TALKERS 2023 Speakers, Registration, and Hotel Info
TALKERS 2023, the 26th annual edition of the talk media industry’s longest running and largest convention is shaping up to be one of the storied event’s most important installments. The power-packed, one-day event will be presented by TALKERS on Friday, June 2, 2023 on the campus of Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York in association with the prestigious university’s multi-award-winning station WRHU Radio. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison says, “We are delighted to be able to join forces again with our colleagues at
Hofstra – the site of our very successful 2022, 2021 and 2016 events – and enjoy the remarkable resources that its Lawrence Herbert School of Communication brings to the table.” As was the case last year, this event will be held in a COVID-19 compliant environment based upon the circumstances at the time of the convention. TALKERS 2023 will boldly address key issues – some existential – facing the talk radio and talk media industries at this dramatically critical juncture of rapidly accelerating technological and societal change as well as identifying the remarkable opportunities inherent in these developments. It will also provide participants with unique and powerful networking opportunities.
In-person speakers at TALKERS 2023 include (in alphabetical order): Arthur L. Aidala, Esq. founding partner, Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins PC/talk show host AM 970 The Answer, New York; Asa Andrew, M.D., talk show host, the Doctor Asa Show; Vince Benedetto, CEO, Bold Gold Media; Guy Benson, talk show host, FOX News Radio; David Bernstein, director of broadcast operations, TALKERS; Grace Blazer, VP, national NTS brand coordinator, director of news and AM programming Florida Region, iHeartMedia; Phil Boyce, SVP/Spoken Word Format, Salem Media Group; Ops VP, New York Region/ WMCA/AM970 The Answer; John Caracciolo, president/CEO, JVC Broadcasting; Kevin Casey, VP/executive editor, TALKERS; Mark Chernoff, sports reporter, 1071 – The Boss, Livingston, NJ/sports talk talent coach; Heather Cohen, SVP, The Weiss Agency; Mandy Connell, talk show host, KOA, Denver; Tom Cuddy, program director, WOR, New York; Michael Czarnecki, VP/programming, Binnie Media; Kevin DeLany, VP, News & Talk Programming, Westwood One; Spike Eskin, VP of Programming at WFAN, New York and CBS Sports Radio; Jimmy Failla, talk show host, FOX News Radio; Alex Fife, VP, operations, Southeast, iHeartMedia/Total Traffic & Weather Network; Dom Giordano, talk show host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Paul L. Gleiser, talk show host/owner, KTBB-AM/FM, Tyler, TX; Lee Habeeb, talk show host/producer, Our American Stories; Michael Harrison, publisher, TALKERS; Matthew B. Harrison, VP/associate publisher, TALKERS/media attorney; Harry Hurley, talk show host, WPG, Atlantic City, NJ; Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company; Ross Kaminsky, talk show host, KOA, Denver; Jeff Katz, talk show host, WRVA, Richmond; Brian Kilmeade, talk show host, FOX News Radio/FOX News Channel; Kraig Kitchin, president, Sound Mind, LLC; Steve Lapa, president, Lapcom Communications Corp; Josh Leng, CEO, Talk Media Network; Matt Meany, program director, WABC, New York; Mike McVay, president, McVay Media Consulting; Frank Morano, talk show host, WABC, New York; John T. Mullen, general manager, WRHU-FM/WRHU.org, Hempstead, NY; Chris Oliviero, market president, Audacy, New York; David Pakman, talk show host/commentator, the David Pakman Show; Christopher Ruddy, CEO, Newsmax Media; Walter Sabo, president, Sabo Media/talk show host, Sterling On Sunday; Tavis Smiley, talk show host/owner, KBLA 1580, Los Angeles; Todd Starnes, talk show host, the Todd Starnes Show/owner KWAM, Memphis; Doug Stephan, talk show host, the Good Day Show/CEO Stephan Multimedia; Greg Stocker, brand manager, WPHT, Philadelphia; Joe Thomas, talk show host/program director, WCHV – Charlottesville, VA/PD, WRAD, New River Valley, VA; Paul Vandenburgh, talk show host/owner, WGDJ, Albany, NY; Jeff Warshaw, CEO/founder, Connoisseur Media; Lisa Wexler, talk show host, WICC, Bridgeport, CT; Brett Winterble, talk show host WBT, Charlotte; Larry Young, talk show host, The Larry Young Podcast; Michael Zwerling, talk show host/owner, KSCO, Santa Cruz; Martha Zoller, talk show host, WDUN, Gainesville, GA. More will be named in the days ahead.
Attendance at the conference is limited to members of the working media and directly associated industries as well as students enrolled in accredited learning institutions. All attendees will be required to register in advance on the phone payable by credit card. Attendance will be limited, and the conference is again expected to be an early sellout.
The all-inclusive registration fee covering convention events, exhibits, food, and services for the day is $379. Take advantage of the early bird fee of $329 available until 5:00 pm ET on Friday, March 31. Because space will be limited and a sellout is anticipated, all registrations are non-refundable. The recommended nearby hotel is the Long Island Marriott at 101 James Doolittle Blvd., Uniondale, NY. For room reservations click here. To register for TALKERS 2023 or to obtain sponsorship information, call Barbara Kurland at 413-565-5413.
The second of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s February PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Washington, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San Diego, Tampa, Denver, Baltimore, and St. Louis. Nielsen’s February 2023 sweep covered February 2 – March 1. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Washington, DC, Cumulus Media’s news/talk WMAL-FM adds four-tenths to finish the survey with a 3.8 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) but remains ranked #7, while Hubbard Broadcasting’s crosstown all-news WTOP-FM jumps eight-tenths to an 8.6 share lifting it to the #2 rank. iHeartMedia’s news/talk WRKO, Boston rises four-tenths to wrap the survey with a 4.1 share good for the #9 rank, while sister all-news WBZ-AM falls seven-tenths to finish with a 4.6 share that leaves it ranked #6 in the market. In Seattle, Bonneville’s news/talk KIRO-FM sheds seven-tenths to close with a 5.4 share that moves it from the #2 rank to #5, while Lotus Communications’ crosstown all-news KNWN-AM/FM falls 1.2 shares to finish with a 4.3 share and falls from #3 to #9. 
entrepreneur Pat Costa. Halper is also receiving the Hall of Fame Pioneer Award, given “to individuals who have distinguished themselves over decades for lasting contributions made to the broadcast industry and through a leadership role in their particular craft.” Other inductees are WCVB-TV, Boston sports anchor Mike Lynch, the late and beloved WHDH-TV videographer Therman Toon, late WBZ-TV reporter Bill Shields, and WBZ Radio’s heralded news reporter and “poet laureate” Carl Stevens.
Communications Partners LP, a 39-station group which he later sold to Cumulus Broadcasting in 2000 for $258 million. At this time, he pioneered notable progress in integrating legacy media with emerging digital technology. In 2004, he formed Connoisseur Media which now operates 13 radio station brands and digital assets in five markets. Highly respected and celebrated industry-wide for his outspoken candor and bullish approach to radio station ownership, Jeff Warshaw serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Broadcasters, the executive committee of the Radio Advertising Bureau, and is chairman of the Nielsen Audio advisory council. Harrison describes Warshaw as “one of the most knowledgeable, emerging forces to be reckoned with among radio industry leaders.”
Christopher Ruddy founded Newsmax in 1998 to publish online and offline content in the fields of news, politics, health and finance. Newsmax.com ranks consistently as one of the country’s most-trafficked news websites. Newsmax TV, a cable and over-the-top media service news channel started in 2014, has shown remarkable growth becoming one of the nation’s leading television news and political opinion sources. Newsmax recently entered the field of talk radio with a syndication arm and is reportedly exploring expansion into radio station ownership. As a journalist, Christopher Ruddy previously worked at the New York Post and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. He was also awarded a Media Fellowship at the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford University. He holds a BA summa cum laude in history from St. John’s University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the London School of Economics. Harrison describes Ruddy as “a key player in emerging 21st century media.”
commentators as well as up-and-comers. Trader tells TALKERS he “honestly believes AUN is one of the fastest growing TV and streaming networks in the country.” He states, “Now it is time to expand once again. Our goal is to be broadcasting in every major market in the next two years! This is maybe where an ambitious, hard-working manager can become part of this dream. I am looking to develop a management team to make it happen. If a candidate has expertise in managing finances and accounting, recruiting, human resources, overseeing and developing technologies, as well as creating company policy, sales and marketing, then such an individual might be looking for the challenge of a lifetime.” Trader continues, “I am looking to work with conservative/faithful, passionate ideologs like myself who are concerned with the direction our great republic is heading and want to return it to the Judeo-Christian, faith-based patriotic roots our founding fathers created! Here is the catch: all our progress and success has been achieved on a very tight budget! In fact, we cannot offer salaries. What we can offer is incentives for those who produce to be rewarded.” Interested candidates can contact Rick Trader, president/CEO, AUN TV Network at 
production companies and independent producers. For 2023, Podcasts dominated the Shortlist with the Grand Jury advancing 105 Podcast entries to the next round. Podcasts engaged listeners with entries in multiple categories including Drama, Comedy, Sports, Entertainment, Series, Technology, News Business, and Social Justice.” Also NYFestivals announces that new for 2023, the National Press Club Award will go to the highest scoring entry in the news program categories Best Coverage Of Breaking News Story, Best Coverage Of Ongoing News Story, Best Nonfiction Series and News Podcast. The winner will be announced during the New York Festivals 2023 Storytellers Gala virtual event on April 18. 
including physical and mental wellness, nutrition, positivity, and the motivation seniors and families need for leading healthy and active lifestyles. Chen says, “We hope to reach a wider audience and help shed more light on important topics regarding physical fitness, mental health, and wellness that matter most to seniors as we continue to roll out podcast episodes now and into the future. We’re proud to be a part of a great network of people who are like-minded and dedicated to providing the best content online for a demographic that we feel is underserved, and we are looking forward to helping that change.”
businesses of high-profile radio and podcast personalities as well as production companies. He also serves as a strategic advisor to Oxford Road, a media placement agency specializing in audio advertising, with a focus on podcasts and audio integrations. The nine-year-old agency is a leader in the audio space on behalf of more than 50 clients. Kitchin also serves as chairman of the National Radio Hall of Fame to which he was appointed in 2014. Since assuming the role, he has reinstituted national public voting for two of the six categories of induction and has doubled the voting participant panel. Under his leadership, more than 75 radio icons have been inducted. Prior to launching his own firm, Kitchin was one of the founders of Premiere Radio Networks, Inc., in 1987. The company grew to be the number one radio network in the country syndicating 90 radio programs and services to more than 4,600 radio affiliates, reaching 190 million listeners weekly. He started as executive vice president of sales and by 1998 at the age of 37, he assumed the role of president/COO, one of the youngest in the country to run a $300 multi-million-plus radio company. During his 10-year tenure at Premiere, Kitchin directed and oversaw all talk and music programming and services featuring the nation’s most popular personalities like Limbaugh, Delilah, Jim Rome, Glenn Beck, Casey Kasem, Bill Handel, Ryan Seacrest, Bob (Kevoian) and Tom (Griswold), Steve Harvey, Whoopi Goldberg, Blair Garner, George Noory, Maria Bartiromo, Jim Cramer, Matt Drudge, the late Art Bell, Donald Trump, Bob Costas and others. In addition, he supervised Premiere Radio’s other properties: Mediabase 24/7, the industry’s leading music monitoring service, MJI Programming, and FOX Sports Radio. Kitchin started his career in station management at WFMK-FM in Lansing, MI, and KTYD-FM in Santa Barbara, CA before serving as sales manager of the Katz Radio Group Network in Los Angeles. Kitchin will be one of 60 industry leaders speaking at TALKERS 2023. For more information, see story below.
notable exceptions. Thom Hartmann is one of the leading examples of a progressive talk radio host operating successfully within the commercial arena. Year after year, going back well over a decade-and-a-half, TALKERS has ranked this political thought leader among the top 10 in its annual list of the 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts In America – the Heavy Hundred. Hartmann is also the prolific author of more than 35 books on politics, the environment and social issues. He puts out a daily multi-distribution point program heard on commercial broadcast radio, non-commercial public radio, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, streaming services, mobile app, cable radio and subscription and ad-supported podcasts. The show is also seen on Free Speech TV, and YouTube. Harrison and Hartmann discuss a variety of modern media-related issues and phenomena including the host’s liberal perspective on the current blockbuster Donald Trump indictment drama. Not to be missed. 
my original idea for over two years now on my national radio and TV shows. Then Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene picked it up and ran with my idea.” Root says the idea is to build a “parallel conservative patriot economy” consisting of conservative-owned businesses and his book lays out the plan. Root adds, “My co-author Nicky Billou (an Iranian immigrant) and our team of researchers spent over a year researching and identifying the 123 most patriotic companies in America to buy from and to invest your savings and retirement accounts in (some are publicly traded).” 
Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? YES.
It is an unpredictable thing, this news cycle that drives the headlines.
Hains had to step away from his hosting duties after being hospitalized by a life-threatening case of West Nile Virus. Ladd – the longtime voice of the Missouri State Lady Bears – has been hosting the show in his absence and is now joined by Weber. Zimmer operations manager Don Louzader says, “I can’t think of a better team to carry the torch for Art Hains than Tom and Logan. Tom has a tremendous amount of knowledge of the local, regional and national sports scene and has broadcast just about every sport in the Ozarks. Logan has shown a tremendous passion for sports here in southwest Missouri and will be a great complement to Tom on the show.” At the same time, the station announces that “The Sports Reporters” host Ned Reynolds is being joined by co-host Scott Puryear as the show moves to the new time 7:00 am to 9:00 am weekdays. Reynolds and Puryear worked together on the show from 2000-2011. Louzader says, “The boys are back in town and our listeners are in for a real treat when Ned and Scott get behind the microphone together.”
Bloomberg Radio is distributed and repped by Key Networks. The “Bloomberg Black Business Beat” is hosted by journalist Justin Milliner and topics addressed range from the latest trends in Black-owned businesses and profiles of Black entrepreneurs, to a continuing look at diversity in the workplace and an inside look at the business of entertainment. Bloomberg Radio Syndication head Michael Lysak says, “‘The Block’ is such an important part of the soundtrack of New York City. We are proud to be a part of it. Justin Milliner does a masterful job of sharing stories of vital importance to Black Americans, without The Block’s music missing a beat. Here’s to Audacy for recognizing that reports like this don’t interrupt the programming – they enhance it.”
consecutive months as the top news brand with multiplatform views and two straight years as number one with multiplatform minutes. While FOX News Digital – as well as NYTimes.com – still lags behind CNN.com in multiplatform unique visitors (97.4 million to CNN.com’s 117.7 million), it has improved 23% in that category since February of 2022 while CNN.com is down 8% during that period.
Oh, excuse me, hold on. Here it is! The hourly report from quasi research companies or real research companies like Nielsen declaring that radio is just fine, thank you! Massive surveys (choose one) reveal that radio works! Radio appeals to younger demos! Radio moves product! Radio has more listeners in AM drive than the “Tonight Show” has viewers! A landslide of data proves that after 100 years of success, radio is a viable medium.
accomplished recipients. Jim’s 60-year career in radio as a DJ, news reporter and then as one of the all-time great talk show hosts was impeccable. He stood tall as a giant among us displaying journalistic integrity, on-the-job dependability, remarkable longevity, stunning talent, and unconditional goodwill to his fellow broadcasters as a mentor and a colleague.” Bohannon passed away on November 12, 2022 after a brave battle with esophageal cancer performing on air as best he could to almost the very end. The award will be presented at the forthcoming TALKERS 2023 on Friday, June 2 at Hofstra University along with The Gene Burns Memorial Award for Freedom of Speech, The Judy Jarvis Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievements by a Woman (Woman of the Year), and The Sharon L. Harrison Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service (Humanitarian of the Year). The recipients of all four awards will be named within the next few weeks. 
help retirees make sensible financial decisions in retirement. Armuth says, “Today’s investors deserve to know that investing is simple, affordable, and accessible to all! Collaborating with Senior Resource was a no-brainer for me because our missions are so similar. My podcast is dedicated to empowering and educating retirees on personal finance and investing, and Senior Resource helps me share this message with a broader audience. I’m thrilled to see my podcast has reached listeners from all across the country, and I remain steadfast in my commitment to giving real people the knowledge and tools they need to better understand investing and their finances in retirement.”
archives via an independent auction house and paid more than $600,000 for it. The Tribune quotes Beck saying on his radio show, “Roe vs. Wade is history, and now that history is in the hands of a pro-life conservative.” He also says “Coffee’s archives will debut this summer as part of an exhibit called ‘The Blueprints of Freedom,’ adding, “The Roe archives’ inclusion in the exhibit will underscore Coffee’s bloody legacy that has been undone in the service of life and the proper reading of the Constitution.” 
‘Stuff You Missed in History Class’ podcast, Holly Frey; and esteemed journalist, author and co-founder of Pushkin Industries, Malcolm Gladwell, joined with today’s biggest marketers to explain why podcasting is growing rapidly and how brands need to adapt, invest and create audio advertising that resonates with podcast fans.” iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group CEO Conal Byrne says, “Podcasters are the most creative, fastest-growing, diverse wave of influencers to hit content and marketing in years – just as influencer marketing more generally was becoming a key new way to reach audiences. This event came together because our podcast creators are deeply invested in the brands and advertising that become part of their shows, that they asked us to give them a chance to sit down with marketers at scale and talk about what makes host-read creative work. What really differentiates podcasting and our iHeartPodcast Network from other mediums is that creators and fans expect the advertising to be endemic to the shows, often voiced by the hosts and authentic to the listening experience. This is a chance to roll up our sleeves and co-create, collaborate and showcase the simplicity, speed and creative potential of podcasting.”
and The New York Post who also served as Nassau County executive from 2018-2021. She’s filled in on the station’s “Cats & Cosby” show. Ernie Anastos recently began producing his twice-daily feature “Positively Ernie with Ernie Anastos” for the station. For this new show he partners with Patricia Stark – a certified personal & executive coach who heads Patricia Stark Communications. Red Apple Media Group CEO John Catsimatidis says, “At 77 WABC, we’re doing radio the way it’s supposed to be…. live, local, and BIG. We got rid of all the brokered weekend programs and we’re replacing them with big-name hosts like Ernie and Laura. I know we’re doing radio the right way because we’re winning!”
Talk show talent, program directors, show producers and broadcast business decision-makers represent the core readership of this publication. Sometimes we are so close to something that we fail to see it for what it really is. That is the case of the “talk show host” in American radio. Michael Harrison refers to the often-shameless targeting of audiences as “the daily dance of affirmation.” I view the daily process of radio talk show hosting at its very core, as “the daily dance of freedom.”
Mandy Connell
insights as a wife, a mom, a foodie, and a self-proclaimed “mediocre driver who never sees the speed traps until it’s too late.” At last year’s national TALKERS convention, she was awarded the prestigious honor – 2022 Talk Radio Industry Woman of the Year. As we are about to celebrate International Women’s Day, Harrison and Connell engage in a candid conversation about the current status of women in talk radio and her experiences being a female in the broadcasting business for more than a quarter century. They also discuss the impact of rapidly evolving 21st century communications technology and the challenges these dizzying changes are imposing on parenting. 
through a bill that is before you now. AM radio stations continue to be the backbone of many communities. They serve their audiences with programming features like news updates, traffic/weather reports, sports play-by-play, and talk programs. In some municipalities, AM radio stations also cater to a specific immigrant community, reaching their listeners with a specific foreign language or other programming elements like music or sports.” They go on to say, “H.R. 1279, as it is written, would make Daylight 
Saving Time permanent, thus impacting AM radio stations’ power and, therefore, coverage in the crucial morning drive daypart. This issue would be even more detrimental during the darkest days of November, December, January, and February, when AM stations would not be at full power until at least 8:00 am. From a programming and revenue standpoint, the morning drive daypart is still one of the most significant dayparts on an entire radio station. It’s the daypart that generates the most amount of revenue and is a cornerstone for the rest of the programming day. AM radio is facing a multitude of challenges. Radio, in general, faces constant headwinds from an ever-changing media landscape. This challenge might likely be the death blow to many AM radio stations. I am confident you don’t want to see that happen. 
hopefully find a donor for his own situation. Auerbach hosts “ArtsBeat,” “On The Mark,” and “Athenaeum Spotlight,” on WCPC-TV 15 and WSKB, Westfield, MA. He’s also the ArtsBeat reporter for Pioneer Valley Radio. Auerbach says people can help by taking any of three steps: 1) becoming an organ donor upon your death; 2) consider donating while you’re alive (get details at kidney.org); and 3) donating to him at Mass General Hospital’s living donors program (