WJR, Detroit Names Ryan Ermanni Afternoon Host
Cumulus Media’s news/talk WJR, Detroit appoints Ryan Ermanni host of the 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm show, effective today (7/7). Ermanni is well known in the Detroit market as co-host of “The Nine” on WJBK-TV FOX 2 Detroit where he served for more than 20 years. Cumulus Detroit/Ann Arbor regional VP and market
manager Steve Finateri says, “Ryan Ermanni is not only a seasoned broadcaster with deep roots in Detroit media, he’s also a longtime fan of WJR. His passion for Detroit, his engaging on-air presence, and his respect for what WJR represents make him a perfect fit for our team.” Ermanni comments, “I am so honored to be a part of the WJR daily lineup. I’ve always considered myself just a regular guy from the neighborhood who happens to have a really cool job. The WJR call letters mean something to me, as they do for many people who have grown up in our city and our state. I hope to build the same trust and connection here on WJR as I did at FOX 2. I’m not your typical newsman. I wear my personality on my sleeve, and I react to stories the way someone might if they were sitting at home or in their car. We joke that I’m a “man of the people” — and honestly, I take that as the highest compliment. What you see is what you get. So, if you spot me around town, don’t be shy – come say hello.”
news/talk WIND-AM. On Tuesday she posted, “After 15 1/2 years at WIND AM560 radio, due to staffing reductions, today was my last day on the air. I am still processing this but I am happy to announce I have launched http://AmyJacobsonLive.com where I will be hosting a weekly podcast, posting behind-the-scenes blogs, livestreaming.” Jacobson has been co-hosting the morning show with Dan Proft who appears to be continuing the program solo. 
last 11 years, the study has been reprised annually to track buy-side podcast advertising consideration and intention. The latest Advertiser Perceptions study, conducted in June 2025 with 302 marketers and media agencies, reveals advertiser/agency podcasting usage and interest has reached an 11-year high.” Some of the notable takeaways from this study include: 1) Nine out of 10 marketers and media agencies say they have discussed podcast advertising for potential investment; 2) Podcast advertising consideration surges to an eleven-year high: 74% of brands and agencies say they are likely to consider advertising in podcasts; 3) Podcast spending intention jumps to 69%, an eleven-year record; and 4) 78% of agencies and advertisers currently advertise in podcasts, a 5X increase since the first IAB podcast upfront in 2015. 
Are archived shows – whole hours – your station’s only on-demand offering? It’s an easy checkbox: post the aircheck, call it a podcast.
market manager Lance Hawkins says, “Joe Pags represents everything we value at KTSA. He’s dynamic, authentic, and rooted in Texas values. Our mission is to build radio brands that are Live and Local, deeply involved in the communities they serve, and always evolving. Pags’ addition to KTSA proves that mission in action.” Pags says that his welcome to KTSA is both professional and personal. “I am thrilled to call KTSA the new flagship for the Joe Pags Show. I’ve been based in San Antonio for 20 years and have always been a fan of the amazing hosts on KTSA. It’s truly an honor to get back on the air in SA and talk with these amazing people on their ride home once again. I can’t thank Jeff Warshaw, Lance Hawkins
Griffo will have oversight of the Panama City market and Matt Stone, PD for the company’s Fort Walton Beach operations will serve as program director. JVC Broadcasting president and CEO John Caracciolo says, “This isn’t a corporate merger. This is a local broadcaster investing in local communities. We believe in radio that serves the neighborhoods we live in, not just the bottom line.”
are grateful to Steve and Ken Thiele (founder & executive chairman) for their magnanimous corporate contribution to support the work of the Broadcasters Foundation. With support like this from the broadcast industry, the Broadcasters Foundation can continue to deliver much-needed aid to those in our business who need it most. We hope this match campaign inspires other organizations to find impactful ways to support our unique mission.” For information about the Broadcasters Foundation, including how to make a donation or apply for aid, please visit 
If you saved back issues from when TALKERS was a print tabloid, dig-down about 20 years into the stack. A couple times a year beginning then, I was reporting from conferences then called The Podcast and New Media Expo, which later evolved into NMX and BlogWorld and other incarnations.
Olivia will be a great addition to the Commission. Olivia brings years of valuable experience to the agency, including her public service on Capitol Hill and time in the private sector. I am confident that her deep expertise and knowledge will enable her to hit the ground running, and she will be an exceptionally effective FCC Commissioner. I look forward to welcoming Olivia to the Commission as a colleague and advancing an agenda that will deliver great results for the American people.” Fellow Commissioner, Democrat Anna Gomez also welcomes Trusty, saying, “I want to congratulate Olivia Trusty on her confirmation and welcome her to the FCC. I have known Olivia for years and have been very impressed with her strong background in communications policy and deep understanding of the technical aspects of this job, which will be a great asset to this agency. I look forward to working with her to return the FCC to its core priorities of protecting consumers, promoting innovation and competition, and securing our communication networks.”
throughout the Patriots season. Andrews will also be featured on The Sports Hub Patriots Radio Network Pregame Show and will co-host a video podcast with Alex Barth. WBZ-FM program director Rick Radzik says, “David’s leadership and deep understanding of the game made him a standout on the field, and we’re excited to bring that same level of insight and authenticity to our listeners. He’s a natural fit for our lineup and the perfect voice to help break down the season from a player perspective.” Andrews comments, “I’ve enjoyed a great relationship with ‘The Sports Hub’ since coming to New England 10 years ago. I’m looking forward to providing my analysis and perspective across the station’s various platforms this season.”
over for Jeff Evans, who was recently promoted to vice president of radio for HMG. Pickett previously served as director of content for Townsquare Media in Boise and as regional vice president at iHeartMedia, “further strengthening his background in multi-market and multi-format programming, talent development, and creating engaging on-air content. His broad experience and passion for mission-driven media make him uniquely equipped to lead WayFM into its next season of growth and innovation.”
chairman and chief executive officer of Nexstar Media Group, who will remain on the executive committee as immediate past joint board chair. Also, Chris Ornelas, EVP and general counsel for Beasley Media Group, was elected chair by the NAB Radio Board. Leonard Wheeler, president of Mel Wheeler, Inc was elected first vice chair while Allen Power, president, Broadcast Media for Salem Media Group, was elected second vice chair. Eddie Harrell, co-president, Audio Division of Urban One was elected to the major group representative seat on the NAB Radio Board.
illness or disaster. In addition, the campaign strives to raise awareness of the Broadcasters Foundation’s charitable purpose to ensure that anyone in radio and television who might qualify for aid can apply. BFoA president Tim McCarthy states, “Please do not stand on the sidelines. If you’re part of the broadcasting community, while we hope you never need us, we need to be here for you should disaster or illness strike. The need for aid continues to grow each year, and I ask every broadcaster to consider a personal or corporate donation.” To make a BFOA Giving Day donation, radio and television professionals may click 
show was on Friday (6/6). Shattuck – whose career includes time spent as producer of Boston Herald Radio, producer and host at WRKO and WTKK-FM in Boston, as well as editor at the Boston Herald – hosted the midday show at WTIC for the past four years. He also produces and hosts the podcast, “Burn Barrel,” and will continue with that effort. Audacy is going syndicated in the daypart featuring FOX News Radio’s “The Brian Kilmeade Show” followed by “The Erick Erickson Show.”
fans their “essential end-of-day rundown of the four most important stories breaking while you were busy.” The Erickson show says “4 Things to Know This Afternoon” delivers “smart analysis of the four biggest headlines shaping the nation and the world in less than ten minutes. From national security to culture, economics to politics, Erick distills the noise into clarity – cutting through the spin with conviction, context, and a clear-eyed view of where things stand.”
end of this week. It has been the greatest honor of my professional life to serve the American people as a Commissioner. I am deeply honored to have been entrusted with this responsibility by President Donald J. Trump during his first term. 
#3. Radio-related podcasts of note include Cumulus Podcast Network’s “Shawn Ryan Show” steady at #6, iHeartPodcasts’ “On Purpose with Jay Shetty” rising two spots to #9, and Silverloch’s “VINCE” falling two places to #20. 
study of 303 media agencies and marketers conducted in August 2024 found the perceived combined audience share of Pandora/Spotify is 43%, much greater than the perceived share of AM/FM radio (27%). In reality, “According to the Q1 2025 Share of Ear, AM/FM radio’s persons 18+ share of ad-supported audio (68%) is 14 times larger than ad-supported Pandora (5%) and ad-supported Spotify (5%).” The data also reveals that podcasts take the second-place spot with a 20% share. Ad-supported Pandora (5%), ad-supported Spotify (5%), and ad-supported SiriusXM (3%) lag distantly. 
“Fewer than half of Americans plan to travel this Summer,” according to a 
Cox Radio, with Del Nin agreeing that Warshaw would manage the business as CEO upon successful acquisition.” While both parties were doing due diligence on the CMG deal, Warshaw learned that an Audacy majority stake holder was willing to sell its stake in the company. Warshaw says he steered SFM and Del Nin to the deal that made SFM a majority stake holder of the new Audacy in early 2024. Warshaw alleges he was promised he’d be the next CEO of Audacy or that he would get 5% of SFM’s profits from the Audacy acquisition. After that though, Warshaw says Del Nin balked and denied there was ever an agreement, calling any such claims “fabricated.” Warshaw is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and asking that the court award specific performance of their agreement.
KMJ a little over two years ago. I’ve enjoyed working with Philip and the entire staff has welcomed me as one of their own. I thought I’d be here longer, but some unexpected health issues made the decision to retire the right choice for me. It was a hard decision to make, but I’m comfortable that I’ve made the right call for my quality of life. I will miss this team.” KMJ program director Blake Taylor comments, “It was great working with a true professional who brought great insights and a unique skill set to our audience. We’re going to miss E. I trust he’s going to take full advantage of the time off. He deserves it!”
Americans 13+ are awake by 6:00 am during the weekday. The two most popular half hour increments Americans set their alarms for are between 6:00 am-6:30 am and 7:00 am-7:30 am. For radio station programmers wondering how important the 5:00 am hour is, just over 14% are awake by 5:00 am with another 17% rising sometime during the 5:00 am hour. Edison says other data indicates most Americans are waking up slightly later than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic shifted routines and schedules to spend more time in the home.
Free Press for the very first stop of our First Amendment Tour outside of Washington. Together, we must continue to stand up for free expression and push back against the Administration’s growing campaign of censorship and control.” Gomez’s office says that as part of her tour, Gomez is partnering with consumer and civil society organizations across the ideological spectrum to participate in speaking engagements and listening sessions focused on protecting the rights and freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment. Most recently, she held an event in partnership with the Center for Democracy and Technology, spoke at the Media Institute, and participated in a workshop held by the Competitive Enterprise Institute and TechFreedom.
change. Both organizations share a vision of advancing equity, social justice and civic engagement for future generations.” BIN president Tony Coles adds, “This powerful collaboration will deliver important, unbiased information to our audiences, promote civic engagement, and foster inclusive dialogue. In today’s news environment, our responsibility is to ensure the stories, commitment and goals of civic and community leaders are heard by our listeners and carried forward by future generations.” BIN will advance the mission of the Obama Presidential Center in the runup to opening in 2026 by sharing and distributing stories focused on President Obama’s legacy, community-driven initiatives on the South Side of Chicago and engaging in national conversations around equity, democracy and change.
minds in the business. Through personalized conversations, strategic connections, and unique opportunities, the program aims to empower and elevate the mentee’s career within the radio industry.” This mentorship is open to one female brand manager, content/program director, assistant program director, or music director from any U.S.-based format. “The ‘MIW Elevating Women in Programming Mentorship’ program is a cornerstone of our mission to empower women in radio,” says MIW board president Sheila Kirby. “This initiative not only fosters personal and professional growth but also builds a stronger and more inclusive future for the industry. We’re excited to welcome another talented mentee into this life-changing program.” 
Dozens of brand-new audio hardware and software companies have been launched during the past 20 years. These start-ups are usually funded by venture capital money. VC money is not invested to return a profit, it’s poured in to – pour it in. Their money is “different” than the cashflow that fuels your business. Start-up money buys time to profit.
regulatory burdens. We received great feedback from a range of stakeholders already and plan on eliminating onerous, antiquated, and unlawful requirements across the board.” Carr added, “And we have been delivering these results with a focus on efficiency. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, the FCC employed 1,461 full-time employees. As of April 28, 2025, the FCC employed 1,383 full-time employees. The difference over the last six months can be attributed to many factors, including FCC employees who took advantage of the early retirement window opened by my predecessor, the deferred resignation program offered by President Trump, and natural turnover. The agency is well positioned to continue carrying out its statutory mission for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2025 and beyond.”