Sabo Sez: Make it Bigger
By Walter Sabo
CEO Sabo Media Action Partners
A.K.A. Walter Sterling
Host, WPHT, Philadelphia
Host, Talk Media Network
When a new restaurant opens, smart owners put the phone on busy so would-be diners believe the joint is hot, packed and hard to get in to. At street fairs we are drawn to merchant booths with long lines. Crowds give us confidence.
My mentor, Ed McLaughlin, as president of the ABC Radio Networks had one dictate when presented with a new idea: Make it bigger.
Last week radio hosted a major event. An event so big that it was covered by all media, except… except… radio and most radio trades. After turning down the Washington Post and The New York Times, the President of the United States gave the longest interview of his tenure to a radio star, Howard Stern. A commercial radio interview. Not NPR. Not MSNBC, not The View. Radio. The president, like hundreds of other leaders and businesses believes radio is the best medium to sell his message.
The president’s choice of medium should now be the first slide on every sales deck of every radio pitch. Today!
The damage of small. Many people in our business sell small and it hurts the industry. It’s easy to be dismissive of the Stern interview of Biden… instead, why not own it? Make it your interview because you share the same playing field.
Smart media executives do everything they can to make their stage seem to earn the largest possible audience. Cable, for example sells “homes passed.” Really. Cable sells the number of homes that can receive the advertiser’s message because those homes have cable. Using cable’s selling logic, radio could win every buyer’s analysis by selling “radios installed.”
About 20 years ago radio sellers started showing their station’s “time spent listening” (TSL) data to media buyers. That is the lowest number. While local TV stations sell their “designated market area” (DMA), radio mines the very tiniest delivery number: TSL
Your website’s first name is WORLD WIDE. Shockingly many radio companies strive to make their website “more local.” Stations have federal licenses dictating that their signal is specifically LOCAL. Your website could turn your station into a world-wide business with pristine world-wide delivery. Rather than grow, many broadcasters fought to have permission to geo-fence their signal, they fought to get smaller.
A major ratings week’s results for FOX News or CNN would get the program director of WLTW, KOST, Z100 or WINS fired. CNN had an average of 601,000 viewers in March. What’s your station’s cume? CNN grossed $1.1 BILLION dollars. They aren’t selling numbers. They are selling their brand: CNN or FOX or MSNBC. Cable networks, all with tiny viewership compared with WCBS-AM, WBZ-AM, or KFI’s cume, deliver ancient demos yet they are grossing a billion bucks by selling their brand and their environment. They sell shows. A show is as big as the seller and buyer can imagine. Imagine bigger.
Put simply: 1010 WINS has more listeners in New York City than the “Tonight Show” has viewers in New York City. There’s your second slide.
Media buyers want a deal. They want radio to bring in the buy. But the CEO of the brand wants an environment for their message that moves product. Your hosts can move product. Your listener can name your hosts, which instills trust and listeners can recall copy points from hosts’ live reads. To an investor, the relationship between your listener and your host is defined as goodwill. Goodwill adds considerable value to your station. Selling the dynamic of listener engagement will justify much higher rates than TSL.
Walter Sabo has been a C Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General and many other leading media outlets. His company HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers. HITVIEWS clients included Pepsi, FOX TV, Timberland, Microsoft, and CBS Television. He can be reached at sabowalter@gmail.com. His nightly show “Walter Sterling at Night” is debuting next week on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, now in its 10th year of success.
as well as conservative talk KTTH-AM morning drive host Bryan Suits. The report indicates that evening host Jake Skorheim moves to PM drive to co-host the 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm “John & Jake” show with John Curley. The evening daypart will be filled by CBS Audio’s “John Batchelor Show.” Taking over the KTTH-AM morning drive daypart from Suits is the syndicated “Armstrong & Getty” show. 
to about 7% of its workforce. Reports of who has been let go are just trickling in but so far some of the people who’ve been let go include (
of $3.5 million for the same period in 2023, “primarily due to the $6 million gain on the sale of an investment in BMI holdings and lower interest expense.” Company CEO Caroline Beasley states, “Beasley continues to advance our core initiatives, which are focused on driving revenue and cash flow, including our digital transformation, revenue diversification and expense management initiatives. We expect digital to account for between 20% and 25% of total revenue in 2024, driven by the ongoing growth and success of our premium content creation and digital services. On the new business front, our dedicated sales teams are leveraging the tremendous audience reach and engagement of our platform to attract new advertisers. In summary, Beasley’s underlying fundamentals – mainly, our local audio and digital platforms and audience engagement – remain strong. We are proud of our teams’ steadfast commitment to delivering exceptional content and services to our listeners, advertisers, online users and sports fans, and remain confident that the actions we are taking to transform our company and strengthen our balance sheet, are laying the foundation for future growth and success.”
(5/11) airing from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm ET. Good Karma Brands founder Craig Karmazin comments, “We are so proud of the work Aaron and Emmett have put in to earn the opportunity for a new national show. Fans are familiar with their voices locally in Cleveland and nationally with their fill-in hosting work. They are a great representation of Good Karma Brands and Cleveland, and their contributions will continue to put the city on the national stage.” The program will also air on “ESPN Cleveland,” ESPNCleveland.com, TheLandOnDemand.com, and the ESPN and The Land on Demand apps. 
with Westwood One Sports. Eaby joined Westwood One as an editor after graduating from college in 1997. He has been an on-site producer for the NFL on Westwood One for 25 years, including 16 Super Bowls and 23 AFC/NFC Championship Games. Eaby has also served as an on-site producer for the network’s NCAA March Madness basketball tournament broadcasts for 23 years. WWO president and Cumulus EVP, corporate strategy & development Collin Jones says, “Our listeners, advertisers, and league partners turn to Westwood One Sports because we deliver consistently outstanding audio broadcasts. With Mike’s experience, passion, and vision, I’m confident he is the perfect person to quarterback Westwood One Sports into its next era.” 
Rogers and producing Olympic-specific episodes from some of iHeart’s existing podcasts. NBCU’s coverage on iHeartRadio’s channels is expected to include Team USA men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, and volleyball, as well as swimming, gymnastics, track & field, and more. iHeartMedia president of business development and strategic partnerships Michael Biondo comments, “We are thrilled to partner with NBCU on coverage of the Paris Olympics this summer and heighten the excitement around this year’s games. As the leading sports audio destination, it’s an honor to be able to provide our platform and our massive reach to bring further awareness and up-to-the minute coverage of NBCU’s broadcast of this year’s Olympics.”
lawmen, exploring law versus crime and hero versus villain, ultimately revealing the rugged path that led to the rise of modern law enforcement. FOX Nation president Lauren Petterson says, “Viewers will feel as if they’ve teleported back to the Wild West as Sean Hannity masterfully bridges the past and the present, highlighting this fascinating era of time.” Hannity will use the true stories of the outlaws and lawmen of America’s past to track the evolution of law enforcement from the Wild West to today. From Butch Cassidy to Bass Reeves to Billy the Kid, Hannity details the men of both honor and infamy, bringing life to the myths, legends, and truths of the time. Hannity comments, “As our viewers know, I am a strong supporter of our men and women in law enforcement and I look forward to spotlighting a period of time that is pivotal in their origin.”
rock WBCN-FM and then on sports talk WBZ-FM, “98.5 The Sports Hub,” will be back on the Boston airwaves “soon.” Shertenlieb exited WBZ-FM last November after his professional relationship with partner Fred Toucher fell apart and Toucher re-upped with Beasley to continue hosting the “98.5 The Sports Hub” morning show. Now, iHeartMedia cuts ties with the classic rock WZLX-FM, Boston morning team of Pete McKenzie and Heather Ford and installs “The Rich Shertenlieb Show.”
showroom on Thursday (5/9) from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Talk show host Alan Stock and afternoon host Sam Mirejovsky will moderate the event that will be free to the public. KXNT brand manager Mark Bonilla states, “As the premier talk radio station in Las Vegas, ‘News Talk Radio 840 AM’ is dedicated to providing a platform for informed discussion and debate by offering voters the opportunity to hear directly from the leading candidates about their visions for the future of the city.”
Audio advantage.” The guide provides data to counter prevailing myths that marketers often believe. Some examples include: 1) the notion that “apps have all the audience” is not true as “ad-supported platforms are key to marketer’s winning and Audacy’s 200 million+ is miles above Spotify (48.6M) and Pandora (41.2M)”; 2) “young people don’t listen to audio” isn’t true as 96% of Gen Z listen to audio daily – with 44% being daily radio users; and 3) “I can’t measure audio” is also false because marketers can “track, measure and analyze 
There is something about 40.
and podcasts are all a part of what we do, so show us what you’ve got. The successful candidate will be responsible for all aspects of programming including scheduling content, coaching on-air staff, station and AM/FM cluster strategy, development of on-air/online promotions and generating associated revenue, oversight and content creation for digital extensions (including streams, websites and podcasts), and have a strong customer service approach towards listeners, staff, & sales. Additionally, the candidate will act as the program director for Legendary News Radio KKOB and KNML The Sports Animal. 
debt exchange and ABL Facility upsize and extension. This is an excellent outcome for the company especially given the generally difficult financing environment for legacy media companies. Specifically, we extended maturities to 2029, reduced the principal amount of outstanding debt by approximately $33 million, obtained attractive interest rates, maintained a structure free of financial maintenance covenants, and increased capacity on our ABL Facility by 25%.” The Exchange Offer means approximately $325.7 million aggregate principal amount of the Issuer’s 6.750% Senior Secured First-Lien Notes due 2026 (the “Old Notes”) were tendered for new 8.000% Senior Secured First-Lien Notes due 2029 (the “New Notes”) issued by the Issuer. Following the expiration of the Exchange Offer and Term Loan Exchange Offer, approximately 96.8% of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Old Notes and Old Term Loans on a combined basis, were tendered for exchange of New Notes and New Term Loans, respectively.
the chief engineer for Cumulus Media in Fort Walton Beach and Pensacola, Florida. Beasley says Ringer will be responsible for transmitter and studio maintenance, troubleshooting and repairs of the market’s RF systems, maintaining and utilizing Wheatstone and WheatNet for audio routing and broadcasting, and other related duties. Ringer comments, “Having been raised in studios and transmitter sites, I feel that broadcast engineering is in my DNA. My father has been a broadcast engineer for more than 40 years and has taught me most of what I know. I credit him with instilling an unwavering work ethic in me as I watched him work tirelessly through my childhood years. I have been working in radio for more than 25 years and love every aspect of what I do.”
client, Yamanair Creative. James McDaniels moves up from his role as producer to production manager for the Yamanair Commercial Production Team. He will be responsible for assigning, producing, and coordinating spots for clients. Kyle 
Castellani is promoted from writer to head writer for the Yamanair Commercial Production Team. In his new role, Castellani will oversee copywriting and project management for the team. East Coast director of commercial production MJ Bloch says, “We are thrilled to have Kyle Castellani as Lead Writer. His creativity is unmatched, and we’re excited to see what the future brings. James McDaniels has been an amazing producer and voiceover artist for many decades. We are so delighted to have him on the Benztown team in this role. His talent and dedication to his craft are top notch.”
trip to the semifinals in the NCAA Tournament. GKB founder and CEO Craig Karmazin comments, “We are proud to introduce broader coverage of Badgers Volleyball and to create additional avenues for audience expansion. It is an exciting time, and our partnership with UW Athletics will present opportunities for a team that is proven to be best in class both on and off the court.” GKB market manager Greg Scalzo adds, “We are excited to build off of the already established UW Women’s Volleyball brand and enthusiasm surrounding women’s sports to deliver the ultimate listening experience for fans.”
daypart, starting Monday (5/6). KLIF program director Bruce Collins says, “We are extremely excited to add Brian Kilmeade to the 570 KLIF-AM/96.3 FM-HD2 weekday radio lineup, especially as we head into the election season. Brian will be talking each day to the movers and shakers in the political world, keeping DFW up to date. Together with Sean Hannity weekday afternoons from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, we have the national political scene more than covered.” Kilmeade comments, “I am thrilled to be joining a great station with a rich history like KLIF and enter the fourth biggest market in the country. I’m honored to be a part of this first-class lineup right in the middle of this historic election season, and in short order will be in Dallas to meet all the listeners in person!”
(R-VA) will lead the investigation. They say, “NPR is entrusted with Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars. Serious allegations from a then-senior editor who spent decades at NPR reveal NPR engages in viewpoint discrimination and ideological bias that caters to a narrow, leftwing audience. From dismissing all debate over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic to statistics about NPR’s editorial staff significantly skewing to the Democratic party, these allegations are deeply troubling and merit congressional investigation. This hearing will provide Members an opportunity to question NPR’s leadership directly about concerns we’re hearing from our constituents across the nation.” NPR president and CEO Katherine Maher is invited to testify.
after being diagnosed with kidney cancer, worked in the radio industry for 40 years – almost 20 of those years as morning host for WJBC. WJBC states, “Laughlin was a longtime supporter of the Salvation Army, volunteering each year to ring bells and help raise money for the Bloomington non-profit. That included the ‘Cubs vs. Cards’ challenge with his good friend Gary Morefield – and the ‘Scott vs. Scott’ challenge alongside WJBC’s Scott Miller. Last year, the Salvation Army created the ‘Scott Laughlin Spirit Award’ to honor its top fundraisers through the annual red kettle campaign.” Laughlin is survived by his wife Lori.
resources, and encourage people to prioritize their mental well-being. “I’m Listening,” Audacy’s flagship program created on the belief that the power of talk saves lives, is continuously committed to delivering more mental health conversations, resources, and pathways to help over 200 million listeners. The company says, “We are trusted companions and loyal friends to our listeners. We know the power of talk saves lives. We meet people where they are and assure them it’s okay to not be okay. Each year, Audacy activates ‘I’m Listening’ through national campaigns featuring artists, celebrities, and athletes who share their experiences with mental health. Partnering with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), these events help raise awareness and support of issues that we all face in our daily lives. This year’s broadcast will air on Wednesday, September 25 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.” 
National Association of Broadcasters. She said, “AM Radio is important to communities across the country not only because it is a cultural, news and sports oasis that educates the public, but also because it is a resilient lifeline during public safety emergencies. To put it as simply as I can, the foremost reason that Congress should care about AM radio is that it is a lifesaver. No other communications medium has the reach or resiliency of AM radio. A single station can be heard as far as 700 miles away. The signal cuts through buildings and mountains. In remote areas where no cell signal or FM station can be found, AM 
is there. When the power goes out, radio stations can still be found on battery or crank radios, or in your car.” She argued that cell phone notifications alone in emergency situations are unreliable as power outages can affect cell service.