The most discussed stories yesterday (8/11) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
It’s second quarter earnings season and iHeartMedia reveals that its Q2 consolidated revenue was $977 million, an increase of 4.7% over the same period a year ago. The company posts a net loss of $82.4 million, down 1.3% from the $83.5 million is posted in Q2 of 2025. iHeartMedia reports financial data by segments and its Multiplatform Group (which includes broadcast radio and network radio) saw revenue fall 2% to $536 million. Broadcast radio revenue for the quarter was $397.6 million, up 0.5% from Q2 of 2025, and network revenue was $103.7 million, down 3.8%. The 
company’s Digital Audio Group revenue was $364 million, up 12% over Q2 of 2025, with the podcast segment rising 21% on revenue of $162 million. iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman comments, “We’re pleased with our second quarter results, generating Adjusted EBITDA of $152 million, slightly above the midpoint of our previously provided guidance range. Our consolidated revenue was $977 million, up 4.7% compared to the prior year quarter and above our guidance. Our podcast revenue momentum continues, up 20.7% compared to prior year, and in addition to helping propel our growth as the #1 podcast publisher, our broadcast radio assets have also allowed us to develop and drive the new video podcast marketplace – an incremental growth opportunity for us, including on streaming video services including Netflix and Disney+ and Hulu, which we announced today. And our work in building our digital assets continues to pay off; this is the sixth consecutive quarter in which the Digital Audio Group Adjusted EBITDA is larger than the Multiplatform Group Adjusted EBITDA.”
President Donald Trump is nominating Danielle Thumann Severs for a seat on the Federal Communications Commission. She has served two stints at the FCC focusing on matters before the Wireline Competition Bureau, the Public Safety and Homeland 
Security Bureau, as well as the agency’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr states, “I want to congratulate Danielle on her nomination to serve as a Commissioner on the FCC. Danielle is a dedicated public servant and has worked with skill and distinction on some of the most important matters before the agency. Danielle has delivered policy wins across the FCC’s economic agenda – from bridging the digital divide and protecting consumers to advancing public safety. With the advice and consent of the Senate, Danielle would make a terrific Commissioner.”
Las Vegas-based, nationally syndicated talk media personality Wayne Allyn Root is interviewing President Donald J. Trump for the 17th time since Trump was first elected in 2016 – something that Root tells TALKERS, “Has to be a record.” Root says the interview – scheduled for next week – leaves nothing off the table. Moreover, Root tells TALKERS that he is proud to be an ally of the president’s “in his defense of the Jews and Israel and a defender against antisemitism.” See the promo for the interview here.
St. Louis sports talk personality and producer Ken “Iggy” Strode, along with show personalities Tim McKernan, Doug Vaughn, and 
Jackson Berquette have been hosting the “After The Morning After” live at 11:00 am on Hubbard Media’s KPNT-HD2 and streaming on YouTube since April. Iggy tells TALKERS that after getting laid off in the fall of 2024, he wasn’t sure he wanted to get back into radio but decided to give it a go when Hubbard proposed the new show and he’s glad he did. He says, “It has been so much fun, and the download numbers are outstanding.” The show follows “The Morning After” that airs from 7:00 am to 10:00 am.
There are no changes at the top of Podtrac’s July 2026 Top Podcasts ranker (based on U.S. unique monthly audience); audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” remains #1, followed by The New 
York Times’ “The Daily” at #2, and NPR’s “NPR News Now” at #3. Movers in the top 20 include Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Shawn Ryan Show,” which climbs three places to #12; The New York Times’ “The Ezra Klein Show,” which rises six places to #17; and Los Angeles-based comedian Tim Dillon’s eponymous show, which jumps five spots to #19. See the chart here.
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/10) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Beasley Broadcast Group announces it is postponing the reporting of its financial results for the second quarter of 2026 to “allow 
additional time to finalize the tax accounting treatment relating to the refinancing and debt restructuring that the Company completed during Q2 2026.” Beasley notes that it will announce the new release date and the time and date of its conference call that it expects will happen before this Friday (8/14).
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez is not backing away from her criticism of the Commission’s recent vote to eliminate the television ownership cap. On Friday (8/7), she stated: “The FCC’s decision to eliminate the 39 percent national audience reach cap is unlawful on its face. Congress set this cap in federal law, and only 
Congress can change it. I am not alone in that conclusion. Republicans with deep firsthand knowledge of this issue agree. Former FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly has been unequivocal that the FCC lacks authority to change the cap. Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who negotiated the 39 percent compromise, has stressed that Congress wrote the cap into law specifically to keep the FCC from changing it. And Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz has said he is skeptical a change can be made absent an act of Congress.”
By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Legal Group, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer
A viewer watches the same political clip three times. The platform sees a powerful signal: this person stopped, stayed, and came back. What it cannot reliably know is whether the viewer loved the argument, hated it, was factchecking it, or was showing it to someone else in disbelief. The algorithm knows a viewer watched. It does not necessarily know why. That is why YouTube looks beyond viewing itself to other signals of appeal, engagement, and satisfaction.
That distinction matters to broadcasters because digital analytics can look much more intelligent than they really are. An algorithm can measure behavior with extraordinary precision, but behavior is not motive. PPM taught radio a version of the same lesson. Nielsen’s meter can passively detect exposure to encoded audio, but the resulting audience measurement cannot tell a programmer why someone listened or why audience levels changed.
Livestreaming creates the opposite problem. Instead of too little explanation, the host suddenly gets too much of it. The chat is moving. People are demanding another topic, praising a guest, attacking a caller, or announcing that the segment is dying.
That feedback is valuable, but the people typing are not necessarily representative of the people listening. Radio hosts should already understand this because callers have never represented the entire audience. They represent the portion motivated enough to pick up the telephone. Livestream chat is the same phenomenon at digital speed.
The danger comes when these two imperfect signals reinforce each other. The dashboard says engagement jumped. The chat says, “More of this.” A host can easily conclude that the audience has spoken when what actually happened is that a particularly active portion of the audience became particularly visible.
Good broadcasters have always listened to the audience without surrendering the show to it. Digital tools make that listening faster and more detailed, but they do not eliminate the need for judgment.
The algorithm knows what people did. The chat tells you what some people said. The programmer still has to decide what either one means.
For the larger discussion of ratings, PPM, algorithms and digital distribution, read The Algorithm Is Listening here: https://talkers.com/category/industry-views/
Matthew B. Harrison is a media and intellectual property attorney who advises radio hosts, content creators, and creative entrepreneurs. He has written extensively on fair use, AI law, and the future of digital rights. Reach him at Matthew@HarrisonLegalGroup.com or read more at TALKERS.com.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
As TV is touting its coming attractions, take a step back. We – inside the box – live-and-breathe radio.
Listeners have their hands full just living and breathing. Their day is time-crunched and financially-challenged, and we want to be its soundtrack. But listening is free, unlike umpteen other purchase decisions they agonize. So what’s high-stakes to us is low-stakes to them.
We only matter if we matter, and we’ve never had so much audio competition.
Who are you?
“Who cares?”
Or as my WTOP successor Jim Farley (RIP) asked: “W.G.A.S.?” He hung a sign in the newsroom there, meaning “Who Gives A Shit?”
There’s more from radio’s right-now To-Do list at HollandCooke.com
Holland Cooke is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
Cumulus Media’s San Francisco sports talk outlet KNBR has laid off its midday team of “Papa & Silver” – Greg Papa and Greg Silver – and replaces them with former midday personality John 
Lund. This change doesn’t come without controversy though as some Bay Area media outlets and KNBR fans are criticizing the company for firing Papa, who’s been battling cancer for the past year. Papa recently returned home after a 78-day stay in the hospital following a bone marrow transfusion. He’s been off the air with Silver hosting solo for much of the past year. Lund was Papa’s partner on the midday show prior to his departure from the station in 2024.
Galaxy Media Partners founder Ed Levine announces that he is retiring after a broadcasting career that’s spanned nearly five decades. The company says information about the plan of succession and Levine’s effective date of retirement will be revealed in the coming weeks. Levine founded Galaxy Media 
Partners in 1990 with a single radio station operating out of a diner in Utica, New York. Over the next 36 years, he built the company into a 15-station broadcasting firm operating in Central and Upstate New York. Levine says, “It’s been a wonderful ride over the past 36 years. It’s hard to believe I was 33 when I started the company, and now I’m 70. Where did the time go? As the years have passed, my priorities have changed. A year ago, I was blessed with a beautiful grandson, and my daughter and son-in-law live just minutes from us in Charlotte, North Carolina. Spending more time with my family has become increasingly important, and I know this is the right time to begin a new chapter.”
Sports media personality Tom “Goz” Goslowski will host a new football program titled, “Bills Gameday With Goz,” this fall on 
Cumulus Media’s WSKO-AM, Syracuse “The Score 1260,” where he previously hosted the morning drive program. Station program director Rick Roberts says, “We’re excited to welcome Goz back to ‘The Score 1260.’ His football expertise, broadcasting experience, and Central New York roots make him a perfect fit for our lineup and for Bills fans throughout the region.”
Clay Travis to Launch New Media Venture. After selling his Outkick platform to Fox Corporation earlier this year, Front Office Sports is reporting that Clay Travis is working on launching a new sports and politics media platform. The publication says that Travis has filed a trademark application for the name, “Sports & State.” See the Front Office Sports story here.
KBNW, Spokane to Carry Vandals Sports. KBNW, Spokane has aligned with Learfield’s Idaho Vandals Sports Properties to carry Idaho Vandals football and men’s basketball for the next two seasons. KBNW market manager Roger Nelson says, “We are excited to partner with Idaho Vandals Sports Properties to bring Idaho football and basketball game broadcasts to the Spokane/Coeur d’ Alene market. The Vandals have a rich history in football and men’s basketball and have long been a leader in the Big Sky Conference. Approximately 16% of the University of Idaho’s alumni base reside in the Spokane/Coeur d’ Alene metro and we look forward to developing a strong partnership with the Vandals and their fans.”
Rob Parker to Receive Innovator Award. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) announces that in conjunction with the induction of its 2026 Hall of Game class, it is recognizing FOX Sports Radio personality Rob Parker with the second annual JL Wilkinson “Innovator” Award during ceremonies on Saturday, September 26 at the Gem Theater in Kansas City.
The most discussed stories over the weekend (8/8-9) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Dickey Broadcasting Company announces, “an exciting new chapter” for Sports Radio 680 The Fan in Atlanta as veteran broadcaster John Kincade joins Matt Chernoff weekdays from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm for the all-new “Kincade & Chernoff Show.” The pairing brings together two of Atlanta’s most respected and recognizable sports radio personalities. The new show will feature the latest sports news, interviews, and debate.
As part of this programming change, station personality Chuck Oliver will continue to play an “impactful” role on The Fan while expanding his focus on “The Chuck Oliver Show,” heard across the Southern Sports Today Network. According to station management, Oliver remains an integral part of 680 The Fan’s programming and will continue to provide the station’s signature college football coverage and analysis through exclusive segments, special features, and fan-favorite promotions including “Win Chuck’s Dinner.” With his nationally recognized expertise, Oliver will also devote additional attention to growing “The Chuck Oliver Show,” further expanding coverage of SEC and ACC football, the College Football Playoff, recruiting, and the biggest stories from across the college football landscape throughout the Southeast.
“This is an exciting opportunity for all of our brands,” said David Dickey, president of Dickey Broadcasting Company. “John and Matt are an outstanding combination for afternoon drive, and our listeners should know that Chuck Oliver isn’t going anywhere. Chuck remains a huge part of The Fan and will continue to be our premier voice for college football through regular appearances, features, and promotions, while also expanding the reach of ‘The Chuck Oliver Show’ across the Southern Sports Today Network. These moves strengthen our commitment to delivering best-in-class sports programming both locally and throughout the Southeast.”
Red Apple Audio Networks’ recently launched Worldwide News Network (WWNN) is stepping into the weekend business and financial news space with the launch of WWNN Weekend Business Reports, a new series of reports delivering timely, insightful coverage of the markets, the economy and the companies driving growth. The reports debuted on Hubbard Broadcasting’s WTOP in Washington, DC, this past Saturday, August 1, marking the first affiliate partnership for the new service.
According to Red Apple, WWNN Weekend Business Reports will go beyond traditional market updates, focusing on the industries and economic sectors shaping the future, including automotive, technology and entertainment. The reports will also spotlight breakthrough companies and emerging trends driving innovation. The reports are being anchored and produced by veteran correspondents John Terrett and Jake Novak.
“WWNN is not simply filling the gap left by the demise of the CBS Radio Network,” said Lee Harris, SVP, news & programming, Worldwide News Network. “We’re building something stronger and more relevant for today’s audience. John and Jake bring extraordinary experience and credibility, and more importantly, they know how to make complicated financial and economic stories understandable, compelling, and actionable. That’s what makes these reports different.”
“Our listeners want and need insightful financial and business news they can trust, and they depend on us to deliver it every day of the week,” said Julia Ziegler, director of news and programming at WTOP. “As the industry has contracted over the last few years, it has left a void. It is exciting to work with a company like WWNN that understands the importance of providing quality reporting seven days of the week.”
The Nebraska Broadcasters Association will induct John Knicely, Kevin Kugler, Steve Lundy and Ken Siemek into the NBA Hall of Fame on Tuesday, August 11, in Lincoln during the NBA Annual Convention. Established in 1972, the NBA Hall of Fame will grow to 127 members with these pending inductees.
From his start as a TV sportscaster through his 34 years as a news anchor on Omaha’s WOWT-TV, John Knicely set a long-term standard for credibility and trust in Nebraska’s most competitive television market before retiring in 2025.
Kevin Kugler has the most extensive play-by-play résumé of any Nebraskan, and he continues scaling new heights on a national level.
In a career approaching 50 years and still counting, Steve Lundy has entertained listeners and served local communities on some of Nebraska’s most legendary radio stations. He got his on-air start in 1977 at KHUB in Fremont, and over the next 23 years, Steve was heard in Omaha on WOW, KOIL, KEFM, KQKQ and KKAR. After four years on Lincoln’s KLIN, Steve joined Omaha’s country music-formatted KXKT in 2004, where he currently serves as co-host of “Steve & Gina in the Morning.”
Over the course of his 44 years on KOLN, Lincoln, and KGIN-TV, Grand Island, meteorologist Ken Siemek led the stations’ weather department through massive technological changes—from handwritten weather symbols and temperature readings to the latest radar and satellite weather-forecasting technology. He retired in 2025.
iHeartMedia Philadelphia announced today (8/6) that Daija Moore-Evans has been promoted to digital content manager, effective immediately. In her new role, she will lead the market’s digital content efforts across iHeartMedia Philadelphia’s six-station cluster, which spans music, talk and news formats, driving audience growth and engagement across broadcast, digital and social platforms. In this role, Moore-Evans will lead the cluster’s digital content strategy, audience engagement, and social media initiatives. She will oversee the development and execution of digital content designed to expand audience reach, strengthen brand engagement, and support the company’s on-air and online platforms. She reports to Jeff Hurley, SVP of programming, iHeartMedia Philadelphia. Hurley tells TALKERS, “Daija has already made a tremendous impact on our team, and this promotion is well deserved. Her creativity, work ethic, and vision make her the perfect person to lead our digital efforts into the future.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/5) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Beasley Media Group’s 97.5 The Fanatic (WPEN-FM), Philadelphia’s announced a new weekday on-air lineup highlighted by the promotion of current midday host Jon Marks to the station’s morning drive program. Beginning Monday, August 17th, Marks will join Andrew Salciunas as co-host of the weekday morning show from 6:00 to 10:00 am, following the departure of John Kincade. Marks, who currently hosts the station’s popular “Middays with Marks” program, will transition to mornings alongside Salciunas, who has been part of the morning show for the past two-and-a-half years. The move pairs one of Philadelphia’s most recognized sports radio personalities with one of the market’s emerging voices while maintaining a strong local focus during the station’s highest-profile daypart. The programming changes also create new opportunities across the station’s weekday schedule. Ray Dunne, who previously served as producer of the station’s midday program, moves into an on-air hosting role and will join Sean Brace to lead the midday show from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Meanwhile, “Unfiltered with Ricky Bo and Bill Colarulo” will continue in afternoon drive from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. “Jon Marks has earned the trust of Philadelphia sports fans through years of outstanding work on the air, making him a natural choice to drive our morning show” said Paul Blake, Vice President and Market Manager, Beasley Media Group Philadelphia. “Along with Andrew, Sean, Ray, Ricky and Bill, we’re confident this lineup reflects the depth of talent at The Fanatic and reinforces our commitment to delivering the best local sports talk in Philadelphia.”
As Buffalo Bills football returns to Cumulus Media’s 97 Rock/WGRF-FM, the station is bringing back two of Western New York’s most respected and recognizable sports voices. Veteran broadcasters Paul Peck and Kevin Sylvester will join the station’s Bills coverage team, delivering in-depth analysis, insight, and entertainment as part of an expanded pregame lineup this season. Peck and Sylvester will host the first two hours of 97 Rock’s game day coverage, beginning four hours before kickoff each week. They will be followed by NFL Draft and Buffalo Bills analyst Chris Trapasso and former Buffalo Bills center Mitch Morse, giving fans a full four hours of comprehensive pregame coverage leading into every Bills game. Joe Russo, program director, 97 Rock, tells TALKERS, “Together, Paul and Kevin bring decades of experience covering the teams, players, and moments that have defined Buffalo sports. Their deep local roots, combined with their passion for entertaining fans, make them the perfect team to help launch a new era of Bills coverage on 97 Rock. We are so excited to welcome them to our team.”
Houston Public Media today announced that popular local media figure Tessa Barrera is joining its weekday daytime talk show, “Hello Houston,” as co-host alongside longtime personality, Ernie Manouse. Barrera makes her on-air debut on August 17. Barrera brings 13 years of regional television and radio experience to the program. The plan is for Barrera and Manouse to conduct conversations with newsmakers, community leaders, artists and neighbors, giving audiences a fresh, engaging look at the issues, events and people making an impact in Greater Houston. “Tessa’s warmth, curiosity and ability to connect with people make her an outstanding addition to ‘Hello Houston,’” said Josh Adams, associate vice president and general manager of Houston Public Media. “Alongside Ernie, she’ll continue the thoughtful, community-focused conversations that reach audiences across radio, television, digital, HPM+ streaming and social platforms.” To learn more about Houston Public Media, visit houstonpublicmedia.org