Talk Radio Host Joe Pags Swatted; Armed Police Swarm His Home
Nationally syndicated talk radio host Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo’s home was swatted last week, bringing heavily armed police officers to his home at 2:35 in the morning. Pags recounted the events for his listeners and posted video of the segment to X. In it, says that he’s usually up until 5:00 am and therefore was awake when his cameras app told him there was something outside his house. His
camera app showed the image you see in the photo here – a man who appears dressed as a cop with an AR-15 outside his house. Pags says he quickly called 911, identified himself, told the operator he thought he was being swatted and asked if the police were at his house. After confirming that it was the police, Pags was able to get the officers to stand down and they were assured there was no reason to be there. Pags tells his listeners that the goal of the swatters was to get him to grab his gun and go outside, in which case he likely would have been killed. You can listen to the show segment here.
has ended operations of news/talk KLIK-AM and its translator K278CT. The station ceased broadcasting on March 14. 
There has never been more news. And news has never been more quotable. It costs two-plus cents to make a penny.
addition, net income (loss) improved $26.9 million year-over-year in the fourth quarter, and $32.1 million in the year, in large part due to a reduction in non-cash impairment charges… Our Broadcast Advertising net revenue declined in-line with our expectations for 2024 (mid-single digit ex-political decline) which aligns with our view that broadcast is a mature cash cow business that will continue to face headwinds going forward, as businesses will continue to share shift from traditional advertising to digital advertising. Thankfully, we are often the beneficiary in that case, as we frequently have the most comprehensive set of digital advertising solutions available in our markets. Digital is and will continue to be Townsquare’s growth engine, and we believe Townsquare’s ability to drive profitable, sustainable digital growth is a key differentiator for our company, and consistent with our strategy of being a Digital First Local Media Company.”
music stations and it Christian contemporary format. It sold a number of other assets during the year. While its broadcasting net revenue was $185.9 million, a decline of 6% from 2023, its digital net revenue was $45 million, an increase of 7.2%. Salem was also able to report net income of $16.2 million for 2024, compared to the net loss of $43.3 million it reported for 2023.
unnecessary regulatory burdens. This follows President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14192 titled, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation” and Executive Order 14219 titled “Ensuring Lawful Governance And Implementing The President’s ‘Department Of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative.” FCC Chairman Carr says, “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Administration is unleashing a new wave of economic opportunity by ending the regulatory onslaught from Washington. For too long, administrative agencies have added new regulatory requirements in excess of their authority or kept lawful regulations in place long after their shelf life had expired. This only creates headwinds and slows down our country’s innovators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. The FCC is committed to ending all of the rules and regulations that are no longer necessary. And we welcome the public’s participation and feedback throughout this process. The American people expect and deserve a government that will efficiently deliver great results. We are committed to doing exactly that at the FCC.” 
(pictured here) that aired on the program yesterday (3/13). TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison was among those interviewed for the eight-minute segment called Radio Diaries. Pyne began his career as a disc jockey but after injecting political commentary into his show was encouraged to do more talking and that eventually evolved into the Joe Pyne radio show that the NBC Radio Network put into syndication in 1966. Pyne enjoyed bringing controversial guests – including “hippies, women’s libbers, Scientologists, swingers, a snake charmer, members of the Ku Klux Klan and the John Birch Society.” He then segued to television in Los Angeles. Harrison is quoted in the segment saying, “There were a lot of people that didn’t like Pyne, but they watched him anyway because they thought it was — amusing? Entertaining? Sensational? Different? You know, not boring.” Photo: Everett Collection 
offering a format in which shows use the Rumble Raiding technology to follow one another and carry audiences seamlessly into the next show. Rumble chairman and CEO Chris Pavlovski says, “This is more proof that the content creator community at Rumble is the best place to be, because this new daily lineup will help everyone and be great programming for viewers. Creators in the lineup will build off each other’s audiences, and everyone on the platform will benefit by increased traffic across the board. Unlike the broadcast day on a television network, Rumble adheres to the principles of free speech and these are shows that people actually want to watch.” 
to get back to work, “I am so grateful to be alive. The general consensus was that I wasn’t going to make it and here I am! I am overwhelmed and humbled by your love. I am beyond grateful for those that have stuck by me. My radio family includes my listeners, my dear friends, and the wonderful radio companies that continue to support me. It means the world to me. I cannot wait to get back to hosting “Flashback,” KLOS and SoCal Sound. We were told I might not speak or walk again, and my voice is back, and I am doing five hours of physical therapy a day and my walking continues to improve. There is nothing like my radio community. I love you all.”
for the class of 2025 is Monday, March 31 at 11:59 pm PT. You can visit 
and market manager Tish Boden says, “Team Cumulus Fayetteville is excited to have Gilbert Baez join our team as the new host for ‘Good Morning Fayetteville’ on WFNC News Talk. When you say the name Gilbert Baez in the market it is synonymous with news. I look forward to Gilbert’s success on Good Morning Fayetteville.” WFNC program director Kelvin Culbreth adds, “Gilbert Baez brings a deep desire to report the news and a true sense of devotion to Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, and Cumberland County. He’ll bring his wealth of knowledge about our area and his vast cache of connections. We have heard, ‘Everyone knows Gilbert and Gilbert knows everyone.’ He is the perfect host to carry GMF into the future.”
Thank you, TALKERS for having me on panels at the TALKERS Generations 2025 IBSNYC conference this past Saturday (3/8). Moderator and Philadelphia talk show god Dom Giordano asked us the inevitable: “What is the future of radio?”
follows: For the past 100 years, AM radio has been free for U.S. consumers. “Recently, General Motors and other car manufacturers have spent over $7 million trying to eliminate AM radio. Do not buy a car without AM radio. GM is attempting to influence Congress, making themselves an adversary to consumers. We will publish a list of all House and Senate members who have received money from these lobbyists. Keep AM radio free.”
networks, developing infrastructure, and offering innovative and advanced capabilities.” The Notice goes on to say, “The Communications Act directs the FCC to regularly review its rules to identify and eliminate those that are unnecessary in light of current circumstances, recognizing that in addition to imposing unnecessary burdens, unnecessary rules may stand in the way of deployment, expansion, competition, and technological innovation in communications that the Commission is directed to advance. Government-wide administrative law requires review of rules to ensure that unnecessary—or affirmatively detrimental—rules are not retained.” The public comment period runs through April 15 and the Commission encourages “commenters to consider certain policy factors including cost-benefit considerations, marketplace and technological changes, barrier to entry, and more, as well as statutory and regulatory retrospective review standards.” 
is a mistake. Some of the findings include: 1) In a typical day, ad-supported digital audio reaches less than a third of America while AM/FM radio reaches two-thirds of America. Combined, ad-supported digital audio and AM/FM radio reach 74% of the U.S. daily; 2) Between ad-supported Spotify and AM/FM radio, most people only listen to AM/FM radio; 3) Between ad-supported Pandora and AM/FM radio, most people only listen to AM/FM radio; 4) The U.S. ad-supported audio clock: Podcasts and AM/FM radio represent nearly 90% of tuning minutes; 5) With a towering in-car share of 86%, AM/FM radio is the primary way to reach consumers on the path to purchase; The proportion of AM/FM radio in-car listening has surged, returning to pre-pandemic norms. 
announced the news on-air on Tuesday. Murphy is one half of the “Murph and Markus” show. Murphy tells SFGate, “I’ve just really enjoyed my time talking to the Bay Area every morning and talking to my partners – whether it was 
Media. “The Infinite Dial 2025 will be unveiled by Edison Research vice president Megan Lazovick alongside special guest James Cridland, editor of Podnews. With 35 years in the audio business, Cridland will offer unique analysis into the numbers and global context. Together, they will provide attendees expert insights on the latest digital audio consumption trends and their implications for the industry.”
to the same period last year. Saga reports net income of $1.3 million for the quarter compared to net income of $2.5 million for the fourth quarter last year. For the full year of 2024, net revenue was $110.3 million, a decrease of 2.2% from the full year 2023. Net income was $3.5 million for the full year of 2024 compared to $9.5 million for the full year of 2023. 
with a planned March 31, 2025 listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NMAX, subject to NYSE approval. This IPO comes shortly after it completed a private Preferred Offering in February raising $225 million. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy says, “Our success with our Preferred raise shows the enormous support our company has as we made thousands of Americans part owners in Newsmax. Now, the initial public offering opens the door for tens of thousands more to join our news revolution and be a part of the first ever company to complete a crowd financed offering on to the main board of the NYSE.”
interest from radio stations nationwide. Radio is a great way to engage with the audience, and now that Red Apple Audio Networks is taking the show national, I can’t wait to connect with listeners in other markets.” Red Apple and 77WABC Radio president Chad Lopez states, “Radio clearly wants Anthony Cumia, as dozens of inquiries came in asking about syndication. We shifted into high gear and moved quickly. One of our advantages at Red Apple Media is that we can swiftly pivot to meet market demand.”
years ago. Whether it’s helping the first-time gun buyer sort out what she needs to buy, or exposing politicians who claim to be supporters of the Second Amendment while putting restrictions on this right, there’s plenty to talk about. Responsible gun ownership is strong, and I’m glad to be part of movement.” The program airs live on Sundays from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET and is heard on more than 260 stations.
this move further emphasizes its conviction in Bitcoin as a valuable tool for strategic planning and reinforces its expansion into cryptocurrency. Rumble chairman and CEO Chris Pavlovski comments, “We are excited to announce these purchases and allocation of Bitcoin as part of our treasury strategy as well as a larger strategic move as we further expand our ties to the crypto industry. These holdings have the potential to serve as a valuable hedge against inflation and will not be subject to dilution like so many overprinted government-issued currencies.”
Now airing the program are Townsquare Media’s KONA-AM, Tri-Cities, Washington; Eifel Tower Broadcasting’s KZHN-AM, Paris, Texas; Vero Beach Broadcasters’ WTTB, Vero Beach, Florida; and Zimmer Midwest Communications’ KWTO, Springfield, Missouri. “The Erick Erickson Show” airs live weekdays from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET.
104.1 that had been the home to hip hop WHHL-FM “HOT 104.1.” In return, KMOX gives up translator K254CR at 98.7 to the hip hop outlet. These changes become effective on March 24. Audacy St. Louis and Wichita SVP and market manager Becky Domyan says, “We’re thrilled to expand KMOX’s reach and bring the trusted news and entertainment our listeners rely on, as well as Cardinals baseball, on an enhanced FM signal that covers the greater St. Louis region.”