Edison Research: Podcast Consumption Reaches New High
Edison Research releases its research project The Infinite Dial 2025 (with support from Audacy, Cumulus Media, and SiriusXM Media) that provides insights into “podcast consumption, online audio trends, in-car audio usage, smart speaker usage, social media behaviors, and other digital media habits.” Some of the
key findings of this edition of the study include that podcast consumption has reached an all-time high with 70% of Americans age 12+ having listened to a podcast; 51% of those Americans age 12+ having watched a podcast; 73% of Americans age 12+ having consumed a podcast in either audio or video format, representing an estimated 210 million people; and 55% of Americans age 12+ now being monthly consumers. The study also looked at in-car audio use and finds that among americans age 18+ who have driven or ridden in a car in the past month (88%), 40% have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and 33% actively use one of these systems. You can download the study here.
November after a fall in his home in which he suffered a spinal cord injury. Prager is going through extensive rehabilitation. Charlie Kirk has been hosting his show live in the same 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET daypart as Prager since October of 2020 and SRN says this will be an easy transition for most stations. Prager and 
Salem have agreed to his return for one hour a day, airing 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET, starting Tuesday, June 3. Salem SVP of spoken word Phil Boyce says, “Dennis may have some physical limitations at the moment, but his wit, wisdom, insights and passion are as strong and as clear as ever and we are delighted at his spirit and resolve to return to his audience. We want Dennis to remain a part of the Salem family and want his millions of loyal fans to continue to hear his voice. Affiliates of Charlie will continue to get the Kirk show with no interruption, and affiliates of Dennis will soon get Charlie Kirk as a strong and able replacement.”
“NewsTalkST” brand is filling the hole in middays due to the end of the “Dan Bongino Show” by moving “The Allman Report” with Jamie Allman to the 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm daypart and expanding the “The Vic Porcelli Show,” hosted by Porcelli and Ken Williams to 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. NewsTalkSTL president of programming Jeff Allen says, “This is the first major change to our prime time weekday lineup since we launched nearly four years ago, which speaks to how important this expansion is for our station and our listeners. Listener feedback over the past few weeks made it clear this was the lineup they wanted, and we’re excited to deliver it.”
include Chris Oliviero rising from market president for New York to chief business officer; Bob Philips shifting from president of networks and multi-market sales to chief revenue officer; and deputy general counsel Mike Dash rising to EVP and general counsel. Audacy chairman and lead media investor in Soros Fund Management Michael Del Nin says, “On behalf of the Audacy board, we are delighted that Kelli Turner has agreed to take on the permanent president and CEO role and lead Audacy through its next phase of reinvention and growth. She is an exceptional media executive who, along with Chris Oliviero and the rest of the Audacy team, will ensure we continue to invest in high-quality content to engage our audiences and provide best-in-class solutions to our partners.”
engage listeners in meaningful and entertaining conversation make him a valuable addition to the WRVA team. We’re excited to welcome Rich and continue delivering the news that matters most to our community.” Herrera comments, “I am thrilled to join the WRVA team, a legendary station with a great lineup of hosts and shows. After meeting with Bennett Zier and Zach McHugh and getting the chance to host Richmond’s morning news, I fell in love with the station. My family is excited to make Richmond our home. I want to thank Chris Oliviero and Jeff Sottolano for their support and mentorship, as well as Drew Anderssen, our format vice president, who encouraged me a year ago to transition from sports talk to general news.”
Christian KGU-FM, classic hits KKOL-FM, and news/talk KHNR-AM/K232FL. Salem CEO David Santrella says, “While Salem closes our chapter in Honolulu, I am thrilled to know that these stations are going to a buyer that has a shared passion for the formats we have there and plans to keep those formats intact, particularly the Christian teach and talk and conservative news/talk formats.” 
KLIX-AM, Twin Falls, Idaho; and more. Premiere Networks EVP of affiliate sales Peter Tripi states, “We couldn’t be happier to celebrate this milestone with Clay and Buck. They’ve worked hard to develop a unique brand that stands out in the marketplace and delivers unparalleled results for our partners. In addition to producing the highest-quality program, their dedication to working directly with our affiliates to drive success in markets across the country is what sets them apart.”
producer and host at the station. “ESPN Chicago” director of content Danny Zederman says, “We are excited to add Jeff to the ‘ESPN Chicago’ White Sox broadcast crew. We know fans of the Sox will appreciate his knowledge and will connect with him as a lifelong fan of the club. Meller has been a member of the ESPN Chicago team for 20 years! He has great passion for the Sox and all Chicago sports. This is a ‘dream job’ for him and we know he will add great value to our broadcasts.”
camera app showed the image you see in the photo here – a man who appears dressed as a cop with an AR-15 outside his house. Pags says he quickly called 911, identified himself, told the operator he thought he was being swatted and asked if the police were at his house. After confirming that it was the police, Pags was able to get the officers to stand down and they were assured there was no reason to be there. Pags tells his listeners that the goal of the swatters was to get him to grab his gun and go outside, in which case he likely would have been killed. 
has ended operations of news/talk KLIK-AM and its translator K278CT. The station ceased broadcasting on March 14. 
There has never been more news. And news has never been more quotable. It costs two-plus cents to make a penny.
unnecessary regulatory burdens. This follows President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14192 titled, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation” and Executive Order 14219 titled “Ensuring Lawful Governance And Implementing The President’s ‘Department Of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative.” FCC Chairman Carr says, “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Administration is unleashing a new wave of economic opportunity by ending the regulatory onslaught from Washington. For too long, administrative agencies have added new regulatory requirements in excess of their authority or kept lawful regulations in place long after their shelf life had expired. This only creates headwinds and slows down our country’s innovators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. The FCC is committed to ending all of the rules and regulations that are no longer necessary. And we welcome the public’s participation and feedback throughout this process. The American people expect and deserve a government that will efficiently deliver great results. We are committed to doing exactly that at the FCC.” 
(pictured here) that aired on the program yesterday (3/13). TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison was among those interviewed for the eight-minute segment called Radio Diaries. Pyne began his career as a disc jockey but after injecting political commentary into his show was encouraged to do more talking and that eventually evolved into the Joe Pyne radio show that the NBC Radio Network put into syndication in 1966. Pyne enjoyed bringing controversial guests – including “hippies, women’s libbers, Scientologists, swingers, a snake charmer, members of the Ku Klux Klan and the John Birch Society.” He then segued to television in Los Angeles. Harrison is quoted in the segment saying, “There were a lot of people that didn’t like Pyne, but they watched him anyway because they thought it was — amusing? Entertaining? Sensational? Different? You know, not boring.” Photo: Everett Collection 
offering a format in which shows use the Rumble Raiding technology to follow one another and carry audiences seamlessly into the next show. Rumble chairman and CEO Chris Pavlovski says, “This is more proof that the content creator community at Rumble is the best place to be, because this new daily lineup will help everyone and be great programming for viewers. Creators in the lineup will build off each other’s audiences, and everyone on the platform will benefit by increased traffic across the board. Unlike the broadcast day on a television network, Rumble adheres to the principles of free speech and these are shows that people actually want to watch.” 
and market manager Tish Boden says, “Team Cumulus Fayetteville is excited to have Gilbert Baez join our team as the new host for ‘Good Morning Fayetteville’ on WFNC News Talk. When you say the name Gilbert Baez in the market it is synonymous with news. I look forward to Gilbert’s success on Good Morning Fayetteville.” WFNC program director Kelvin Culbreth adds, “Gilbert Baez brings a deep desire to report the news and a true sense of devotion to Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, and Cumberland County. He’ll bring his wealth of knowledge about our area and his vast cache of connections. We have heard, ‘Everyone knows Gilbert and Gilbert knows everyone.’ He is the perfect host to carry GMF into the future.”
Thank you, TALKERS for having me on panels at the TALKERS Generations 2025 IBSNYC conference this past Saturday (3/8). Moderator and Philadelphia talk show god Dom Giordano asked us the inevitable: “What is the future of radio?”
follows: For the past 100 years, AM radio has been free for U.S. consumers. “Recently, General Motors and other car manufacturers have spent over $7 million trying to eliminate AM radio. Do not buy a car without AM radio. GM is attempting to influence Congress, making themselves an adversary to consumers. We will publish a list of all House and Senate members who have received money from these lobbyists. Keep AM radio free.”
networks, developing infrastructure, and offering innovative and advanced capabilities.” The Notice goes on to say, “The Communications Act directs the FCC to regularly review its rules to identify and eliminate those that are unnecessary in light of current circumstances, recognizing that in addition to imposing unnecessary burdens, unnecessary rules may stand in the way of deployment, expansion, competition, and technological innovation in communications that the Commission is directed to advance. Government-wide administrative law requires review of rules to ensure that unnecessary—or affirmatively detrimental—rules are not retained.” The public comment period runs through April 15 and the Commission encourages “commenters to consider certain policy factors including cost-benefit considerations, marketplace and technological changes, barrier to entry, and more, as well as statutory and regulatory retrospective review standards.” 
is a mistake. Some of the findings include: 1) In a typical day, ad-supported digital audio reaches less than a third of America while AM/FM radio reaches two-thirds of America. Combined, ad-supported digital audio and AM/FM radio reach 74% of the U.S. daily; 2) Between ad-supported Spotify and AM/FM radio, most people only listen to AM/FM radio; 3) Between ad-supported Pandora and AM/FM radio, most people only listen to AM/FM radio; 4) The U.S. ad-supported audio clock: Podcasts and AM/FM radio represent nearly 90% of tuning minutes; 5) With a towering in-car share of 86%, AM/FM radio is the primary way to reach consumers on the path to purchase; The proportion of AM/FM radio in-car listening has surged, returning to pre-pandemic norms. 
announced the news on-air on Tuesday. Murphy is one half of the “Murph and Markus” show. Murphy tells SFGate, “I’ve just really enjoyed my time talking to the Bay Area every morning and talking to my partners – whether it was 
with a planned March 31, 2025 listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NMAX, subject to NYSE approval. This IPO comes shortly after it completed a private Preferred Offering in February raising $225 million. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy says, “Our success with our Preferred raise shows the enormous support our company has as we made thousands of Americans part owners in Newsmax. Now, the initial public offering opens the door for tens of thousands more to join our news revolution and be a part of the first ever company to complete a crowd financed offering on to the main board of the NYSE.”
interest from radio stations nationwide. Radio is a great way to engage with the audience, and now that Red Apple Audio Networks is taking the show national, I can’t wait to connect with listeners in other markets.” Red Apple and 77WABC Radio president Chad Lopez states, “Radio clearly wants Anthony Cumia, as dozens of inquiries came in asking about syndication. We shifted into high gear and moved quickly. One of our advantages at Red Apple Media is that we can swiftly pivot to meet market demand.”
years ago. Whether it’s helping the first-time gun buyer sort out what she needs to buy, or exposing politicians who claim to be supporters of the Second Amendment while putting restrictions on this right, there’s plenty to talk about. Responsible gun ownership is strong, and I’m glad to be part of movement.” The program airs live on Sundays from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET and is heard on more than 260 stations.
Now airing the program are Townsquare Media’s KONA-AM, Tri-Cities, Washington; Eifel Tower Broadcasting’s KZHN-AM, Paris, Texas; Vero Beach Broadcasters’ WTTB, Vero Beach, Florida; and Zimmer Midwest Communications’ KWTO, Springfield, Missouri. “The Erick Erickson Show” airs live weekdays from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET.
104.1 that had been the home to hip hop WHHL-FM “HOT 104.1.” In return, KMOX gives up translator K254CR at 98.7 to the hip hop outlet. These changes become effective on March 24. Audacy St. Louis and Wichita SVP and market manager Becky Domyan says, “We’re thrilled to expand KMOX’s reach and bring the trusted news and entertainment our listeners rely on, as well as Cardinals baseball, on an enhanced FM signal that covers the greater St. Louis region.”
requires companies to maintain stockholders’ equity of at least $10 million or meet the alternative compliance standards relating to the market value of the listed securities or the company’s total assets and revenue. Now, Cumulus has until April 21 to provide NASDAQ with a plan to achieve and sustain compliance. If NASDAQ accepts the plan, NASDAQ may grant an extension of up to 180 calendar days to evidence compliance. Cumulus says it is continuing to evaluate potential options to resolve the deficiency and regain compliance, including the possibility of applying to transfer to the NASDAQ Capital Market.
CHQR, Calgary; CHED, Edmonton; CJOB Winnipeg; and CFPL, London. Cooper is focusing on Canadian markets because he was born in Toronto and was heard in Canada on the iHeartRadio talk network. Cooper says, “It’s what happens when you mix relationship advice, scientific breakthroughs, and the world’s weirdest headlines into one show. Somehow, it all makes sense.” Cooper says the show targets the 25-54 demographic. He also serves as technical director and host at Burning Man Radio during his annual Nevada festival pilgrimage. He adds, “What do I know? Talk radio programmers call it a strategic counterprogramming solution, designed to capture audiences from alt-rock or NPR stations.”
Salem Reporter says engineer Ian Carlson was at the station we he saw the windows shattered one by one. He says the glass flew in with such force that it sent shards 30 feet down the station’s hallway. He tells the Salem Reporter, “It was absolutely terrifying, and I think it was intended to terrify.” The report says that police found no evidence that anyone tried to enter the building and it was unclear what caused the damage. Station general manager Jacqueline Smith says, “From our perspective, it wasn’t vandalism. It was a targeted attack.” Photo: Salem Reporter. 
Broadcasting the matches will be WPRO-FM personalities Nick Giuliano and Tommy Quinlan. In addition, Rhode Island sportswriter and columnist Kevin McNamara will host a new feature to air on the station every Thursday at 6:20 pm throughout the season titled, “Extra Time with Rhode Island FC.” Cumulus RVP and market manager Holly Paras says, “We are thrilled to continue and expand our broadcast partnership with Rhode Island FC. It’s an exciting time for Rhode Island soccer fans, especially with the opening of the new stadium this year. We look forward to a great season.”
morning drive news anchor, Larry has built a strong connection with our listeners, who have responded very positively to his time as our interim morning show host. His remarkable career, which includes an astounding 97 Emmy awards and stints at WABC Radio, Channel 7 Eyewitness News, WPIX/11 and ‘Access Hollywood,’ speaks for itself. With all of this experience, he’s the ideal choice to wake up the tri-state area.” Longtime New York radio news anchor Jacquelyn Karl will deliver updates on “Mendte in the Morning,” while Natalie Vacca will continue in her role as executive producer.