Search Results for “net” – Page 84 – TALKERS magazine

Westwood One Unveils NFL Postseason Audience Data

By TALKERS | January 20, 2023January 20, 2023 by TALKERS

Cumulus Media | Westwood One’s Audio Active Group releases its comprehensive analysis of the NFL postseason audience using 2022 data from Nielsen Scarborough USA+ and MRI Simmons USA. WWO says, “The data revealed that the AM/FM radio audience is far more passionate about football compared to the more casual sports fan found in the TV audience.” Westwood One is the official network radio partner of the NFL, and this year’s Super Bowl coverage marks the 50th time that the network will broadcast the game. Some of the key takeaways from this study are: 1) NFL postseason AM/FM radio listeners are a desirable group of consumers: They are more likely to work full time and have higher disposable incomes compared to NFL postseason TV viewers; 2) The NFL postseason AM/FM radio audience is more engaged with sports: MRI Simmons finds NFL postseason AM/FM radio listeners attend more sporting events, seek out sports information on their phones more often, and play more fantasy sports than NFL postseason TV watchers. The higher levels of engagement translate into greater advertising effectiveness; and 3) NFL postseason AM/FM radio listeners are more likely to make purchases across key consumer categories: Compared to the NFL postseason TV audience, AM/FM radio delivers more consumers who are likely to buy a new or used vehicle, start a new business, or hire a financial advisor. You can see the complete report here.

Richard E. Wiley to Receive BFoA’s Lifetime Achievement Award

By TALKERS | January 20, 2023January 20, 2023 by TALKERS

Richard E. Wiley is a former chairman, commissioner, and general counsel of the Federal Communications Commission and one of the most prominent media and telecommunications lawyers. He will be honored with the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Broadcasters Foundation of America during the Golden Mike Award gala on Monday, March 6, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual who has made invaluable contributions to the television and radio industries. BFoA chairman Scott Herman says, “Dick’s commitment to fight for our industry in Washington has given broadcasters the opportunity to grow their business. His strong belief in our industry has extended to his support of the mission of the Broadcasters Foundation to help those in our business who need it most. We are honored to present him with the Lifetime Achievement Award.” Wiley comments, “I am honored to receive this Lifetime Achievement Award from the Broadcasters Foundation. Since arriving at the FCC more than 50 years ago and co-founding our DC law firm almost 40 years ago, it’s been a privilege to work with broadcasters on landmark innovations including the development of high-definition TV. I’m proud to be a part of this great industry’s evolution, and to support the Foundation’s mission of providing a critical safety net for members of the broadcast profession.” The annual Golden Mike Award gala is a major fundraiser for the Broadcasters Foundation, the only charity devoted exclusively to helping broadcasters in acute need. For information, or to reserve a seat or table at the Golden Mike Award gala and fundraiser, please contact the Broadcasters Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org.

Triton Digital Ranks “Crime Junkie” Top U.S. Podcast for December

By TALKERS | January 19, 2023 by TALKERS

Triton Digital’s ranking of the top 100 U.S. podcasts from participating networks for the period of December 2022 based on weekly average downloads is published and audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” is again #1. At #2 again this month is NPR’s “NPR News Now,” followed by NPR’s “Up First” at #3, Wondery’s “Morbid” at #4, NBCUniversal News Group’s “Dateline NBC” at #5 and Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Ben Shapiro Show” at #6. Podcasts from radio-related companies making the top 20 for the period include: Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show” at #9 and Salem Podcast Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” at #17. You can see the complete ranker of the top 100 podcasts here.

2026 Heavy Hundred – 1-25

By TALKERS | January 18, 2023August 17, 2026 by TALKERS

1. Sean Hannity – Premiere Networks

2. Dave Ramsey – The Ramsey Network

3. Brian Kilmeade – FOX News Radio

4. Clay Travis & Buck Sexton – Premiere Networks

5. Dana Loesch – Radio America

6. Michael Berry – KTRH, Houston / Premiere Networks

7. Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo – KTSA, San Antonio / Compass Media Networks

8. Thom Hartmann – WYD Media

9. Mike Gallagher – Salem Radio Network

10. Lee Habeeb – Premiere Networks

11. Glenn Beck – Premiere Networks

12. Mark Levin – Westwood One

13. Sid Rosenberg – WABC, New York

14. Tavis Smiley – KBLA, Los Angeles / Syndication

15. Dom Giordano – WPHT, Philadelphia

16. Lars Larson – KXL, Portland / Compass Media Networks

17. Bill Handel – KFI, Los Angeles

18. George Noory – Premiere Networks

19. Harry Hurley – WPG, Atlantic City

20. Walter Sterling – WABC, New York / Red Apple Audio Networks

21. Todd Starnes – KWAM, Memphis / Syndication

22. Jimmy Failla – FOX News Radio

23. Larry O’Connor – WMAL-FM, Washington / Salem Radio Network

24. Erick Erickson – Compass Media Networks

25. Howard Stern – SiriusXM

1 – 25 | 26 – 50 | 51 – 75 | 76 – 100

Heavy Hundred Archive

Stars and Their Platforms

By TALKERS | January 18, 2023January 18, 2023 by TALKERS

By Walter Sabo
Host/Producer, Sterling on Sunday
Media Consultant

Lucille Ball earned 50 shares with her classic TV series, “I Love Lucy.” Every year during her summer hiatus she would make a movie. Name a Lucille Ball movie.

Lucy was the all-time star of television but couldn’t open a movie. Each medium creates its own stars and rarely does a star transfer from one medium to another.

Some examples: “NYPD Blue” first season star David Caruso couldn’t wait to break out from TV and become a movie star. He recently retired from 10 years of work on the TV show “CSI Miami.” Exceptions? Maybe three: Michael J Fox, Will Smith, Steve McQueen.

The phenomenon of single medium stardom is true throughout all crafts. Great magazine writers struggle to turn in a publishable book. Book authors are challenged to condense their thoughts to 1,000 words. Megyn Kelly is a cable star but couldn’t cross the golden bridge to broadcast TV.

Every year a local TV weather person bugs the local talk station to fill-in on a talk show over a holiday. How does it go? Beware the fifth minute. After five minutes all of the passionate feelings the TV talent has about their pet topic have been expressed. With two hours and 55 minutes to go, the local weatherman is in trouble hosting an unscripted radio show. Where is the prompter? Where are the phone calls? But put a radio morning host on TV and the results are just as awful. The radio host looks fat because they have no idea how to dress for TV, they don’t understand the cue lights on the cameras and the prompter is confusing.

Which brings us to the relationship between radio and podcasting

One of the burdensome falsehoods of the moment is that radio talent should be churning out original content podcasts. It’s just audio right? Radio is good at talking! Podcasting has fostered its own stable of stars including Joe Rogan, Adam Carolla, Anna Farris and Ben Shapiro (I know he’s a radio guy, but he’s a better podcaster). To a listener, the production styles of a podcast and live radio are strikingly similar, but you know that the production environments are completely different. Talent who intuitively understand on-demand audience preferences thrive hosting commercial-free podcasts. Radio talent excel within the disposable, often-interrupted flow of a live broadcast. Podcasts allow for thinking time, pausing, editing, correcting and fancy production beds. Live radio? You just better get to the next thing. The mindset of a podcast star versus a radio star must of necessity be appropriate to their unique performance stage.

Most radio managers have met with resistance when asking their talent to make original content podcasts. (Not air checks.) Radio talent is right to resist! Creating a very good radio show is demanding and often exhausting. After three or more hours on the air, no performer has the energy to hop into a production chair and attract a million downloads. Tragically mandatory podcast dictates leave little opportunity for talent to say, “I can’t do a podcast well. I’m a radio performer and isn’t that what you hired me for?” My goodness – such a radio talent would be labelled insubordinate, not a team player, and not part of the future!!!

To be productive and on-brand podcasts offered by a radio station should be hosted by podcast stars. The odds of a radio star creating a winning podcast are about the same as finding a Lucille Ball hit movie.

Walter Sabo is a long-time radio industry consultant and thought leader. He hosts and produces a network radio show titled “Sterling on Sunday” 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET. www.waltersterlingshow.com. walter@sabomedia.com

Yesterday’s (1/17) Hottest News/Talk Media Stories

By TALKERS | January 18, 2023 by TALKERS

The cache of government documents in the possession of President Joe Biden and special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into the matter; the federal debt limit will be reached on tomorrow and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen cautions “extraordinary measures” will be needed to pay the nation’s bills if congress doesn’t act; the House GOP prepares to begin impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for failing to secure the U.S.-Mexico border; the military assistance the U.S. is providing to Ukraine as Russia continues its attacks on the country; the World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Switzerland; Elon Musk’s fraud trial for 2018 tweets about taking Tesla private; China’s population decline and its slowed economic growth; and the aftermath of the storms that have been battering California for the past month were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Kevin McCullough to Debut “That Kevin Show”

By TALKERS | January 17, 2023January 17, 2023 by TALKERS

WNYM-AM, New York evening host Kevin McCullough re-brands his Saturday evening “Radio Night LIVE” program as “THAT KEVIN SHOW.” McCullough says the new show is airing on Salem Media Group’s WNYM “AM 970 The Answer” and is available via Salem Radio Network, Salem News Channel, GCN, BizTV, BizTalkRadio, CRN Digital, and USA Radio. McCullough says, “Through much of the fall of 2022, we did a significant deep dive into not just how much content we were making every week but how it could be more impactful, and after lots of creative brainstorming, hard work and a significant investment in resources and time, the Saturday night program will show just the beginning of the efforts and results… I am also intensely grateful for Jerry Crowley, Phil Boyce, and Cary Pahigian, for challenging me consistently to continue to improve, grow, and reach!”

Good Egg Promotion

By TALKERS | January 17, 2023January 17, 2023 by TALKERS

Consultant Holland Cooke cites a very clever radio promotion that ties into inflation and the rising cost of eggs. The wholesale price of a dozen eggs has more than quadrupled as the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that avian influenza has killed nearly 40 million chickens, some 5% of the U.S. flock. Cooke says, “Applause to WKXY, Cleveland MS owner Larry Fuss, whose station is giving away…EGGS! Text-to-win.” Cooke adds, “HOW cool was this idea? WCBS, New York reported it in morning drive. Tip: Rip-off this bit ASAP! #MakeRadioFUNagain.”

Yesterday’s (1/16) Hottest News/Talk Media Stories

By TALKERS | January 17, 2023 by TALKERS

The discovery of government documents in the possession of President Joe Biden and special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into the matter; the federal debt limit will be reached on Thursday and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen cautions “extraordinary measures” will be needed to pay the nation’s bills; the celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday; Russia’s most recent attacks on the Ukraine city of Dnipro that’s claimed the lives of at least 40 civilians; and the ninth atmospheric river in three weeks brings more winter storms to the already deluged state of California were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Local News Matters Most

By TALKERS | January 16, 2023 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Why? Done right, it makes you special. Because new-tech audio competitors don’t do local news, and with most broadcast radio hours now robotic.

“Why waste your time with AM/FM radio?”

Responding to that recent SiriusXM Marketing campaign, NAB president & CEO Curtis LeGeyt:

“Unlike our competitors, listeners do not need to fork over a monthly subscription fee, purchase a program or afford an expensive mobile data plan.”
“During times of emergency, Americans are not told to turn to SiriusXM for lifeline information. They are not going to get emergency alerts, hear up-to-the-minute reporting or find out where to get help on Pandora or Spotify. No other audio medium can replicate our service when lives are in danger.”
“Broadcast radio also provides an engine for economic activity. When local businesses want to get the word out about their goods and services, local radio stations provide an affordable way for them to advertise and reach the consumers who live in their area.”

These are not “normal” times

When Trump was on the front burner, his controversies alone changed daypart-to-daypart, even hour-to-hour. The talk part of the news/talk format remains largely static, no minds change. But our news content is dynamic.
In a monsoon in Las Vegas (NOT a misprint) someone drowned; and video of rain cascading through the ceiling onto blackjack tables at Planet Hollywood went-viral. We prayed as Kentucky drowned and Buffalo got snowed-under. After tumbleweeds piled-up around her Colorado home blocking windows and doors, Marlies Gross told AccuWeather: “We have so many fires here, and we have a drought and those tumbleweeds, they would just go up and explode into flames all over, and we probably would go with it.”
After 2+ years of arguing about vaccines, Polio is back and COVID is back again’ and RSV isn’t just a kid thing. Increasingly noticeable in my travels: Without being required to, people are re-masking.

It’s easier to add Occasions than Duration-per

Translation: There’s little we can do to keep someone sitting in a parked car with the key on Accessories. And AM/FM has never had more competition. So, to keep ‘em coming back, keep telling them something they can’t hear elsewhere, and make it sound different than last hour.

And TELL THEM that’s what you do:

“Are you on-the-road? Stay up-to-speed with us!”
“What happened since breakfast? We’ll tell you before dinner.”
“Stay close to the news.”

Be known for knowing. And tell them when and how you’ll tell them, on various devices.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books; and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

TALKERS News Notes

By TALKERS | January 16, 2023 by TALKERS

— The Akron Beacon Journal reports that former WNIR-FM, Akron evening talk host Jim Isabella is running for mayor of Akron. Isabella exited the Media-Com news/talk station last year. Isabella is running as a Republican and it’s been 40 years since the city’s been led by a GOP mayor.

— The National Association of Broadcasters is celebrating its 100^th year as an advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. The 2023 NAB Show Centennial Celebration is scheduled to take place April 15 – 19 in Las Vegas and will commemorate 100 years since the first NAB Show in 1923. NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt says, “This year marks our century-long legacy of advocating on behalf of America’s broadcasters and driving global innovation and industry growth through NAB Show. We invite the entire NAB community, including broadcasters and content professionals from around the world, to join us for the Centennial Celebration as we honor our rich history, recognize our unparalleled impact and celebrate our next 100 years.”

— Audacy, via its partnership with BetMGM and the BetQL Network, will broadcast live from the newly opened BetMGM Sportsbook located next door to State Farm Stadium during the week of February 6-10 leading up to the NFL’s Super Bowl XLVII.

— Tomorrow (1/17), Podbean hosts the free webinar “Creating a Podcast Network For Your Niche with The Pharmacy Podcast Network” with guest Todd Eury, CEO of The Pharmacy Podcast Network. The program will discuss how The Pharmacy Podcast Network started, best practices and tips for starting your own podcast network, how to build audience trust and hone in on your podcast niche.

The Weekend’s Hottest News/Talk Media Stories

By TALKERS | January 16, 2023January 16, 2023 by TALKERS

Still more government documents are found in the possession of President Joe Biden as special counsel Robert Hur investigates the matter; the federal debt limit will be reached on Thursday and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen cautions “extraordinary measures” will be needed to pay the nation’s bills; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is the subject of protests in Israel; the intensifying Russian missile offensive in Ukraine; the investigation into Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger; Brazil’s Supreme Court announces it will investigate former President Jair Bolsonaro for a possible connection to the recent riots; Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday; the intense rain storms soaking California; and the NFL’s Wild Card Weekend games were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the January 14-15 weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Cumulus and Westwood One Unveil “Rich Valdés America at Night”

By TALKERS | January 12, 2023 by TALKERS

The late-night talk radio program formerly hosted by the late Jim Bohannon is renamed after the host who took over broadcasting during the daypart after Bohannon died in November. Cumulus says conservative commentator Rich Valdés assumed the radio time period from broadcasting legend Jim Bohannon last year and now launches his own distinct programming. “Rich Valdés America at Night” airs each weeknight from 10:00 pm to 1:00 am ET. “The Best of Rich Valdés America at Night,” a compilation of the week’s finest moments, airs each Saturday from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am ET. The Cumulus Podcast Network introduces the new podcast “Rich Valdés America at Night,” which provides on-demand access to Valdés daily content following the live over-the-air show. Valdés’ current podcast, “This is America with Rich Valdés,” moves to the Cumulus Podcast Network and will publish each Friday. Cumulus says, “In this podcast, Valdés breaks down American politics, taking his listeners on a journey through poverty, prosperity, and politics with humor, analysis, and a dash of sofrito.”

Comrex Now Shipping BRIC-Link III

By TALKERS | January 12, 2023 by TALKERS

The BRIC-Link III IP audio codec that Comrex unveiled at NAB 2022 is now shipping. Comrex says that this latest model “features a new, more powerful processor for improved reliability in addition to enhanced front panel indicators, including four buttons which will trigger contact closures by default and are configurable for auto-connections to other Comrex IP audio codecs.” Comrex adds that the new BRIC-Link III includes CrossLock VPN technology, its proprietary suite of reliability tools which offers an expanded array of techniques including improved congestion detection, redundant transmission, forward error correction, and deadline-sensitive retransmission. Plus, with the ability to use multiple IP networks for increased bandwidth in addition to the intelligent monitoring and dynamic adjustment of data packets, CrossLock optimizes audio for transmission over the public Internet and provides peace of mind to broadcast engineers. BRIC-Link IP audio codecs are commonly used in home studios, as STLs, for voice-over delivery, for sportscasting, and for many other situations that require point-to-point connections. With additional operation modes like HTTP and IP Multicast, BRIC-Link III can also function as a streaming server or send audio to multiple locations (depending on network bandwidth), making it an incredibly versatile hardware codec with an entry-level price point. BRIC-Link III is compatible with all other Comrex IP audio codecs, including the ACCESS codec line as well as older BRIC-Link models. It also includes EBU 3326/SIP mode for interoperability with third-party manufacturer codecs. BRIC-Link III works with Comrex Gagl, a new service now available for remote contribution. Gagl turns any Comrex IP audio codec into a hub for up to five participants. Learn more by visiting Comrex.com.

Edison Research: Comedy Top Podcast Category in Q3 2022

By TALKERS | January 12, 2023 by TALKERS

Ranking the Top Podcast Genres for the third quarter of 2022, Edison Research says that Comedy remains the genre most consumed by weekly podcasts listeners, based on audience size. Edison says its research indicates that #2 genre was Society & Culture (up from #3 in Q2 2022); #3 was News (down from #2 in Q2 2022), followed by True Crime at #4, Sports at #5, Business at #6, Arts at #7, History at #8 (up from #11 in Q2 2022), Religion & Spirituality at #9 (up from #10 in Q2 2022) and Education at #10 (down from #9 in Q2 2022). Podcasts are classified according to the self-identified genre submitted by the podcast to Apple Podcast API. Nineteen genres are identified as having at least one percent reach among those in the U.S. age 18+ for Q3 2022.

Yesterday’s (1/10) Hottest News/Talk Media Stories

By TALKERS | January 11, 2023 by TALKERS

The matter of President Joe Biden having classified government documents in a think tank office from his vice presidential days; the deadly California floods; The U.S. House approves the creation of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government to investigate attacks on conservatives; the flap over reports that gas stoves are harmful to users’ health and the threat of a government ban; Russia’s claim that it has taken control of the Ukrainian city of Soledar; the death of pro-Trump duo “Diamond & Silk” member Lynette Hardaway; Tuesday evening’s return of the Golden Globes award show after a year off; and reaction to the publication of Prince Harry’s book, Spare, and his appearance on “60 Minutes” were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday (1/10), according to research from TALKERS magazine.

SABO SEZ: RECEPTIONISTS AND GROUND INTELLIGENCE – Be nice to the human at the front desk (if there is still one).

By TALKERS | January 10, 2023January 10, 2023 by TALKERS

By Walter Sabo
Producer/Host
Sterling on Sunday
Media Consultant

When thinking about the changes in the radio industry I’ve seen during my career, I’m dragged to memories of the lobby of WXLO-FM in New York (WOR’s FM sister). The station was on the second floor of 1440 Broadway. WOR-AM was on the 24th and 23rd floors. In technical terms, the place was a dump. Dirty linoleum. Ancient office furniture. The original ceiling was spray painted black to hide the fact that it was not an acoustic drop down ceiling. Not one window in the place. BUT the signal was the best on the FM band. WXLO was the first station to hire me almost out of college. I needed a summer job between my junior and senior year but WXLO did not have summer jobs. The general manager, Arthur Adler offered me a full time job which I accepted immediately.

For my on-boarding process Arthur walked me to the fluorescent sales area and pointed to an empty cubicle. Then, he vanished. Next his secretary escorted me to the personnel department many flights up. I was seated next to an official person who was gathering many forms for me to fill out. These forms included the all-important TUITION REIMBURSEMENT form which compelled RKO General (the station’s then-owner) to pay for my last semester in college. (I attended Rutgers at night and had the credits transferred to my diploma school, Syracuse University.) On the official person’s desk sat a three-ring binder wide opened to the KHJ (Los Angeles) TALENT page. Wide open. Staring at me, beckoning, teasing me to look. What could I do? Robert W Morgan, morning man, HIGH five figures a year. The Real Don Steele, PM drive mid-five figures. Every other jock was paid AFTRA scale. It was a crash course in radio economics and I wasn’t even a legal adult. But I digress. Now for the point.

A few days later the front door on the second floor was banging. The receptionist, a kind, timid person, hit the intercom key and asked who was knocking? Even back then, at 40th and Broadway visitors were a high security issue. That door was locked for about a million good reasons. Who was at the door? A “menacing” man in a fancy suit and perfect hair said his name, but the receptionist did not recognize him or his name. He repeated, “I’m THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY.” That’s what he said. But he wasn’t. He was the vice president. I learned a lot then too.

A receptionist is not just the gatekeeper to the business. He/she could be the gatekeeper to your career, or fortune. That is, of course, if the establishment you are visiting still has a receptionist. My brother, the smart one, is a financial big shot. Highly respected, oddly humble. Companies come to him for funding. Executives seeking financial backing sit with his receptionist for an unusually long time. When the visitors are invited from the lobby to the conference room, they are ALL invited into the conference room – including the receptionist. The meeting starts with my brother asking the “receptionist” for her impressions of the guests. Then it is revealed that the receptionist is actually a high ranking, decision-making executive.

The second floor receptionist at WXLO let her feelings about the boisterous vice president be known and said VP was not titled for long. Dumb companies have eliminated receptionists and instead greet visitors with touch tone wall phones and posted extensions directories. The loss of ground intelligence is significant – especially if the station is located in a high-priced downtown office building designed to impress.

Plus a lot of executives waste time running to the door to get food orders. False economy.

Walter Sabo is a long-time radio industry consultant and thought leader. He hosts and produces a network radio show titled “Sterling on Sunday” 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET. www.waltersterlingshow.com. walter@sabomedia.com

Jay C. Lowe Named Area President for iHeartMedia Tulsa and Oklahoma City

By TALKERS | January 10, 2023 by TALKERS

iHeartMedia welcomes Jay C. Lowe to the company as area president – Oklahoma, effective immediately. In this role, Lowe will oversee operations at 14 stations including news/talk KTOK-AM, sports talkers KGHM-AM “1340 The Game” and KREF-FM “94-7 The Ref” in Oklahoma City, news/talk KAKC “1300 The Patriot” and sports talk KTBZ-AM “The Buzz” in Tulsa, as well as The Oklahoma AG Network.

iHeartMedia division president Tony Coles says, “JC is an impactful leader who has a strong track record of building and developing great teams, serving the community and delivering results. We look forward to growing our brands in Tulsa and Oklahoma City under JC’s leadership.” Lowe was most recently VP and general manager for WEAR-TV, Pensacola and WPMI-TV, Mobile. He states, “It is an honor to be named area president and I look forward to working alongside division president Tony Coles and the talented leadership team at iHeartMedia. I’m excited to lead the team, leverage new and existing resources to sustain iHeartMedia Oklahoma’s momentum and create new opportunities for growth across the Tulsa and Oklahoma City markets.”

Pending Business: The Endorsement Ad

By TALKERS | January 9, 2023January 9, 2023 by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

The question is simple. The answer took me years of trial and error to come up with.

“How do you set prices for an endorsement ad?”

This simple question came up during a recent interview I did for a sports website. Sellers and managers be forewarned, price must balance the scale with value and selling the value of a true endorsement ad. There’s lots to the digest in that least sentence. The price=value concept, a “true” endorsement, and selling & managing the endorsement ad.

I digress, back to the fresh-from-the-field experience of how to develop a pricing strategy. There are four universal components and a possible fifth and sixth for your consideration.

Click here to read more of this story…

Post CES: Technology Trends Update

By TALKERS | January 9, 2023January 9, 2023 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

What a week! And what it all means to radio? Simple. Matter-enough to earn a place on the landscape described by Consumer Technology Association VP/research Steve Koenig. This briefing alone was worth the trip. My short-version notes of six bases he tagged…

Enterprise Technology Innovation

“Stubborn inflation and rising interest rates.” Yet, historically…
Tough times yield innovation, much of which “comes from the smallest startups.” During The Great Recession of 2008-2009, we got 4G mobile broadband, smartphones, and tablets and notebook computers. As a 2023 recession looms: 5G, autonomous systems, connected intelligence, quantum computing.
5G is “upgrading the global economy.”
While “supply chains remain vulnerable, chip inventories are rising.”

Metaverse/Web 3.0

“The Metaverse is closer than you think. It’s the next generation of the Internet.”
“Like the internet in the 1990s, a real trend,” not just the crude video game graphics we’ve seen in Meta’s rollout.
Think “shared experiences,” not hard to conceptualize after two years of Zoom.

Click here to read more of this story…

South Florida Sports Talk Personality Jeff DeForrest Joins Greenlite Ventures

By TALKERS | January 9, 2023January 9, 2023 by TALKERS

Greenlite Ventures, Inc. announces that sports talk radio personality Jeff “Defo” DeForrest joins the company as director of podcast operations. In this role, DeForrest will work exclusively for the company as it is set to launch GRNL’s Sports and Gaming Network (SGN) in the coming weeks. The company says, “SGN’s first weekly podcast will feature Defo and Las Vegas sports betting legend Brandon Lang, who was the subject of the hit movie Two for the Money starring Matthew McConaughey as the real-life Brandon Lang and Al Pacino playing his mentor. As legal sports wagering continues to surge across America, SGN will soon be airing daily podcasts featuring some of the most knowledgeable, entertaining and successful handicappers in all areas of sports betting. Defo is currently developing and negotiating a wide range of podcast and licensing deals with a number of well-known names in broadcasting, horse racing, and sports wagering.”

How Hot Is Podcasting?

By TALKERS | January 6, 2023January 6, 2023 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

How hot is podcasting? The topic dominated a CES session billed in broader terms: “The Disruption: Media, Platforms & Advertising.” Panelists – executives from social media, major content brands, and radio mega-groups – also discussed “linear” (live) programming and streaming video. But all kept coming back to podcasting, which iHeartMedia CMO Gayle Troberman characterized as “exploding, driving massive growth in audio.”

Not unexpected, since her company is a major player. But, from the other side of the equation, World Wrestling Entertainment SVP Craig Stimmel acknowledges that, post-pandemic, “habits have changed as to where to go” for media; so “we want to make sure our content is everywhere.” His stars are among celebrities whom podcasting connects with fans in what Troberman describes as “live, human, unscripted conversation with people you come to know;” particularly welcome post-pandemic-shutdown. “The more isolated and alone people feel, the more audio delivers intimacy.”

It’s not a radio show

Every panelist spoke of “authenticity,” rather than the slick, polished texture of traditional AM/FM programming. SXM Media SVP Lizzie Widhelm challenges broadcasters: “How can we let go of our playbook, and walk away from norms that have been comfy-cozy?”

“More creators coming into audio than ever before” from politics, sports, and other walks of life, “to engage more deeply.” Audacy CMO Paul Suchman says that delivers advertisers “super-relevant, contextually relevant” places to tell their stories. So “this is a medium that deserves GREAT creative,” not just audio of a TV spot. “Advertising that gets ‘inserted’” doesn’t work as well as “the deep human connection” of podcaster’s very personal delivery. Thus “the lowest ad-skipping rates of any media.”

Podcasting plusses

Just as music streams offer lots more variety than safe-list FMs, spoken-word podcasting is a topical cornucopia compared to talk radio’s largely political fare.

And panelists ticked-off other advantages podcasts offer advertisers:

“Quicker and much less-expensive production than video.”
“Lower CPM” ad rates, increasingly attractive as recession likely looms.
“Really young, and diverse audiences coming into audio in a big way.”
“The audiences you’re not getting on TV anymore.”

“Voice has always been how humans communicate”

Troberman describes the iHeart app Talkback feature, which listeners use to send messages stations play, a tool some of my client stations have built-into their apps.

And this interactivity isn’t just a media thing. Audacy’s Suchman mentioned how drivers now converse with Cadillac’s state-of-the-art dashboard: “The next phase of computing will be voice-driven.” Yet – accustomed as we have become to dealing with supermarket self-checkout and other robots almost everywhere – the “intimacy,” “authenticity,” and “diversity” panelists speak of suggest that, as iHeart’s Troberman reckons, “the future of voice is the future of two-way communication via audio.”

Help yourself!

I’ve been reporting from CES all this week for TALKERS…and for you. You can download five 60-second radio reports at HollandCooke.com.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is the author of “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books; and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” HC is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow him on Twitter @HollandCooke

Triton Digital Releases November Streaming Rankers

By TALKERS | January 6, 2023January 6, 2023 by TALKERS

The latest Streaming Metrics from Triton Digital for streaming publishers in the U.S. has been released for November 2022. The chart ranks the top 25 streaming publishers from participating clients based on Average Active Sessions (AAS). In the #1 spot is iHeartRadio with 411,604 AAS. At #2 is NPR Member Stations with 93,726 AAS, followed by Audacy at #3 with 76,657 AAS. Some of the other companies making the top 25 include: #4 Cumulus Streaming Network (58,103 AAS); #6 Beasley Broadcasting Corporate (26,329 AAS); #8 Hubbard Broadcasting (20,668 AAS); #11 Salem Communications (12,110 AAS) and #12 Urban One (11,467 AAS). You can see the complete chart here.

KTRH, Houston “The Garden Line” Host Randy Lemmon Dies at 61

By TALKERS | January 6, 2023January 6, 2023 by TALKERS

Longtime KTRH, Houston garden show host Randy Lemmon died on Wednesday (1/4) at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City from complications after suffering a stroke. The iHeartMedia station says that Lemmon hosted “The Garden Line” program on the station for more than 25 years. “In what he called the ‘most-listened-to garden show in the country,’ he was faithfully followed by serious landscapers as well as the weekend gardener as he shared his enthusiasm and advice about lawns, gardens and outdoor living. He was a go-to expert when climate issues became serious or dangerous to the public such as during hurricanes and deep freezes.” Prior to hosting his radio show, Lemmon served as a television and radio producer for the Texas Farm Bureau. He then spent nearly a decade at his alma mater – Texas A&M University – producing news and commentary for an agricultural network he created with the College of Agriculture. iHeartMedia Houston director of AM programming Bryan Erickson tells TALKERS, “Randy had an unbridled passion for being on the radio and for helping people with their gardening issues. We should all be so fortunate to do something in life that brings us such joy. He will be missed.”

iHeartMedia Launches “1190 iHeartSports DC”

By TALKERS | January 5, 2023 by TALKERS

iHeartMedia Washington, DC announces the launch of sports talk and sports betting station “1190 iHeartSports DC – The DMV’s Best Bet on Sports” broadcasting on WTSD-AM, W284CQ, and WWDC-HD2. The company says programming will consist of FOX Sports Radio weekdays from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm and VSiN, The Sports Betting Network content weekdays from 5:00 pm to 6:00 am and on weekends.

iHeartMedia region president Aaron Hyland says, “We are excited to announce the launch of ‘1190 iHeartSports DC.’ We are thrilled to deliver this incredible lineup of the biggest names in sports talk audio to the DMV including exclusive Washington Commanders content utilizing 1190 AM, 104.7 FM and 101.1 HD2 and iHeartMedia’s unmatched scale and reach.” The FOX Sports Radio lineup includes “Two Pros and a Cup of Joe” featuring former Washington Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington, followed by Dan Patrick. “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd begins at 12:00 noon and Doug Gottlieb airs from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.