Salem Unveils Deal with Donald Trump, Jr and Lara Trump
Salem Media Group announces multi-dimensional deal that it says not only adds two of the most influential voices in American media, Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump, but launches the company into an entirely new era of scale, relevance, and cultural power. As part of the deal, Salem acquires a 30% stake in MxM News, a mobile news aggregation app co-owned by Trump Jr., and enters into a longterm services
agreement under which Trump Jr. and Salem will work together to develop a series of high-impact promotional and growth initiatives. At the same time, Salem enters into a strategic agreement with Lara Trump to collaborate on business growth in the digital podcast space, advertiser partnerships, and content innovation. Both Trumps become significant stakeholders in Salem Media. Salem CEO David Santrella states, “These aren’t just partnerships, they’re power moves. Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump bring credibility, energy, and the kind of megaphone that moves markets and shapes public opinion. Their alignment with Salem signals a massive leap forward in our ability to lead the next era of conservative media. Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump aren’t just becoming business partners with Salem, they now also have significant ownership stakes in the company with a major incentive to grow shareholder value which in turn will drive the stock price. It’s definitely an exciting time to be a Salem shareholder.”
regulatory framework, beginning with long-overdue reforms to the national television ownership cap and the local radio and TV ownership rules. NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt states, “This is a moment for bold ideas, and NAB is proud to lead the charge. The FCC’s rules should reflect today’s media landscape, not one from decades past. Our filing lays out a clear, actionable path to modernize regulations and empower local radio and TV stations to better serve their communities. We appreciate the Commission, especially Chairman Carr, for launching this important effort. Reforming outdated ownership rules is the essential first step to strengthening local journalism and ensuring broadcasters can continue to survive.” 
Eaton/Altadena Fire: 100 Days and Counting,” from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Robinson Park Recreation Area in Pasadena. There will be a panel of survivors, community leaders, activists, experts, and more to reflect on the 100 days since the fire erupted and address hard and heart questions about where the community goes from here. Tavis Smiley, founder of Smiley Audio Media, says, “I’m looking forward to hearing from our beloved Black Altadenians and learning how KBLA Talk 1580 can continue to support their efforts to find justice and accountability to make them whole.”
Pat continue to bring his passion to Infinity Sports Network, this time on a nightly basis. He puts everything he has into entertaining his audience, keeping them informed and involving them in his show for a great listening experience.” Since 2019, Boyle has held multiple positions at WFAN and Infinity Sports Network, serving as a host, anchor, and producer. He currently co-hosts, “Sunday’s Bets” on Audacy’s BetMGM Network and anchored the eight-hour NFL show “Gridiron Gameday with Pat Boyle.”
Advertiser Perceptions surveyed 301 marketers and media agencies on the sales generated by each of the five sales drivers and as they have for the past six surveys, those surveyed had an average % of perception of creative’s contribution toward driving sales around 20%. But the reality according to one study is that creative’s contribution toward driving sales is actually about 49%. Quatical principle Marc Binkley says, “Creative is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet… it’s a way to supercharge budgets. Emotional, well-branded creative is a way to be more memorable. The goal isn’t just awareness, it’s being memorable in as many buying situations as possible.” 
there are no customs agents there and the passengers were forced to remain on the planes for more than six-and-a-half hours. The Daily Mail reported the story and included some of Gallagher’s social media posts that he made throughout the night, including this one: “After 12 hours at the overwhelmed Montgomery, Alabama airport – 7 hours trapped on the plane on the tarmac, 5 hours stuck in a cordoned-off area of the airport – they are now boarding people 10 at a time. They are checking off names by pen, one by one. So hey, 16 hours after our original departure, there’s hope! I’m thinking it will take at least an hour to board.” 
AURN’s programming operations and traffic initiatives. Tracey Lee is also promoted to senior director of program operations, traffic and affiliations. AURN AVP of program operations and affiliations Lenore Williams says, “Both Carrie and Tracey exemplify the leadership, dedication and passion that drive our success. Their deep experience and dedication to AURN’s mission have made them invaluable assets to the team. These promotions are not only well deserved, but also pivotal as we expand our impact and continue to lead the industry in service to our affiliates and advertisers.”
humbled and honored to be taking over the time slot occupied by Tom Sullivan at KFBK, a radio station with a rich history of producing superior news/talk programs. Never have I enjoyed producing and delivering a program more than these last six years as I have co-hosted the morning news show on KFBK with Cristina Mendonsa. I’m very proud of our accomplishments and grateful for the opportunity 
to have worked with Cristina and everyone behind the scenes who made it happen. Now it’s on to a new chapter.” Mendonsa continues as host of “The KFBK Morning News” and will be joined by Mark Demsky, who will serve as news anchor and present special report segments. Demsky joined KFBK last year after serving as a sports anchor and reporter at KTXL-Fox 40 in Sacramento. Mendosa says, “This next chapter is about helping listeners wake up to what really matters, stories that affect their lives. After 30 years in journalism and a multi-generational connection to Northern California, our goal is to bring listeners smart, relevant news with a balanced perspective, cutting through the noise to bring more insight.” 
distribution for its podcast offerings, enabling listeners the option to engage with content in a more dynamic and interactive way. This move has proven highly successful, leading to an explosive increase in video consumption across both its owned channels and third-party platforms.” Company president and co-founder Kit Gray comments, “We are thrilled with the success of our video distribution strategy. Podcasting is no longer just about audio, it’s about offering our audience a rich, immersive, and multi-channel experience. Expanding into video has allowed us to reach new viewers and unlock impactful opportunities for our advertising partners. PodcastOne has a unique ability to support our shows with the technology and resources needed to create best-in-class video podcasts.”
operations via a local management agreement, though a format change it in the works. Big Toe Media’s president and director of sales Dave Greene tells FOX 2, “I was attempting to sell it on Dave Zobrist’s behalf and got very close with one person and had several others interested. When the strong lead didn’t work out, we were able to work out a very favorable deal for both sides.” Regarding the format, Geene says, “The idea of one singular topic for content is outdated. We will talk about what St. Louis talks about, which includes plenty of sports but also local news, culture, food, business, events and more.” FOX 2 notes that Greene is “closely involved with the leadership team” of Sports Hub STL, a digital sports network producing content from local personalities, most of whom have worked in St. Louis sports radio at some point over the years. 
YouTube with ads, SiriusXM talk channels, free versions of streaming audio sources, and podcasts. Breaking it down demographically, time spent with ad-supported sources is highest among Americans age 55+, with 75% of their audio time spent with ad-supported audio. While the 18-34 demographic spends the majority of its audio time with ad-supported audio sources, 46% of its listening time is spent with ad-free audio. Edison says, “The strength of ad-free audio with this age group is not surprising considering that younger Americans spend more time on platforms that make removing advertisements easy and not terribly expensive, such as Spotify and YouTube.”
contributing their time, expertise, and resources. Honorees are true champions of service, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to fostering growth and progress within the industry. Spears was presented with the award by Erica Farber on Monday, April 7, at the MIW Lipstick & Lobster Dinner. MIW board president Sheila Kirby says, “Dan is the epitome of a leader who not only advocates for progress but actively makes it happen. His dedication to mentorship, industry collaboration, and fostering new events and opportunities for women is invaluable. We are honored to recognize his contributions with this award.”
Radio sells advertisers our listeners’ attention. For a hundred years, our inventory has largely been commercials. Now, as our wandering audience leads us to more revenue channels, are we hooked on spots?
NPR’s “NPR News Now” jumps The New York Times’ “The Daily” for the #1 spot. Other moves of note include FOX Audio Network’s “FOX News Hourly Update” rising two places to #5 and Silverloch’s “VINCE” (Vince Coglianese) debuting at #7. 
representative survey of over 4,000 people “identifies a significant identity crisis driven by the convergence of audio-only content and video formats popularized by platforms like YouTube and Spotify.” It shows: 1) 72% of Americans 12+ consider recordings of people discussing any topic on YouTube that are also available as audio-only shows elsewhere to be a podcast; 2) Advertisers face significant barriers to investment due to inconsistent standards, fragmented reporting, and unclear attribution; and 3) A clear, shared definition and interoperable measurement are urgently needed to realize podcasting’s full economic potential. Regarding defining podcasts, they propose new working definitions as follows: Podcast (noun): “An on-demand audio-driven program featuring episodic content across wide-ranging themes and formats. Traditionally delivered via open RSS and conversational in nature, it can include platform-based distribution and is commonly supplemented by video.” And Video Podcast (noun): “An episodic, on-demand program centered on spoken-word content, where synchronized visuals meaningfully shape the experience.” 
revenue operations. In this expanded leadership role, she will continue to oversee all digital operations while spearheading strategic initiatives to strengthen partnerships and drive revenue growth. AdLarge CEO Cathy Csukas says, “Ilwira has been an integral part of AdLarge’s growth and success. Her strategic vision, deep industry expertise, and relentless commitment to innovation have propelled our digital revenue and operations forward. As we expand, her continued leadership will be invaluable in shaping the future of our digital business.”
Mariners catcher that will air Thursdays at 5:00 pm throughout the 2025 season. On the program, Raleigh sits down with Mariners insider Shannon Drayer for “engaging and in-depth conversations on “Wyman & Bob.” “Seattle Sports” program director Kyle Brown says, “We’re thrilled to provide our fans with more access to Mariners players and the stories behind the scenes. Cal’s insights into his leadership, his role on the team, and the Mariners’ season will offer fans an even closer connection to the team in 2025.”
comes after Woodward closed on the $4.3 million acquisition of four stations in the market from Neuhoff Media last fall. From that deal, the company spun WCVS-FM to Educational Media Foundation. Woodward’s Springfield market manager Kevin O’Dea says, “All of us at Woodward Community Media look forward to the addition of the Mid-West Family stations to our lineup here in Springfield. These four stations along with our current lineup including Channell450.com and our Digital Services will allow us to enhance our local commitment to our listeners, advertising partners and the Springfield and Central Illinois Community.
from using his radio and TV skills to raise awareness of issues that are important to him. In a piece by KPRC-TV, Houston, Patrick’s efforts to draw attention to courier service lottery sales and legal marijuana in Texas via “amateur investigative-style videos” are highlighted. Patrick tells the station that his efforts are just for the sake of theatrics. “It’s not theatrics to say, ‘look at me.’ It’s theatrics to tell a story, so that people can connect with what we’re doing here and why we’re doing it.” He adds that most people are busy and don’t pay attention to the day-to-day goings-on at the state capitol. “Our job is to break through that.” 
iHeartMedia says the Asia Pacific podcast market was valued at US $373.57 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 30.2% to $3.1 billion value from 2024 to 2031. iHeart Digital Audio Group CEO Conal Byrne comments, “We’ve seen the strong growth of the Asian markets – both on a domestic level and with influence across global markets and we are excited to partner with Mammoth Media Asia to launch the first-ever slate of iHeartPodcasts developed in Asia.”