The most discussed stories yesterday (4/2) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump’s Trade War/Markets React
2. Wisconsin & Florida Elections Aftermath
3. Deportations & Detentions
4. Russia-Ukraine War
5. Tornadoes & Severe Weather
Triton Digital announces that it is adding survey-based listener rankings to the existing U.S. Podcast Ranker to “provide a holistic view of podcast consumption.” The company says the current U.S. Podcast Ranker based on downloads will continue to be issued monthly, for publishers using Triton Digital’s IAB-certified measurement services. It will be supplemented with a quarterly ranking of the podcasts with the
most listeners, based on a nationally representative survey that includes all publishers and podcasts. Triton Digital’s Demos+ audience profiles will also be added to the ranker, which lists the podcasts that most efficiently reach advertisers’ desired audiences, such as various demographic, socio-economic, lifestyle, and purchase intent segments. Triton SVP of measurement & analytics Daryl Battaglia says, “The combination of census-level download measurement blended with survey measurement provides the most comprehensive understanding of podcast audiences and their consumption habits. By adopting new methods to measure audiences and augmenting our current tools, we are enriching the podcast information available to advertisers so they can feel confident in reaching their target audiences.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/1) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Today’s “Liberation Day” Tariffs Announcement
2. Wisconsin & Florida Special Elections
3. Sen. Cory Booker Speech
4. Iran-Russia-U.S. Nukes Tensions
5. Trump Third Term Questions
The most discussed stories yesterday (3/31) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump’s Trade War
2. Wisconsin & Florida Elections
3. DOGE/Federal Health Agencies Cuts
4. Trump Third Term
5. Russia-Ukraine War/Trump-Putin Relationship
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Corporate cost cuts continue. In a recent column here, I described 18 non-radio career options for which your skill set as a broadcaster could qualify you. In just the last couple years, several longtime TV news people I know – who had-it-up-to-here with the hours – reinvented themselves accordingly.
“But radio is all I’ve ever done!” you say? No. Radio is (or was) your platform. And – as clients are accustomed to hearing me say – “Everything we do is storytelling.” So where else can you tell yours?
Tools are available, many free. To illustrate, I wrote a novella (shorter than a novel, longer than a short story). It’s the first fiction I’ve written since a high school homework assignment, and you can download it, also free.
I had an idea for a John Grisham/James Patterson-style thriller. ChatGPT and MS Copilot were my co-authors, suggesting plot twists and critiquing, chapter-by-chapter. After ChatGPT reviewed each one, I ran it through Copilot – like having a team of writers. Both AI tools also created the images you will see on the landing page. Tell either app how you want your web page to look, and it will write the HTML code! And Google Search helped with details.
Every one of those functions was completed in five seconds or less, free. As is Audacity, if you’d rather not spend for your own copy of the Adobe Audition you use (or used) at the radio station. And before you subscribe to Microsoft Office 365, peruse the suite of lookalike tools at OpenOffice.org. Video? Premiere Pro is pricey, but Adobe Express is free and there are shareware alternatives.
Seen those TV ads TikTok is running to stave-off a USA ban? Storytellers share how they’re making a living there. Could you?
I hope you like my story. But even if you don’t, I hope you will experiment with new ways to tell yours. I’m not saying any of us will write a best-selling novel. But if you do, you can also voice the audiobook version.
Now, grab the armrest, for chilling intrigue, and a damning narrative about the corporate consolidation that plagues broadcasting, set in the beguiling place where we live, populated by pseudonyms (including the author’s) which some will find thinly-veiled: http://getonthenet.com/TalkersPreview.html
That’s your sneak peek. It drops on April Fool’s Day.
Next week, I’ll be reporting here from The NAB Show in fabulous Las Vegas. If you’re going, wear comfortable shoes! But even if you do – and you plan on walking from where shuttle busses drop you off at the Convention Center to the West Hall where most radio and podcasting sessions will be – pack a lunch. It’s a hike!
Better idea: Let Elon Musk give you a free ride… UNDERGROUND, in “The Loop.” He has 100 Teslas zooming through what seems like a high-tech Batcave that his Boring Company is…boring. Here’s video I shot at CES: https://youtu.be/wqqQd9vZnM0
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
Audacy promotes Leah Reis-Dennis to head of podcasts, in which she’ll lead content, partnerships, and marketing for Audacy’s slate of podcasts. Audacy chief business officer Chris Oliviero says, “Leah has
been instrumental in the growth and success of our podcast portfolio, and we’re honored to elevate her into this expanded leadership role. Her creativity and strategic vision will drive our continued investment in digital audio and podcasting, advancing our content strategy, deepening our partnerships and delivering a premium experience for listeners and innovative solutions for advertisers.” Reis-Dennis joined Audacy in 2022, most recently serving as vice president of podcast content strategy and business development.
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump Tariffs and “Liberation Day”
2. Trump Third Term
3. Deportations & Detentions
4. Musk & Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
5. Le Pen Convicted of Embezzlement
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gate City Capital Management LLC revealed it is withdrawing its nominees to the board of Saga Communications as Saga requested. Founder and portfolio manager Michael Melby states, “The continued pursuit of our Nominees would not be in the best interest of Gate City or the Company’s shareholders at this time. Gate City appreciated the opportunity to
communicate directly with the Company’s management and directors regarding our views and concerns.” Gate City owns an almost 14% stake in Saga. Melby expresses Gate City’s concerns about Saga, saying, “Gate City’s decision to nominate directors was based on our belief that Saga was determined to pursue its Digital Transformation regardless of the negative impact the transformation could have on Saga’s profitability, cash flow, and share price. Our determination was made following careful analysis and nearly nine months of conversations with the Company’s senior leadership and Board. We repeatedly expressed our concerns 
that Saga lacked the expertise, and the competitive advantages required to succeed in the low-margin and highly competitive digital advertising space. The pursuit of the Digital Transformation would also divert time, attention, and resources away from the Saga’s core broadcast business, where Saga has competitive advantages and earns high incremental margins. Saga also failed to provide investors with any meaningful financial targets or metrics associated with the Digital Transformation including expectations for incremental revenues, costs, margins, and return on investment. Our recommendation that Saga partner with a digitally-savvy company with the capability and experience to execute Saga’s digital strategy without the added costs and risks associated with the transformation was also dismissed.” Melby’s criticism of Saga Communications’ business strategy continues, “In 2024, the Company’s station operating income fell 23.1% year-over-year to $21.1 million, the Company’s operating income fell 79% year-over-year to $2.4 million, and the Company’s operating profit margin fell to 2.1% in 2024 from 10.2% in 2023, a decline of over 800 bps. To make matters worse, this deterioration in financial results occurred during a presidential election year, when Saga should benefit from elevated levels of political spending. Our concern that the pursuit of the Digital Transformation strategy could detract from the Company’s highly profitable broadcast business also appears prescient. On Saga’s Q4 2024 earnings call, the Company noted that it generated $3.3 million in political revenue in 2024. Saga’s 2024 political advertising revenue declined 52% from the $6.9 million generated in 2020 (the last presidential election year) and also fell from the $3.6 million generated in the 2022 midterm election year. The Company’s two largest stations by revenue are located in the battleground states of Ohio and Wisconsin, calling into question the Company’s explanation that Saga’s stations were not in the correct markets. In addition to posting poor financial results, on March 18, 2025, Saga issued a financial filing stating that the Company would be unable to file its 10-K annual report in a timely fashion. This filing further highlights the potential challenges faced by the Company in executing the Digital Transformation.” You can find the full text of Gate City’s filing with the SEC here.
On the heels of the release of its most recent edition of The Infinite Dial research project, Edison Research will have a presence at next week’s Podcast Movement Evolutions event. The research firm will present
sessions including The Fandom Phenomenon that looks at the listening habits of podcast “fans,” “The Business of the First Podcast Election” that analyzes the role that news podcasts played in last fall’s presidential election. Edison says that according to its research, news is the second most-listened-to podcast category after comedy at #1 and ahead of true crime at #3.
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (3/24-28) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories/Topics
1. Signal Chat Controversy
2. The Economy-Jobs-Inflation
3. Trump Tariffs / Trump vs Judiciary
4. Musk-DOGE Activities / Federal Firings & Cutbacks / Tesla Under Attack
5. Israel-Hamas War / Russia-Ukraine War
6. Stefanik Withdrawn for U.N. Nomination
7. ICE Deportation Crackdown
8. First Amendment Issues / GOP Town Halls
9. Big Tech / Misinformation / Censorship / Healthcare-Vaccines
10.March Madness / MLB Season Opens
People
1. Donald Trump / Elon Musk
2. Benjamin Netanyahu
3. Vladimir Putin
4. Volodymyr Zelenskyy
5. Pete Hegseth / Tulsi Gabbard / Mike Waltz
6. Jeffrey Goldberg
7. Elise Stefanik
8. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
9. JD Vance / Marco Rubio
10.Karoline Leavitt
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (3/26) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Signal Group Chat Contoversy
2. New Trump Tariffs on Autos and Parts
3. Trump Demands Defunding of Public Media
4. SCOTUS Upholds Ghost Guns Ban
5. Gazans’ Anti-Hamas Protests
The most discussed stories yesterday (3/25) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Defense Group Chat Issue
2. Johnson Suggests Eliminating Federal Courts
3. Trump Trade War/Recession Fears
4. Russia-Ukraine War
5. Vance Leads Greenland Delegation
Thursday (3/27) will be the final airing of WGN Radio’s “Walter Jacobson’s Perspective” hosted by legendary news broadcaster and personality Walter Jacobson (pictured here). WGN notes that Jacobson’s commentaries covering local politics and news have been heard on the station since 2014. Jacobson has
had a storied career in Chicago media. First at newspapers, he moved to television in 1963 working at WBBM as a news writer, reporter and political editor. From 1973 to 1982, Jacobson co-anchored WBBM-TV’s “The 10 O’Clock News” with Bill Kurtis and the two dominated the ratings for nine years. His “Perspective” pieces date to those newscasts when Jacobson would deliver them live from his office. WGN Radio VP and general manager Mary Sandberg Boyle comments, “I ‘knew’ Walter Jacobson mostly for his TV news work virtually all my life. He and Bill Kurtis revolutionized the look and feel of television news broadcasts in Chicago at CBS 2 and it’s still talked about by those who watched them in the 70s. Working with him at WGN Radio and getting to know him in-person has been an honor. After seeing firsthand his uncompromising devotion to his craft, it’s easy to see why he is the media legend that he is. Walter’s personality, contributions and ever unique ‘Perspective’ will be greatly missed.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (3/24) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Houthi Strikes Leaked to Press
2. Israel Strikes on Gaza/Russia-Ukraine War
3. Elon Musk and DOGE Firings
4. Pam Bondi vs Jasmine Crockett
5. Usha Vance Visits Greenland
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. U.S.-Russia Talks About Ukraine War
2. Trump Trade War/The Economy
3. Elon Musk & DOGE/SpaceX Government Contracts
4. Israel-Gaza War
5. NCAA Tournament
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (3/17-21) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories/Topics
1. Trump Dismantles Department of Education
2. Trump vs Judiciary
3. The Economy-Jobs-Inflation
4. Musk-DOGE Activities / Federal Firings
5. Israel-Hamas War-Gaza Cease Fire Broken / Russia-Ukraine War
6. Astronauts Return
7. ICE Deportation Crackdown
8. First Amendment Issues / GOP Town Halls
9. Big Tech / Misinformation / Censorship
10.Healthcare / Avian (Bird) Flu / Measles Outbreak
People
1. Donald Trump / Elon Musk
2. Benjamin Netanyahu
3. Vladimir Putin
4. Volodymyr Zelenskyy
5. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
6. Jeff Bezos
7. Mike Johnson
8. John Roberts / James Boasberg
9. Butch Wilmore / Suni Williams
10.JD Vance / Marco Rubio
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
Salem Media Group’s Salem Radio Network is putting host Charlie Kirk onto the Dennis Prager affiliate stations, effective March 31. This move comes as the result of Prager suffering a debilitating injury last
November after a fall in his home in which he suffered a spinal cord injury. Prager is going through extensive rehabilitation. Charlie Kirk has been hosting his show live in the same 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET daypart as Prager since October of 2020 and SRN says this will be an easy transition for most stations. Prager and 
Salem have agreed to his return for one hour a day, airing 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET, starting Tuesday, June 3. Salem SVP of spoken word Phil Boyce says, “Dennis may have some physical limitations at the moment, but his wit, wisdom, insights and passion are as strong and as clear as ever and we are delighted at his spirit and resolve to return to his audience. We want Dennis to remain a part of the Salem family and want his millions of loyal fans to continue to hear his voice. Affiliates of Charlie will continue to get the Kirk show with no interruption, and affiliates of Dennis will soon get Charlie Kirk as a strong and able replacement.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (3/19) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump to Order Department of Education Closed
2. Trump-Putin Talks/Russia-Ukraine War
3. Deportations/Court Orders
4. Fed Holds Firm on Rates
5. Trump Trade War
The most discussed stories yesterday (3/18) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Chief Justice Roberts Rebukes President Trump
2. Trump-Putin Talks
3. Stocks Slide/Recession Fears
4. Musk’s Dismantling of USAID
5. Israel Attacks on Gaza
Broadcasting pro Rich Herrera is the new host of “Richmond’s Morning News” on Audacy’s WRVA/WTVR-HD2, Richmond. Audacy Virginia SVP and market manager Bennett Zier says, “Rich brings an authentic voice to the morning airwaves and a strong commitment to his community. His sharp analysis and ability to
engage listeners in meaningful and entertaining conversation make him a valuable addition to the WRVA team. We’re excited to welcome Rich and continue delivering the news that matters most to our community.” Herrera comments, “I am thrilled to join the WRVA team, a legendary station with a great lineup of hosts and shows. After meeting with Bennett Zier and Zach McHugh and getting the chance to host Richmond’s morning news, I fell in love with the station. My family is excited to make Richmond our home. I want to thank Chris Oliviero and Jeff Sottolano for their support and mentorship, as well as Drew Anderssen, our format vice president, who encouraged me a year ago to transition from sports talk to general news.”
iHeartMedia and BIN: Black Information Network announced a new podcast series set to debut on March 24 titled, “To Altadena, With Love.” The five-part series focuses on the devastating impact of the Eaton
fires on the historic Black middle-class community of Altadena, California. The company says, “This groundbreaking series will explore the significance of Altadena, its legacy and the personal stories of survivors and community members who lived through one of the region’s most destructive natural disasters.” The series is hosted by Black Information Network journalist Mimi Brown.
The most discussed stories yesterday (3/17) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Israel Strikes in Gaza
2. Deportations-Court Orders
3. Russia-Ukraine War
4. Trump’s Trade War
5. Deadly Weather Aftermath
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
There has never been more news. And news has never been more quotable. It costs two-plus cents to make a penny.
Events impacting everyday life are unfolding around-the-corner, around-the-world, around-the-clock. The listeners our advertisers want as customers are in “What NEXT???” mode.
There have never been more places to get news. And the broadcasters that monetize information best have evolved what we used to call “a radio station” into a multiplatform source of content pertinent to its target listener. Trusted call letters are the surname shared by digital siblings.
Being known for helpful information is key. My client stations image relentlessly as “Your Only Local News Radio.” If you are too, rip me off, and burn-it-in.
But imaging merely talks-the-talk. All the promos in the world won’t walk-the-walk. We become habit-forming by delivering information that is relevant and useful and enabling and easily understood and seems up-to-date.
Accordingly:
What is being reported by national media, how does it hit home, and who locally can comment or explain?
Music radio is in the fight of its life with streams, and too much talk radio is an angry caricature. Matter most, and money will follow.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
Townsquare Media reports its operating results for the fourth quarter of 2024 and for the full year of 2024. Company CEO Bill Wilson says, “I am pleased to share that Townsquare’s performance improved meaningfully throughout 2024, culminating with fourth quarter net revenue growth of +2.6% year-over-year (on revenue of $117.8 million), and Adjusted EBITDA growth of +25.8% year-over-year, driven by the strong sequential improvement in our two digital businesses and the benefit of political revenue. In
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.”
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Immigrant Deportations
2. Trump Trade War/Financial Markets Activity
3. Russia-Ukraine War/U.S. Strikes Houthis in Yemen
4. Schumer Blowback
5. Deadly Weekend Weather