Sabo Sez: Do Your Show
By Walter Sabo
CEO, Sabo Media Partners
A.K.A. Walter M Sterling
Host
WPHT, Philadelphia – daily
Talk Media Network – Sundays
When recently starting nightly on WPHT, Philadelphia, I asked program director Greg Stocker if there was anything else management needed from me. Greg said, “Do your show.”
Since that luncheon meeting his words have sifted through my fevered brain and I realized that at this moment in time, his words were profound: Do your show.
What he did not say:
Meet with sales.
Meet with HR.
Be sure to hit the live reads on time.
Don’t annoy (fill in the blank).
Get all the spots in.
Make sure the studio is clean when you’re done.
David Field listens so be careful.
Meet with sales.
I do my show and nothing else and I’m very happy. The endless whine coming from our colleagues can be traced to ignoring the prime directive: Do your show.
Talk radio is magic, it’s free-form radio. Your music station brethren envy your freedom. They have to call for permission to change the order of pre-programmed songs! You don’t have to do anything which means you can do what you want… which means you can do something great.
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 heard 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.
extraordinary contributions to sports broadcasting for over four decades, notably as one of the first women to cover Major League Baseball. Serving as host for the event will be ABC News senior national affairs correspondent and “20/20” co-anchor Deborah Roberts. AWMF president Becky Brooks comments, “We are honored to have Deborah Roberts, an exemplary journalist and storyteller, host this year’s Gracies Luncheon. Her illustrious career and dedication to impactful reporting epitomize the values we celebrate at the Gracie Awards. Additionally, we are honored to recognize Suzyn Waldman’s pioneering contributions to the industry with the Gracies Lifetime Achievement Award. This event promises to be a memorable celebration of talent and achievement in media.”
Pelicans had been heard on iHeartMedia’s WRNO-FM. Audacy New Orleans SVP and market manager Dan Barron states, “We are honored to extend our partnership with the New Orleans Saints and excited to bring the New Orleans Pelicans into the WWL family. This agreement reaffirms our dedication to providing fans with the best sports broadcasting in the region. We are proud to be the go-to source for Saints and Pelicans coverage and are excited to bring every thrilling moment to our listeners.”
podcast dedicated to telling the stories of the all-time great players who are enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The new program, titled, “The Road to Cooperstown,” debuts on June 8 and airs every Saturday at 9:00 am ET on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio channel. Season one will run from June through October and each week’s episode will feature a long form conversation between SiriusXM host Jon Paul Morosi and a different Hall of Famer.
titled, ‘The Chosen One.’ This song was inspired by the media firestorm across the globe in July 2019 when I said on my Newsmax TV show Trump was ‘like the King of the Jews and the Chosen One.’” Root debuted the song on his Real America’s Voice TV show, “The Root Reaction” and on his Talk Media Network nationally syndicated radio show. Root adds, “In light of this unprecedented persecution, indictments and now unjust conviction of President Trump, this is the perfect song and video, at the perfect time, and the perfect place, to lift the spirits of President Trump and the MAGA world, and to show the world President Trump is on a mission from God to make America great again.” 
and the book, we relied on representations made to us by [producer] Dinesh D’Souza and True the Vote, Inc that the individuals depicted in the videos provided to us by TTV, including Mr. Andrews, illegally deposited ballots. We have learned that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has cleared Mr. Andrews of illegal voting activity in connection with the event depicted in 2000 Mules. It was never our intent that the publication of the 2000 Mules film and book would harm Mr. Andrews. We apologize for the hurt the inclusion of Mr. Andrews’ image in the movie, book, and promotional materials have caused Mr. Andrews and his family. We have removed the film from Salem’s platforms, and there will be no future distribution of the film or the book by Salem.” The statement refers to Georgia resident Mark Andrews, who is suing D’Souza, Salem, and two people involved with True the Vote for defamation. 
Almost everything I know about pricing strategy I learned from domestic airlines. Guess what? Airlines are at it again and I hope you are watching and learning.
million. At the time the deal was announced in February, Saga Communications president and CEO Chris Forgy stated, “We regretted missing the opportunity to acquire these stations a number of years ago when the Neuhoff family acquired them. These stations are a great fit for Saga. We see a lot of opportunity with these stations and this market and are pleased that the family has decided to entrust Saga with continuing these station’s long-standing heritage of serving the Greater Lafayette region. Saga intends to continue building its business in radio by identifying and acquiring middle market stations in dynamic communities.” KALIL & CO., INC was the exclusive broker.
digital. iHeartMedia Cleveland market president Keith Hotchkiss says, “We are delighted to announce the well-deserved promotions of Cindy Hunter and Lauren O’Brien within our sales leadership team. Their exceptional skills, dedication, and vision will undoubtedly propel our market forward and reinforce our commitment to delivering innovative solutions and remarkable experiences for our clients.”
East, the Newscast category for its July 2023 coverage of the Commanders sale and the Overall Excellence category. The WTOP digital team was recognized overall in the Digital category for WTOP.com. Individual awards went to WTOP reporter Matt Kaufax in the Feature Reporting category for his piece on Martin’s Tavern turning 90 and to WTOP associate producer Veronica Canales in the Excellence in Writing Category for her piece on the Dr. Seuss Experience. WTOP director of news and programming Julia Ziegler comments, “Our team’s mission every day is to deliver the latest news to the DC region and help the people who live in our communities. It is a huge honor to be recognized for that work with six regional Murrow awards.” 
commercial radio station in Memphis, Tennessee, featuring a conservative talk radio format. It is the only locally owned news/talk station in the Memphis area. Known as ‘The Mighty 990,’ the station is owned by Todd Starnes via Starnes Media Group, LLC. The station serves the Memphis metropolitan area. KWAM’s studios are located in Memphis, while the transmitter is in Marion, Arkansas. KWAM signed on the air on February 9, 1947.”
Kia Sportage on July 4, 2024. Church explains, “We want to provide our listeners with a good, old-fashioned, fun on-air radio contest with the kind of grand prize that Makes Radio Contests Great Again. Listeners can compete each day during the contest to win a free sweepstakes ticket, or they can purchase discounted tickets in our Founders Tradin’ Post Store by 
over 2022, and that home break-ins to get key fobs are on the rise. New Jersey 101.5 senior political director Eric Scott says, “These are not teens looking for a joyride. Sophisticated criminal enterprises are behind the majority of car thefts in New Jersey with proceeds being used to fund international crime and terrorism.” The program’s panel will include New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik, New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer, and Christine O’Brien, president of the Insurance Council of New Jersey.
What happened to us? Unless we move quickly, the radio business stands to lose the final frontier: in-car listening.
received a notice from Nasdaq for not filing its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, in a timely manner. Urban One has until June 7, 2024, to file or submit a plan to regain compliance. If Nasdaq accepts the compliance plan, Nasdaq may grant the company an extension of up to 180 calendar days from the due date for the initial delinquent filing, or until September 30, 2024, to regain compliance. Urban One states that it is working diligently and expects to file its Delayed Filings on or before June 7, 2024, which would eliminate the need for the company to submit a formal plan to regain compliance.
AI-generated content in political ads; 2) Proposing to apply the disclosure rules to both candidate and issue advertisements; 3) Requesting comment on a specific definition of AI-generated content, and 4) Proposing to apply the disclosure requirements to broadcasters and entities that engage in origination programming, including cable operators, satellite TV and radio providers and section 325(c) permittees. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel says, “As 
artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the Commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used. Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see, and I hope they swiftly act on this issue.” However, Republican Commissioner Brendan
Carr opposes the move, saying, “There is no doubt that the increase in AI-generated political content presents complex questions, and there is bipartisan concern about the potential for misuse. But none of this vests the FCC with the authority it claims here. Indeed, the Federal Election Commission is actively considering these types of issues, and legislators in Congress are as well. But Congress has not given the FCC the type of freewheeling authority over these issues that would be necessary to turn this plan into law. And for good reason. The FCC can only muddy the waters. AI-generated political ads that run on broadcast TV will come with a government-mandated disclaimer but the exact same or similar ad that runs on a streaming service or social media site will not? Consumers don’t think about the content they consume through the lens of regulatory silos. They just view content on screens. Will they conclude that the absence of a government warning on an online ad means that the content must be real? I don’t see how this type of conflicting patchwork could end well. Unlike Congress, the FCC cannot adopt uniform rules.”
witnesses about the importance of having a robust emergency alert and public safety communications infrastructure. Further, rural and underserved Americans still enjoy listening to AM radio broadcasts for their diverse viewpoints. Given AM radio’s significant reach as a medium, much of it taking place in vehicles, we 
must ensure it remains a readily available option for all Americans, particularly as we approach hurricane season.” In response NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt states, “NAB applauds today’s markup and passage of the ‘AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.’ This critical legislation ensures that the 82 million Americans who rely on AM radio each month will continue to have access to diverse programming, local news and essential emergency information. AM radio is the backbone of our Emergency Alert System, providing timely alerts and information during disasters and emergencies, ensuring that critical communication remains available even when cell and broadband services fail.”
be able to alter the course of established radio stations and the marketplace of ideas before the 2024 election or even soon thereafter. Harrison told “America at Night” host Rich Valdés last night (5/22) that radio is far too idiosyncratic an industry – already run by too many people who don’t understand how it really operates – for someone (who also doesn’t really have first-hand experience in the field) to just step in and make drastic alterations to entrenched stations, formats, audiences and sponsors just to make a political statement. Harrison states, “There are more 
expedient uses of his money if that is his main purpose. After all, not all Audacy stations are conservative news/talkers… many are music, sports and a variety of formats. How inefficient such a move would be!” Harrison went on to say that radio is still an extremely powerful and potentially lucrative medium if only its present owners and operators believed in it and invested in its programming and marketing. He encouraged radio broadcasters to understand and believe in the “esthetic of ‘radio’ and not be so anxious to bail out into the utilitarian term ‘audio.’” Harrison and Valdés tied the discussion into the current news about the AM for Every Vehicle Act currently making its way through Congress stating that radio is still a lifeline for service to the community as a place for information, education, and entertainment and that eliminating it from automobile dashboards would be about “five to 10 years premature.” 
“Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show.” Outkick SVP and managing editor Gary Schreier says, “OutKick continues to be authentic, unfiltered, and driven by common sense. We continue to feature topics that most sports sites refuse to cover. Our ability to stand out amongst the rest of the industry is reflected positively by the strength of our numbers every month.” The platform also recently expanded the “Tomi Lahren is Fearless” program from evenings three days per week to a daily show running live at 1:00 pm ET. 
Documentary was produced, directed, and narrated by Jeff Aiello. KMJ program director Blake Taylor also served as a producer for the film. Winners will be announced at the 53rd Northern California Emmy Awards Gala on June 15, 2024, at the San Francisco Hilton. Cumulus Fresno regional VP and market manager Patty Hixson says, “It is a remarkably humbling experience to be a part of this documentary celebrating KMJ’s 100 years of serving the community. I am grateful to have been with this heritage brand since the late 80s. The entire KMJ team is excited to share our story through this documentary – and we’re thrilled that the film has been nominated for an Emmy!” Blake Taylor adds, “When KMJ went on the air, people didn’t have radios. That is one of the great lines from the film that really speaks to me. The longevity, the success, and the impact of KMJ for over a century is really remarkable. To be a small part of that is truly meaningful.”
says that key points for advertisers to know about podcast listeners include: 1) More people than ever are listening to podcasts: 67% of the 12+ population has ever listened to a podcast; 47% of the 12+ population are monthly podcast listeners and 34% are weekly listeners; 2) Listeners are spending more time than ever with podcasts: In 2014, out of the daily time spent listening to all audio by those age 13+, 2% was spent with podcasts. In 2024, that number more than quadrupled and podcasts now account for 11% of daily time with audio. Twenty-three percent of weekly podcast listeners spend 10 hours or more listening to the medium each week; and 3) Podcasts reach all generations: 29% of kids age 6-12, 59% of those age 12-34, 55% of those age 35-54, and 27% of those age 55+ are monthly podcast listeners. 
Duran And The Morning Show,” with a live performance from local singer/songwriter sensation Jackie Romeo, currently a contestant on “The Voice.” BFoA says the mixers serve a dual purpose: to bring together up-and-coming broadcast professionals with their peers and executives; and to increase awareness of the BFoA’s charitable mission. BFoA president Tim McCarthy states, “Our first two Media Mixers were a huge success for young professionals who mingled with executives, and we’re looking forward to another great event. We have an obligation to show young people in radio and television that broadcasting offers successful and fulfilling career opportunities. We also need to help them understand what the Broadcasters Foundation does, why it’s important, and how they can help.” The two-hour event is free, but space is limited, and advance registration is required. 
This week, I started a five-night show on Audacy’s WPHT, Philadelphia. Thank you, market president David Yadgaroff. Because of my tenure in the industry, I received a flattering, humbling number of emails from colleagues in radio. THANK YOU. The support and encouragement are appreciated and certainly needed!
The second of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s April 2024 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Washington, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San Diego, Tampa, Denver, Baltimore, and St. Louis. The survey covered March 28 through April 24. Today, TALKERS managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Washington, Cumulus Media’s news/talk WMAL-FM dips two-tenths to finish with a 4.6 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) and slides back to the #6 rank, while Hubbard Broadcasting’s all-news WTOP-FM loses one-tenth to finish with a 7.8 share good for the #2 rank. In Boston, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WRKO declines one-tenth for a 3.3 share finish and holds steady at the #12 rank, while sister all-news WBZ-AM rises three-tenths to a 4.9 share, yet it falls one spot to the #7 rank. In Seattle, Bonneville’s news/talk KIRO-FM dips one-tenth to a 3.8 share and slides down to the #10 rank, while Lotus Communications’ all-news KNWN-AM/FM loses one-tenth to finish with a 2.4 share and remains ranked #18. 
Indianapolis where Art Vuolo – chronicler of radio history and operator of Vuolo video – fondly remembers him early in his career as “a very popular night DJ at powerful WIBC-AM 1070 in Indianapolis doing his show from a tiny studio atop a Mel’s Drive-Inn style restaurant known as Merrill’s Hi-Decker where listeners would vote for favorite songs by flashing their headlights! He also was Indy’s local Dick Clark with a teen dance show on WISH TV 8 called the RC Cola Rhythm Carnival.” After Indy, Summer landed the late-night show at WBZ in 1963. WBZ says, “His show, ‘Nightlight,’ was known for its humor, along with listeners calling in to give him the ‘password’ of ‘one hen, two ducks, and three squawking geese.’ He would also recite poetry on air.” Summer was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2018 for his work in the industry. He was also known for his TV and radio commercial voiceover work and spent time as a podcast host.