Salem Media to Go Private After Acquisition by WaterStone
Salem Media announces that it is entering into a definitive agreement to be acquired by The Christian Community Foundation, Inc., d/b/a WaterStone in a transaction that will take the company private. WaterStone will acquire all outstanding shares of Salem Media common stock for $1.00 per share, representing approximately a 250% premium over Salem’s recent trading price. Salem says that the consummation of 
this deal will “strengthen Salem’s longterm mission across radio, digital media, streaming, podcasting, television, and publishing.” Company co-founder and board member Edward Atsinger III says, “For the last 10 years the Atsinger and Epperson families have been looking for a successor that would continue to carry the torch of delivering quality Christian and conservative media into the next generation and beyond. When we met with WaterStone some 24 months ago we believed it was a divine appointment. WaterStone is deeply aligned with the vision we had when our families founded this company.” Richard von Gnechten is chairman of Salem Media’s board of directors and president of WaterStone. He comments, “This is about building on what makes Salem unique. Salem has spent decades earning the trust of listeners, ministries, advertisers, and audiences by staying true to its mission. WaterStone believes deeply in that mission and in the people behind it. This partnership gives Salem additional strength and longterm stability while creating new opportunities to expand its reach for the future – which is why we are making this investment.” This deal is expected to close in August, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
adds that it recorded operating income of $7.7 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared to an operating loss of $0.3 million in Q1 of 2025. The increase in operating income was driven primarily by the sale of its Fort Myers stations. Beasley also reported net income of approximately $3.2 million compared to a net loss of $2.7 million, reported a year ago. Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley comments, “While first quarter results continued to reflect pressure in certain legacy advertising categories and an uneven pace of recovery across our markets, we made meaningful progress against the strategic priorities we outlined over the past year. Importantly, we continue to see strong momentum in digital, particularly in our owned and operated products, which grew year-over-year on a same station basis and now represent an increasingly important contributor to both revenue quality and long-term profitability. Markets with stronger digital adoption continue to demonstrate greater revenue stability, reinforcing our confidence in the long-term direction of the business.”
Club at an awards ceremony held last Friday (5/8). Snowden’s award-winning investigation centered on a high-profile TikTok personality and party promoter who organized a massive West Side gathering despite explicit police warnings regarding potential violence. The event, which drew nearly 1,000 attendees, was followed by three separate shootings that left two people dead. Sylvia’s report revealed the promoter was a Chicago Public Schools employee; her continued coverage tracked his initial suspension with pay and his eventual return to the classroom following a district investigation.
could not have anticipated today’s streaming options. This resolution reflects growing concern that sports programming is increasingly fragmented across exclusive digital platforms, forcing fans to purchase multiple subscriptions, maintain reliable broadband access and navigate a maze of services just to follow their favorite teams. It calls on congress to assess whether these evolving distribution practices are covered under the law, serve the public interest and preserve broad fan access to sports programming.” NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt says, “We commend the state broadcasters associations for their leadership and engagement on this important issue. Local television remains the only universally available video platform in America, delivering live sports, trusted local news, emergency information and essential public service to every community. Policymakers should put fans first and ensure that the future of sports distribution preserves broad access through free, local broadcast television.”
broadcasting is at its best when it informs, connects and serves the community. Our goal is to provide timely, relevant information that keeps the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene metropolitan area well informed, whether it’s breaking news, traffic slowdowns, severe weather or the stories shaping our region each day.” Nelson adds, “After more than 25 years in Spokane broadcasting, I’ve seen how important live and local news is when people need it most. News Radio KBNW is built to be present at the start and end of every weekday, delivering reliable information people can depend on, along with engaging and entertaining talk programs the rest of the broadcast day.” The two say the news staff will consist of Steve Wilke, Joe Paisley, Erich Ebel and Scott Carlon. Talk programs will include: Dave Ramsey, Mike Gallagaher, Lars Larson, and Armstrong & Getty. 
Jay Clark was the first program director of WABC as a talk station. He set the tone and path for modern talk radio. This week I had Jay on as a special guest on the Red Apple Audio Networks all night show, “The Other Side of Midnight.” We celebrated the anniversary, May 10, (1982) of WABC’s switch from music to talk on the giant signal at 770 AM.
format in America. KGO was the killer biller in San Francisco. The execs who ran them were mighty proud: Ben Hoberman, Ed McLaughlin, Al Racco, Chuck Debere. Yes, they ran those stations, but they also invented the caller-driven talk format. There were other winning talk stations, but they were guest centric rather than listener centric (i.e. WOR, WGN). At the time, there were 43 stations listed as “talk” stations. 43. Not many models.
District race today (5/12) from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The forum featuring candidates State Rep. Chris Rabb, Dr. Ala Stanford and State Sen. Sharif Street is being moderated by WURD Radio hosts Dr. James Peterson, Joann Bell and Solomon Jones. on Tuesday, May 12, from 5–6 p.m. during a special edition of Evening WURDs. The station will also host a live remote Election Night Special on Tuesday, May 19, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm from Honeysuckle on Broad St. 
journalist Lars Sivertsen will join ‘The KickAround’ in studio for the duration of the World Soccer coverage alongside the show’s long-standing hosts, Andy Swift and Peter Welpton. KTCK program director Jeff Catlin states, “This is our fourth year to cover World Soccer with expanded programming on ‘The KickAround.’ Interest this year is at an all-time high with key tournament games being played in Dallas-Fort Worth. ‘The KickAround’ will be a destination for Ticket listeners and both soccer fans and casuals.”
dcast and an extension of The Breakfast Club’s popular “Front Page News” radio segment. Black Effect says host Mimi Brown expands her on-air coverage of the most-talked-about news stories each weekday into easily digestible 10-to-12-minute episodes that will give listeners more of the headline-making details they crave.
company outside of the New York City market. The station is currently airing a news/talk format of local, syndicated and brokered programming. Local air personalities include the daily morning show hosts Hank Stolz and Ben White (“Talk of the Commonwealth”) and longtime New England talk host Frankie Boyer who is heard in middays. Red Apple will assume operations under a local marketing agreement until the deal closes. Red Apple and Catsimatidis have made no indication of the company’s intent for future programming. 
1300” in New Haven. iHeartMedia SVP of programming Dylan Sprague says, “Michael’s energy, passion and leadership make him a strong fit to lead our Sports and Talk portfolio in Hartford and New Haven. These are powerful brands and we’re excited to build on their success under Michael’s leadership.” Johnson comments, “I am thrilled to begin this next chapter at iHeart. Sports fans are passionate and engaged. I am eager to grow all of the stations, deepen the connections with listeners and continue expanding our digital presence.”
Jason Reddick’s The Complete Guide to AI Side Hustles is aimed at beginners trying to build passive income. But read it through a broadcaster’s lens and it suggests a blueprint for how radio talent and podcasters can leverage AI to expand their influence, diversify revenue, and stay indispensable in a media economy that rewards relevance and speed.
a is reporting a net loss of $2.4 million for the quarter compared to the net loss of $1.6 million it reported in Q1 of 2025. Saga paid a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share on March 20, 2026. The aggregate amount of the quarterly dividend was approximately $1.6 million. With payment of this most recent declaration Saga will have paid over $145 million in dividends to shareholders since the first special dividend was paid in 2012.
change, especially at the top of the ranker where NPR’s “NPR News Now” (#1), The New York Times’ “The Daily” (#2), “Up First from NPR” (#3), NBCUniversal’s “Dateline NBC” (#4), and FOX Audio Network’s “FOX News Hourly Update” (#5) fill out the top five. Moves of note include comic Tim Dillon entering the top 20 at #19 with his “The Tim Dillon Show” and Disney’s “20/20” joining the chart at #20. 
eponymous program, adding affiliate stations KAAA, Kingman, AZ; KZZZ, Bullhead City, AZ/Laughlin, NV; KKFT, Reno, NV; and KXEX, Fresno, CA. Sanchez’s program airs live from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm nightly on Audacy’s KMXB-HD3/K268CS, Las Vegas “101.5 FM K-DAWN.” Sanches says, “We’re building a platform that reaches audiences on air, online, and on demand. The expansion reflects continued growth of ‘The Steve Sanchez Show’ across both broadcast and digital platforms.”
Awards for Excellence at the 2026 Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Awards Gala presented last Saturday (5/2). Cumulus notes that in the Medium Market News & Talk Stations Division, WOSH took First Place honors for Best Interview with hosts Steve Edwards and Ron Ross discussing WNAM’s final day of broadcasting on December 31, 2025, after 78 years on air. Program director Steve Edwards (pictured here with the awards) says, “We are thrilled to see NewsTalk WOSH and WNAM honored with four Wisconsin Broadcasters Association awards. The commitment to excellence and community-focused broadcasting continues to set the standard – these awards are well deserved.”
ace VP and general manager Neal Scarbrough says, “We are thrilled about this next chapter for the ‘Morning Report,’ and our audience should be too. Kimberly has distinguished herself as a ground-breaking, multiplatform correspondent and host who has built an unwavering connection with our audience. Beyond her diligent reporting, listeners have embraced Kimberly’s leadership and versatility as the host of ‘Call to Mind,’ ‘Marketplace Tech,’ and ‘Make Me Smart.’ This is an exciting time for the millions of listeners who start their day with the ‘Marketplace Morning Report.’”
Curry. The afternoon drive program is “D-Mac & Reiter” starring sports media personality Doug McKain and columnist and sports radio pro Bill Reiter. “97.1 The Fan” brand manager Andrew Williams states, “Los Angeles is a sports powerhouse with a deep connection between teams, fans, and culture, and this new lineup brings together championship-level personalities, veteran player perspective, and sharp analytical expertise. We’re building a full-scale, live and local LA sports network that brings sports to the FM dial and across multiple platforms to meet our audiences where they are. We’re excited to give fans an unparalleled listening and viewing experience that’s as entertaining and authentic as it is insightful.”
“accelerating reach and deepening engagement with audiences nationwide.” Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy comments, “This growth shows that Newsmax is truly touching a nerve with audiences. We are continuing to execute on our strategy to reach all people on all platforms, and the results speak for themselves. Passion for our brand remains incredibly strong. We’re seeing audiences actively seek out Newsmax across platforms, share our content, and become part of a growing community that values our reporting and viewpoint.”
platform via a “Live Radio” button in the upper right corner of the dashboard. The companies say mobile app integration is planned for a future phase. iHeartMedia president of business development and strategic partnerships Michael Biondo says, “This partnership puts iHeart’s live radio in front of MapQuest’s millions of monthly users, giving consumers more of the content they seek. It’s a simple, intuitive way to extend our reach and enhance how people experience audio on the go.”
the Monday through Friday program “cuts through the noise of the standard 24-hour sports cycle” in which “Taylor delivers 5-10 minutes of sharp insight, authentic commentary, and cultural depth, offering perspective on the headlines that matter most. The show is built on the philosophy that ‘nobody breaks down the game like a woman who actually knows it.’” Taylor adds, “I wanted to create something fast, focused, and always authentic. Sports fans are busy, but they want the context behind the conversation. With ‘The Daily Play,’ I’m giving them what it means and what to watch next – in just a few minutes. Joining Urban One allows me to talk directly to a loyal, engaged audience across the country. I’m excited to get back to my radio roots!”