Considering that platform didn’t exist two years ago, that’s a big number.” That’s also a flashing red light for radio. If AI becomes the first stop for facts, radio must become the first stop for context, clarity, and humanity – the things AI can’t localize, empathize with, or improvise.

“Consumers are overwhelmed.” They’re juggling nearly six streaming services and still feel behind. That’s an opening. Radio’s superpower has always been curation – a trusted voice cutting through the noise. In an Omnimedia world, that skill becomes a premium product.

Finally, Magid’s emotional driver research reinforces what great programmers already know: passion beats function. Utility alone (i.e., “Breaking News”) won’t hold audience. Emotional gravity will. “Consumers are looking for comfort and affirmation.” Per Magid’s Trust Index research: Public media outlets like NPR perform strongly, while polarizing figures such as Glenn Beck, Rachel Maddow, and Sean Hannity also rank in the top quartile, skewed by affirmation of audience beliefs.

The bottom line? The Omnimedia consumer is already here. Radio wins by being the most human, most local, most emotionally resonant voice in a chaotic media diet – not by being “radio,” but by being essential wherever the audience happens to be.

See Jaime Spencer’s deck here.

If you missed yesterday’s NAB Show update, click here. And if you are here in ‘Vegas this week, look for me. Maybe we can grab a cuppa cawfee. If you aren’t here, look for my NAB Show update here tomorrow.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

Industry News

Gregg Bell Returns to KJR-AM, Seattle

Sports media personality Gregg Bell is returning to iHeartMedia’s “KJR Sports Radio” as host of the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon program. This comes a week after talk host Marc James exited the station. The new program, “The Gregg Bell Show with Christopher Kidd” leads into “The imgIan Furness Show,” which moves to an earlier start by an hour. The Seattle Times notes that Bell has covered the Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune since 2014, and Kidd is an executive producer with KJR who co-hosts the “Seahawks Man 2 Man” podcast. Bell comments about working Kidd, saying, “We have great rapport. I value his input. He’s a Seattle kid, born and raised, and a Coug. He’s a little younger than I am, so that gives another perspective.” See the Seattle Times’ coverage here.

Industry News

WWO: Guidelines for Using AI to Build Your Media Plans

Today’s blog post from Cumulus Media | Westwood One’s Audio Active Group addresses the use of AI by local advertisers to inform their media plans. Cumulus president of operations Bob Walker says that use of AI is fine but there are “some watchouts and best practices to consider.” Heimg offers these tips: 1) Be exact: The more specific the language used, the more accurate the response; State a desired outcome like “grow awareness”, “increase sales”, or “expand my customer base”; 2) Use reputable sources within search queries to get accurate information; 3) Take careful note of sourcing and dates: Don’t take data at face value without checking it; 4) Understand that AI platforms are different: Results will vary depending on the platform; and 5) Expect responses will change: Lots of factors impact the AI answers so read them carefully. See the full blog post here.

Industry News

Bob Kevoian Dies at 75

“The Bob & Tom Show” co-founder Bob Kevoian died on Friday at the age of 75 after a three-year battle with cancer. With partner Tom imgGriswold, the two launched The Bob & Tom Show in 1983 and the WFBQ, Indianapolis-based program took off, going into syndicated in 1995. The program, still led by Griswold, is heard on some 100 affiliate stations. Kevoian retired from the show in 2015. Kevoian went public with his cancer diagnosis in 2023 and launched “The Bob & Cancer Show” podcast with his wife Becky and Whit Grayson.

Industry News

ABC News and SiriusXM Partner for Two Channels

SiriusXM and ABC News are collaborating on two new channels for the satellite service. The ABC News Live channel delivers around-the-clockimg coverage of breaking news across the United States and around the globe. The 20/20 True Crime channel will launch in the coming weeks and will be a nonstop destination for in-depth storytelling from 20/20 and ABC News. The channel will feature award-winning narrative podcasts, full episodes of 20/20, installments of 20/20: The After Show, and curated cases from the 20/20 True Crime Vault.

Industry News

Talk Radio News Pro Chris Barnes Dies at 66

Former radio host and news director Chris Barnes died on April 14 at the age of 66 from a blood infection that led to live and kidney failure. Syracuse.com reports that he posted a video to Facebook hours before his passing at Reading Hospital in West Reading, Pennsylvania, saying, img“I had a good run. I spent every cent I ever made… I would have rather saved some, but you can’t take it with you. I love you all. Thank you so much.” Barnes began his radio career in the 1980s at WEOK-WPDH in Poughkeepsie, followed by a nearly four-year run as an afternoon news anchor and reporter for WGHQ-WBPM in Kingston. He served as morning news anchor and news director for WSYR, Syracuse; worked at “All News 99.1 WNEW” in Washington, DC, as well as with USA Today Channel on SiriusXM in Washington; FOX News Radio in New York; and The Blaze Radio Network in Washington. DC. See the Syracuse.com obituary here.

Industry News

Bankruptcy Court Approves Cumulus’ Plan of Reorganization

The next step for Cumulus Media in its Chapter 11 reorganization is the Federal Communications Commission after the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas yesterday (4/15) approved itsimg previously disclosed Plan of Reorganization. Cumulus Media president and CEO Mary G. Berner says, “When we initiated this prepackaged restructuring in March, we did so with a clear objective: to right-size our balance sheet to support long-term success. The court’s prompt approval of our plan keeps us firmly on track to eliminate approximately $600 million in debt and positions us to emerge with a significantly stronger financial foundation. We look forward to completing the restructuring and emerging as a well-capitalized company, better equipped to compete in the evolving audio landscape.”

Industry News

Philadelphia to Be Prominent in Beasley’s America’s 250th Initiative

Beasley Media Group announces that in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, its Community of Caring Initiative will roll out across on-air, digital, and in-car platforms, leading up to the historic milestone with Philadelphia playing a key role as the birthplace of American independence. The company says that as part of the initiative, stations will air public service announcements multiple times daily, ringing to lifeimg the defining moments of 1776 – from the leadership of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to the actions of the Continental Congress and George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware. These messages will be complemented by live and recorded interviews throughout 2026, featuring special guests sharing stories and perspectives tied to America’s founding and evolution. Beasley chief communications officer Heidi Raphael adds, “At this pivotal time in our nation’s history, Philadelphia holds an especially unique and powerful place in telling America’s story. Through our Community of Caring Initiative, we’re proud to share that story across our platforms – connecting our audiences to the past while celebrating what lies ahead.”

Industry News

Beasley Extends Exchange Offers

Beasley Broadcast Group extends its Tender Offer Settlement Date and the Exchange Offer Settlement to 5:00 pm ET on April 24. The company reports that as of the Early First Lien Tender Date, 100% of the Existing First Lien Notes had been tendered, and the company accordinglyimg accepted $15,899,000 in aggregate principal amount of such tenders in accordance with the terms of the Tender Offer. On March 30, 2026, the company completed the purchase of $15,899,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Existing First Lien Notes pursuant to the Tender Offer. As of 5:00 pm on April 15, 2026, approximately 98% of the aggregate principal amount of the Existing Second Lien Notes have validly tendered in the Exchange Offer and provided consents to the proposed amendments to the Existing Second Lien Notes Indenture.

Industry News

Shapiro Joins CNN as Contributor

Former longtime NPR journalist Ari Shapiro joins CNN as a contributor. CNN says, “Shapiro will bring his distinctive voice and signature wit to CNN’s on-air and digital programming, and will co-host a new video podcast titled, “Engagement Party,” alongside longtime colleague and friend, CNN anchor and analyst Audie Cornish. CNN says that on “Engagement Party,” Cornish and Shapiro will share the culture and ideas they’re engaging with – and why they’re obsessed. It will premiere on Friday, May 22.

Industry News

Beasley Gets Delisting Warning from Nasdaq

On Monday (4/13), Beasley Broadcast Group received written notice from Nasdaq advising the company that it is not in compliance with the minimum stockholders’ equity requirement for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market. The rule requires companies listed on Nasdaq maintain a minimum of $2,500,000 in stockholders’ equity for continued listing. At the end of 2025, Beasley reported a stockholders’ deficit ofimg $49,330,431 – below the stockholders’ equity requirement for continued listing. Beasley now has until May 28, 2026, unless otherwise directed by Nasdaq staff, to submit a plan to Nasdaq outlining how the company intends to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s continued listing standards. If Nasdaq accepts the plan, it may grant Beasley until October 10 to come into compliance. Beasley says it plans to timely submit its compliance plan to Nasdaq but notes that there’s no assurance Nasdaq will accept the or that if it does, Beasley will be able to regain compliance within the period provided.

Industry News

Seaboard to Distribute “Killer Carl” Show

Seaboard Networks announces it is completing a deal to distribute the syndicated political interview talk show, “The Killer Carl Program.” Theimg show is hosted by Carl “Killer Carl” Brown and has been on the air for almost a decade and is part of the John Frederick Radio Network. Seaboard marketing solutions consultant Bob Stei says, “We welcome all shows that affiliates will desire. Carl seems to put his own views and thoughts first, and they are not based on just ideology. That is refreshing.” The program currently airs on stations throughout America including WJFM, Richmond; WJFV, Norfolk; WBRG, Lynchburg; and WLMB, Atlanta.

Industry News

KNBR Renews Flagship Radio Deal with 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers and Cumulus Media sports talk KNBR, San Francisco “The Sports Leader” extend their deal in which KNBR AM/FM serves as the 49ers’ flagship station. Broadcasters Greg Papa and Timimg Ryan will continue calling live 49ers games, as well as pre-and post-game shows. Cumulus regional VP Larry Blumhagen comments, “We at KNBR are tremendously excited to continue this valued partnership with the Niners. We have a wonderful relationship with the organization and its people, and they are truly a partner to us in connecting their fans with all the gameday action they love and demand. We look forward to continuing to provide 49ers fans with outstanding game day coverage on all KNBR platforms from AM/FM to streaming.”

Industry News

WJR’s Jamie Edmonds to Take Leave to Battle Breast Cancer

WJR, Detroit morning drive co-host Jamie Edmonds announces to listeners that she will be taking a leave of absence after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Cumulus Media notes on the WJR website that Edmonds shared the news during the program yesterday, “explaining that her absence from some recent shows had been related to her health and imgtreatment schedule. Edmonds, 42, said the diagnosis came unexpectedly about two months ago and described it on the air as a ‘total gut punch.’ A mother of a young daughter, she acknowledged the fear that followed the discovery but said she is confident in her care team and treatment plan at Henry Ford Health. Edmonds told listeners she has already begun chemotherapy and believes she will get through the process.” Edmonds says her oncologist emphasized the importance of consistent sleep and recovery during chemotherapy. She made clear that the change is temporary and that she plans to remain connected to WJR and its audience as she is able while focusing on her health.

Industry News

Longterm Status of Dark KKAM, Lubbock Unknown

On the first of this month, Townsquare Media requested permission from the FCC to turn off the transmitter on news/talk KKAM-AM, Lubbock due to economic conditions in the market. The company’s filing with theimg Commission states in part, “Due to economic conditions in the market, the licensee was forced to take the station off the air temporarily. The licensee respectfully requests special temporary authority for the station to remain silent. The licensee will promptly notify the Commission when it is able to resume station operations.” Townsquare also operates news/talk KFYO in the Lubbock market. See the Yahoo piece here.

Industry News

Nate Lundy Show Debuts on The Bet in Denver

Audacy’s sports betting station KAMP-AM, Denver “The Bet 1430” announces that the Nate Lundy-hosted show “Mile High Sports” is now airing in the 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm slot. Audacy says, “Lundy has a career imgspanning over 30 years, including the last 16 in Denver. As a seasoned host turned executive, he has built a legacy of excellence that now culminates in his role as president and CEO of Mile High Sports. Today, he directs the pulse of Colorado sports, overseeing comprehensive, multi-platform coverage of Colorado’s major professional sports teams.” Lundy comments, “I’ve spent more than 35 years in radio and television, the last 16 right here in Denver. I am so happy to join Audacy as a local voice, and more importantly, as a local fan. This is going to be a fun ride!”

Industry News

WABC’s Sid Rosenberg Charges Mr. & Mrs. Met as Antisemites

WABC, New York morning host Sid Rosenberg got a lot of traction over an X post claiming proof that the New York Mets’ mascots Mr. & Mrs. Met imgare antisemites. How could this be? Rosenberg posted a video clip of the mascots warmly embracing New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Citi Field, followed by a still photo of himself in a corridor at Citi Field with Mr. Met about 20 yards down the same corridor walking in the opposite direction after, Sid says, ignoring him. It’s unclear at this time if the Justice Department has opened an investigation into the New York Mets. See the video and story on WABC’s website here.

Industry Views

Creators, Commentators, or Publishers: Liability Remains the Same

By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Media Law, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer

imgThe rise of independent, talk show-style political commentary on YouTube has created a new class of media actors who do not see themselves as broadcasters, journalists, or publishers. They see themselves as creators. That distinction is real in terms of identity, tone, and platform. It is not real where it matters most: liability.

The difference exists in how the work is produced and presented. It disappears the moment the content is published.

In practice, these creators are engaging in acts that courts have long recognized as publication. They are selecting topics, framing narratives, editing clips, and distributing content to large audiences. Those decisions are not neutral. They are editorial.

The absence of FCC regulation in this space has created a persistent misunderstanding. Traditional broadcasters operate under a regulatory framework that includes licensing and content restrictions. Independent creators do not. But the lack of FCC oversight does not reduce exposure. It removes one layer of regulation while leaving the core legal risk fully intact.

Defamation law applies equally to both groups. A false statement of fact about a real person that causes reputational harm can give rise to liability whether it is spoken on a licensed radio station or uploaded to a monetized YouTube channel. The standards may differ depending on whether the subject is a public or private figure, but the underlying obligation remains the same: accuracy matters.

There is no YouTube exception. There is no creator carveout. The law does not care how the content was distributed, what the platform calls you, or how you see yourself. It cares who made the statement, who chose to publish it, and whether it was false.

The structure of YouTube content introduces additional risk. Many creators rely on rapid production cycles and clip-based commentary. This increases the likelihood of error, particularly when context is compressed or omitted. Editing choices that seem minor from a production standpoint can materially change meaning, which is precisely the type of conduct that courts examine in defamation and false light claims.

Monetization further complicates the analysis. Revenue from ads, memberships, or sponsorships strengthens the argument that content is commercial in nature. That does not eliminate First Amendment protections, but it can influence how a court evaluates intent and reasonableness.

There is also a tendency to assume that platform norms provide a form of protection. If a piece of content is allowed to remain online, or even promoted by an algorithm, it can feel implicitly validated. That assumption is misplaced. Platform enforcement decisions are not legal determinations. They are business judgments.

The most important point is simple and often overlooked. Liability does not turn on intent. It turns on what was said, whether it was false, and whether reasonable steps were taken to verify it.

The platform may change how content looks. It may change how fast it spreads. It may change who gets to participate.

It does not change the consequences of getting it wrong.

Time passes. Technology and fancy packaging change. Exposure and liability do not. 

Matthew B. Harrison is a media and intellectual property attorney who advises talk show hosts, content creators, and creative entrepreneurs. He has written extensively on fair use, AI law, and the future of digital rights. Reach him at Matthew@HarrisonMediaLaw.com or read more at TALKERS.com.

Industry News

Dr. Murray Sabrin Launches Weekly Podcast

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Noted “public intellectual” and longtime talk media guest Dr. Murray Sabrin has launched a weekly video podcast titled, “Health, Wealth, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”  In it, he interviews experts and colorful figures from the worlds of health care, finance, and politics in addition to sharing his own commentaries. A prolific author, Substack columnist, and public speaker, Sabrin has been one of the most sought-after guests in news/talk media for the past three decades. He is one of America’s most visible experts on libertarianism and free market economics – ideologies that have strong followings within the influential arena of talk radio. Sabrin is emeritus professor of finance at Ramapo College of New Jersey, an associate scholar at the Mises Institute, and a former Libertarian Party standard bearer for governor in the Garden State. He is the founder of a grassroots movement, “Make Americans Financially Independent (MAFI)” – a counterpoint to the present tendency toward runaway, unconstitutional government spending that has led the U.S. to take on trillions of dollars in stifling debt. Sabrin’s guest on the debut installment of the podcast is psychotherapist Joe Sansone. To view the podcast, please click here. To book Dr. Sabrin as a guest, please call Victoria Jones at 917-865-3991 or email: victoria@dcradiocompany.com.

Industry News

BIA Revises Local Ad Forecast; Political Key to Broadcast’s Success

BIA Advisory Services revises its 2026 U.S. Local Advertising Forecast that it first released in Q4 2025 and is now projecting total local ad revenue to reach $184.5 billion, reflecting approximately 8.1% year-over-year growth compared with 2025. Among the reasons for the increase is a stronger-than-expected performance in mobile political ad spend.  BIAimg says, “Political advertising will drive key spending this year. BIA projects approximately $8.4 billion in local political spending, creating substantial revenue opportunities across broadcast television, linear cable, CTV/OTT, radio, and direct mail. While some legacy formats, including print, continue to face long-term declines, others are evolving. Across the market, advertisers are increasingly adopting full-funnel strategies, combining high-reach media such as cable, broadcast, and OOH with data-driven digital channels to drive both awareness and measurable outcomes. Radio also remains a stable local medium, with additional opportunities emerging through digital audio, including streaming and podcasts.”

Industry News

Beasley 2025 Q4 Net Revenue Falls 21.1%

Beasley Broadcast Group reports net revenue of $53 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, a decline of 21.1% from the same period in 2024. For the full year of 2025, net revenue was $205.9 million, a decrease of 14.3% from the full year of 2024. Regarding the Q4 2025 numbers, Beasley says they “reflect persistent weakness in the traditional agencyimg advertising market that was partially offset by the continued expansion of our high-margin, owned-and-operated direct digital revenues. Beasley recorded an operating loss of approximately $230.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to operating income of $7.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, driven primarily by a non-cash FCC license impairment charge of $224.8 million, reflecting the company’s updated assessment of the fair value of its broadcast licenses in light of continued secular pressures on the radio industry, as well as $1.7 million in other operating expenses.”

Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley states, “2025 was a year of meaningful transformation for Beasley. Against a persistently challenging advertising environment — marked by continued secular pressure on traditional audio and the ongoing contraction of agency-driven revenue channels — imgwe made tangible progress reshaping this company for long-term value creation. Our digital business delivered record performance, with digital revenue representing approximately 24% of net revenue, up from roughly 19% of net revenue in 2024, and digital segment operating margins reached record levels as our continued shift toward owned-and-operated and programmatic products gained traction across our markets… Building on this progress, we recently announced a debt exchange transaction with our second lien bondholders, pursuant to which we expect to reduce our second lien debt by approximately 50% and repay roughly $15 million of our first lien debt. Upon completion of the transaction, which is subject to bondholder participation and expected to close by the end of April, we anticipate total outstanding debt will be reduced to approximately $110 million from $220 million today. We believe this transaction will meaningfully strengthen our balance sheet, enhance financial flexibility, and better position the Company to execute on its strategic priorities. Following its completion, our focus will shift toward further deleveraging through EBITDA growth and continued portfolio optimization.”

Industry News

KKOB Unveils the “250 Initiative”

Cumulus Media’s Albuquerque news/talk News Radio KKOB – in celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States of America – announces “250 Flags,” a statewide initiative designed to recognize and honor 250 individuals who make New Mexico stronger every day. The station is asking listeners across New Mexico to nominate someone they believe deserves recognition. Honorees can be anyone, living orimg deceased, known or unknown, in New Mexico who has made a meaningful impact on their community, through service, leadership, sacrifice, or simply showing up when it matters most. On May 4th, News Radio KKOB will begin announcing honorees, with four individuals recognized each weekday, leading up to a culminating event later this summer. KKOB program director Aaron “Buck” Burnett says, “250 Flags is about recognizing the people who don’t always get the spotlight. New Mexico is full of everyday heroes, and this gives us a chance to tell their stories and honor them in a meaningful way.”

Industry News

Jon Patch Celebrates 36 Years of “Talkin’ Pets”

Radio talk host Jon Patch is celebrating 36 years of hosting the CRNimg Digital nationally syndicated weekend program “Talkin’ Pets.” Patch says, “Each week you get a variety of veterinarians and trainers, which keep our show current, fresh, exciting, fun and always new. We are available via satellite, ftp and file, live on Saturdays or delayed any time on your stations and each hour stands alone.”

Industry News

Black Effect Podcast Network Welcomes Winner of “Pitch Your Podcast”

iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s Black Effect Podcast Networks welcome “The Black Mother Wound Podcast” to the network. The program was the winner selected from the “Pitch Your Podcast” booth at the 2025 Black Effect Podcast Festival last year. Podcast hostimg Jennifer Arnise says, “Winning the ‘Pitch your Podcast’ contest was so validating and made me feel like my voice and the hidden stories of Black women really matter. This podcast is a love letter to Black girls who never felt seen or heard by their mothers and feels like getting the best advice from your tough but loving big sister and your drunk bestie. It’s what I wish I would’ve had when I started my healing journey.” The launch comes ahead of the fourth annual Black Effect Podcast Festival taking place April 25 at Pullman Yards in Atlanta where the “Pitch Your Podcast” booth will once again be available for festival attendees. The activation allows creators to pitch their shows to members of the Black Effect team for the chance to join the network.

Industry News

NRG Media Closes on Sale of Nebraska Stations

NRG Media closes on the sale of its Nebraska radio stations to localimg operator Usher Media LLC. The deal includes news/talk KGFW-AM, Kearney and two music brands plus two other music FMs in Hastings and Grand Island. Usher Media is owned and operated by Alan Usher.

Industry News

WHBY, Appleton Updates its Brand

Woodward Community Media’s Appleton, Wisconsin news/talk WHBY says that following a historic year celebrating a century of service to Northeast Wisconsin, it is launching its new brand identity and logo. Woodward says, “The rebranding effort comes on the heels of WHBY’s year-long, 100th-anniversary celebration, which concluded last week. While the festivities honored the station’s deep roots and legacy since 1925, the new visual identity is designed to carry that legacy into a multi-platform future. The new look is encapsulated by the station’s rebrand slogan: Brand New Look. Same Trusted Voice. Woodward Fox Valley market manager B.J. DeGroot says, “We spent the last year lookingimg back at a century of service to the Fox Valley, but today, we turn our gaze forward. After retiring our special 100-year commemorative look, we didn’t want to just go back to ‘business as usual.’ We’re kicking off our second century with a fresh new look that reflects the evolution of WHBY and our unwavering commitment to the next generation of listeners.” WHBY brand manager Alex Thomas adds, “We are excited to usher in a new era of WHBY. Our rebrand represents a new chapter of WHBY and reflects who we are today and where we are heading next. This transformation goes beyond a new logo. It represents our vision of strengthening community awareness, enhancing the way we deliver news and conversation in the Fox Cities and beyond. While our look may be changing, our core values remain the same. Being trusted, local, and community driven remains a pillar of WHBY.”

Industry Views

Sabo Sez: The “Constant Threat” Isn’t Exactly What It’s Cracked Up to Be

By Walter Sabo 
A.K.A. Walter Sterling, Radio Talk Show Host

imgAssessing the hourly threat to the very existence of the medium of radio is a popular hobby among conventioneers. The audience levels for radio are astonishingly constant since 1970, but according to “radio people,” they are living at the edge of a volcano. Spotify radio, SiriusXM radio, Pandora radio, TuneIn radio, Internet radio, there are all kinds of radio! General Motors wants to throw AM/FM radio out of the car as in “do you really need radio in the car?” Radio’s response to the in-car-removal threat is by promising non-stop typhoons and hurricanes.

The actual threats to established radio companies are non-established radio companies. With the death of meaningful on-air competition, a consolidated industry can easily anticipate the strategies of all major “brands” (formerly known as stations). What cannot be anticipated are actions that are a true threat: Outlier owners throwing creative grenades into the sleepy radio ecosystem.

All viable radio formats launched as unanticipated surprises. New formats are greeted with hostility and predictions of doom. All of them. Yes, even adult contemporary. Eventually – or tomorrow – a new format will be deployed by a desperate owner with a handful of stations, an owner with a retailer’s mentality will go for broke with a format – or a series of shows – that will not be anticipated, cannot be duplicated and is not cheap.

See the threat? A true threat will be a new format that successfully attacks the core of dozens – hundreds of established stations, stations owned by venture capital. It will not be anticipated, cannot be duplicated by hundreds of stations and does not “scale” i.e. isn’t cheap. But the new format would be so rapaciously embraced by the public that it would force all other stations to completely change their on-air content and their sales strategies. Imagine the impact of that threat.

Walter Sabo has been a C-Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General, and many others. His nightly show “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He recently began hosting “Another Side of Midnight” weekends on WABC, New York. He can be reached by email at sabowalter@gmail.com or phoned at 646-678-1110.

Industry News

AP Reveals Staff Cuts Due to Customer Base Changes

The Associated Press is planning staff cuts to its U.S. workforce, according to a story from Axios. This is part of a broader restructuring “away from hyper-local print coverage and toward video and national topics,” according to executive editor Julie Pace and global chief revenue officer Kristin Heitmann. It’s not surprising that the AP’s revenue fromimg U.S. newspapers has shrunk, but right now it accounts for less than 10% of total revenue. In fact, “Revenue from that cohort has declined 25% over the past few years, while revenue from tech companies has grown roughly 200%.” The story goes on to note, “Over the past few years, the AP’s business has evolved to become less reliant on local newspaper revenue and more reliant on a broader set of customers, including digital outlets, broadcasters and non-news companies.” See the Axios piece here.