Industry News

iHeart Continues Sports Deals with NXXT Golf Partnership

iHeartMedia is adding another partnership to its portfolio sports relationships. NXXT Golf and iHeartMedia have a deal that makes it the Official Media Partner of NXXT Golf. iHeartMedia president of business development and strategic partnerships Michael Biondo says, “This partnership with NXXT Golf reflects iHeartMedia’s imgcommitment to fueling the future of sport by connecting fans with the athletes and moments that define the next generation of the game. We’re proud to amplify NXXT Golf’s mission through the power of radio, podcasts and streaming audio – bringing new audiences to the sport and supporting the next generation of elite talent.” As a cornerstone of the partnership, iHeartMedia will serve as a title and presenting sponsor across NXXT Golf’s premier event portfolio – including the NXXT Faldo Junior Tour, the NXXT Women’s Pro Tour, and the season’s most prestigious championship events.

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (June 8-12)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (6/8-12) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. Iran War / Agreement or No Agreement?
  2. Trump in NYC / NBA Finals
  3. The Economy / Inflation / Gas Prices
  4. Primary Elections / Trump Face the Nation Interview
  5. Trump UFC Controversy
  6. Trump Great American State Fair Performers Controversy
  7. Trump Ballroom Project Controversy / Trump DC Reflecting Pool Controversy
  8. AI / Data Center Controversy
  9. Strong El Niño Formed / World Cup
  10. Epstein Files

People

  1. Donald Trump
  2. Marco Rubio
  3. Benjamin Netanyahu
  4. Todd Blanche
  5. Scott Bessent
  6. Mike Johnson
  7. JD Vance/Pete Hegseth
  8. Zohran Mamdani
  9. Kristen Welker
  10. Jay Clayton

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News TALKERS 2026

TALKERS 2026 Generates Treasure Trove of Content and Takeaways

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Pictured above:  The “Programming News/Talk” panel at TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter.  Appearing l-r: Greg Stocker, brand manager, WPHT, Philadelphia, PA; Ralph Renzi, CEO, Newsmax Radio;  Lisa Polizzi, brand manager, WBEN, Buffalo, NY;  Michael Czarnecki, program director, WFEA, Manchester, NH;  Allan Lamberti, program director, WICC, Bridgeport, CT; and Phil Boyce, senior VP, Salem Radio Network / Salem News Channel / Salem Podcast Network. imgPictured at left: Moderator, Jeff Katz, host, WRVA, Richmond, VA.

The 28th annual edition of the talk media industry’s longest running and most important national gathering – TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter – took place at the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication on the Long Island, NY campus of Hofstra University this past Friday (6/5). It was produced in conjunction with Hofstra’s multi-Marconi Award winning campus radio station, WRHU-FM. The vibrant, sold-out gathering presented 65 speakers and 338 registered attendees engaged in the sharing of perspectives, advice, and ideas within the fertile environment of dynamic collegial networking.

The main themes of the conference included an intense focus on the future of radio and talk media in the multi-platform digital world of the second quarter of the 21st century.  These included exploration of such existential questions as how to gain profile traction in a noisy world; how to regain the public’s trust in the media; how to meet the challenge of generating revenue in a fractured and challenging economy; what entrepreneurial opportunities exist for individuals and independent companies in this new environment; how to expand programming options; how to recruit new talent; how to attract younger demos; how to deal with the enormous unforgiving power of algorithms in scoring the game; how to effectively control and exploit AI; how to make a living in this business; and so much more.

Speakers and attendees included a cross-section of talk media professionals from the worlds of talent, management, ownership, syndication, journalism, engineering, politics, sports, the law, academia, and music – even pro-wrestling!

Beginning next week, TALKERS will provide in-depth photo, video, and story coverage of the historic event.  Stand by! 

Industry Views

The Advertiser Gave It To Me. Isn’t That Enough?

Harrison's imagination of reality

By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Legal Group, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer

imgA local advertiser sends over a ready-made commercial. The music is catchy. The script is polished. The production value is surprisingly good for a company that spends most of its day installing garage doors.

The salesperson approves it. Traffic schedules it. The spot airs.

A few months later, somebody else’s lawyer hears it too.

Many media professionals assume that when an advertiser supplies content, the advertiser has already secured whatever permissions are necessary to use it. Sometimes that’s true. Sometimes it isn’t.

If a commercial contains copyrighted music, photographs, video, artwork, or other protected material, the fact that it came from a client does not automatically end the discussion. The advertiser may have obtained the rights. The advertiser may have assumed someone else obtained the rights. The advertiser may never have asked.

Artificial intelligence is creating new versions of the same problem.

Recently, I was asked about a commercial generated almost entirely through AI. The advertiser used one platform to create the script and another to generate the voice. Everything sounded original. No famous song. No movie clip. No obvious red flags.

Yet one question remained:

How do you know the advertiser had the right to use it?

That question can lead in several directions. Did the AI platform permit commercial use? Was the voice modeled after a real person? Does it sound enough like a celebrity to create endorsement concerns? Can the advertiser demonstrate where the content came from and what rights accompany it?

Fortunately, the solution is usually simple. Ask the advertiser.

Most legitimate advertisers are happy to explain how the content was created and what rights they possess. The conversation often takes only a few minutes.

Broadcasters, podcasters, streamers, and digital creators all face the same reality. Before a commercial airs, someone should know where the content came from and whether the necessary rights exist.

The technology may change. The question remains remarkably durable: How do you know you had the right to use this?

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 https://harrisonlegalgroup.com.

Industry News TALKERS 2026

TALKERS 2026 Presents 65 Speakers, Draws 338 Attendees, Addresses Hot Issues

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Pictured above: Walter Sterling, host of WABC, New York’s and Red Apple Audio Network’s nightly program, “The Other Side of Midnight,” addressing the topic, “Talk Radio: Past, Present, and Future,” at TALKERS 2026.

The 28th annual edition of the talk media industry’s longest running and most important national gathering – TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter – took place at the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication on the Long Island, NY campus of Hofstra University this past Friday (6/5). It was produced in conjunction with Hofstra’s multi-Marconi Award winning campus radio station, WRHU-FM. The vibrant, sold-out gathering presented 65 speakers and 338 registered attendees engaged in the sharing of perspectives, advice, and ideas within the fertile environment of dynamic collegial networking.

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Pictured above: Lee Habeeb, CEO, host, and producer of the wildly successful syndicated program, “Our American Stories,” addressing the crowd about “The Art of Story Telling” at TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter.

The main themes of the conference included an intense focus on the future of radio and talk media in the multi-platform digital world of the second quarter of the 21st century.  These included exploration of such existential questions as how to gain profile traction in a noisy world; how to regain the public’s trust in the media; how to meet the challenge of generating revenue in a fractured and challenging economy; what entrepreneurial opportunities exist for individuals and independent companies in this new environment; how to expand programming options; how to recruit new talent; how to attract younger demos; how to deal with the enormous unforgiving power of algorithms in scoring the game; how to effectively control and exploit AI; how to make a living in this business; and so much more.

Speakers and attendees included a cross section of talk media professionals from the worlds of talent, management, ownership, syndication, journalism, engineering, politics, sports, the law, academia, and music – even pro-wrestling!

Beginning next week, TALKERS will provide in-depth photo and video coverage of the historic event.  Stand by!

Industry News

Salem Creators Agency Debuts to Represent Faith-Centric and Family-Focused Talent

Salem Creators Agency Debuts to Represent Faith-Centric and Family-Focused Talent

Salem Media reveals the launch of Salem Creators Agency, a new venture it says is focused on “helping faith-centric and family-friendly talent grow their careers across publishing, podcasting, live events, speaking engagements, music, film, and TV.” In conjunction with the launch, SCA signs Christian content creator, speaker, imgand media personality Jason Jackson Jr. as its first client. Salem Media CEO David Santrella states, “For years, we’ve worked alongside some of the most influential voices in media. Many of them are looking for more than platform monetization. They want a partner who not only understands their audience and shares their values but also has the experience to help them continue building their brands. Launching SCA is a natural next step for us.” SCA managing director Andrew Samalot adds, “As we’ve worked alongside creators over the last several years, we’ve seen firsthand that the most successful talent aren’t just building social media audiences – they’re building brands, businesses, and platforms that extend far beyond any single channel. Our role is to help them identify those opportunities, navigate them strategically, and surround them with representation they can trust as they continue growing their influence and impact.”

Industry News

Glenn Beck’s The American Story Offered as Fourth of July Radio Special

Premiere Networks nationally syndicated talk star Glenn Beck is presenting a three-hour, Fourth of July radio special for talk radio stations titled, “The American Story.” Billed as a “cinematic-style journey through the chaos, imgcourage, and unlikely twists that built the United States,” the story “uncovers the human drama behind America’s earliest, most pivotal moments. Listeners will meet settlers fighting to survive, preachers sparking mass revival, revolutionaries defying an empire, and founders struggling to invent a functioning nation.” The special will air on more than 350 affiliates of “The Glenn Beck Weekend Program” during the holiday weekend. It’s also available to talk stations in non-competing markets as early as Friday, July 3, and may be aired multiple times throughout the holiday weekend. Hear a clip of the show here.

Industry News

NPR Names Zylstra Chief Content Officer

NPR appoints Nadine Zylstra its new chief content officer. NPR president and CEO Katherine Maher states, “To meet the evolving needs of our audiences, we knew we needed a visionary leader who understands both the responsibility of our public service mission and imgthe dynamic strategies required to serve audiences in a crowded ecosystem. Nadine brings an extraordinarily rare blend of creative foresight, business acumen, and deep personal commitment to mission-driven storytelling. She is the right leader at the right time to ensure NPR’s journalism and cultural programming find new ways of serving and enlivening American discourse.” Zylstra most recently served as global head of programming and originals for Pinterest

Industry News TALKERS 2026

TALKERS 2026 – Hailed as a Stunning Industry Revival

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TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison (l) and Red Apple Media CEO John Catsimatidis (r) pictured above in ‘Keynote One-on-One” conversation at TALKERS 2026.

The 28th annual edition of the talk media industry’s longest running and most important national gathering – TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter – took place at the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication on the Long Island, NY campus of Hofstra University this past Friday (6/5). It was produced in conjunction with Hofstra’s multi-Marconi Award winning campus radio station, WRHU-FM. The vibrant, sold-out gathering presented 65 speakers and 338 registered attendees engaged in the sharing of perspectives, advice, and ideas within the fertile environment of dynamic collegial networking.

The main themes of the conference included an intense focus on the future of radio and talk media in the multi-platform digital world of the second quarter of the 21st century.  These included exploration of such existential questions as how to gain profile traction in a noisy world; how to regain the public’s trust in the media; how to meet the challenge of generating revenue in a fractured and challenging economy; what entrepreneurial opportunities exist for individuals and independent companies in this new environment; how to expand programming options; how to recruit new talent; how to attract younger demos; how to deal with the enormous unforgiving power of algorithms in scoring the game; how to effectively control and exploit AI; how to make a living in this business; and so much more.

Speakers and attendees included a cross section of talk media professionals from the words of talent, management, ownership, syndication, journalism, engineering, politics, sports, the law, academia, and music – even pro-wrestling!

TALKERS founder Michael Harrison expressed his deep gratitude to the industry: “We worked day and night for months putting this one together, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Heartfelt thanks to our speakers, attendees, and sponsors, as well as our dear friends and partners at Hofstra University, where it all started for me.”

TALKERS VP / executive editor Kevin Casey states, “We have enough text, photos, and video from this historic media event to keep us busy putting it together and maximizing the intellectual riches for a long time to come. It was a content motherlode!”  TALKERS will provide full coverage of TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter over the coming days, weeks and months on its website, newsletter and video channel. Stand by!

Industry News

The 2026 Heavy Hundred is Published

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The editors of TALKERS announce the publication of the 2026 list of the 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America – known colloquially as the Heavy Hundred. This annual feature is created by the editors of TALKERS with input from industry leaders and ranks, from one to 100, the most important talk radio hosts in America based of several factors including (in alphabetical order): courage, effort, impact, longevity, potential, ratings, recognition, revenue, service, talent, and uniqueness. To be considered for inclusion on the Heavy Hundred, talk hosts must be working at the time of publication and have a regularly scheduled professional show on the air at a minimum of one terrestrial station or satellite radio station. TALKERS executive editor Kevin Casey says, “This is one of the most difficult features that TALKERS does each year. There are so many deserving hosts working at stations across America for whom a case could be made for their inclusion on this list. With that said, we are proud of all the hard-working hosts who made this year’s Heavy Hundred and congratulate them on receiving this honor.” See the 2026 Heavy Hundred here.

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (June 1-5)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (6/1-5) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. Iran War / War Powers Resolution
  2. Primary Races
  3. Pelley Firing / Status of “60 Minutes”
  4. “Anti-Weaponization” Fund Nixed
  5. The Economy / Gas Prices
  6. Redistricting
  7. Delaney Hall Protests
  8. Ballroom Project
  9. 250th Celebration Performers Controversy / Kennedy Center Ruling
  10. Bolton to Plead Guilty

People

  1. Donald Trump
  2. Thomas Massie / Tom Barrett / Brian Fitzpatrick / Warren Davidson
  3. Scott Pelley / Bari Weiss / Nick Bilton
  4. Todd Blanche
  5. Scott Bessent
  6. Mike Johnson
  7. Joe Biden
  8. JD Vance
  9. David Venturella
  10. John Bolton

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

MIW Opens Application Window for Programming Mentorship

Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc announces the opening of applications for its 8th Annual Elevating Women in Programming Mentorship. MIW says, “Designed specifically for women working in radio programming, the year-long mentorship imgconnects one rising programming professional with some of the industry’s most accomplished content leaders. Through personalized mentorship, strategic networking opportunities, and career-focused guidance, the program is designed to help participants strengthen their leadership skills and accelerate their professional growth.” The mentorship is open to one female brand manager, content/program director, assistant program director, or music director from any U.S.-based radio format. Applications are open now and will be accepted through July 2, 2026. Find out more and apply here.

Industry News

John Kincade to Leave “97.5 The Fanatic” This Summer

Beasley Media Group announces that Philadelphia sports media pro and current morning drive co-host John Kincade will leave the “Kincade & Salciunas Morning Show” after the duo’s last program on July 31. Andrew Salciunas will continue to host the imgprogram. WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic” program director Scott Masteller states, “John has brought tremendous passion, professionalism, and authenticity to our morning show and to the Philadelphia sports community. He’s been an important part of the station’s success, and we’re grateful for everything he has contributed both on the air and behind the scenes. We fully support his decision and wish him and his family nothing but the very best in this next chapter.” About his decision to leave the show, Kincade says, “After a great deal of thought, I’ve decided that this summer will be the right time for me to step away from mornings at ‘The Fanatic.’ This decision comes after a lot of reflection following my cancer battle and thinking carefully about what’s best for me and my family moving forward. I’m incredibly grateful to Beasley, to my teammates, and most importantly to the Philadelphia listeners who welcomed me back home in 2021 and supported me every step of the way. I’m proud of what we’ve built on the morning show and very confident in the future of ‘The Fanatic.’ There’s a tremendous team here both on-air and behind the scenes. I’m not retiring, and I’m excited to eventually explore what comes next professionally. Philadelphia has meant so much to me, and I can’t thank the fans enough for their support, especially during my health journey.”

Industry News TALKERS 2026

TALKERS 2026 to Present “The Big Picture” Super Panel

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TALKERS 2026 will continue to present one of the iconic conference’s most popular and impactful panel discussions – “The Big Picture.”

This year’s lineup of panelists is nothing short of superb: Steve Jones, president, CEO & Chairman, Skyview Networks; Chad Lopez, president, WABC, New York / Red Apple Audio Networks; Chris Oliviero, chief business officer, Audacy; Frank Morano, Member, New York City Council / former host, WABC, New York; Tavis Smiley, owner/host, KBLA, Los Angeles; and Rich Valdés, host, “This Is America with Rich Valdés,” TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison will moderate.

“The Big Picture” panel is more pertinent this year than ever before. According to Harrison, “Our goal will be to do exactly what the title implies – present a big picture overview of the state of radio and talk media as we enter the second quarter of the 21st century, drawing upon the expertise and experience of a remarkably diverse and accomplished set of panelists. We will examine the relentless cultural, political, financial, and technological forces at work in America (and the world) that will impact the future of our field and its role in society at present and during the turbulent days ahead.”

The panel discussion that will tackle the big questions facing the talk media and radio industries will take place this Friday, June 5 – just three days from now – between 2:20 pm and 3:00 pm on Television Soundstage “A” at Hofstra University’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication. This is the location at which all of the conference events will unfold.

All of the sessions at TALKERS 2026, including this one, will be video recorded for later playback on a number of platforms including the TALKERS MEDIA channel on YouTube.  For more information about registration, hotel and sponsorship, please click here.

Industry Views

Therapy, Entrepreneurism, and Talk Radio

By Pamela Garber, LMHC
Grand Central Counseling Group
New York

imgThe iconic TALKERS conference is coming up this Friday (6/5) and, again, I am looking forward to it.  As a practicing therapist and prolific talk show guest for over two decades, I find this unique gathering to be a productive educational and social ritual. It provides an opportunity to make new friends, strengthen existing relationships, and learn new things about the ever-evolving talk media industry. We have similar issues in the mental health field marked by encroaching corporatism in a business once fueled by “mom & pop” operators and independent practitioners.

I am pleased to see that one of the prevailing themes of this year’s TALKERS gathering is a call for the rebirth of entrepreneurism in the radio arena. This is certainly applicable to those brave souls willing to buck the onslaught of consolidation and take the daring leap into station ownership. But it also applies to management-level pros who are faced with learning “intrepreneurship” in order to be effective, productive, and at home within the potentially stifling environment of a large corporation. Entrepreneurism also applies to “talent” now presented with endless opportunities to be their own persons in podcasting, blogging, and myriad online endeavors. Talk show hosts are the “brand managers” of their own personas.

I like talk show hosts for reasons that go beyond their political ideologies. For the most part, talk show hosts are brave, informed, outgoing (at least in performance), quirky and, no matter how seemingly tough on the air, sensitive to being easily bruised and emotionally pained.

Talk show hosts and therapists share similar functions and traits in the performance of their jobs, not to mention their commonality with entrepreneurs. It takes entrepreneurial thinking in identifying and solving problems – the backbone of both therapy and talk show hosting. To a certain degree, therapists are talk show hosts and talk show hosts are therapists.  And both groups are in need of developing their entrepreneurial instincts.

All professions attract individuals with certain emotional and behavioral challenges. Clichéd therapist portrayals show common clinician flaws such as being rigid, or overly analytical, as well as being too distant and reserved. Talk show hosts are not as burdened by behavioral pressures as therapists which include strict licensing regulations and the potential threat of bad “reviews,” but they have a slew of their own restraints to contend with in keeping their audiences and their jobs.

Talk show hosts DO have one enviable option in dealing with callers, not as readily available to therapists for handling patients. They actually get to hang up on people.

Pamela Garber, LMHC is a practicing therapist based in NYC and South Florida and a longtime guest mental health commentator on radio and television news programs across the nation. She can be contacted by phone at 646-745-6709 or email at Pamelagarber@gmail.com.  Her website is Grandcentralcounselinggroup.com.

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Hungry for Some Summer Fun Next Month?

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgIf you are doing talk radio, much of your programming is syndicated. If you do music radio, your most formidable competitors are robotic streams that live in the cloud. Either way, YOU, being local, can make friends — and money — if you plan now to exploit these occasions.

  • Monday, July 6: National Fried Chicken Day
  • Tuesday, July 7: World Chocolate Day
  • Friday, July 10: National French Fry Day
  • Tuesday, July 14: National Mac & Cheese Day
  • Sunday, July 19: National Ice Cream Day
  • Wednesday, July 29: National Chicken Wing Day

And after all that, may I suggest a National Alka-Seltzer Day? JUST kidding. Wash-it-all-down on Friday, July 24, National Tequila Day.

For more upcoming opportunities to mingle with listeners — and engage advertisers – download my FREE 2026 Events + Occasions Calendar. Scroll down the home page at HollandCooke.com

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

Industry Views

SABO SEZ: Look at the Actual Numbers

By Walter Sabo
A.K.A Walter Sterling
Host, The Other Side of Midnight
WABC, New York / Red Apple Audio Networks

imgBillionaires make predominantly good investments, which is why they are billionaires.

John Malone saved Sirius with a $500 million investment just days from the company missing payroll. He remains the controlling shareholder.

Warren Buffett just made a significant investment in highly profitable SiriusXM.

George Soros owns Audacy. Audacy’s robust list of major market radio stations are jewels that require a better financial structure. Soros Fund Management bought $400,000,000 of the company’s debt and controlling ownership. Note that Soros now owns all but one of the country’s all-news stations.

Apollo Advisor’s billionaire CEO Marc Rowan  a former candidate for Secretary of the U.S. Treasury – owns Cox Radio and Television. Apollo was an original investor in Sirius.

John Catsimatidis wrote a check for WABC-AM and is buying more properties. Radio properties. Cats owns an oil refinery, land, and the Gristedes supermarket chain, but his focus is on WABC Radio.

The health of radio? The future? Those sharp investors, brutal businesspeople, determine the business future of radio, and they are apparently very optimistic!

Failing industries don’t expand

In 1970, there were 2,126 commercial stations in the U.S.

Today there are:

  • AM stations: 4,342
  • FM commercial stations: 6,589
  • FM noncommercial (educational) stations: 4,755

Sell the biggest number

Cable channels are investor valued by “Homes Passed.” Not audience or cash flow. How many people who can see the programming rather than how many people actually see the programming.  Now apply that logic to radio station values.

BILLBOARDS sell impressions. Impressions represent the total number of people who could potentially see a billboard ad.  That is the biggest number by which billboard can be measured, so that’s what they sell.

DIRECT MAIL is the number one local ad medium. It is data driven beyond your wildest dreams. Direct mail automation uses real-time signals and integrated data to deliver mail at the most meaningful point in the customer journey. For example, when someone abandons a shopping cart or repeatedly views a product online, you can design a programmatic mailing campaign to automatically send print pieces in response to that specific consumer behavior.

Rather than pushing the biggest, stable number – CUME – radio sells the smallest measurements. Radio’s 100+ years of success, astonishing outlet growth, 92% penetration of American homes, 65% daily population usage deserve has earned a much higher commercial unit price.

Walter Sabo has been a C-Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General, and many other leading media outlets. His company, HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers. His nightly show “The Other Side of Midnight” is heard on WABC, New York and the Red Apple Audio Network 1:00 am – 5:00 am. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at sabowalter@gmail.com.  He can be phoned at 646-678-1110.

Industry News

Denny Long Retires from WCCO, Minneapolis

Longtime WCCO, Minneapolis radio personality Denny Long imghosted his last show Saturday (5/30) that turned into a big farewell with co-workers, family and friends packing the Audacy station’s studio. Long served with WCCO for 55 years of his 60-year career. He joined the station in 1971 as program director for the then-music formatted station. He remained with WCCO in numerous capacities, most recently as host of the Saturday morning show. Long says he’s retiring for health reasons but adds that with a little luck and good medical care he’ll be alright.