Audacy Names Chris Kinard Sports VP
Audacy names Chris Kinard sports format vice president. Kinard takes over for Spike Eskin, who recently returned to Philadelphia to serve as afternoon show co-host on SportsRadio 94WIP. In this role, Kinard will lead brand and format strategy and execution for the company’s sports portfolio and collaborate closely with
vice president of sports Danny Freisinger on the company’s multiplatform content strategy and production. Kinard will continue to serve as vice president of sports programming and cluster director of operations for Audacy Washington DC that includes WJFK-FM “106.7 The Fan,” WTEM-AM “The Team 980,” and WIAD-FM “94.7 The Drive.” Audacy EVP and head of programming Jeff Sottolano comments, “We are privileged at Audacy to benefit from the best local sports content thought leaders in the country and Chris has distinguished himself through his leadership of WFJK-FM and WTEM-AM in D.C. over many years. I am excited to see Chris take on this new role and partner with our local and central leadership on further strengthening our unrivaled position in sports.”
president of operations Dave Milner says, “Alex is an extremely effective and capable leader. His track record in Houston has been outstanding, so it’s a logical progression for him to help lead both Albuquerque and Tucson.” Cadelago comments, “I am honored to have the opportunity to work with our amazing teams in Albuquerque and Tucson and am looking forward to building upon the success Jeff and Ken have achieved in these regions. I would like to thank Mary Berner and Dave Milner for their support in expanding my role with Cumulus, and Dan Bennett for his mentorship over the past 10 years.”
will kick off debate preview coverage with an early edition of “Jesse Watters Primetime,” followed by “FOX News Democracy 2024” at 8:00 pm ET with chief political anchor Bret Baier, anchor and executive editor Martha MacCallum, Dana Perino, Jesse Watters, and Sean Hannity from the debate’s spin room in Atlanta. The hosts will be joined by FNC senior political analyst Brit Hume and contributors Kellyanne Conway, Richard Fowler and Karl Rove. After the debate, Sean Hannity will host the 11:00 pm ET hour live on FNC from the spin room in Atlanta to break down the event and the public’s reaction.
sales manager. He most recently served as a senior digital account executive. Beasley Philadelphia cluster manager Paul Blake says, “Jim Antes’ leadership and passion have been a driving influence within our company, making him the perfect 
choice for director of sales. Jim’s ability to inspire and motivate his team, combined with his deep understanding of the market, positions him to lead our sales division to new heights. His exceptional ability to build strong relationships with both advertisers and employees has been instrumental in our success and will continue to drive our growth. We are equally excited to highlight Greg Beran’s rising star status as a digital leader. Greg has grown within our company, consistently demonstrating innovative thinking and a keen understanding of the digital landscape. His commitment to excellence and ability to drive digital sales initiatives have set him apart as a dynamic and influential leader. Greg’s promotion to digital sales manager is a testament to his hard work, creativity, and strategic mindset, all of which will play a crucial role in our continued success in the digital arena.”
Regularly Scheduled Newscast; James Golden a.k.a. Bo Snerdley – Best Editorial/Commentary; “Back the Blue – A Tribute to the NYPD” – Best Live On Scene; Curtis Sliwa
average downloads for shows that opt in. This month sees the inclusion of iHeart Audience Network podcasts and a lot of shows debuting on the chart for the first time. Some of those include “Stuff You Should Know” at #6, “The Breakfast Club” at #16, “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show” at #26, “The Sean Hannity Show” at #63, and “The Jesse Kelly Show” at #84. 
the FCC’s requirement to do a foreign ownership review and Audacy’s request that the FCC grant a limited waiver of that review in order to more speedily exit Chapter 11. This request is under heavy scrutiny due to the political aspects of the case. Carr recently told the Post that the FCC should not allow a “Soros shortcut” – a term used by the Media Research Center in its Petition to Deny filed with the Commission – but must follow FCC procedure. Audacy argued in its opposition to the Petition to Deny that there is nothing unique about this request, saying that the FCC “granting a limited waiver deferring its foreign ownership review to facilitate a licensee’s prompt emergence from bankruptcy is consistent with the Communications Act.” Audacy adds that the notion that the limited waiver is new “completely ignores longstanding precedent establishing the Commission-approved special warrant process used in a number of prior transactions to allow licensees to emerge from bankruptcy promptly, while affording the Commission sufficient opportunity to review foreign ownership issues post-emergence.” 
industry, and I’m delighted to welcome him to our board. His input will be valuable as we continue to deliver aid to our colleagues who are in desperate need.” Forgy comments, “I have always believed in giving back to the industry that has allowed me to be of service to local communities. Colleagues who have fallen on extremely difficult circumstances need and deserve our support. I am honored to serve on the board and contribute to the Foundation’s charitable mission.”
Mason, a visionary leader who has successfully guided our sports station for the past four years, is now poised to bring the same focus, passion, and energy to our news/talk station – ‘SuperTalk 99.7 WTN.’ With an exciting blend of local hosts delivering both local and national stories in an informative and engaging manner, Paul is ready to lead this station to new heights. As we recently launched the SuperTalk YouTube channel, we anticipate continued dominance in spoken word content under Paul’s steady guidance. I would be remiss if I did not at the same time thank Dan Mandis for his outstanding leadership of the station over the last 10 years. Dan has successfully managed both the station, especially through challenging times, and breaking news while maintaining hosting duties and we look forward to letting him settle into his weekday morning show.” Mason comments, “SuperTalk 99.7 WTN’s reputation in the news/talk format is among the elite. Dan Mandis has built a strong brand, and I look forward to working alongside not only Dan, but with the entire on-air staff (Chris Hand, Matt Murphy, and Brian Wilson), and our producers. The recent launch of SuperTalk TV has positioned WTN to continue to be a leader in news/talk. WTN has loyal clients and listeners, and we are committed to bringing stories, news, and opinions in a meaningful and engaging way. I’m humbled and thankful for the trust Allison Warren, Brian Phillips, and John Dimick have in me to lead spoken word at Cumulus Nashville.”
House beat, the President of the United States’ national and international activities and the issues impacting the administration. She will also continue co-hosting FOX News Audio’s “FOX News Rundown” podcast. At the same time, the company promotes Peter Doocy to senior White House correspondent. In this role, he’ll continue to provide coverage of the President of the United States’ domestic and international activities as well as the issues that affect the administration.
When market leaders drop rates, what comes next?
California Science Center in Los Angeles tomorrow (6/18) live from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm PT and the program will be broadcast live on C-SPAN. The event is being moderated by Smiley Audio Media chief and KBLA talk host Tavis Smiley and will feature leaders of the nation’s climate and environmental justice community. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will offer remarks and Dr. Cornel West will deliver remarks on the intersection of Climate Justice and Juneteenth. 
the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list. FOX News Media says that this marks Hegseth’s fourth New York Times bestselling title and follows the runaway success of his inaugural FOX News Book, Modern Warriors: Real Stories from Real Heroes, which debuted in 2020. Hegseth says, “Publishing this book has been a moving experience from start to finish. I am honored and humbled that The War on Warriors has resonated with so many people; most especially with actively serving troops, veterans, and military families. This book is for them, and for our country. A great nation needs a great military, and I hope this book plays a role in restoring the military to its core function: deterring, fighting, and winning our wars.”
nearly nine years with the company. Aitken joined Cumulus Media in 2016 and has been SVP of human resources for the past two years. Cumulus CEO Mary G. Berner says, “For the past nearly eight years, Kriston has been a stand-out HR executive, and I’m delighted that she is fully ready and able to step into this important role. Given our significant focus on culture and the fact that 94% of our surveyed employees express pride in working at Cumulus, it’s crucial to have a leader genuinely invested in cultivating our culture. Kriston’s commitment to this aspect and her proven operational skills give me full confidence that she will continue to enhance the legacy that Todd leaves behind.”
The best thing about attending media conferences like TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond, which occurred last week on June 7, is the opportunity to hear diverse viewpoints from industry experts. Gatherings like these also provide the opportunity for attendees like me to “chew” on some of the great ideas presented by the expert panelists and think about solutions to some of the challenges raised during the discussions.
discussions and analysis of local issues.” Charlottesville Radio Group operations manager and WINA program director Paul McDaniel says, “We are thrilled to extend ‘The Schilling Show’ by an hour each weekday. Rob’s ability to connect with the audience and provide insightful commentary has made the show a cornerstone of our programming. This expansion is a testament to his unparalleled work and the loyalty of his listeners.” Schilling comments, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to spend more time daily with my loyal listening audience as we further explore and examine pressing issues of the day. This additional hour will allow for more compelling guests, more in-depth analysis, and most importantly, more time for WINA listeners to engage with their community.”
the rapid growth and distribution of the Salem News Channel, and in HC2 Broadcasting’s expansion.” HC2 operates stations in markets including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Houston, San Francisco, Phoenix and more. HC2 Broadcasting president and CEO Les Levi comments, “We are excited about our partnership with Salem Media Group and delighted to be launching the Salem News Channel on our TV broadcast platform. The channel will be available for the first time to broadcast television viewers, who should enjoy the network’s rich and informative news content.”
advertising. The five questions are: 1) Does audio work? 2) Can audio be planned and purchased at scale? 3) Are there creative best practices for getting audio right? 4) Can audio be measured? And 5) Is the brand properly set up for success? Fix says, “These five questions are important to advertisers, providers of audio, and the industry in general. Communication with advertisers is best when it is acknowledged as to the stage of the advertiser and the industry. Failure to identify and address each step in the 5-Question Framework will cause unnecessary delay.” 
May 2024 PPM Data – Information for Nielsen Audio’s May 2024 ratings period (April 25 – May 22) has been released for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, San Jose, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union (New Jersey).
In case you missed it, honesty was on full display at Friday’s TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond conference.
approximately $2.1 million compared to net income of $34.3 million for 2022. For the first quarter of 2024, net revenue was approximately $104.4 million, a decrease of 5% from the same period in 2023. Broadcast and digital operating income was approximately $32 million, a decrease of 18.5% from the same period in 2023. Net income was approximately $7.5 million compared to a loss of $2.9 million for the same period in 2023. Urban One CEO and president Alfred C. Liggins, III states, “Our Adjusted EBITDA for FY23 came in just above the high-end of our previous guidance at $128.4 million. As expected, we suffered a drop in radio division broadcast cash flow as a result of reduced political advertising compared to Q4 2022. Other divisions performed broadly in line with expectations, although the continuing churn in cable television subscribers remains an industry-wide concern. For Q1 our national radio revenues were hit by tough comparatives on a handful of large clients plus a general softness in the market. Second quarter radio pacing’s are sequentially better, with same station core revenues down mid-single-digits and low-single digits including political… We are optimistic about political advertising revenues for the remainder of the year, which should benefit both our radio and digital divisions. During Q1 we repurchased $75 million of our 2028 notes at 88.3%, and we ended the quarter with approximately $155.7 million of cash.”
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.”
Media and president, Westwood One, was elected radio board chair by the NAB radio board. Kevin Perry, president and CEO of Perry Publishing and Broadcasting Company, was elected radio board first vice chair, and Leonard Wheeler, president of Mel Wheeler, Inc., was elected radio board second vice chair. Chris Ornelas, executive vice president and general counsel of Beasley Media Group, was reelected to the radio board’s major group representative seat on the NAB board’s executive committee. Perry Sook continues the second year of his role as joint board chair. The position is elected every two years. The elections took place at the NAB Board of Directors meeting, held June 3-4.
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.”
broadcast and digital journalism. NewsRadio 1080 KRLD in Dallas, WWJ Newsradio 950 in Detroit, KNX News 97.1 FM in Los Angeles and WCBS 880 in New York all were honored with the “Overall Excellence” Award. Other stations receiving Regional Murrow Awards include: KMOX, St. Louis (Newscast); KYW-AM/FM, Philadelphia (Newscast, Digital, Hard News); WWL-AM/FM, New Orleans (Breaking News, Continuing Coverage); and WCCO, Minneapolis (Newscast).