Pictured above is media personality Grace Curley (right), who hosts a syndicated talk show on the Howie Carr Radio Network, during an appearance on “Fox & Friends” this morning (12/21) with Lawrence Jones (left). Curley first met Jones at the TALKERS 2021 conference at Hofstra University where Jones was a featured speaker.
Pictured above is Salem Radio Network personality Eric Metaxas (right) with Jacob Chansley, a.k.a., Qanon Shaman at last weekend’s 2023 AmericaFest in Phoenix. Chansley was convicted of trespassing in Congressional offices during the January 6 Capitol attacks and served 27 months of his 41-month sentence. SRN says during last weekend’s event Chansley “sat down at the conservative action conference to spar with Salem Radio Network host Eric Metaxas.” Chansley is now running for Congress in Arizona as a Libertarian.
an hour of the radio program “The Todd Starnes Show.” Additionally, Todd Starnes is hosting an exclusive, one-hour television program on Newsmax 2. Starnes says, “I’m honored to be a part of the great lineup at Newsmax. And it’s exciting to see the synergy between radio and television.” Next month, Starnes’ radio program launches in Houston on KYST-AM “920 Patriot Talk.”Twenty-five agricultural organizations have written to legislators to declare their support for the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act that would require AM radio be offered in every new vehicle at no extra charge. They say, “Our members rely on AM radio and the vital services it provides daily. AM radio is a source of weather, commodity, and national farm policy updates for our members. Access to radio becomes even more important for America’s producers in times of emergency. For those who work mostly out in the open, often miles from home, response time is critical. Whether a thunderstorm is developing, a tornado is moving closer, or wildfires are spreading, our members need a reliable form of communication to access critical information. AM radio stations are unparalleled in their range. A single AM station can reach up to 700 miles away and travel through barriers like mountains and buildings. When the power goes out, and cell towers go offline, radio is still available. While millions of rural Americans still lack broadband service, rural and agricultural programming through AM radio helps keep rural residents apprised of news that may impact their businesses, health care, education, and family.”
The Colorado Supreme Court rules former President Donald Trump is ineligible to serve as president; the 2024 presidential race and President Joe Biden’s low polling numbers; Trump’s rhetoric on illegal immigration and the negotiations in the Senate to address immigration and national security along with aid for Ukraine and Israel; the pressure on Israel to temper its Gaza operations; the Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea; abortion legal battles; the report card on the 118th Congress as the “most unproductive” in recent history; and the proposed sale of US Steel to a Japanese firm were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
LOS ANGELES – As students, enthusiasts and caretakers of this wonderful medium, we’re keenly aware that radio’s “Golden Age” boasted an incredible array of entertainers and broadcasters.
With lifestyles, technology and society being what they are today, it’s almost inconceivable to imagine that families would actually gather around the radio and attentively listen – and indeed hang onto – each and every word that emanated from that mysterious entertainment-laden box sitting in the living room.
Fundamentally important back then, of course, was a concept known as “Theater Of The Mind.”
No one embodied and personified it better than one of the bigger-than-life talents of that era: Orson Welles.
Most are familiar with his epic “War Of The Worlds.”
Pictures Set In Songs
The list of other outstanding “Mercury Theater” presentations Welles was responsible for is much too lengthy to cite here, but his legendary “Theater Of The Mind” mystique lived on nightly in Los Angeles, where Jim Ladd was a welcome guest for Southern California listeners dating back to 1969 and hosted a regular show on SiriusXM’s Deep Tracks channel the past 11 years.
Theater Of The Mind so perfectly describes what Ladd tried to do, although it’s not radio drama in the pure sense. “What I [attempt] at night is to show you pictures and do that by playing sets of songs,” the (then) highly popular KLOS-FM, Los Angeles 10:00 pm – 2:00 am personality remarked to me. “If you follow the lyric content of each song, as well as the song’s emotional feel, it should tell you a story with a beginning, middle and end. Thus, it’s theater.”
Throwback To Creativity
In addition to providing his special spin to Theater Of The Mind, Ladd was also responsible for keeping another bit of radio history on life-support.
Most air personalities are required to adhere to strictly enforced music lists, but Ladd’s nightly, four-hour, Los Angeles air-shift was a throwback to the days of “free-form” radio.
The result was similar to what existed in April 1967, when a new phenomenon started taking shape. “That was the beginning of FM and this multi-billion dollar industry,” Ladd recalled. “[Free-form] started on a station [KMPX, San Francisco] where the phone was literally disconnected, because they couldn’t pay the bill. [Tom Donahue] had an idea; he went there and it took off. For a while before deregulation, that’s what all FM radio did in any market. Free-form worked great, until they killed the golden goose.”
Right Place, Right Time
Southern California native Ladd was extremely fortunate to have been able to launch his radio career in the country’s second-largest market. “Part of it was timing,” he admitted. “I was at a little station in Long Beach [KNAC-FM] that decided it was going to try this new, hippie, underground thing. They didn’t know what it was, but [the feeling was to] hire some hippies and see if they could make some money with it. I happened to be right there at that time.”
A frustrated musician, who wanted to be a songwriter, Ladd recounted a life-altering conversation he and a buddy had in a car. “My friend said that I should be in radio. I was 19 or 20 at the time and your friends at that age seldom notice anything but themselves. For some reason, that stuck with me. Thank God, FM was in its infancy and they’d take complete novices like me off the street and give us shows. Owners didn’t know anything about the Grateful Dead or The Who, but we did.”
Check Mate
Instead of walking into a studio and following a computer-generated music log, Ladd was given freedom to use his imagination. His only preparation was what was happening in life.
Resulting sharp, clever music sets he composed weren’t written out in advance. “The way I work is to turn the music up loud and get the song working on me,” he commented. “Once [that happens], it keys in my mind what will fit next.”
Such an intricate process included a mental checklist. “I’ve figured out the lyrics will work, but I need to know how the song I’m playing ends and how the next song begins,” he explained. “If I’m playing a balls-out rocker, I can’t go into some acoustic piece. In that way, it’s really like a chess game. I have to plan these things to start every single segue as I’m doing it. That’s the way that works best for me.”
There were nights, however, that Ladd knew that he “[didn’t] have it,” but as he maintained, “I’ve been doing it long enough to put on a good professional show. Sometimes, I don’t have what I’m striving for, which is to make a connection with the audience. Without having to prompt them or explain anything, my audience lights up the phones. They call because they get what I’m doing. Once that connection is made, then look out, because the rocket is taking off.”
Gracefully Handling The Tragedy
Recalling the horrific September 11, 2001 “Attack On America,” Ladd noted that although it was one of the country’s greatest tragedies, “It was easy to immerse myself into something like that. It so moved me that I had no problem thinking of songs to play or what I wanted to say.”
Judy Collins’ version of “Amazing Grace” was the first song he played when he went on the air that night. “Believe it or not, it set the tone for what I did for … the next two weeks.”
As it usually did, the audience – even or perhaps especially in this painful period – stepped up to the plate. “This is the thing about free-form radio that’s so precious to me,” Ladd emphasized. “Nobody called me on 9/11 with an idiot request. When I played sets of 9/11 songs, everybody was calling in with [appropriate] suggestions. Second only to dealing with the tragedy, the hardest part was to know when I could play groups like AC/DC again. I found that very difficult; you can only feel your way through it.”
Loyal Listeners
In his third tour of duty at (then ABC-owned) classic rocker KLOS, Ladd was a legitimate cult figure in the Southland for his work at legendary cross-town rocker KMET.
Southern California listeners were stunned on Valentine’s Day 1987 when the “The Mighty Met” (now Audacy smooth AC KTWV) – became smooth jazz “The Wave.”
Also on Ladd’s impressive resume were stints at Los Angeles outlets KLSX and KEDG.
The notion of an air personality “connecting” with the audience is both elementary and elusive. Ladd was a rare case of a non-drive time music personality who amassed a loyal, vocal following.
Grateful for such audience allegiance, Ladd didn’t take it for granted. “My audience has been that loyal from KMET to KLOS and all the [other] stations in between. My part of the bargain is that I won’t lie to them or let them down by doing a format. I was off the air twice in my career for two years each. That was very difficult, but because I did that, I’ve earned the right to do this and I think the audience responds to that.”
Offered jobs by stations that wanted the “Jim Ladd” name, he opined, “They didn’t understand what that meant. They thought they could just plug in my name, not let me do what I did and it would be the same thing.”
Your Attention Please
Evenings and nights were Ladd’s domain throughout his career. “I wouldn’t want to do middays or afternoon drive,” pointed out the personality known for his “Lord have mercy” exclamations. “Listening habits are such that you can’t sit and listen like you can at night. People are working, picking up the kids and doing life.”
Much like Welles’ Mercury Theater, Ladd’s show required attention. Otherwise, it was just like playing one song after another, without making that all-important connection. “The audience’s side of the bargain is that they have to bring their attention to the show,” he insisted. “I’ve done [6:00 pm – 10:00 pm] in my career and that worked out very well. The show is a bit different, in that, it’s not quite as eclectic. I don’t know if I’d be playing Judy Collins and Johnny Cash in [that time]; maybe – but maybe not.”
Convinced his free-form style could be utilized elsewhere, Ladd, nevertheless, pondered that to his knowledge, “I’m the Alamo – the last guy standing. That’s certainly the case in a major market. The big tragedy is that there are so many talented [personalities] who, although they wouldn’t do the same show that I do, could do free-form radio. We’re losing all that talent. I’m not the only guy in the world who can do it. I’m the one who was stubborn enough to say that I won’t follow a list – I just won’t do it.”
Powerful Trinity
Among those who influenced Ladd’s on-air style were former MTV personality and ex-KEDG program director J.J. Jackson; veteran Los Angeles air talent Raechel Donahue, who went on to do 7:00 pm -12:00 midnight in Denver at KQMT “The Mountain”; longtime KMET personality the late B. Mitchel Reed; KMET’s Pat Kelley; Cynthia Fox; Jack Snyder; and the late, underrated Mary Turner. “The wonderful, beautiful part of free-form radio – and most importantly – at KMET was that it wasn’t about being a star,” Ladd asserted. “What we were doing was our part of the ‘social revolution’ at the time. It was like a triad: The people on the street, the music, and us. We took the message of Dr. [Martin Luther] King and combined it with the music of Bob Dylan.”
One highly significant aspect in noting those former KMET staffers was that they’d each listen to everyone else’s show and it elevated their own game. “I’d hear Cynthia do a great segue, or Mary would do a great segment and that would inspire me,” Ladd enthused. “What I miss most is that kind of camaraderie – it’s just me now. I can’t tune in to hear someone else’s great segue. When I heard one of my colleagues do something that touched me, the first thing I wanted to do was to call them and tell them it was great. The second thing was that – from their subject matter – I got 15 different ideas to use when I got to work that night. That was the beauty of it.”
Role Model
National audiences became aware of the iconic Los Angeles talent through shows such as “Innerview,” “Headsets,” and “Jim Ladd’s Living Room.”
Considerably more than someone who voiced a script for a syndicated show, Ladd spent a great deal of time scrutinizing the fine art of interviewing. “I ripped off just about everything I know about interviewing people from Elliot Mintz,” he confided to me. “Elliott was my role model. He’d interview the Shah of Iran one week and John Lennon & Yoko Ono the following week. He’d talk with everyone in a warm, low-key and intelligent manner. It was completely unlike anything [else] I’d heard at the time and that really impressed me.”
The “Innerview” show had an 11-year run and was carried by 160 stations. “It was the first of its kind,” boasted Ladd, whose other syndication work involved voiceovers for an overseas television show. “I’m very proud of the work we did [on ‘Innerview’]. I did 99% of the interviews in the front room of my house in an artistic community in Laurel Canyon. People would immediately be put in a very comfortable place. It’s not a studio – it’s my home.”
The Work Is The Key
Another reason why people felt at ease was that, instead of focusing on a person’s life, Ladd addressed their work. “They loved that. Rather than talking about how many girls they had, what kind of drugs they did and life backstage, I studied every word of every lyric of the new album they wanted to talk about and grilled them about their songs on the environment. It would require six to eight hours of preparation. Then there was another 20 – 25 hours to write the one-hour show; it was a lot of work.”
Writing became such a worthwhile experience that, in 1991, he penned “Radio Waves: Life And Revolution On The FM Dial.”
As a result of these syndicated projects, this immensely respected rock personality diversified himself; the book became a big hit. “I guess I’m a radio guy who learned how to become a writer,” Ladd mused. “In order to get up enough courage to write my book, I read authors I like. I was required to do a great deal of writing for ‘Innerview’ and would write out what I’d say – which is something I never do [on my live show]. You’d also end up with two hours of tape and pick out what the person was going to say, how I was going to introduce it and what song would follow it.”
A Distant Second
Whenever anyone asked Ladd to name his favorite band, he qualified his answer by separating the Beatles.
The quartet, he stressed, had to be placed in a completely different category.
After that’s been done, he named the Doors as his favorite.
The same applied to his most memorable radio experiences, with KMET being the Beatles’ equivalent. “We were at the right place at the right time with the right people. We loved each other and there’s never been anything else like it.”
Nonetheless, he quickly stated that his favorite time is the next time he was able to sit behind a microphone. “The reason for that is [KLOS’-then program director] Rita Wilde,” he proclaimed. “I don’t know how I got so lucky to have a boss who was [such a great on-air personality] and so supportive. If it weren’t for Rita Wilde, I wouldn’t be on the air – that’s just a fact. I want to keep free-form radio alive for the audience, but I also owe her to make this happen. She’s under a lot of pressure [when it comes to my show]. When I go in at 10:00 pm, the format literally stops. I can’t think of another boss in the world who would understand that.”
Numbers Game
His multi-decade Los Angeles track record and loyal following notwithstanding, Ladd still realized that ratings played a role in dictating his employment; however, as he declared, “Rita is one of the first people I’ve ever worked for in this business I trust when she says the numbers are up or down. Sometimes in my career I’ve found out from people who didn’t work at the station that my show was doing great. When there’s a down book, [management is usually] right there.”
Ultimate People Skills
Certain managers and programmers, he claimed, kept good books a secret from him; however, “Rita calls immediately when I have an up book. If I have a down book, I don’t hear from her; I have to call her. That says volumes to me. We’ll deal with a problem, but she doesn’t want to get me upset. She might tell me that I’m playing too much of this or not enough of that, but she never says anything [threatening]. It’s always from a helpful and suggestive [stance]. When the numbers are good, she leaves me totally alone. From my perspective, you can’t ask for more than that. Her people skills are unbelievable.”
In addition to have wanted to keep free-form radio alive as long as possible, Ladd disclosed that he wanted “to walk away before I can no longer do my job. I don’t know when it will happen, but the next stage in my life will probably be to write fulltime – I’m working on it.”
Contact TALKERS Managing Editor Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com
Beasley Media Group announces that Robert “Hardy” Poole moves from the midday “Zolak & Bertrand” show to morning drive as the new co-host of the “Toucher & Hardy” show on sports talk WBZ-FM, Boston “98.5 The Sports Hub,” effective January 4. Beasley says, “Over the past eight years, he’s played a key role in propelling the ‘Zolak & Bertrand’ show to unprecedented ratings success in their
midday slot. Hardy has also lent his voice and creative talents to various platforms across the station, including the creation of the wildly popular ‘Fuppets’ videos for Felger & Mazz. In addition, he has been the longtime host of the ‘Sports Hub Golf Club’ show and can also be heard on Beasley’s Rock 92.9.” Morning host Fred Toucher says, “I’ve known Hardy and admired his talent for many years. I’m very excited to begin this new chapter and feel revitalized by the new opportunity.” Hardy comments, “As a lifelong radio guy, I’m thrilled for this opportunity. I’m looking forward to working with Fred and the rest of the morning show crew on what I believe will be a great show.” Station PD Rick Radzik states, “Hardy is one of the most talented and creative individuals I have ever worked with in radio. Teaming him with Fred was just a natural fit for our new morning show. I look forward to them providing great content and entertaining our listeners for years to come.”
FOX News Digital reports that it finishes November continuing its streak as the top news brand in multiplatform views and minutes, according to data from Comscore. FOX News Digital closes out
November reaching 2.9 billion total multiplatform minutes, compared to CNN.com’s 1.9 billion and NYTimes.com’s 1.5 billion. FOX News Digital achieved 1.7 billion total multiplatform views, compared to NYTimes.com’s 1.4 billion and CNN.com’s 1.3 billion. Looking at multiplatform unique visitors, CNN.com was #1 with 116.3 million, compared to FOX News Digital’s 88.6 million and NYTimes.com’s 70.5 million.
Clark Howard and Cox Media Group Atlanta’s news/talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM helped to fulfill the Christmas lists of 8,137 children in foster care in Georgia through the “Clark’s Christmas Kids” program. Now in its 33rd year, the partnership between 95.5 WSB, Clark.com, Georgia Department of Human
Services, Division of Family & Children Services, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Georgia, and Walmart, has undertaken the mission of ensuring that every child in the Georgia foster care system has at least one gift on Christmas day. This year the program raised over $1,440,000 which will provide over 24,400 gifts to children in Georgia. 95.5 WSB program director Ken Charles says, “The 95.5 WSB audience is just amazing! For the 33rd year they’ve shown up with an incredible spirit of generosity to make sure the kids have a very merry Christmas. Our entire team supports Clark’s mission to make sure every foster child has at least one toy for Christmas and I’m so thankful our listeners come through every year!”
The pressure on Israel to temper its attacks in Gaza; the 2024 presidential race; the legal battles facing former President Donald Trump; former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows loses bid to move Georgia case to federal court; the Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea; the U.S. migrant crisis and the negotiations over immigration legislation in exchange for Ukraine aid; Georgia election workers sue Rudy Giuliani again; the Hunter Biden tax evasion case; the Florida GOP-Moms for Liberty scandal; and a Japanese company is set to buy US Steel were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Audacy’s all-news KYW-AM/FM, Philadelphia graduates more than 70 Philadelphia area high school students from its 56th annual “Newstudies” program. The station says, “In October and November, students attended sessions in Audacy’s corporate headquarters, where they learned the principles of broadcast journalism from award-winning media and news professionals from “KYW Newsradio” and other news outlets throughout the city. The students culminated the program by producing their own
news reports that aired on KYW. Tom Rickert, who serves as assistant brand manager and director of podcasts for KYW Newsradio, says, “There’s no other program that gives students an opportunity to learn from top professionals in news and sports media at one of the best broadcasting facilities in the country. And five decades in, we’re reuniting with parents who graduated from ‘Newstudies’ when they were in high school, who are now watching their teenagers graduate from the same program. We hope to keep investing in the young people of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley for generations to come, and we’re thrilled to be able to work with our partners at the Klein College of Media and Communication [at Temple University] to make this happen.” At Saturday’s graduation, KYW Newsradio awarded the $2,000 Richard Monetti Scholarship to William Bowens of Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School. The yearly scholarship is named for a “Newstudies” graduate killed in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and honors a student whose work demonstrates overall excellence.
The negotiations in Congress over immigration and border security; the push by Israel’s allies for it to use restraint in Gaza; the 2024 presidential race and former President Donald Trump’s speech in Nevada; the Rudy Giuliani defamation case; the Florida Republican Committee scandal; the post-Roe v Wade legal battles by women with troubling pregnancies; the Houthi rebel attacks on ships in the Red Sea; and a car slams into President Joe Biden’s motorcade were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
FOX News Channel says that it remains cable television’s most-watched network for the eighth consecutive year in 2023, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. The cable news outfit says the dominance of late afternoon show “The Five,” the launch of FNC’s new primetime lineup, coupled
with the success of its daytime programming, positions it as the number one network in cable news. FNC says it had the largest share of the audience in total day (46%) and primetime (48%), capturing nearly half of the cable news landscape. In primetime, FNC delivered nearly 2 million viewers and 214,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping CNN and MSNBC combined in total viewership. On a 24-hour total day basis, FNC averaged over 1.2 million viewers and 150,000 in 25-54, with a 153% advantage over CNN in viewers. FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott says, “During yet another unprecedented news cycle, cable viewers continued to choose FOX News Channel. From moderating debates to reporting in war zones and many stories in between, I am honored to work alongside this unrivaled team of journalists and opinion hosts as they continue to exceed expectations.”
FOX News Media promotes three senior executives on its digital leadership team. Jason Klarman is named chief digital and marketing officer and continues to report to CEO Suzanne Scott. Porter Berry is promoted to president, FOX News Digital and editor-in-chief, dually reporting to Klarman and FNM
president & executive editor Jay Wallace on editorial. Lauren Petterson assumes Klarman’s former role as president of FOX Nation while also continuing as president of talent development and will relinquish her role as president of FOX Business Network. She reports dually to Scott on talent development and Klarman on FOX Nation. Jay Wallace assumes oversight of FBN and continues reporting to Scott. Additionally, Megan Albano is named EVP of morning programming & program development and Gavin Hadden is named SVP of FOX Nation. Suzanne Scott says, “As we move our thriving business forward, we are reimagining the roles of some of our most talented executives to solidify our incredibly successful digital platforms for further growth and expansion. Jason, Lauren, Porter, Megan, and Gavin are each uniquely suited for these positions, and I am confident they will grow each of their respective areas of FOX News Media to new heights.”
By Gary Begin
Sound Advantage Media
You know the routine.
Your radio station introduces a new morning show, and you sit back and wait for the magic to happen.
And you wait…and you wait.
Still, the audience doesn’t know them, doesn’t care about them, or knows them and still doesn’t care about them.
Why is this happening?
There are six reasons:
One: Because they’re just not that good
It’s true! Radio managers are not famous for spotting and nurturing talent.
And a result: Being good is hard!
There’s a reason why Howard Stern was fired to the top. There’s a reason why it’s a safer bet to plug in Ryan Seacrest than to take a chance on somebody nobody knows (for better or worse). There’s a reason why the freshest young voice with a unique point of view prefers to launch a YouTube channel rather than work its way up the long, hard slog of the radio ladder.
Radio fans know what they like and don’t like, and everything else will likely fall in the vast, bland, vanilla middle. And while that vast, boring, vanilla middle can be tweaked with a bit of coaching or a new producer, there’s an old saying:
“You can’t polish a turd.”
Two: Because they’re not meaningfully different in a crowded field
Guy’s name and Gal’s name in the show title? Check.
Impeccable technical execution? Check.
Show producer/board op? Check.
What about plugging in all the radio morning show best practices? Check.
The problem with formulas for what makes a great morning show is that every station has access to the same procedures. And when every radio station is playing the same morning show game for the same audience at the same time using versions of the same bits, the audience will default to the show they’ve listened to longest, even if it’s not necessarily the best – because it takes a lot of time and effort to find the “best” and no time or effort at all to succumb to habit.
So why should I change the listening behavior that has served me well for years to sample YOUR show?
Three: Because listeners are barely exposed to them
It’s not only about how long a show has been on the air but also about how much exposure that show has had while it has been on.
I have a saying:
Listeners don’t listen to your morning show today; they listen to every episode of your morning show they have ever heard – today.
In other words, listeners bring their relationships with talent to each listening occasion. This makes intense morning shows powerful: They have a longstanding connection with their fans. It’s also why you can stream a market and listen to the dominant morning show without knowing why it’s so successful.
So, when you envelop your show in music, or the host opens the mic to announce a song, do a live read, announce another contest winner, check the weather, or emote some breezy phrase that dissipates into the radio ether within seven seconds, then the audience has less to know and fewer opportunities to realize it.
Why bother?
Four: Because they’re DJs and not humans
While there’s something comforting about a human voice on the radio, not every voice appears human. I’m not talking about voice-tracking here; I’m talking about content.
Humans have three dimensions – strengths and weaknesses, flaws, and blemishes. All on display.
When those dimensions are not displayed in a movie, we call the character “shallow.” And nobody (willingly) makes friends with shallow beings (although we’re happy to laugh at their expense TV).
Five: Because management doesn’t want a great morning show, they want a cheap morning show to be great
Too often, we’re not aiming for greatness; we’re aiming for extraordinary cheapness.
That’s not how Jimmy Fallon got the “Tonight Show” gig or how excellent radio talent is born. We fool ourselves into thinking the cheap voice can be better if only the audience catches on. And then we are disappointed when they never do.
This is not to say you always get what you pay for, but you certainly never get what you don’t pay for.
I recently ran into an old radio friend – a former morning host – now long out of the business. He was approached by a station in his market to do a weekend gig – live. And for this, he would be paid what he described as “the kind of money I made just out of school.”
Either he will say “no,” or the station will get from him what it’s paying for, which is precisely what it wants and much less than it pretends it wants.
Six: Because “liking them” and “listening to them” are two different things
Your new morning host may be a great guy and a model citizen, but if I’ve got 20 minutes of drive-time, I intend to spend it with the most compelling, entertaining, or informative morning show I can find, not with an audio Boy Scout.
Gary Begin can be reached at garybegin10@gmail.com.
Townsquare Media officially announces the promotion of Sam Gagliardi to vice president of content for the Monmouth-Ocean and Trenton-Princeton markets. In this new role, Gagliardi has oversight of all brands in the two markets, including news/talk WKXW-FM “New Jersey 101.5” and five music brands.
Gagliardi, who goes by Sam Elliot on the air, most recently served as the director of content for Townsquare’s Monmouth-Ocean market. Gagliardi says, “I sincerely thank the leadership at Townsquare – Bill Wilson, Erik Hellum, Jared Willig, and Brian Lang — for this incredible opportunity. Collaborating with the skilled professionals at the iconic brands of ‘New Jersey 101.5’ and PST presents an amazing opportunity. I am excited about working with such a highly talented group and look forward to engaging in collaborative efforts with the fantastic on-air and online creators at the Jersey Shore.”
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Urban One reports that it has received an extension from the Hearings Panel of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC giving the company until January
16, 2024 to file its Form 10-Q quarterly report for the period ending September 30, 2023. As result of that filing being late, Nasdaq has begun the process of delisting Urban One stock. However, the extension gives Urban One extra time to file the report. The company says it expects to be able to file the Q3 2023 Form 10-Q on or before December 31. As TALKERS has previously reported, the late filings were the result of Urban One dismissing its previous independent registered public accounting firm BDO USA, LLP and hiring Ernst & Young LLP.
Audacy all-news KNX, Los Angeles held a live, one-hour town hall event before a studio audience in the Audacy SoundSpace on L.A.’s Miracle Mile last night (12/12) titled, “Smash and Grab: Stealing the
Season.” The station says it “featured an informative, spirited, and sometimes fiery debate about the growing problem of organized retail theft and what can be done about it.” Appearing on the panel of experts were Todd Spitzer, Orange County district attorney; Marc Beeart, director of fraud & corruption prosecutions at the L.A. County District Attorney’s office; Lt. Sergio Perez, coordinator of the California Highway Patrol retail theft task force; Tinisch Hollins, executive director, Californians for Safety and Justice; and Charis Kubrin, criminologist, UC Irvine. Check out the program here.
The most recent edition of Nielsen Audio’s Audio Today report focuses on Black consumers and concludes that of all audio services – both ad-free and ad-supported – AM/FM radio dominates in drawing Black listeners. For Blacks 18+, AM/FM reaches 89% of the population monthly, compared to its
next best competitor – YouTube Music – at 31%. When it comes to Blacks 35-49, AM/FM reaches 90% of that demographic. The Nielsen report dips into Edison Research’s Share of Ear study and notes that when it comes to share of daily time spent listening to all audio sources (Black adults 18+) 44% of that time is spent with AM/FM radio compared to its next best competitor – streaming audio – with 14%. Not surprisingly, when it comes to the top radio formats listened to by Blacks 18+, rhythmic music stations rank at the top. However, out of the 20 radio formats Nielsen lists in its study, news/talk comes in as the 6th most-listened-to format with a monthly reach of almost 2.4 million. That comes out ahead of sports talk with a monthly reach of almost 1.98 million. See the study results here.
In what is believed to be his only talk radio interview to date since being removed from Congress, former
Republican New York 3rd Congressional District representative George Santos appeared on Frank Morano’s “The Other Side of Midnight” program on Red Apple Media’s WABC, New York. Santos tells Morano that he’s writing a book that will detail everything that’s happened to him during his time in Congress. Morano tells TALKERS Santos “went off on his colleagues, says he’s making a ton of money on Cameo and will one day return to Congress.” Listen to the interview here.
iHeartMedia’s news/talk KFI, Los Angeles raised more than $1.3 million and 81,000 pounds of pasta and sauce to benefit Caterina’s Club during its “KFI PastaThon” that took place took from November 15 through December 3. Caterina’s Club provides more than 25,000 nutritious meals every week to children
in need in Southern California. The charity also helps families get back into stable home environments and teaches teens the skills they need to work in the hospitality industry. This year, all 168 Wendy’s restaurants in Southern California continued their partnership and offered customers the opportunity to donate. KFI program director Robin Bertolucci says, “Once again, the KFI audience has come through with incredible generosity and kindness. This is our 13th year and every year we are touched by the giving spirit of KFI listeners. A huge thank you to them and to our partners, Smart and Final and Wendy’s for giving our listeners another way to give back to the community.”
On Sunday night (12/10), WABC, New York presented “The 77 WABC/Bulova Frank Sinatra Birthday Bash” at the station’s Studio 77 event space that the station says was “transformed into a glittering nightclub that would have made Ole Blue Eyes proud.” It was hosted by Joe Piscopo, who also hosts the station’s “Sundays with Sinatra” show. Pictured above is Piscopo with the team from Bulova.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
“Most registered voters avoid the news at least some of the time. Of those who disengage, over half avoid national politics coverage,” according to the “Voices of Value 2023 Report” by the Pell Center at Salve Regina University.
It’s a survey of registered voters in Rhode Island, where I live, and this data mirrors national polls: “Democrats and Republicans hold deeply negative views of their political counterparts. Nearly two-thirds of Republicans and Democrats view their political opponents as very close-minded. Independents are less likely to judge their counterparts as harshly.”
— Also reflecting national data: “More Rhode Islanders trust local than national news, but Republicans and Independents are less trusting than Democrats, given their concerns of partisan media as a threat to democracy.”
— “All parties are skeptical of news from social media sites as they are concerned with fake news and disinformation.”
— “Partisan differences exist beyond this fatigue of national politics. Republicans are the most likely party to distrust the news media and the least likely party to say they avoid the news. Over half receive most of their news from FOX News.”
What this means to radio:
— If you do local news, tout it.
— If you’re an affiliate, remind them that you’re FOX News in the car. It’s the source they trust. Those who disengage aren’t listening.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke
Bonneville’s news/talk KTTH, Seattle announces a new program lineup effective on January 1 that
includes two FOX News Radio personalities. “The Guy Benson Show” will air from 12:00-3:00 pm and “FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla” is being delay 
broadcast in the 12:00 midnight to 3:00 am daypart. KTTH program director Jason Antebi states, “We’re incredibly excited to add Guy Benson’s fresh conservative perspective to our primetime lineup. Guy’s political acumen, ability to break down complex issues in ways making it easy to follow, and his pulse on what’s happening from Washington state to Washington, DC will be a huge asset for the KTTH audience.” Benson is the political editor of Townhall.com and a FOX News contributor.
FOX News Radio and FOX News Channel talk media star Brian Kilmeade is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Kilmeade, ranked number three on the TALKERS Heavy Hundred, is seen every morning as one of three co-hosts on the popular FOX News Channel TV show “FOX & Friends” and heard on numerous stations across the country hosting his own daily midday program on FOX News Radio…among a number of other FOX projects and programs including the weekend, “One Nation with Brian Kilmeade.” He is the author of eight books – two about sports and he’s just published his sixth about key figures and stories in American history. Subscribing to the tried-and-true adage, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it,” Kilmeade brings new insights into the lives, times and impact of icons such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Sam Houston, Abraham Lincoln, and Frederick Douglass. His latest book is titled, Teddy and Booker T: How Two American Icons Blazed A Path For Racial Equality (Sentinel, 2023) referring to the relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and Booker T. Washington and its impact on race relations in America. Listen to the podcast in its entirety here.