Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (October 13-17, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (10/13-17) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. 1. Israel-Hamas Accord Aftermath
  2. 2. ICE Raids / Guard Troops Rulings
  3. 3. Government Shutdown / Judge Blocks Shutdown Layoffs
  4. 4. CIA Operations in Venezuela / Deadly U.S. Boat Strike
  5. 5. Young Republicans Group Chat Controversy
  6. 6. SCOTUS Hears Voting Rights Act Arguments
  7. 7. The Economy / U.S.-China Tariffs Spat
  8. 8. John Bolton Indictment
  9. 9. Zelensky-Trump Meeting
  10. 10. Diane Keaton Dies

People

  1. 1. Donald Trump
  2. 2. Benjamin Netanyahu
  3. 3. JB Pritzker
  4. 4. Susan Illston
  5. 5. J.D. Vance
  6. 6. Brett Kavanaugh
  7. 7. Xi Jinping
  8. 8. John Bolton
  9. 9. Volodymyr Zelensky
  10. 10. Diane Keaton

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

A.J. Mansour Ousted from KFAN After 18 Years

A piece in Bring Me the News reveals that iHeartMedia Twin Cities sports talk KFAN has let A.J.img Mansour go as part of the company’s nationwide reduction in force. Mansour has been with the station for the past 18 years, most recently as senior executive in audio and digital marketing. He posted to social media, “What a ride it’s been. From creating dynamic content and marketing some of the biggest brands and personalities in the Twin Cities, to leading teams, driving revenue, and collaborating with some of the most talented people in media, I’ve learned, grown, and had an absolute blast along the way.” Read the Bring Me the News piece here.

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (October 6-10, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (10/6-10) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. 1. Gaza Cease Fire
  1. 2. Government Shutdown / Furloughs
  1. 3. The Economy / Tariffs
  1. 4. ICE Raids
  1. 5. National Guard Troop Deployment
  1. 6. James Indictment
  1. 7. Comey Indictment
  1. 8. Russia-Ukraine War
  1. 9. Vaccine and Health Care Controversies
  1. 10. Epstein Files / Maxwell Pardon Speculation

                People

  1. 1. Donald Trump
  1. 2. Pam Bondi
  1. 3. Letitia James / James Comey
  1. 4. Benjamin Netanyahu
  1. 5. Gavin Newsom / JB Pritzker
  1. 6. Pete Hegseth
  1. 7. Chuck Schumer / Hakeem Jeffries
  1. 8. Mike Johnson
  1. 9. RFK, Jr
  2. 10. Jeffrey Epstein / Ghislaine Maxwell

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (10/8)

The most discussed stories yesterday (10/8) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

  1. 1. Trump’s Gaza Ceasefire Plan
    2. Government Shutdown / Furloughs
    3. FAA Shortages / Flight Delays
    4. Trump Deploys Guard Troops to Chicago and Portland
    5. Katie Porter Campaign Controversy
Industry News

Harry Hurley Charity Foundation Hosts 17th Dinner & Silent Auction

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The Harry Hurley Charity Foundation held its 17th annual Charity Dinner & Silent Auction at Resorts Casino Hotel Atlantic City over the weekend and welcomed more that 300 guests to the event that featured guest of honor Republican nominee for governor of New Jersey Jack Ciattarelli. As usual, this annual charity event, hosted by WPG, Atlantic City morning host Harry Hurley, brings out the “Who’s Who” of New Jersey potentates from business and politics including hundreds of New Jersey legislators, county leaders, mayors, council members, and a broad section of business and industry leaders. It raised a record $82,000. Over the past 18 years, The Harry Hurley Charity Foundation has raised more than $2 million. Hurley tells TALKERS that next year’s guest of honor and keynote speaker has already been selected and it will be none other than the legendary Tony Orlando. Pictured above are Ciattarelli (left) and Hurley (right).

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (September 29 – October 3, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (9/29-10/3) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. 1. Government Shutdown / Furloughs
    2. The Economy / BLS Data
    3. ICE Raids / Guard Troops to Memphis & Portland
    4. Hegseth & Trump Address Military Brass
    5. Deadly Michigan Church Attack
    6. SCOTUS Lisa Cook Ruling
    7. Comey Indictment
    8. Gaza Flotilla Intercepted
    9. LaGuardia Planes Collision
    10.Jane Goodall Dies

People

  1. 1. Donald Trump
  2. 2. Russell Vought
  3. 3. Chuck Schumer / Hakeem Jeffries
  4. 4. Mike Johnson
  5. 5. Pete Hegseth
  6. 6. Thomas Sanford
  7. 7. Lisa Cook
  8. 8. James Comey
  9. 9. Greta Thunberg
  10. 10.Jane Goodall

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (9/27-28)

The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Looming Government Shutdown
2. Deadly Michigan Church Attack
3. National Guard to Portland Battle
4. Comey Indictment
5. Russia Attack on Kyiv

Industry News

Readers Name Katz #1.

For the sixth year in a row, the readers of The Richmond Times-Dispatch overwhelmingly votedimg “The Jeff Katz Show” the Best Afternoon Radio Show in Central Virginia. Jeff Katz is now in his 13th year as the afternoon drive host at WRVA. Katz has been named one of the 100 Most Important Talk Radio Hosts in America by TALKERS numerous times. He is also a past recipient of the Humanitarian of Year award from TALKERS.

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (September 22-26, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (9/22-26) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

1. Government Shutdown Battle / Firing Threats
2. The Economy / Positive Growth Report
3. ICE Facility Shooting
4. Comey Indicted
5. Trump UN Address
6. Trump vs Kimmel / Kirk Slaying Aftermath
7. Tylenol-Autism Debate
8. SCOTUS OKs Trump FTC Firing
9. Gaza War / Russia-Ukraine War
10.Dem Wins AZ House Seat

People

1. Donald Trump
2. Chuck Schumer / Hakeem Jeffries
3. James Comey / Pam Bondi
4. Greg Abbott
5. Jimmy Kimmel
6. Charlie Kirk / Erika Kirk
7. RFK Jr.
8. Rebecca Kelly Slaughter
9. Benjamin Netanyahu / Vladimir Putin
10. Adelita Grijalva

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

“98.9 WORD” to Present Republican Candidates Debate

Audacy’s WYRD, Greenville, South Carolina “News/Talk 98.9 WORD” is partnering with the Fourth District Republican Club to host a candidates debate on October 16. The three Republican candidates for the Southing Carolina Senate District 12 seat – Justin Bradley, Lee Bright and Hope Blackley – will take part in the 90-minute debate in which WORD hosts Joey Hudson and Bill Frady will moderate the debate. Audacy South Carolina operations manager Mark Hendrix says, “This debate will give our listeners and the community a chance to hear directly from the candidates, understand their positions, and make informed decisions as election day approaches.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (September 15-19, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (9/15-19) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

1. Kirk Slaying Aftermath / Public Figure Safety Fears
2. ABC Suspends Kimmel / First Amendment Issues
3. The Economy / Fed Rate Cut
4. Trump Visits UK
5. Israel’s Gaza City Takeover
6. Trump Sues NYTimes
7. ICE Raids / Guard to Memphis
8. Russian Incursion into NATO Airspace
9. Lisa Cook Case
10.Robert Redford Dies

People

1. Donald Trump
2. Charlie Kirk
3. Pam Bondi / Stephen Miller / JD Vance
4. Jimmy Kimmel
5. Barack Obama
6. Jerome Powell
7. Benjamin Netanyahu
8. Vladimir Putin
9. Lisa Cook
10. Robert Redford

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

10th Music Industry Reunion “The Best Ever!”

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Last Wednesday’s 10th Annual Music Industry Reunion in Calabasas, California brought together more than 170 of the industry’s finest, according to organizers Jon Scott and Kenny Ryback, making it the “best ever.” The gathering saw radio, record, artists, managers, producers, lawyers, legends and pros flock to the Sagebrush Cantina. Scott and Ryback say, “While mini-reunions of KLOS, KTYD, KROQ, TEN-Q and other radio stations flourished, clans from A&M, MCA, WB, EMI/Capitol Records, Casablanca Records and other labels met up and swapped war stories from ‘back in the day.’ They are thankful to sponsors Technotainment, Rockaway Records, and The Hollywood Show for their support.

Industry News

RTDNA: Attacks on Newsrooms Up in 2024

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Data from the latest Safety Report from the RTDNA and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications, indicates attacks on TV and radio newsrooms increased from 2023 to 2024. The RTDNA says, “The percentage of TV newsrooms experiencing attacks on employees increased four and a half points, but that’s a 50% increase over last year. And those attacks have spread, with markets 1 through 25, 26 through 50, and 51 through 100 all reporting over 15% experiencing attacks. Not surprisingly, the level of attacks at radio stations and on radio news people is much lower. Only 2.7% of radio news directors and general managers reported attacks on newsroom employees. That’s up from a year ago, but only by 0.5. Like last year, market size wasn’t an indicator of safety, but also like last year, major market news directors and general managers reported the most attacks (10.2%), and over five times as many non-commercial reported attacks as commercial newsrooms. There continue to be more attacks in the Northeast than elsewhere.” See more about the report here.

Industry News

Bruce DuMont Dies at 81

imgBruce DuMont, the Illinois broadcaster and founder of the Museum of Broadcast Communications, has died at age 81. CBS News reports he passed away on Wednesday (9/10). DuMont worked in both television and radio during as career, including as the original producer of the WGN radio show “Extension 720” beginning in 1968. Later he created the political radio program Beyond the Beltway that was syndicated across the country for years. DuMont set about his goal developing the Museum of Broadcast Communications in 1982 and saw his dream realized when the museum opened in 1987 in Chicago. See the CBS News story here.

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (September 8-12, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (9/8-12) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

               Stories

1. Charlie Kirk Assassination
2. ICE Raids / Guard to Chicago Threats
3. SCOTUS ICE Ruling
4. The Epstein Files
5. The Economy
6. Lisa Cook Ruling
7. GA Hyundai Plant Raid / U.S.-South Korea Relations
8. Poland Intercepts Russian Drones
9. Israel Attacks Hamas in Qatar
10.France’s Government Implodes

              People

1. Donald Trump
2. Charlie Kirk
3. JB Pritzker / Brandon Johnson
4. Jeffrey Epstein
5. Scott Bessent
6. Jerome Powell / Lisa Cook
7. Lee Jae Myung
8. Vladimir Putin
9. Benjamin Netanyahu
10.Emmanuel Macron

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (9/8)

The most discussed stories yesterday (9/8) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Operation Midway Blitz / SCOTUS ICE Ruling
2. Subpoenaed Epstein Docs Revealed
3. The Economy / Trump’s Trade War
4. Israel Orders Gaza City Evacuation
5. France’s Government Implodes

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (September 1-5, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (9/1-5) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

1. Trump Challenges Tariff Ruling
2. Judge Backs Harvard in Grants Case
3. Guard Troops in DC / Other Cities Protest
4. Epstein-Maxwell Victims Testify
5. Trump’s Health
6. Florida Ends Kids Vaccine Requirements
7. The Economy / Fed Policy
8. China Military Parade / Russia-China-India Economic Talks
9. RFK Jr Testimony
10.Russia-Ukraine War

People

1. Donald Trump
2. James Comer
3. Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell
4. Muriel Bowser
5. Allison D. Burroughs
6. Karoline Leavitt
7. Gavin Newsom
8. Ron DeSantis
9. Xi Jinping / Vladimir Putin / Narendra Modi
10.RFK Jr.

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

Beasley and Amazon’s ART19 Partner for Podcasts

Beasley Media Group enters into an agreement with Amazon’s ART19 for its portfolio of podcasts and onimg-demand radio shows to migrate to ART19’s infrastructure that it says will allow it to “unlock new revenue opportunities and offering advertisers enhanced reach , deeper analytics, and improved ROI.” Beasley chief content officer Justin Chase says, “This partnership is an important step in our digital transformation. ART19’s platform will help us expand monetization opportunities while delivering a better experience for audiences and advertisers.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Holiday Weekend (8/30-9/1)

The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Troops in DC / Trump vs City Mayors
2. Shanghai Cooperation Organization Meeting / Modi-Putin Talks
3. House Committee Epstein-Maxell Accusers Meeting
4. The Economy / Fed Policy
5. Trump Health

Industry News

Gary Burbank Dies at 84

Legendary WLW, Cincinnati personality Gary Burbank has died at age 84. Burbank – born Billy Purser – isimg best known for hosting the afternoon drive show on WLW from 1981 through his retirement in 2007. He created numerous voice characters on his program, the most famous of which was Earl Pitts Uhmerikun – which took the form of a nationally syndicated commentary during his time at WLW. He also worked at stations including, WMPS, Memphis; WNOE, New Orleans; WAKY and WHAS in Louisville; and CKLW, Windsor/Detroit during his career. In memory of Gary Burbank, Art Vuolo has posted this video tribute.

Industry Views

Fair Use in 2025: The Courts Draw New Lines

By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERSVP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Media Law, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer

imgImagine an AI trained on millions of books – and a federal judge saying that’s fair use. That’s exactly what happened this summer in Bartz v. Anthropic, a case now shaping how creators, publishers, and tech giants fight over the limits of copyright.

Judges in California have sent a strong signal: training large language models (LLMs) on copyrighted works can qualify as fair use if the material is lawfully obtained. In Bartz, Judge William Alsup compared Anthropic’s use of purchased books to an author learning from past works. That kind of transformation, he said, doesn’t substitute for the original.

But Alsup drew a hard line against piracy. If a dataset includes books from unauthorized “shadow libraries,” the fair use defense disappears. Those claims are still heading to trial in December, underscoring that source matters just as much as purpose.

Two days later, Judge Vince Chhabria reached a similar conclusion in Kadrey v. Meta. He called Meta’s training “highly transformative,” but dismissed the lawsuit because the authors failed to show real market harm. Together, the rulings show that transformation is a strong shield, but it isn’t absolute. Market evidence and lawful acquisition remain decisive.

AI training fights aren’t limited to novelists. The New York Times v. OpenAI case is pressing forward after a judge refused to dismiss claims that OpenAI and Microsoft undermined the paper’s market by absorbing its reporting into AI products. And in Hollywood, Disney and Universal are suing Midjourney, alleging its system lets users generate characters like Spider-Man or Shrek – raising the unsettled question of whether AI outputs themselves can infringe.

The lesson is straightforward: fair use is evolving, but not limitless. Courts are leaning toward protecting transformative uses of content—particularly when it’s lawfully sourced – but remain wary of piracy and economic harm.

That means media professionals can’t assume that sharing content online makes it free for training. Courts consistently recognize that free journalism, interviews, and broadcasts still carry market value through advertising, sponsorship, and brand equity. If AI systems cut into those markets, the fair use defense weakens.

For now, creators should watch the December Anthropic trial and the Midjourney litigation closely. The courts have blessed AI’s right to learn – but they haven’t yet decided how far those lessons can travel once the outputs begin to look and feel like the originals.

Matthew B. Harrison is a media and intellectual property attorney who advises radio hosts, content creators, and creative entrepreneurs. He has written extensively on fair use, AI law, and the future of digital rights. Reach him at Matthew@HarrisonMediaLaw.com

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (August 25 – 29, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (8/25-29) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

1. The Economy / Fed Policy / Trump-Cook Battle
2. Tariffs on India
3. Troops in DC / Union Station Takeover
4. Deadly Minneapolis School Shooting
5. Redistricting
6. CDC Director Firing / COVID Shots
7. ICE Raids / Abrego Garcia Case
8. Bolton Raid
9. Russia-Ukraine War / Israel’s Gaza Attacks
10.Kelce-Swift Engagement

People

1. Donald Trump
2. Jerome Powell / Lisa Cook
3. Muriel Bowser
4. Stephen Miller
5. Pam Bondi
6. Greg Abbott / Gavin Newsom
7. Susan Monarez
8. Kilmar Abrego Garcia
9. John Bolton
10. Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

Spadea Back on “New Jersey 101.5” Mornings

Talk radio host Bill Spadea will return as host of the morning show on Townsquare Media’s WKXW-FM, Trenton “New Jersey 101.5” on September 2. Spadea took leave of his radio duties in late January of this year to run as a Republican for governor of New Jersey. He lost to Jack Ciattarelli in the June primaryimg election. About returning, Spadea says, “I’m excited to be returning to the airwaves with ‘New Jersey 101.5’ and the largest audience in the state. I’m looking forward to continuing our mission of fighting for common-sense solutions to save New Jersey. Our show has always been about the listeners, and I’m ready to keep amplifying the voices of small business owners, parents, teachers, first responders, nurses, and everyone else committed to digging in and staying in New Jersey. Stay tuned – there’s more to come!” Townsquare Media regional VP Brian Lang says, “Bill’s audience and the team at ‘New Jersey 101.5’ are looking forward to his return. There’s no doubt he’ll have great stories to share. I also want to thank Eric Scott and the entire morning show team for doing an outstanding job while Bill was away.”

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (8/27)

The most discussed stories yesterday (8/27) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Minneapolis School Shooting
2. CDC Director Firing / COVID Shots
3. Troops in DC / Union Station Takeover
4. Trump vs Lisa Cook
5. Russia Attacks on Ukraine

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (8/26)

The most discussed stories yesterday (8/26) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Lisa Cook Sues Trump Administration
2. Troops in DC / Trumps Teases Baltimore & Chicago
3. ICE Raids / Abrego Garcia Case
4. Tariffs / The Economy
5. Kelce-Swift Engagement

Industry Views

SABO SEZ: What You Need to Know About the “Law of 200”

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

imgThe risk is real. Suggesting that a technique used with great success in the recent past might be beneficial to the present is a perilous course. Is the idea out of touch with today’s reality? Is the author ignoring current trends?

A factual current event from which our industry and our lives suffer: Sales are down. Sales for the radio industry are down every quarter.

Hard research-and-math-people will point to the usual causes. Add to that list the fact that the same dollars that bought spots priced at X for the big morning show are being fed into podcasts for 10 percent of X. But podcasts are digital! Therefore, they are sexy to Wall Street. The result of that dollar transfer is quarterly investor calls featuring CEOs declaring that “digital is a sweet spot.” Actually, “digital” is a cheap whore but back to the topic:

Methods deployed to sell radio today are not working. Salespeople work hard, but the strategies they are given are weak. That’s why sales are down – every quarter. Spreadsheets, ROI, CPP, programmatic are elegant math-major systems. But our product is not math. Our product is emotion. Match sales techniques to the product. Tap the power of emotion.

Everything is ultimately purchased from our emotions. Everything.  Case in point: Joe Girard* understands cars better than anyone in history. No, no, don’t be dismissive of Joe because he was a car salesman; cars are very expensive. Cars have impacted you and your family for years. Cars make you feel great or awful. Powerful purchase.

Happy Birthday! One month a year, Joe would mail out a birthday card to all of his past customers and all of his prospects. All of them. In the same month. One out of 12 recipients were thrilled that Joe remembered their birthday! The other 11 would call Joe and tell him that he had their birthday date wrong. They called Joe. A car salesman.

Joe gave all of them information on the phone about the latest models and deals for… a new car. They called Joe.

The Law of 200. Catholic funeral masses hand out prayer cards featuring a photo of the deceased. Ask a priest how many cards are printed. The answer is 200. Caterers will tell you that the standard number of wedding guests is… 200!

Seems we know 200 people who will come to our wedding and our funeral. Major life events. Buying a car is a major, emotional life event. Joe realized that if he sold a good car, 200 people would learn that the customer was satisfied.

OR 200 were not happy. He gave all car buyers a box, a box of his business cards. 200 cards. He urged customers to hand out Joe’s cards to their friends.

Do those 22-year-old time buyers still want concert tickets, merchandise, meals, autographs, meet and greets? Before the power point presentation starts, book the good seats.

Yes, our product is emotion driven. How many arguments have you had about music repetition? New music? Controversial topics? Borderline morning show jokes? Those are emotional not intellectual discussions. There’s our power – in the center of the rink. Put the commercial on the mat.

How to Sell Anything to Anybody by Joe Girard https://a.co/d/fTpuzoZ

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

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (8/25)

The most discussed stories yesterday (8/25) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Trump Fires Fed’s Lisa Cook
2. Trump’s Military Takeover of U.S. Cities
3. Israel Attacks Kill Journalists
4. Redistricting
5. ICE Raids / Abrego Garcia Case

Industry News

GAB to Honor 2025 Rising Stars

The Georgia Association of Broadcasters announces the 2025 Class of Rising Stars, what it calls “a select group of young professionals” who will be honored during the association’s annual convention September 19-20 at Truist Park. GAB says the Rising Star Award recognizes station employees in the early stages ofimg their careers who have demonstrated exceptional promise, drive, and passion for broadcasting. Honorees are selected based on their strong work ethic, eagerness to learn, and willingness to go above and beyond their daily responsibilities to create outstanding content that informs, entertains, and inspires their audiences. GAB President Randy Gravley states, “By recognizing these incredible young professionals, we’re not just celebrating their accomplishments today, we’re investing in the future of broadcasting. The Rising Stars program highlights the innovation, creativity, and passion that will drive our industry forward.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (8/23-24)

The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. The Economy / Powell Open to Rate Cuts
2. Guard Troops in DC
3. Raid on John Bolton’s Office
4. Redistricting
5. Abrego Garcia Case

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (August 18 – 22, 2025)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (8/18-22) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

1. Russia-Ukraine Negotiations
2. Texas & California Redistricting
3. The Economy/Fed Policy
4. Tariffs
5. Federal Takeover of DC
6. The Epstein Files
7. ICE Raids
8. Israel-Gaza War
9. Trump vs The Smithsonian
10.Trump Voting System Criticisms / Newsmax-Dominion Settlement

People

1. Donald Trump
2. Vladimir Putin
3. Volodymyr Zelensky
4. Greg Abbott
5. Gavin Newsom
6. Jerome Powell / Lisa Cook
7. Jeffrey Epstein / Ghislaine Maxwell
8. Kristi Noem
9. Pam Bondi
10.Benjamin Netanyahu

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

Christian Broadcaster James Dobson Dies at 89

Psychologist, Christian leader and broadcaster Dr. James Dobson – founder of the Focus on the Familyimg ministry – has died at age 89. Dobson launched a radio program titled, “Focus on the Family” and, after leaving Focus on the Family to his successor Jim Daly in 2010, Dobson founded Family Talk and a new radio program. He later founded the James Dobson Family Institute and the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal defense firm.

Industry News

Yesterday’s Top News/Talk Media Stories (8/20)

The most discussed stories yesterday (8/20) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:

1. Russia-Ukraine War Negotiations
2. Texas Redistricting
3. Fed Policy-Trump Demands Cook Resign
4. ODNI Cuts
5. Federal Takeover of DC