Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (January 12-16, 2026)

Here are the most-talked-about stories of the past week (1/12-16) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. ICE Activities and Protests
  2. Iran Protests and Turmoil
  3. U.S. Policy on Venezuela
  4. Trump’s Greenland Ambitions
  5. Economy / Inflation / Interest Rates/ Tariffs
  6. Russia-Ukraine War
  7. Israel-Gaza Tensions
  8. Boeing Crash Investigation Findings
  9. NFL Playoffs / NCAA Betting Scandal
  10. Epstein Files

People

  1. Donald Trump
  2. Renee Nicole Good / Kristi Noem / Tim Walz
  3. Nicolás Maduro / Maria Corina Machado
  4. Masoud Pezeshkian / Ali Khamenei
  5. Marco Rubio / JD Vance
  6. Jens-Frederik Nielsen / Mette Frederiksen
  7. Mike Johnson / Pete Hegseth / Pam Bondi
  8. Vladimir Putin / Volodymyr Zelenskyy
  9. Benjamin Netanyahu
  10. Jeffrey Epstein

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

Industry News

Salem Promotes Cassidy to VP/Regional GM

Salem Media today promotes Carolyn Cassidy to vice president & regional general manager in which she’ll continue to oversee Salem’s operations in Columbus, Tampa, Orlando, and Miami, while expandingimg her leadership role as part of the company’s Senior Leadership Team. Salem says, “Cassidy has been an integral part of Salem for many years, beginning with her leadership in Columbus, where she cultivated a strong culture of teamwork, community involvement, and business growth. She later took on management of Salem’s Tampa market, followed by oversight of Orlando and, most recently, Miami.” Salem president of broadcast media Allen Power adds “Carolyn has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, market insight, and a deep commitment to Salem’s mission. Her ability to lead multiple large and diverse markets with both strategic focus and personal care makes her an outstanding addition to our VP ranks.”

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

AdLarge Acquires Inlet Media. AdLarge is acquiring the assets of technology platform Inlet Media, Inc that it has used for nearly two years to onboard, distribute, and monetize audio and video content through its AI-powered podcast and creator workflows. As part of the transaction, Patrick Cedrowski, co-founder of Inlet Media, has been named chief technology officer of AdLarge and the fwd. network. Brian Egan, co-founder of Inlet Media and longtime AdLarge and fwd. network team member, has been promoted to vice president and head of product.

NHPR Partners with The Podglomerate. New Hampshire Public Radio enters into an exclusive sales partnership with Portsmouth-based podcast agency The Podglomerate,, in which The Podglomerate will serve as the exclusive sales partner for podcasts produced by NHPR. NHPR director of on-demand audio Rebecca Lavoie says,“Partnering with The Podglomerate is a natural next step in our relationship. We’ve worked with them on several marketing campaigns, and are impressed with their steadfast advocacy for our journalism. They also have some of the most innovative approaches to monetization I’ve seen in the industry.”

Edison Presenting “Evolving Ear” Webinar. Edison Research will present, “The Evolving Ear: How New Listeners are Shaping Podcast’s New Chapter,” in a webinar on January 27 at 2:00 pm ET.  Edison says, “The future of podcasting may be unpredictable, but listener trends offer the best clues about where it’s headed. Drawing from over 20 years of Edison Research data, senior research director Gabriel Soto will explore how the next wave of podcast consumers is shaping the medium.” Get more info and register here. 

Radio Mercury Awards Call for Entry. Call for Entry for the 2026 Radio Mercury Awards is officially open. Entrants have the opportunity to be awarded in 17 categories along with the Best of Show recognition. Call for Entry deadline is Monday, April 6, 2026. Finalists for the show will be announced in early May, and winners will be announced at the live Radio Mercury Awards event on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at SONY Hall in New York City. For more information regarding entry categories, guidelines, entry fees and deadlines, available sponsorship information and more, click here.

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (1/14)

The most discussed stories yesterday (1/14) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. Minneapolis ICE Protests
  2. Iran Protests / Trump’s Warning
  3. Venezuelan Leadership / War Powers Resolution
  4. Greenland’s Future
  5. FBI Raids Post Reporter’s Home
Industry News

WTOP Names Wordock Business Reporter

WTOP names veteran journalist John Wordock business reporter, effective January 26. Wordock, who was heard on WTOP in the past when he handled business report duties for MarketWatch Radio, most recentlyimg served as a media consultant. He states, “WTOP is setting the pace for the radio industry in our digital world. It’s a leader both in Washington and in the country. I look forward to joining its award-winning newsroom and evolving business reporting in the age of social video, YouTube, podcasts, and whatever comes next.” WTOP says it will expand the scope of its business reporting under Wordock’s leadership, including by Wordock producing original video content and written articles for WTOP.com and the station’s social media channels. WTOP director of news and programming Julia Ziegler comments, “Evolution is more important than ever in the news industry. We need to meet our consumers where they are and bring them the stories they need in the formats they want. John brings a wealth of multi-platform experience and business expertise to WTOP, and we can’t wait for news consumers in the DMV to be reintroduced to him.”

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (1/13)

The most discussed stories yesterday (1/13) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. Minneapolis ICE Protests / Prosecutors Quit
  2. Trump in Detroit
  3. Deadly Iran Protests
  4. SCOTUS Transgender Athletes Case
  5. Clintons Refuse Epstein Testimony
Industry News

Gregg Henson Named WHO, Des Moines Program Director

Programming pro Gregg Henson is named program director for iHeartMedia’s “NewsRadio 1040” WHO, Des Moines. iHeartMedia EVP of programming Steve Geofferies says “NewsRadio 1040 WHO is one of the most respected news talk stations in Iowa, built on a strong foundation of trusted voices and programming. Gregg’s experience and leadershipimg will support our strong team and help WHO continue delivering the high-quality programming listeners rely on every day.” Henson most recently served with Cumulus Media as PD and morning host at classic rock WLAV-FM and country WTNR-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During his career he’s programmed news/talk outlets including WRVA, Richmond; WPGB-FM, Pittsburgh; and WOWO, Fort Wayne. Henson comments, “I’m incredibly excited to return to iHeartMedia and work with the legendary staff at NewsRadio 1040 WHO. WHO’s legacy of trusted news and strong local voices is unmatched, and I’m focused on building on that foundation and continuing to deliver relevant, impactful programming for listeners across Iowa.”

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (1/12)

The most discussed stories yesterday (1/12) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. Minnesota ICE Protests
  2. Powell Investigation / Fed Policy 
  3. Trump Visits Detroit
  4. Iran Protests – Trump Threats
  5. Mark Kelly Sues Pete Hegseth
Industry News

WWO Confirms Return of Bongino Streaming Show and Podcast

Cumulus Media confirms that former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino is back with the company as Westwood One will serve as the exclusive sales partner for his new show that will stream live daily from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon ET exclusively via Rumble with recorded audio available on all major podcast platforms. The new show launches on February 2. Cumulusimg Media | Westwood One says, “The relaunch marks Bongino’s most extensive digital commitment to date, designed to meet increasing audience demand for long-form and in-depth content. The two-hour format strengthens the show’s position as a major voice in independent media, offering a highly engaging, daily destination for listeners seeking headline analysis, guest interviews, cultural commentary, and special ‘Bongino Army’ segments.” Bongino comments, “I’m excited to get back behind the mic and reconnect directly with the audience. This show has always been about cutting through the noise and talking honestly about what matters. We’re coming back bigger, bolder, and always unfiltered — exactly how people want it.” Westwood One and Cumulus Podcast Network president Collin Jones adds, “Dan Bongino is back! Few voices in talk media command the loyalty and firepower that Dan brings. His audience? Formidable. His influence? Undeniable. This promises to be an incredible journey as Dan drives the national conversation daily on the most important issues at hand, with authority that has been hard-fought and well-earned. Westwood One is beyond proud to help power the next chapter of ‘The Dan Bongino Show.’”

Industry Views

SABO SEZ: The Fine Art of Talking with Talent

By Walter Sabo
a.k.a. Walter Sterling, Host
WPHT, Philadelphia, “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night”
TMN syndicated, “Sterling on Sunday”

imgTalk show hosts are not motivated or driven like disk jockeys or salespeople. Most general managers have never managed talk show hosts. Few program directors have managed talk show hosts. My career has been blessed with daily exchanges with the best talk show hosts in history. Here are some suggestions I would like to share on how to have a superior relationship with talk stars.

• Listen to the show. Talk hosts are performers committing an unnatural act. They are on a stage with no audience. They hear no applause, little immediate feedback, and this leads to paranoia. Was that topic good? Was the joke funny? You’re the audience.

• Give one “note” at a time. Whatever method you use to motivate a salesperson, do the opposite with on-air talent. Talk talent cannot work harder. They are working as hard as they possibly can every moment. You don’t have to motivate them to go on more sales calls. The motivation comes from telling a host what you enjoyed – what you thought was fun or funny. Compliments won’t make them take it easy; it will make them want more compliments – applause. Applause is the motivation.

You may hear several elements on a show that could be improved. Keep the list to yourself. Select the most urgent item that could be improved and share that one and only that one.  Bring up another suggestion next week. Offering more than one “repair” can be devastating. Surround all suggestions with many compliments.  It works.

• Unless a talent posts under your station’s actual social media account, their social media posts are frankly none of your business. Facebook is just not as important – not as your station. Let it go.

• No other entertainer has as hard a job as a radio talk show host.  Talk show hosts have to create multiple hours from scratch. Actors on a sitcom need to learn 22 minutes of script – script they didn’t write; 11 writers did that for them. How much are you paying for writers for your talk shows? Oh! Entertainers in other media have production assistants, interns, writers, coaches, dressers, rehearsals. How much support staff do your hosts have? Oh! Talk show hosts perform a daily miracle for your company. Lunch barter isn’t enough.

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 “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. 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.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

“Truth Matters” Show to Launch. A new weekend program titled, “Truth Matters with Tom Donahue Angeline Marie” is debuting next Saturday (1/17) on the Salem Radio Network. Donahue says, “We have been friends and colleagues for over 15 years. We co-hosted several popular podcast series in the past. We hold similar political views, and we are both inspired to deliver our takes reporting on the most compelling topics from a factual and rational perspective. Always from a Christian, America First, independent conservative vantage point. We plan to shed light and insight on the prevailing controversies, coverups, and conspiracies.” 

WBUR to Debut New Business Show. Public radio outlet WBUR, Boston announces the debut of a new business-focused series titled, “The WBUR Breakfast Club,” designed to bring Boston decision makers together to connect and explore the most pressing issues facing business leaders today. The inaugural event on Thursday, January 22, features Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert in conversation with Ari Shapiro, former host of NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (1/10-11)

The most discussed stories over the weekend (1/10-11) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. Minnesota ICE Protests
  2. Iran Protests-U.S. Warned Not to Interfere
  3. Powell Subpoenaed Over Fed Building Renovations
  4. Venezuela’s Oil / Trump’s Greenland Ambitions
  5. Mississippi Synagogue Burning
Industry Views

CES2026: ICYMI

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgCars were some of the big stars at CES. Not flying cars, which were news there, years ago. But cars that drive themselves, and how the cars we still drive are safer and smarter — some smaller, very inexpensive — and electric cars that go longer between charges. Solar powered cars are coming, among other sustainability breakthroughs like farming with less chemicals and appliances that use lots less energy.

But the biggest buzz this year was Artificial Intelligence, the secret sauce in much, possibly most, of what’s new. There is angst about AI, forecast to eliminate as many as half of entry‑level white‑collar jobs within five years. In the session “Future-Ready: Shaping the Workforce in the AI Era,” employers were urged to “Reimagine, not adapt” workflows. “And put your employees at the center of reimagination.” It’s all happening quickly. One speaker quipped “ChatGPT is SO 2022.”

Watch/read/hear/download my week-long coverage from Las Vegas at HollandCooke.com. MUST-SEE: Video of the Caterpillar keynote.

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 News

Report: Townsquare Wins Suit for Unpaid Ad Bills

According to a report by Bill Heltzel in WestfairOnline, Townsquare Media has won a suit against furniture dealer Regency Management for unpaid advertising bills that totaled $1.15 million. In 2022, Heltzel writes that U.S. District Court imgJudge Kenneth M. Karas concluded Townsquare failed to establish monetary damages on most of the contracts and ordered Townsquare a partial award of about $115,000 but ruled in favor of Regency on most of the deals. Townsquare requested reconsideration, and in 2023 Judge Karas concluded that he had overlooked evidence on 10 advertising contracts. After holding a bench trial last June, Karas on December 12, 2025, ordered Regency “to pay $114,936 that remained unsatisfied from his 2022 partial decision for Townsquare; $694,328 on the contracts he reconsidered, and $344,833 in interest, for a total of $1,154,097.” See the WestfairOnline story here. 

Industry News

Audacy Goes with Podscribe for Measurement

Audacy names Podscribe its preferred measurement partner beginning in this year. Podscribe will enable attribution across most of Audacy’s digital portfolio, including streaming audio, podcasting, CTV, and display, with client-facingimg dashboards and API access that support automated reporting and portfolio-level insights. The collaboration will also support select broadcast attribution initiatives within Audacy’s radio portfolio, complementing existing measurement partners. Audacy president of digital sales Michael Biemolt says, “Audacy consistently strives to deliver measurable results for advertisers, and our partnership with Podscribe further strengthens that promise. With enhanced attribution and transparency across our portfolio, we’re giving clients even greater confidence in how Audacy drives performance at scale.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (January 5-9, 2026)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (1/5-9) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. Maduro Captured and Arraigned
  2. Venezuelan Oil / “Donroe” Doctrine
  3. Fatal Minneapolis ICE Shooting
  4. Trump Greenland Ambitions
  5. Iran Protests-Instability
  6. U.S. Exits 66 Treaties
  7. Social Services Money to Blue States Frozen
  8. RFK Jr’s Dietary Recommendations / CDC Vaccination Guidelines
  9. Dokoupil’s CBS News Debut
  10. U.S. Rep LaMalfa Dies

People

  1. Donald Trump
  2. Nicolás Maduro 
  3. Marco Rubio
  4. Mike Johnson
  5. JD Vance
  6. Renee Nicole Good / Jonathan Ross
  7. Pele Broberg
  8. Masoud Pezeshkian
  9. RFK Jr.
  10. Doug LaMalfa

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

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (1/7)

The most discussed stories yesterday (1/7) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. Minneapolis Deadly ICE Shooting
  2. Scramble for Venezuela’s Oil / More Tankers Detained
  3. Trump’s Desire for Greenland
  4. U.S. Exits 66 Treaties
  5. RFK Jr’s New Health Guidelines
Industry Views

A 20th Century Rulebook Officiating a 2026 Game

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

imgEvery media creator knows this moment. You are building a segment, you find the clip that makes the point land, and then the hesitation kicks in. Can I use this? Or am I about to invite a problem that distracts from the work itself?

That question has always lived at the center of fair use. What has changed is not the question, but the context around it. Over the past year, two federal court decisions involving AI training have quietly clarified how judges are thinking about copying, transformation, and risk in a media environment that looks nothing like the one for which these rules were originally written.

Fair use was never meant to be static. Anyone treating it as a checklist with guaranteed outcomes is working from an outdated playbook. What we actually have is a 20th century rulebook being used to officiate a game that keeps inventing new positions mid-play. The rules still apply. But how they are interpreted depends heavily on what the technology is doing and why.

That tension showed up clearly in two cases out of the Northern District of California last summer. In both, the courts addressed whether training AI systems on copyrighted books could qualify as fair use. These were not headline-grabbing decisions, but they mattered. The judges declined to declare AI training inherently illegal. At the same time, they refused to give it a free pass.

What drove the analysis was context. What material was used. How it was ingested. What the system produced afterward. And, critically, whether the output functioned as a replacement for the original works or something meaningfully different. Reading the opinions, you get the sense that the courts are no longer talking about “AI” as a single concept. Each model is treated almost as its own actor, with its own risk profile.

A simple medical analogy helps. Two patients can take the same medication and have very different outcomes. Dosage matters. Chemistry matters. Timing matters. Courts are beginning to approach AI the same way. The same training data does not guarantee the same behavior, and fair use analysis has to account for that reality.

So why should this matter to someone deciding whether to play a 22-second news clip?

Because the courts relied on the same four factors that govern traditional media use. Purpose. Nature. Amount. Market effect. They did not invent a new test for AI. They applied the existing one with a sharper focus on transformation and substitution. That tells us something important. The framework has not changed. The scrutiny has.

Once you see that, everyday editorial decisions become easier to evaluate. Commentary versus duplication. Reporting versus repackaging. Illustration versus substitution. These are not abstract legal concepts. They are practical distinctions creators make every day, often instinctively. The courts are signaling that those instincts still matter, but they need to be exercised with awareness, not habit.

The mistake I see most often is treating fair use as permission rather than analysis. Fair use is not a shield you invoke after the fact. It is a lens you apply before you hit publish. The recent AI cases reinforce that point. Judges are not interested in labels. They are interested in function and effect.

Fair use has always evolved alongside technology. Printing presses, photocopiers, home recording, digital editing, streaming. AI is just the newest stress test. The takeaway is not panic, and it is not complacency. It is attention.

If you work in the media today, the smart move is to understand how the rulebook is being interpreted while you are busy playing the game. The rules still count. The field just looks different now.

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@HarrisonMediaLaw.com or read more at TALKERS.com.

Industry Views

CES2026: Come for the Gadgets, Stay for the Power Struggle

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgHello from Las Vegas, where 150,000+ of us – from around the world — are swarming. Think: hand sanitzer. And comfortable shoes.

To give you a sense of the scope of what’s up, here’s a PDF link to the slide deck from the Consumer Technology Association’s perennial “Tech Trends” research reveal: https://www.cta.tech/media/chwotebs/ces26_techtrendsdeck.pdf

They click “Buy,” then they click “Return.” 

Now, Artificial Intelligence is cracking-down on E-commerce return fraud. In 2025, scammers cost us consumers an estimated seventy-six-and-a-half billion dollars, by applying for a product refund, then sending back something else of less value, like a cheap knock-off that can’t be resold. 

“Happy Returns” is a UPS-owned company accepting no-box and no-label returns…which scammers LOVE, because it offers immediate refunds. So a new Artificial Intelligence tool called “Return Vision” will flag suspicious returns by analyzing patterns — early or frequent return requests, linked email addresses and past suspicious activity that could evade human detection. So, scammers, no matter how-quick-you-click, AI is watching.

When U.S. senators show up here, you know that CES isn’t just a gadget expo. 

Broadband access is the new oxygen, and Artificial Intelligence is quietly creeping into the background of almost everything we do. Washington now sees consumer technology as a policy issue, impacting jobs, national security, and the USA economy. So lawmakers and high-ranking government officials come to CES to get face‑to‑face with companies building the tools they may soon be regulating; and to talk about new rules for how AI is used in phones, cars, and workplaces. 

Tech companies want a say in those rules — so this is where the negotiations happen. Most CES coverage you see features shiny new gadgets, but the real action here is the growing partnership — and sometimes tension — between Big Tech and Big Government. 

Help yourself to my 60-second CES reports.

They’re updated daily, for air all this week. Simply download from HollandCooke.com. No charge, no paperwork, no spot.

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 News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (1/6)

The most discussed stories yesterday (1/6) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. Trump Threatens Denmark Over Greenland
  2. Maduro’s Fate / Venezuela’s Oil 
  3. The “Donroe Doctrine”
  4. Social Services Money to Blue States Frozen
  5. Congressman Doug LaMalfa Dies
Industry News

Salem Launches Jake Underwood Show on WHK, Cleveland

Salem Media names Jake Underwood host of the new late morning show on its O&O WHK-AM, Cleveland “1420 The Answer.” Underwood began his media career as a news anchor and reporter at WTAM, Cleveland covering state and local politics with a focus onimg accountability in government spending and policy. He has also served as executive director of the Medina County Republican Party and as national director of state legislation for Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Action. Un Durwood says, “We’re creating a space where Northeast Ohioans can engage with the issues that matter most to them. Whether you agree or disagree, this show is about elevating the conversation and encouraging active participation in our community’s future. Educating and enlightening our fellow Ohioans in a style that encourages active audience engagement is what drives and motivates me. I look forward to mixing it up with those in our audience with whom I agree — and with those with whom I disagree.”

Industry Views

CES2026: Potholes to Pizza Ovens

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgCutting edge technology is on display — and on wheels — this week here in Las Vegas.  

Your car could join The Pothole Patrol

General Motors is developing technology that collects data from navigation systems, cameras, accelerometers and all your car’s other sensors to spot roads that need repair.

And automakers are trying to keep cars themselves from roughing-up roads. Massive batteries can make an EV sedan weigh as much as a heavy-duty pickup truck. Cadillac’s electric Escalade weighs 3000 pounds more than its gas-tank version. Engineers are working on solid-state batteries that will be smaller, lighter, faster-charging and longer-range. 

And here’s a U-turn: Volkswagen is bringing-back…buttons! According to surveys, drivers don’t want to use touchscreens to turn-up the radio or turn-on the defroster. And studies show that scrolling can impair reaction time more than alcohol.

Artificial Intelligence stampede!

AI from AT&T will spare you from spam calls and save you from phone fraud. I’ve already set my iPhone to send calls from anyone not in my Contacts straight to voicemail, and that has spared me lots of interruptions. And we know not to say “yes” to callers who could be recording you, and use that as permission to make an unwanted purchase. This new system will interact with callers. Yes, your robot can talk-to — and reject — other robots…disconnecting spammers, or providing real-time transcriptions you can interrupt if you want to take the call. 

“Future-Ready” is a CES session about “Shaping the Workforce in the AI Era.” And we’re hearing bullish predictions about “future-proofing the next-gen workforce.” Chipmaker Intel is here forecasting breakthroughs for what it calls “efficient factories.” Radio is already, shall-we-say, dabbling, in these so-called efficiencies. And Hollywood is on-its-heels. Soon, your favorite actor could be an algorithm, as cinematic AI is approaching what some here are calling “its Citizen Kane moment.”

AI is being shoehorned into almost everything. Ooni’s Volt 2 is an all-electric indoor pizza oven. 850 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect pie in 90 seconds.

Help yourself to my 60-second CES reports

They’re updated daily, for air all this week. Simply download from HollandCooke.com. No charge, no paperwork, no spot.

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 News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (1/5)

The most discussed stories yesterday (1/5) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. Maduro Arraignment
  2. Venezuela Oil
  3. Denmark Warns Trump Over Greenland
  4. Minnesota Fraud Investigation / Walz Won’t Seek Re-election
  5. CDC Childhood Vaccination Recommendation
Industry News

Hubbard Unveils “JC & Ken” on WMEN-AM, Royal Palm Beach

Hubbard Radio is pairing up Josh Cohen and Ken LaVicka for a new one-hour show called “JC & Ken” that will air at 5:00 pm on “FOX Sports South Florida” (WMEN-AM/WIRK-HD2)img and will be distributed as a podcast immediately afterwards. Cohen and LaVicka previously co-hosted together. Cohen currently hosts his national show, “Questionable Call with Josh Cohen”on YouTube. LaVicka is currently the voice of Florida Atlantic University football & basketball, as well as the “Sports & Golf Boardroom” show on “FOX Sports South Florida.” Station brand and content director David Adams says, ”Josh & Ken are two of the best known and most respected voices in our community. I couldn’t be more excited to add them to the ‘FOX Sports South Florida’ lineup!”

Industry Views

Monday Memo: CES2026, Radio Can Relate

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgHello from Las Vegas, where I am both eager and anxious for CES2026. 

I am eager to witness what’s new, and to report each day this week here in TALKERS, and on radio stations across the USA and around the world. Help yourself to 60-second reports, updated daily, for air all this week. Simply download from HollandCooke.com. No charge, no paperwork, no spot.

And I am eager to witness the continuing evolution of this event, and its parent the Consumer Technology Association — formerly the Consumer Electronics Association — which does NOT want us calling this “the Consumer Electronics Show.” At the first one, in 1967, audio cassettes were disrupting 8-track tapes. And decade-after-decade, gadget-after-gadget, this organization and this show has represented an industry that makes products that come in boxes. Audio, video, computers, smartphones…stuff.

Back to the future: Artificial Intelligence doesn’t come in a box. And much – possibly most – of what’s unveiled this week here is AI-driven. For years before AI popped, this show, and this nimble association, has been pivoting, away from things to experiences. Sure, there are still monster TVs and flying cars at CES, and there have been for 10 years. But last year’s keynote by Delta Airlines’ CEO was a star-studded event at The Sphere, a dazzling display of how they’re reimagining your travel experience. Experiences, not things.

Like flight, radio is also 100+ years old. So I am also anxious, as our industry struggles to evolve. Radio was the first consumer electronic gadget. And, for most of a century we cornered the market on making audio. Now everyone does. Much of what I write each week here in TALKERS is about optimizing the listener’s and advertiser’s experience. Radio’s roots run deep. At CES I’m looking for clues as to how we can grow new branches. More here tomorrow.

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 News

Connoisseur Media Names Tina Murley SVP

Connoisseur Media names Tina Murley senior vice president, Western Region and marketimg manager for San Francisco and San Jose. Murley was most recently chief revenue officer for Beasley Media Group. Connoisseur Media CEO Jeff Warshaw says, “Tina is exactly the kind of leader we look for at Connoisseur. She brings exceptional operational instincts and a people-first leadership style that aligns perfectly with our culture. We could not be more excited to welcome her to the Connoisseur family as we continue to grow our presence on the West Coast.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (1/3-4)

The most discussed stories over the weekend (1/3-4) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. U.S. Captures Nicolás Maduro 
  2. U.S.-Iran Tensions
  3. Trump Muses About Cuba and Greenland
  4. MTG to Exit Congress 
  5. Minnesota Fraud Scandal
Industry Views

LOOKING AHEAD to the Second Half of the Third Decade of the 21st Century

By Michael Harrison
TALKERS
Publisher

imgWith the conclusion of 2025 at hand, we are entering the second half of the third decade of the 21st century.  It will be a remarkably transitional period for the talk radio industry and its closely associated fields in talk media, as well as media-in-general.

Here’s what’s going to happen:

The age old “radio station” paradigm as a brick-and-mortar business/cultural/communications center will disappear.  After more than a century, it will be financially and physically impractical to operate the process of “radio” as a federally licensed production company tethered to a broadcast tower that houses programming, sales, and a roster of creative practitioners under one roof on an employee-based payroll. Radio “stations” will be more of an esthetic meme than an actual physical place on a dial coming from a specific business space with desks and “departments.” Programming and sales – local, regional, and national – will be provided by “outside” sources.  Most “talent” will operate as either independent contractors or employees (or “partners”) of these outside companies.  Local-ness and/or national-ness will not depend upon actual location of sources but rather focus of content.  The biggest challenge facing radio station owner/operators will be to transition their “media station” brands from being licensed entities to effectively competing in the “dark jungle” or “high seas” of unlicensed platforms… without going broke.

In the wider world of media:

AI is going to put “Hollywood” out of business.  Oh, there will still be a nebulously geographic place in Southern California called “Hollywood” but it will no longer be mythically based on big studios, production companies, and star talent.

And lovers of freedom will come to recognize the communications arm of “Big Tech” as the greatest threat to liberty facing humanity since World War II.

More on the above in 2026.

Happy holidays!

Michael Harrison is the publisher of TALKERS.  He can be contacted at michael@talkers.com.

Industry Views

SABO SEZ: The Earth Moved

By Walter Sabo
a.k.a. Walter Sterling, Host
WPHT, Philadelphia, “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night”
TMN syndicated, “Sterling on Sunday”

imgNetwork TV often delivers Nielsen hashmarks. No viewers! The no numbers reports started coming in over 20 years ago and they met with silence. Often on Holiday nights, long weekends, NBC, CBS, ABC or FOX delivered no measurable audience. Simultaneously, online video stars were attracting millions of views. In 2007, the media world witnessed the audience shift from broadcast TV to online video. In the following years, media buyers made the definition of a bad investment: Between the time a buy was placed on network TV to the day of air, the audience diminished. Every month. Year after year.

Marketing types refer to the adoption rate of new ideas in stages:

img

Last week, YouTube entered the golden phase: Laggards. There has been a misperception that YouTube viewers skewed young. That was never true. Their viewership demographic has always matched the demographic spread of America. That means month after month for 20 years, YouTube has been embraced by all demographics at higher and higher rates. Now YouTube has scored the final 10% of adopters: Laggards.

YouTube Wins the Oscars

The Oscars. A major ratings-generating, newsworthy event on YouTube. In Variety, questions were asked. The wrong questions: How will advertising be handled? Will there be a new category for Influencers? On demand? Wrong questions.

The answer is: The Oscars are on YouTube!  Game over for ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX. The final segment of the population that frequented broadcast TV will now come to YouTube. The Oscars were the most efficient way to appeal to the laggards.

BONUS: The Oscars announcement just mentioned a key part of the deal: The entire library of the Academy of Arts and Sciences will be uploaded to YouTube. Hundreds of thousands of films from around the world, of all genres coming to YouTube.

And what was the deal? How much did Google pay? It doesn’t matter. Google’s challenge is how to get rid of all of their cash!

The Oscars will be on YouTube. Mark the date. The media landscape has changed forever.

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 “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. 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.

Industry News

Civic Media Welcomes Two New Broadcasting Execs

Civic Media welcomes two media executives to the company as Chuck Sullivan is named regional market manager with based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Philip J. Jimenez is theimg new regional director of sales and digital sales manager. Sullivan previously served with Audacy as SVP/market manager for Milwaukee & Madison. He says, “It’s a homecoming of sorts, having spent several imgyears in Milwaukee and Madison. It’s truly a unique opportunity in our industry, given the fiercely independent and community focused culture of Civic Media. I was drawn to their guiding strategy of ‘Hometown Radio Refreshed.’ I look forward to working with the team and serving our local communities.” Jimenez most recently was general manager for Adams Publishing Group in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. He remarks, “I look forward to working with all Civic Media team members to maximize their personal and professional growth, as well as assisting our clients and partners to thrive in the communities we mutually serve in Wisconsin and the Midwest.”

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (12/22)

The most discussed stories yesterday (12/22) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. U.S.-Venezuela Tensions
  2. The Epstein Files
  3. Wind Farms Order
  4. Trump-Class Battleship
  5. CBS Spikes “60 Minutes” Segment
Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (12/20-21)

The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. The Epstein Files
  2. U.S. vs Venezuela
  3. Turning Point Conference
  4. The Economy
  5. CBS Spikes “60 Minutes” Segment
Industry News

Salem and Joe Piscopo Agree to Three-Year Extension

Salem Media announces it is extending WNYM, New York “AM 970 The Answer” morning drive host Joe Piscopo for another two years, through the end of 2028. Piscopo – who broke out during his time as a cast member of “Saturday Night Live” in the early 1980s – joinedimg WNYM in 2014. Salem Media New York general manager Laura Sheaffer says, “Joe Piscopo remains one of the most dynamic talents in New York radio. His authenticity and connection with our listeners are extraordinary and extending his presence on ‘AM 970 The Answer’ was an easy decision. Joe continues to raise the bar every single morning.” Piscopo comments, “Our audience relies on us for honesty, respect, and straight talk about the issues that matter, and that trust means the world to me. And let’s be honest – only in New York do you wake up at 3:00 am and call it show business! I’m honored, grateful, and excited to keep sharing these mornings with such an amazing audience.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (December 15-19, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (12/15-19) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. Venezuela Tanker Blockade / Regime Change / Boat Strikes
  2. Trump TV Address / The Economy
  3. Brown U.-MIT Shooter Case
  4. Health Care Bill / ACA Premiums
  5. Susie Wiles Interview Controversy
  6. Reiner Slayings / Trump Comments
  7. Sydney Mass Shooting / Antisemitism
  8. Bongino to Exit FBI
  9. Epstein Files Photos / Gender Affirming Care Ban
  10. U.S.-Taiwan Arms Deal

People

  1. Donald Trump
  2. Nicolás Maduro
  3. Pete Hegseth
  4. Susie Wiles
  5. Kash Patel
  6. Mike Johnson
  7. Jerome Powell
  8. Rob & Michelle Reiner / Nick Reiner
  9. Dan Bongino
  10. RFK Jr / Dr. Mehmet Oz

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

Industry News

Dan Bongino to Resign from FBI Gig; Return to Media Considered Likely

Former Cumulus Media | Westwood One talk radio host and current FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced yesterday that he will resign from the in January. He made theimg announcement via a post on X, saying: “I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January. I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend Her.” President Trump commented on Bongino’s departure saying, “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.” Now, the speculation begins as most industry watchers expect Bongino to return to the conservative talk media ecosystem, where will he resume his media career?