Industry News

Katz Radio: New Data on Marketer Misperceptions

Katz Radio presents more data that supports the notion that radio’s effectiveness is misperceived by marketing professionals. The report cites data from Nielsen’s Global Annual Marketing Survey that askedimg marketers about perceived media effectiveness in which radio came in last place, behind all measured traditional and digital media types. According to Nielsen’s global ROI benchmarks, radio delivers the second highest return for advertisers, second only to social media. Nielsen’s ROI benchmarks show radio delivers higher returns for advertisers than all other other traditional media. While radio is perceived to be less effective than digital media, it delivers an ROI +30% higher than video and display, and +70% higher than search and CTV. See more about the study here.

Industry News

Mike Gallagher Broadcasts from Turning Point USA Event

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Pictured above is Salem Radio Network host Mike Gallagher this morning (7/11) on media row at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa. Salem says the event, sponsored by SRN personality Charlie Kirk, drew thousands of young conservatives from all 50 states for workshops and speeches from Kirk, Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem, Dr. Ben Carson and other conservative leaders as they map game plans for the 2026 midterm elections.

Industry News

JFMN Welcomes Vince Maiocco as Contributor

The John Fredericks Media Network welcomes Taft College head baseball coach and health/physical education professor Vince Maiocco as a regular contributor to the network’s signature sports program,img “Godzilla Wins,” that airs Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 11:00 am ET. John Fredericks says, “Coach Vince is a tremendous asset to our weekend sports broadcast. He has built an enormous fan base in a short period of time. His insight and knowledge of professional and college sports is enlightening and uncanny. Most importantly, Vince is a dedicated mentor and teacher whose keen analysis engages and informs our listeners as well as our younger contributors, whose careers in broadcasting we are dedicated to growing.” JFMN programming is heard on 23 radio stations, plus via multiple streaming platforms including YouTube Live, Rumble Live, X-Live, GETTR Live, and JFMN.TV.

Industry News

Audacy’s KRLD and Texas State Network Providing Flood Information

Audacy says that its Dallas news/talk station KRLD-AM “NewsRadio 1080” and Austin news/talk KJCE-AM have been keeping Texans informed since the deadly floods began in the early morning of July 4. The company says that “NewsRadio 1080” and Texas State Networks reporter Christopher Fox has beenimg tirelessly reporting from along the river between Kerrville and Centerpoint, Texas, “delivering succinct and informative reports on NewsRadio 1080, additional Audacy stations, and various CBS affiliates across the country. His Texas State Network reporting includes hourly newscasts reaching over 100 affiliates in 86 markets.” KRLD brand manager and Audacy news/talk foremat vice president Drew Anderssen says, “‘NewsRadio 1080’has been a critical lifeline for Texans. Our commitment to timely and essential news, weather and traffic information never wavered in the early days of this tragedy, over the 4th of July holiday weekend, and we are committed to continuing our compassionate and impactful coverage in the days ahead.”

Industry News

WABC Partners with Shriners Children’s for Charity Softball Game

WABC Radio is partnering with Shriners Children’s for a charity softball game called Day of Champions on Sunday, July 20, at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. It will feature a softball game between members of the NYPD versus members of the FDNY with net proceeds going to Shriners Children’s. Johnimg Sterling, who hosts a Saturday afternoon sports talk program on 77WABC, will provide play-by-play of the game, as well as the Little League pre-game.  This event includes pre-game activities for families including meet-and-greet opportunities with 77WABC on-air personalities and sports legend Dwight Gooden, Fastest Pitch and Home Run Derby contests, Kids Zone, Sports Memorabilia Silent Auction and more!  Red Apple Media owner John Catsimatidis says, “Shriners Children’s gives hope to children and their families across the country and around the world, regardless of their ability to pay. At WABC Radio, we are proud to partner with Shriners Children’s and, together, provide a fun-filled day for our community while supporting this great mission.”

Industry News

KMOX and MLB’s Cards Extend Broadcasting Deal

Audacy’s news/talk KMOX-AM/FM, St. Louis announces a multi-year extension of its broadcast partnership with the MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals. KMOX will continue to provide play-by-play coverage of all regular,img postseason and select Spring Training games. KMOX recently integrated new Cardinals coverage, including the “Gas House Gang,” airing weekdays at 12:00 noon and the “Red Bird Rush Hour” airing weeknights at 5:00 pm. Audacy SVP and market manager Becky Domyan says, “This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to delivering the content our community loves, and with KMOX now on FM, we’re even more fired up to bring every single game, plus exciting new programming, to more fans than ever before.”

Industry News

KILT-AM Raises $27k for Houston Food Bank

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Audacy sports talk KILT-AM, Houston “SportsRadio 610” raised $27,240 during its inaugural “Reggie and Ron Radiothon” benefiting the Houston Food Bank. All proceeds go toward the Houston Food Bank’s mission to eliminate food insecurity in southeast Texas and ensure Texans have access to nutritious food to fuel a healthy life. Pictured above are (from l-r): “In the Loop” producer Figgy Fig, Ron Hughley, Houston Food Bank’s chief development officer Julie Voss, Reggie Adetula, and “The Drive” producer Tyler Milner.

Industry News

WWO: Audio is Ideal for Finding Job Seekers

This week’s blog from Cumulus Media | Westwood One’s Audio Active Group looks at data from a commissioned MARU/Matchbox December 2024 study of 1,000 respondents exploring the labor market. Some key findings from the study include: 1) Audio is an ideal advertising environment for recruitment brandsimg and companies seeking to hire, especially among passive job seekers who are less likely to use job sites: Nine out of 10 job seekers are reached by ad-supported audio. Over-the-air AM/FM radio reaches nearly 80% of active and passive job seekers. Six out of 10 active job seekers are reached by podcasts; 2) AM/FM radio streaming’s audience growth has surged among job seekers: Since 2021, AM/FM radio streaming has soared in usage among both active and passive job seekers. Six out 10 active job seekers are reached by AM/FM radio streaming; 3) Passive job seekers outnumber active job seekers by +50%. Active job seekers are growing: The optimal source for filling positions are passive job seekers who outnumber active job seekers by +50%. Active job seekers have surged from 15% in 2018 to 24% currently; and 4) Advertising works: There is a very linear relationship between ad spend, share of voice, ad recall, and market share. The greater the ad spend, the greater the ad recall and market share. See the full blog post here.

Industry News

WJR, Detroit Names Ryan Ermanni Afternoon Host

Cumulus Media’s news/talk WJR, Detroit appoints Ryan Ermanni host of the 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm show, effective today (7/7). Ermanni is well known in the Detroit market as co-host of  “The Nine” on WJBK-TV FOX 2 Detroit where he served for more than 20 years. Cumulus Detroit/Ann Arbor regional VP and marketimg manager Steve Finateri says, “Ryan Ermanni is not only a seasoned broadcaster with deep roots in Detroit media, he’s also a longtime fan of WJR. His passion for Detroit, his engaging on-air presence, and his respect for what WJR represents make him a perfect fit for our team.” Ermanni comments, “I am so honored to be a part of the WJR daily lineup. I’ve always considered myself just a regular guy from the neighborhood who happens to have a really cool job. The WJR call letters mean something to me, as they do for many people who have grown up in our city and our state. I hope to build the same trust and connection here on WJR as I did at FOX 2. I’m not your typical newsman. I wear my personality on my sleeve, and I react to stories the way someone might if they were sitting at home or in their car. We joke that I’m a “man of the people” — and honestly, I take that as the highest compliment. What you see is what you get. So, if you spot me around town, don’t be shy – come say hello.”

Job Opportunity

Lotus Seeks Weekend Anchor/Editor/Reporter

Lotus Seattle is seeking an experienced weekend anchor/editor/reporter for all-news station KNWS-AM/FM, Seattle “Northwest Newsradio 97-7, AM 1000.” Lotus says, “The ideal candidate will help prepare and deliver engaging news content, report on breaking news events, and produce special projects and programming as assigned. This position at Northwest Newsradio is a vital news delivery and content creatorimg for our station. Your material is used throughout the day on several different broadcasts. This individual in this position is also an overall ambassador for our brand, and is expected to also work at special events, and alongside our sales staff promote the station to Northwest Newsradio clients. The perfect candidate has a minimum of two years’ experience in large market media, is proficient and aggressive in social media, is an excellent writer, and embraces using digital platforms (podcasting, streaming audio, streaming video) to promote the Northwest Newsradio brand. Candidates need to submit an audio demonstration of their on-air ability with their resume, along with a sample of radio news writing. Candidates should also be prepared to take a writing test if requested. Applications should be sent here.

Industry News

Amy Jacobson Exits WIND, Chicago

Chicago media personality Amy Jacobson announces via X that she has exited Salem Media Group’simg news/talk WIND-AM. On Tuesday she posted, “After 15 1/2 years at WIND AM560 radio, due to staffing reductions, today was my last day on the air. I am still processing this but I am happy to announce I have launched http://AmyJacobsonLive.com where I will be hosting a weekly podcast, posting behind-the-scenes blogs, livestreaming.” Jacobson has been co-hosting the morning show with Dan Proft who appears to be continuing the program solo.

Industry News

MacLeod to Lead Portland Stations for Alpha Media

Alpha Media Portland names Ross MacLeod the new operations manager for the Portland market. In this role he’ll also serve as content director for news/talk KXL-FM “FM News 101” and sports talk KXTG-AMimg “750 The Game.” He most recently served as program director for iHeartMedia’s WBGG, Miami “Big 105.9.” MacLeod states, “I’m looking forward to working with some of the amazing talent we have in Portland, and leading this cluster to new heights. KXL is a heritage news/talk leader in Portland and I couldn’t be more honored to be part of this team.” Alpha Media stations are being acquired by Connoisseur Media in a deal that is expected to close in the fall.

Industry News

Black Information Network Celebrates Five Years on Air

Monday (6/30) marked the fifth anniversary of the launch of BIN: Black Information Network, what iHeartMedia calls “the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service dedicated to providing an objective, accurate and trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective.” The company says, “What began on June 30, 2020, has grown into an essential source of trusted journalism,img storytelling and community engagement. Over the past five years, BIN: Black Information Network has achieved remarkable milestones, including: Surpassing 19 million monthly listeners, a reflection of BIN’s growing influence and strong connection to its target audience; expanding BIN News content to over 100 broadcast radio stations across the U.S., making BIN one of the most widely distributed, Black-focused news audio platforms in the country; and delivering news coverage tailored to 65 of America’s largest Black communities, with reporting that reflects the local realities, perspectives, challenges and triumphs.” BIN president Tony Coles adds, “BIN: Black Information Network has become a trusted and indispensable voice for Black communities in America. In just five years, we’ve transformed how local and national news reaches our audiences. We are giving a voice to the stories that have gone untold for too long. We are providing freedom to journalists to pursue meaningful reporting – and we’re just getting started.”

Industry News

Wayne Allyn Root and The Gateway Pundit Partner for Podcast

Nationally syndicated talk media personality Wayne Allyn Root is partnering with The Gateway Pundit on his two-hour daily video podcast that’s being renamed, “Wayne Allyn Root’s WAR Zone, Presented by The Gateway Pundit.” This makes “WAR Zone” the official podcast of TheGatewayPundit.com and will beimg featured live each night from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm ET.  Root says, “Tens of millions of die-hard Trump supporters go to theGatewayPundit.com 24/7 for the news and opinions that you won’t find in the mainstream media. It’s the perfect platform and synergy for my podcast. This is a marriage made in heaven. My daily podcast offers raw truth, the most exciting content for MAGA fans, and the most intense, passionate, combative, controversial, in-your-face, high-energy show anywhere in American media, combined with the biggest personality, and the loudest MAGA mouth on the planet. My show takes your breath away. It’s two hours of ‘pedal to the metal, balls to the walls,’ without taking a breath.”

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Feature the Moments That Matter

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgAre archived shows – whole hours – your station’s only on-demand offering? It’s an easy checkbox: post the aircheck, call it a podcast.

And why not? In our on-demand culture, why expose this work – and its sponsors – only to those who happened to be listening in real-time? But few listeners will sit through an hour – or three – of linear audio. Most don’t when listening live. They’re busy. The only person who hears the whole show is the host (which is why I cringe when I hear “hour number three”).

Trim the fat, serve the steak 

Many more will be interested in highlights, those couple minutes of Pet Pro Dr. Donna Stone’s tips for “Helping Your Critters Keep Their Cool During a Long Hot Summer,” or whatever “money moments” aired.

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— Give these excerpts a title, incorporating words someone might include in Search. Add a sharable description. Let MS Copilot or ChatGPT make you a graphic. For this example, make it a cute puppy.
— In addition to the station’s website, these clips should be all over your social media. Think of your whole show as a movie. Hashtag-laden Tweets that include a click-to-listen link are the trailer. Script several versions and post at intervals.
— Get good at this, and your posts will get shared.
–And Dr. Donna can share her moment to her followers.

This is something music station morning shows do better than talk stations, because archiving whole songs is taboo. They’re forced to cull. 

Find the time

It’s an investment in reach, relevance, and revenue. Don’t just archive – curate. You can find new ears, using these audio appetizers to offer people who don’t know your show to try the entrée.

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

Industry News

Jeff Tyler Retires from iHeartMedia

After a radio career spanning 47 years, Jeff Tyler announces he’s retiring from iHeartMedia. Tyler began his career as an on-air talent in 1978, with early roles in both Madison and Milwaukee. In 1997, he played a pivotal role in forming one of the first merged markets when Capstar Broadcasting acquired six stations from two different companies – a move that laid the foundation for today’s iHeartMedia cluster in Madison. Overimg the next three decades, Tyler held numerous leadership positions, including market manager roles in both Madison and Milwaukee.  In 2010, Tyler was promoted to region president and later moved to Minneapolis in 2015 to serve as regional president for iHeartMedia. He rose to division president in July 2018 before returning to Wisconsin in 2022 to lead as metro president and most recently area president. Tyler says, “Broadcast radio has been my life. I’ve worked in every aspect of this business and have been fortunate to work for tremendous leaders who helped shape my career, including the creative and innovative team at iHeartMedia. I’m grateful to have worked with so many talented, dedicated professionals in vibrant broadcast markets, serving advertisers and creating meaningful partnerships. I’m excited to begin a more flexible chapter of life with my family, while continuing to support our sports partnerships in the short term.”

Industry News

KNCU, Newport, Oregon Relaunches as Sports Talker

KORE Broadcasting is relaunching KNCU-FM, Newport, Oregon as a sports talk outlet under the brand “FOX Sports Newport.” KORE Broadcasting acquired the station from Dave Miller and flips the station fromimg the country format Hank FM. In addition to FOX Sports Radio content, the station also features Portland, Oregon based “The Bald-Faced Truth with John Canzano” and local show “Danny and Justin,” airing from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm daily. Station manager Steve Woodward comments, “We’re excited to bring high-quality sports radio to the Oregon Coast. KNCU has one of the strongest sports lineups in the entire state. We hope to be your #1 choice for sports on the coast.”

Industry News

Radio Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

The Museum of Broadcast Communications announces 10 new inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame forimg 2025. The inductees will be honored at the in-person 2025 Radio Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on October 30 at the Swissotel Hotel in Chicago. Among this year’s inductees are: Colin Cowherd, host of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd”; Mike McVay of McVay Media; and Julie Talbott, president of Premiere Networks. See the complete list of nominees here.

Industry News

Station President Acquiring “Real Talk 93.3” in Tallahassee

Magic Broadcasting announces that it is selling news/talk WVFT-FM, Gretna, Florida in the Tallahassee market to 923 Ventures, LLC – a company owned by the station’s president and CEO Jon Jopling. He’s been in charge of “Real Talk 93.3” and Magic Broadcasting’s Panama City stations since 2021. Magic announced the sale of the Panama City stations to JVC Broadcasting earlier this week. After these deals close, Magic Broadcasting will be out of the radio station ownership business. The press release says that the sale of WVFT-FM to Jopling “ensures that ‘Real Talk 93.3 FM’ will remain Tallahassee’s only locallyimg owned radio station, a distinction underscored by its long-standing dedication to providing authentic, community-focused content hosted by Tallahassee media staples like legendary sports talk host Jeff Cameron, award-winning morning show host Greg Tish, and investigative reporter Steve Stewart.” Jopling says, “As someone who has lived and worked in Tallahassee for over 23 years, I understand how important it is for our city to have trusted local voices on the airwaves. This transition isn’t just about ownership — it’s about strengthening our commitment to the people of Florida’s capital city. We’ll continue to focus on real news, real conversations, and real connections that matter to the people that live here — delivered by people who live here, too.” Jopling adds, “We’ve had a lot of success at 93.3, and we are thankful for the continued support of all our incredible listeners, fans, and advertisers. Or as we like to call them, our extended family. I’ve been privileged to be in charge of the station, but now, as the owner, I know our family will only get better.”

Industry News

Jim Lerch Exiting WSKO

Syracuse sports talk host Jim Lerch is exiting Cumulus Media sports talk outlet WSKO-AM, Syracuse after 23 years. CNYCentral reports that Lerch, host of “The Manchild Show with Boy Green,” is exiting afterimg today’s program as he transitions to a digital platform. Lerch is quoted saying, “When I started this back in 2002, I never thought I’d last nearly a quarter of a century on the radio. It’s been my life’s pleasure entertaining and interacting with our incredible listeners over two decades of Syracuse sports history and I look forward to my new journey as a digital sports content host.” See the CNYCentral story here.

Industry News

Audacy Shuttering Pineapple Street Studios

Numerous news outlets, including Variety, Bloomberg and Podnews.net, are reporting that Audacy is closing podcast production house Pineapple Street Studios. Pineapple Street was acquired by then-Entercom inimg 2019 for $18 million as the podcast industry was really taking off in terms of listenership. Podnews.net notes, “Audacy shut Cadence13 (a $50mn purchase) in March 2024, and rebranded Podcorn ($22.5mn) as Audacy Creator Lab in April this year.” An Audacy spokesperson says in a statement, “This difficult decision aligns our resources with our core strengths and the most promising growth areas for our podcasting business. We’re sorry to say goodbye to talented colleagues and are grateful for their contributions.”

Industry News

BIA: Florida Radio Ad Spend to Hit $833 Million in 2025

According to a report on Florida ad revenue for 2025, BIA Advisory predicts that the total for the year will be $12.4 billion, with radio OTA+digital’s share of the pie being $833 million. Radio is fifth in line after #1 mobileimg ($2.7 billion), #2 direct mail ($2.5 billion), #3 PC/laptop ($2.3 billion), and #4 TV OTA+digital ($1.6 billion). The report notes that 64% of the state’s total ad spend in done in three markets: Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Tampa-St. Petersburgh-Sarasota, and Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne. See more about the report here.

Industry News

KSTA, San Antonio the New Home for the Joe Pags Show

Talk radio star Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo will be heard in his home market of San Antonio on Alpha Media’s news/talk KTSA, effective July 1. The Joe Pags show is nationally syndicated to some 170 affiliates via Compass Media Networks and will air on KTSA in the 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm daypart. Alpha Media SVP andimg market manager Lance Hawkins says, “Joe Pags represents everything we value at KTSA. He’s dynamic, authentic, and rooted in Texas values. Our mission is to build radio brands that are Live and Local, deeply involved in the communities they serve, and always evolving. Pags’ addition to KTSA proves that mission in action.” Pags says that his welcome to KTSA is both professional and personal. “I am thrilled to call KTSA the new flagship for the Joe Pags Show. I’ve been based in San Antonio for 20 years and have always been a fan of the amazing hosts on KTSA. It’s truly an honor to get back on the air in SA and talk with these amazing people on their ride home once again. I can’t thank Jeff Warshaw, Lance Hawkins, Greg Martin, and Dax Davis enough for this remarkable opportunity!” Alpha Media is being acquired by Connoisseur Media and FCC approval is expected by this fall.

Industry News

Edison: News/Information Low on Gen Z Audio Preference List

Edison Research is releasing its Gen Z Audio report based on 2,010 online surveys of respondents ages 13img-24 and, perhaps not surprisingly, their most preferred categories of podcasts are Comedy, Music, Entertainment, and True Crime. News/Information is far down the list with just 17% saying they watched or listened to a news/information podcast in the last month. Also noteworthy is the breakdown of delivery systems for audio for this demographic. Streaming music is the top audio source (42%), followed by YouTube (20%), and AM/FM (16%) in third place. See the complete report here.

Industry News

Former WABC, New York Host Wins City Council Primary

Frank Morano, who until recently was the host of “The Other Side of Midnight” on WABC, New York, won the Republican primary for the 51st district city council seat with 82% of the vote and will face Democrat Clifford Hagen in the November election. Morano won the seat that represents Staten Island in a specialimg election earlier this year. Morano says in a statement, “As someone who spent years behind the mic listening to New Yorkers and elevating their voices, I’ve never lost sight of who I work for. That’s why I ran a campaign rooted in community, not consultants. While others poured money into cookie-cutter strategies, I made it a point to invest in local radio, where real Staten Islanders are tuning in. I stayed a regular voice on Sid Rosenberg’s show on WABC and Arthur Aidala’s show on AM 970 — two stations I used to work at and still believe in. My predecessor, Joe Borelli, took his talents to the airwaves as a frequent host and TV panelist. I’ve taken a different path — bringing that same microphone-to-community connection straight to City Hall.”

Industry News

“Covino & Rich” Celebrate 20 Years

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FOX Sports Radio personalities Steve Covino and Rich Davis celebrated the 20th anniversary of the “Covino & Rich” show with an exclusive listener event in Las Vegas this past weekend. More than 300 listeners traveled to Las Vegas to enjoy a live broadcast of the show. The weekend also featured a mixer at Circa’s Legacy Club Rooftop Cocktails to watch the fireworks show, an afternoon of golf at Atomic Golf Las Vegas, and dinner at Circa Sportsbook. The weekend concluded with a night of karaoke at Cat’s Meow, where Covino and Davis joined listeners on stage to perform a few songs. Pictured above are (l-r) are: Rich Davis, show executive producer Christian Sorge, and Steve Covino.

Industry News

Michael Harrison: “We Need to Invent New Dirty Words”

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The recent utterance of the so-called “F-bomb” by President Donald Trump during an impromptu Whiteimg House lawn press conference sparked a wave of on-air and online conversations about the state of the media and appropriate use of the English language in the rapidly changing digital era.  TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison appeared as a guest this morning (6/25) on the highly popular Gene Valicenti morning drive show on WPRO-AM, Providence sharing his take on the matter including legal and cultural aspects of whether to bleep or “let it fly.”  To listen to the interview, please click here.

Industry Views

Monday Memo: On-Demand is In-Demand

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imgIf you saved back issues from when TALKERS was a print tabloid, dig-down about 20 years into the stack. A couple times a year beginning then, I was reporting from conferences then called The Podcast and New Media Expo, which later evolved into NMX and BlogWorld and other incarnations.

As I was typing-as-fast-as-I-could in the back row, I was hearing a new medium take shape.

— These energized events had the mojo radio conventions used to. But radio was already struggling as consolidation eliminated many on-air jobs, cutbacks that continue today.
— But plucky podcasters were already self-publishing about high-affinity Long Tail topics too narrowcast for AM/FM radio. And because it is what we then called “the World Wide Web,” they were growing a following far beyond local broadcasters’ signal footprints.

Remember iPod? Suddenly, EVERYONE had one. Then, just-as-suddenly, everyone didn’t. Because Apple rolled-out iPhone, which could also tote your tunes, and do thousands of other things. Yet the term “podcasting” – which first referred to the device – endures.

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What’s remarkable about the podcasting phenomenon, is that users – not the device manufacturer – came up with the idea. iPod was designed as a music player. But it was We The People who reckoned that audio-is-audio and started self-publishing radio-without-radio.

“P-O-D” = “Programming On-Demand.” Think Netflix for audio.

— But unlike Netflix, stations aren’t investing aggressively in on-demand content. Short-staffed, it’s all they can do to feed multiple transmitters robotic programming.
— Meanwhile, enthused podcasters are generating content, some of which is amusing quirky boutique topics. Others are doing local news, now in shorter supply from AM/FM radio.
— Smart stations buddy-up with these DIY creators, showcasing their sponsorable stuff. They create audio, we sell audio.

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

Industry Views

SABO SEZ: Do You Really Think the Back of Your Head is Worth Watching?

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

imgThe drive to stream video of radio shows has always been risky. Remember your shock when you first saw one of your radio heroes? Video streaming can present a constant disconnect between the show in the listener’s head and the show on the stream. Many stations make the disconnect worse by streaming terrible video images. Combine the trauma of how a host really looks with a dreary TV show and the package cannot benefit the relationship between station and listener/viewer.

Too many stations stream from one or two fixed cameras in the studio. That picture looks like a police interrogation room. Some stations embarrassingly use one camera on a two person show. The result is a shot of the face of one host and the back of the head of the other, for the entire show. OMG.

Done right, video should enhance the listening experience, it should make the hosts more attractive, more engaging, and more entertaining.

Mistake: Many radio hosts ignore the cameras during spot breaks. These hosts go silent during spots, giving a viewer absolutely no reason to stream. Obviously, if one sits in silence during the break the image presented is pure boredom. On the radio, the listener hears commercials. On their stream they see a silent radio host doing nothing. Double disappointment.

Producing video that enhances a radio show experience takes planning and commitment. One technically simple way to make video work for a host is to address the audience directly during commercial breaks. One on one. The moment a break starts, smart hosts and anchors address the camera and candidly speak with the viewer. Their conversation is topical, urgent and fun.

Engaging the viewer during radio commercial breaks provides added value to a stream and a reason to watch.

Some examples worth watching are found in these links:

B-93, Grand Rapids morning host Aly Mac never stops talking with streaming viewers. She does itimg right, two shows… one on the radio, one on the stream. Seamless and fun.
WPHT produces a TV show with switching, graphics that flows with the radio show.
Baylee Martin is a TV anchor who could teach the industry how to conduct an on-air show enhanced by the stream.  Hearst should sell schedules in her stream content. Have a look, she’s a streaming savant.

When streaming, consider if the video stream is helping or hurting the radio show. If the “reveal” is the back of a head, hurting!

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

KRMG, Tulsa Hosts FOX News Radio’s Jimmy Failla

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FOX News personality Jimmy Failla traveled to Tulsa to help affiliate KRMG-AM/FM celebrate its 75th Anniversary. Failla’s “FOX Across America Stay Gold Edition” was held at both the Outsiders House Museum and Puck’s Sports Bar and Grill. The Outsiders House museum founder Danny Boy O’Connor joined Failla at the museum where they recorded a segment of “FOX Across America” with a special studio audience. They discussed the movie, “The Outsiders,” as well as today’s current political events. “KRMG Afternoon News” host Skyler Cooper was live during the evening broadcast, interviewing Failla, Danny Boy O’Connor, and Outsiders House executive director Ashley Beck. Pictured above at The Outsiders House museum is O’Connor (far left) and Failla (center).

Industry News

BFoA Media Mixer in New York City

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Last Wednesday (6/18), the Broadcasters Foundation of America held one of its popular Media Mixer events in New York City designed to give “junior people in broadcasting the opportunity to network with executives and to increase awareness or the charitable mission of the BFOA to help broadcasters in acute need.” Pictured above is BFoA chairman and former CBS Radio COO Scott Herman (center) speaking with two attendees.