Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (August 11-15, 2025)
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (8/11-15) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
1. Trump-Putin Summit / Russia Ukraine War
2. Trump Tariffs / Economy / Social Security
3. Texas Redistricting Battle
4. Israel-Gaza War
5. The Epstein Files
6. National Guard in Washington, DC
7. ICE Raids
8. DOJ’s Trump-Russia Investigation
9. Artificial Intelligence
10.Trump Lincoln Center Plans / Melania to Sue Hunter Biden
People
1. Donald Trump
2. Vladimir Putin / Volodymyr Zelenskyy
3. Benjamin Netanyahu
4. Jeffrey Epstein / Ghislaine Maxwell
5. Greg Abbott
6. Kristi Noem / Pam Bondi
7. Xi Jinping / Narendra Modi
8. Sam Altman / Elon Musk
9. Sylvester Stallone / Gloria Gaynor / KISS
10.Barack Obama / Joe Biden / Melania Trump / Hunter Biden
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
“Listeners to our first ‘For Radio Geeks Only’ special told us they wantematthewd more – and John and I did, too! We’re glad to bring it back with an even longer show this time,” said Bob Sirott. Go back to the days before streaming, cable, VCRs, DVDs, and smartphones when rock ‘n’ roll radio was a source of entertainment. Sirott and Landecker will play their favorite jingles and will be joined by special guests, including 1960s disc jockeys Ron Riley and Spike O’Dell, one of WGN Radio’s very own. Listeners are being encouraged to call or text the station at 312-981-7200 to share their stories of listening to radio and records. The show will be available as a podcast on 
The problem with technocrats is they believe computer programs and machines solve all problems. A technocrat in charge of a business will it kill it, for sure. For example, once a movie theatre is automated, not requiring a pesky projectionist or even a snack counter attendant, you and I would still not buy a ticket – unless the theater was showing an actual MOVIE!
Artificial intelligence now makes it possible to replicate a human voice with striking accuracy. For broadcasters, podcasters, and content creators, the central question is: When does using or imitating a voice become a legal problem? The answer depends on the person being imitated, the purpose of the use, and the rights attached to that voice. Below is a six-bucket framework to help evaluate the risk.
Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964) are some 20% of the U.S. population, but control more than 50% of all household wealth. They hold $70+ trillion in assets and spend an estimated $548 billion annually. They are lifelong AM/FM listeners, and they’re redefining what life after 60 looks like. Are you into what they’re up to?
for the quarter to $22.2 million compared to the same period last year. For the quarter, operating income was $1.4 million compared to $2.1 million for the same quarter last year and station operating income decreased 6.4% to $6.0 million. Saga reports net income of $1.1 million for the quarter compared to the net income of $2.5 million it reported in the second quarter of 2024.
says, “While the advertising backdrop for legacy media remains challenging, in the quarter we continued to outperform our radio peers, gaining market share across all broadcast spot revenue channels. We also significantly outperformed in digital, delivering double the growth rate of our radio peers, driven by the 38% year-over-year increase in our digital marketing services business. Additionally, we executed $5 million of annualized cost reductions, bringing total annualized cost reductions to $175 million over the last 5 years. These results underscore our disciplined focus on optimizing performance and investing in growth opportunities despite capital constraints. Looking ahead, while we do not expect near-term relief from market headwinds, we are confident in our ability to position the business for long-term success through strong execution and by capitalizing on the Company’s valuable underlying assets.”
sports talk KSAC-AM/K284CM, effective September 2. This comes five years after he was fired by Bonneville’s KHTK, Sacramento and the Kings after a social media exchange with former Kings player DeMarcus Cousins about the Black Lives Matter movement and used the phrase, “all lives matter.” Napear sued Bonneville and lost but is currently appealing that ruling. Napear tells the Bee, “It’s going to be the Grant Napear show that people have listened to for decades. I’m competitive. I’m not only coming back to Sacramento. I’m coming back to win.” 
a partnership between NewsTalkSTL and Newsmax. NewsTalkSTL says this will be Chris Arps’s second visit to Israel in the past month. His previous trip, which took place during Iranian airstrikes, was a sightseeing tour. This time, he returns as part of a diplomatic delegation organized by Newsmax in coordination with the Israeli government. Tim Jones says, “Traveling to Israel, especially during this consequential time, will be a life changing trip. Experiencing the Holy Land, visiting with top Israeli officials, all while literally walking in the footsteps of Jesus, will be an incredible experience for all of us in NewsTalkSTL nation.” NewsTalkSTL president of programming Jeff Allen says, “It should be an incredible week of content from Tim and Chris. They won’t just be sharing their impressions; they’ll have stories you can only get by being there on the ground.”
Stevens anchored weekday mornings on SportsGrid. VSiN EVP Steve Cohen says, “Ben is a terrific addition to the most trusted brand in sports betting information at a time when sports fans across the country look to us for information that helps them make informed college football wagering decisions. A seasoned on-air sports betting talent that can speak across all major sports, ‘Big 10 Ben’ has deep expertise in college football that our viewers and listeners will enjoy.”
place. This new data fusion will integrate the industry-leading Edison Podcast Metrics into Nielsen’s widely used media planning tool, Nielsen Media Impact 
(NMI).” Nielsen adds, “As podcast listenership continues to grow, it is critical for advertisers to have sophisticated tools and data to effectively plan, measure and optimize their audio investments. Nielsen Podcast Fusion in NMI will provide an even more holistic view of media planning and help users uncover valuable insights and demonstrate the effectiveness of their campaigns. NMI users will also be able to optimize media plans by specific podcast networks and genres, as well as top podcast programs.” NPR and Ocean Media are among the charter subscribers at launch.
“creative quality is the number one sales driver” and this is often a surprise to advertisers and media agencies who think media tactics (targeting, reach, etc.) drive the most sales. It’s for good reason that everyone wants high brand awareness. A major study from TikTok reveals the greater a brand’s awareness, the greater the purchase conversion. Brands with high aided awareness have 2.86x greater conversion rates compared to low awareness brands. But not all categories operate similarly, Podscribe says that purchase conversion varies widely by advertising category and advises that it’s important to understand the purchase conversion benchmarks for your product category. 
You did everything right – or so you thought. You used a short clip, added commentary, or reshared something everyone else was already posting. Then one day, a notice shows up in your inbox. A takedown. A demand. A legal-sounding, nasty-toned email claiming copyright infringement, and asking for payment.
South Florida viewers are confused. WPLG, which brands as “Local 10,” was an ABC-TV affiliate for 69 years… until yesterday. Now it’s more local than ever, after divorcing its network, whose programming moved to the FOX affiliate’s digital channels 18.1 and 7.2, now branded “ABC Miami.” Among courteous FAQs about this change on WPLG’s web site: “How do I rescan my TV?” to find ABC programming.
the program “continues to build a powerful platform that champions American values, highlights critical national security issues, and gives voice to law enforcement, veterans, and grassroots advocates.” Letts adds, “I’m honored to bring our message to listeners in Los Angeles and Portland. Now more than ever, we need open, honest dialogue on the challenges facing our country – and we’re doing just that, one conversation at a time.”
co-host of the midday show alongside longtime station personality Judi Franco. Johnson – who served as the station’s program director from 1999 through 2017 – 
takes over for Dennis Malloy who retired from the program last week. Johnson says, “Coming back to ‘New Jersey 101.5’ feels like coming home. This station has always had a one-of-a-kind connection to the people of New Jersey. I’m honored to be part of it again — and even more excited to team up with Judi Franco, who’s as sharp, fearless, and funny as they come.” Townsquare Media regional VP Brian Lang says, “Eric is the perfect choice to join Judi on middays. He’s got a longstanding relationship with her, understands the power of the ‘New Jersey 101.5’ brand, and brings instant chemistry to the mic. We couldn’t be more excited — I can’t wait to hear ‘The Judi & EJ Show’ in action.”
says, “Weekday shows ‘Sunrise Carolina with Joey Hudson,’ ‘The Tara Show,’ ‘The Mike Gallagher Show,’ ‘Straight Talk with Bill Frady,’ and ‘The Charlie James Show’ also secured the top spot across all prime dayparts with persons 12+ and adults 35+.” Audacy South Carolina operations manager Mark Hendrix says, “The exceptional performance of our Audacy Greenville stations is a direct reflection of our incredible talent, the passion they bring every day, and their connection with our listeners.”
threatening free speech, medical autonomy, and the core doctor-patient relationship.” Dr. Gold states, “This is a wake-up call. We’re watching medicine become weaponized against the people it’s meant to serve. This film asks the question every American should be asking: Who does your doctor work for?” SalemNOW general manager Robert Ellis adds, “We’re proud to give a platform to voices willing to stand for truth. This film is essential viewing for anyone who believes medical freedom is worth protecting.”