Martha Zoller Named 2023 TALKERS Woman of the Year
Martha Zoller, mid-morning host on WDUN-AM/FM, Gainesville – a North Georgia powerhouse heritage signal – has been selected 2023 “Woman of the Year” by the TALKERS editorial board. She will be presented the Judy Jarvis Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievements in Talk Media by a Woman at TALKERS 2023 on Friday, June 2 at Hofstra University on Long Island. TALKERS founder Michael Harrison says, “Martha Zoller has developed a national reputation in the talk media industry as an impeccably reliable observer of the consequential dynamics of Georgia politics from an even-handed, conservative perspective. She is respected
as a major ‘go-to’ source across the nation and continues to grow as a major political and social thought leader in the Peach State utilizing her local radio platform most effectively. She is truly a gem in this field.” Over the years, Zoller pivoted her multi-faceted career at different times between being a local and regional radio talk show host, a student, a political operative, a congressional candidate (where she made it to a run-off) and a businesswoman as well as a wife, mother, and grandmother. After graduating in 1979 from the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism from the prestigious Grady School of Journalism, she worked in the corporate world in addition to raising a family. She states, “I know there is no glass ceiling and women can have it all, just not at the same time.” A lifelong learner, Zoller completed her MA in Political Science in 2021 at the University of Georgia’s School of Politics and International Affairs. Her thesis was on women’s electoral success in the GOP. Among her political experiences, she served as the State Director of Field Offices for Gov. Brian Kemp. From 2014 until 2018, she worked for Sen. David Perdue in senior staff positions. Martha began her talk radio career in 1994 after being a regular caller to WDUN. Her first call to the station was prompted by Hillary Clinton’s lament that “she could have stayed at home and baked cookies.” In addition to being a perennial member of the TALKERS “Heavy Hundred,” Zoller has been named to James magazine’s list of Most Influential Georgians and Georgia Trend magazine named her as one of Georgia’s most influential members of the media. She also serves as the 9th District Representative on the Georgia State Board of Education since 2020. Meet Martha Zoller at TALKERS 2023 on Friday, June 2 at Hofstra University. For more information see story below.
additional 7.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 of the company (the “2028 Notes”), a portion of the proceeds of which was used to satisfy and discharge the Indenture relating to the 2024 Notes on March 20, 2023 and to complete the redemption on March 27, 2023. The additional 2028 Notes and the related guarantees were sold to certain existing holders of the company’s outstanding 2028 Notes whom the company believes to be qualified institutional buyers, in a private placement. The company believes that the completion of this refinancing will strengthen its balance sheet.
With DT and Telly” – co-hosted by Telly Hughes and Denise Thomas – and airs from 7:00 am to 9:00 am. Ricks remains with the station and will host “Nothin’ But the Truth,” from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm daily, effective April 3. To accommodate the changes, “The Truth With Sherwin Hughes” – heard from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm – moves to the 9:00 am to 12:00 noon daypart. 
reports every 10 minutes on WTOP News. WTOP director of news Julia Ziegler says, “WTOP listeners rely on our traffic and weather reports on the 8s. We are excited to begin this partnership with our colleagues at WJLA and bring unprecedented live weather coverage to the DC region, especially on those days when it matters most.” The collaboration with WJLA restarts a longtime partnership between the two news stations. WJLA previously provided weather coverage on WTOP for more than 10 years.
Ripken Jr. Ripken joins Bob Haynie – host of the midday “Vinny & Haynie” show – Baltimore Hall of Famer Mike Bordick, and longtime voice of Baltimore baseball Jim Hunter. 105.7 The Fan brand manager Chuck Sapienza comments, “We are thrilled to be bringing ‘Baltimore Baseball Tonight’ back to Baltimore baseball fans. The show was received so well last season, and we look forward to building off that momentum again this season. Adding Ryan to the team brings a critical young voice to the show, and his perspective having been a part of the organization and his deep family ties to the team are invaluable.” When the Orioles are home, the show is broadcast on-site at Pickles Pub near Oriole Park at Camden Yards. 
production companies and independent producers. For 2023, Podcasts dominated the Shortlist with the Grand Jury advancing 105 Podcast entries to the next round. Podcasts engaged listeners with entries in multiple categories including Drama, Comedy, Sports, Entertainment, Series, Technology, News Business, and Social Justice.” Also NYFestivals announces that new for 2023, the National Press Club Award will go to the highest scoring entry in the news program categories Best Coverage Of Breaking News Story, Best Coverage Of Ongoing News Story, Best Nonfiction Series and News Podcast. The winner will be announced during the New York Festivals 2023 Storytellers Gala virtual event on April 18. 
It was a cruel trick. Hulu started streaming “For the People” from Shondaland Productions last month and I bit. It is a show about Manhattan, ambition and really well-tailored clothes. Then I looked at the more information tab and discovered that the show was cancelled… in 2018. Crushed. Two seasons on ABC. Cancelled.
It is an unpredictable thing, this news cycle that drives the headlines.
morning drive co-host Dan Proft says a $3 million typo is to blame for the discrepancy in his political action committee’s report. Earlier this week, the paper reported that the Illinois Democratic Party filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections alleging that he didn’t disclose $1.2 million in contributions to the PAC.
accomplished recipients. Jim’s 60-year career in radio as a DJ, news reporter and then as one of the all-time great talk show hosts was impeccable. He stood tall as a giant among us displaying journalistic integrity, on-the-job dependability, remarkable longevity, stunning talent, and unconditional goodwill to his fellow broadcasters as a mentor and a colleague.” Bohannon passed away on November 12, 2022 after a brave battle with esophageal cancer performing on air as best he could to almost the very end. The award will be presented at the forthcoming TALKERS 2023 on Friday, June 2 at Hofstra University along with The Gene Burns Memorial Award for Freedom of Speech, The Judy Jarvis Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievements by a Woman (Woman of the Year), and The Sharon L. Harrison Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service (Humanitarian of the Year). The recipients of all four awards will be named within the next few weeks. 
anonymous women who have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Almon says, “Since 2019, my mission has been to amplify the voices of women of color. I wanted to normalize conversations within my community to humanize women, especially Black women, that took roads less traveled. Through this new partnership with The Black Effect Podcast Network, I hope to tell more compelling stories and create a space where women of color don’t have to look far to see themselves.”
combination of perspectives on sports, culture, current events and day-to-day life that our listeners will find to be informative, entertaining and funny. They’ve quickly developed a chemistry that I think will lead to 
Tip: If you’re auditioning for voiceover work, call yourself a “voice actor,” not an announcer.
afternoon show (2:00 pm to 6:00 pm) is the duo of Mark Willard and Dan Dibley. The station’s morning show featuring Bonta Hill and Joe Shasky adds an hour and is now heard from 6:00 am to 10:00 am, while midday hosts Matt Steinmetz and Daryle “The Guru” Johnson are now heard weekdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Whenever possible, USA consumers will pay cash, and they’re paying-down credit card balances, per recently released 
2023 who carry a computer – a smartphone – with them all the time. Other findings from this year’s edition of the study include: 1) 75% of Americans 12+ have listened to online audio in the last month; 2) Among U.S. adults age 18+ who have ridden in a car in the last month, 37% are listening to online audio in the car, up from 32% last year; 3) 42% of Americans 12+ have listened to a podcast in the last month, a new all-time high and up from 38% in 2022; and 4) 38% of U.S. adults age 18+ who have ridden in a car in the last month say they listen to podcasts in the car, up from 32% in 2022. Edison Research VP Megan Lazovick says, “After two previous annual studies that showed clear effects from the COVID-19 disruptions, the trends in audio and social media habits seem to be back on pattern. The growth of online audio and podcasting to record high levels is exciting to reveal.” 
The embarrassing situation and accompanying financial vulnerability being faced by our colleagues at FOX News is a high-profile example of the consequences of audience “targeting” that has become the common positioning strategy in today’s competitive media marketplace. The process is simple: You give the specifically targeted audience what it wants, not necessarily what it needs, even if what it wants is of dubious quality or unhealthy and – in the case of political talk media – untrue. It is a problematic, unsavory practice that has been brewing in our industry for years and, in the case of FOX, the proverbial toxicity has just hit the fan.
One thousand or so of the sellers that I mentioned sit in the multi-platform group, and they certainly sell all the assets we have. We have this mantra at the company that ‘Any seller can sell anything any day of the week wherever they live and work,’ and that has rung pretty true. That’s driven most of our growth in podcasting over the last two, three, four years at the company.” He also credits iHeartMedia’s history as a radio company with educating him about how radio personalities have developed the art of conversation. “But I have learned firsthand and talked a lot about the extent to which broadcast radio talent has honed this craft of conversation over the last hundred years and certainly the last few decades, and the extent to which that has driven our medium, just sheer talent hitting the medium, but also with an awareness of the medium.” 
Spanish on “La Kaliente” 1370 AM/KZSF-AM. KGO program director Kevin Graham says, “Cumulus San Francisco is thrilled to continue our partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes for the seventh straight year and broadcast their matches this season on the all-new KGO-AM. With The Spread’s powerful signal and strong digital assets including the station’s app, more Quakes fans in Northern California will be able to listen and engage than ever before.” Ted Ramey – KCBS-AM reporter and host of KGO-AM’s “The Soccer Hour” – will serve as the primary play-by-play voice for home and away broadcasts and Joe Cannon will serve as the color analyst for home matches.
Radio is good at contests. TV and print suck at contests. However, when listeners are asked why they tune to radio, contests are at the bottom of the list.
serving a suspension for his racially insensitive comments made on last Friday’s program. As TALKERS reported on Tuesday (2/21), Massarotti – who co-hosts the show with Mike Felger – on Monday (2/20) apologized for his comments. 
recognize social impact work across the globe. A noted civil rights attorney, Martin is also president and CEO of Special Needs Network, Inc, a nonprofit organization that responds to the crisis of autism and other developmental disabilities in underserved communities. She says, “Giving birth should be safe and joyous for everyone, but Black women are more than three times likely to die from childbirth than white women. We are thrilled to have our episode on ‘Black Maternal Health’ win Silver in competition of the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards. ‘The Special Report’ production team has spent countless hours producing powerful programming that spotlights social injustice in America to encourage social and systemic change. Every day at the Special Needs Network in Los Angeles, we live the values of diversity, equity and inclusion. This award recognizes our work.”
appeared on the “Parkins & Spiegel” show. Olivia Finestead is the mother of Clevinger’s 10-month-old who went on the radio show to discuss the allegations against Clevinger, a move he called “really trashy of them. That was some lowlife material right there.” He was also quoted saying, “My lawyers are paying attention. My lawyers are getting in contact with them, and they probably already sent a cease-and-desist for defamation. So [they] just got themselves involved in this, too, so good for them.” 
Gene. Gow Media CEO David Gow states, “We are thrilled to add Gene Thompson to our impressive roster of talent. ‘The Sports Kings’ are committed to producing two of the most informative, fast moving, and energetic hours in all of sports radio. I know our audience and affiliates will be excited about the show!” Thompson comments, “The Sports Kings are ecstatic to join Gow Media and the SportsMap Radio Network. We look forward to providing our listeners with an informational, entertaining and engaging show.”