TALKERS News Notes
Hubbard Broadcasting St. Louis sports talk WXOS “101 ESPN” afternoon co-host/former University of Illinois football player Carey Davis and another ex-University of Illinois football player, Kevin Mitchell, join the Illini Sports Network as analysts for radio game-day football broadcasts. Martin O’Donnell held that position the past nine seasons.
iHeartPodcasts and Pushkin Industries have launched a new six-part true crime podcast that will dive into the 2020 disappearance of Lydia “Dia” Abrams of Idyllwild, CA. Throughout the series, journalist Lucy Sherriff will reveal the culmination of her four-year investigation into Dia’s disappearance, uncovering a tangled web of manipulation, power, estranged families and greed. “Where’s Dia?” will be available to listeners beginning today 7/23), with new episodes posting on Tuesdays. Listen now here.
Atlanta radio programmer Pete Spriggs will be among this year’s inductees to the Legends of Georgia Radio Hall of Fame. He commented to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Rodney Ho, “It’s really great to be recognized with so many fantastic broadcasters. It was a blessing to have Cox Radio hand me the keys [to Atlanta news/talk WSB-AM] to work beside such great talent. We all accomplished some great things together.” Spriggs took over as program director of WSB-AM in 2000 and served as director of branding and programming. WSB-AM was the top billing radio station in America for four consecutive years. In 2010, Spriggs managed the addition of an FM signal (WSBB) and the departure of Neal Boortz, as well as bringing in new talent such as Herman Cain, Erick Erickson, Eric Von Haessler, and Mark Arum. The station also acquired Rush Limbaugh from cross-town rival WGST. WSB-AM earned multiple Marconi Awards, 
including 2018’s “Major Market Station of the Year.” Spriggs retired in February 2020. Also named as part of the third annual Hall of Fame inductees are Rome Radio Partners managing partner Howard Toole; Steve Craig; Bobby Ellerbee; Bob Helbush; Brady McGraw; and Wendy Williams. The Friends of Georgia Radio will celebrate the inductees into the Legends Hall of Fame next month (8/24) at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.
This past Saturday (7/20), Boston Red Sox radio play-by-play announcer Joe Castiglione, whose signature catchphrase is, “Can you believe it,?” was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. “Joe Castig” received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence. During his acceptance speech, the 77-year-old Hamden, Connecticut native remarked, “Broadcasting baseball is my vocation. It’s the only thing I ever wanted to do, at least since I realized I wasn’t good enough to be a player. At my 50th college reunion, a classmate said to me, ‘You’re the one guy who did exactly what he said he wanted to do,’ and I’m still doing it. What a blessing.” Castiglione’s more than four decades doing Red Sox radio play-by-play marks the longest tenure of any Boston broadcaster on radio or television. In 2004, Castiglione published Broadcast Rites and Sites: I Saw It on the Radio with the Boston Red Sox. Prior to joining the Red Sox broadcasting team in 1983, Castiglione called Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) games (1979) and did some Milwaukee Brewers games two years later. 
Ford Frick was a driving force behind the creation of the Baseball Hall of Fame and helped foster the relationship between radio and baseball. The Hall of Fame has presented the award every year since 1978. To be considered for the award, an active or retired broadcaster must have a minimum of 10 years of continuous major league broadcast service with a ball club, network or a combination of the two.
During a presentation last week at Beasley Media Group Boston, the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association awarded 11 scholarships totaling $30,000. Scholarship checks were presented by MBA’s immediate past chair/Beasley Media Group vice president/market manager Mary Menna and MBA executive director Jordan Walton. According to Menna, “Beasley Media is proud to have participated in the MBA Student Broadcaster Scholarship for many years. It’s a worthwhile investment in supporting the next generation of radio and television employees.” Walton commented, “The MBA and its members have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in our future broadcasters. We look forward to watching this group succeed in broadcasting in the years to come.” Menna and Walton delivered brief remarks to the scholarship winners before BMG Boston sports talk WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub” morning hosts Fred Toucher and Rob “Hardy” Poole spoke to the winners about their paths into broadcasting. Student Broadcaster Scholarships are given to students pursuing a career in over-the-air broadcasting and enrolled at a two or four-year accredited school.
Audacy Philadelphia sports talk WIP “Sports Radio 94” names 
executive-level employee of the FCC to craft and advance a political playbook to influence the presidential election in favor of Donald Trump.” The Democrats say he may have violated ethics laws for federal employees and the Hatch Act. Carr tells Forbes that he sought counsel from FCC ethics officials prior to working on Project 2025 and they “approved of me participating in my personal capacity, which I did.” He also says they approved him using his FCC title in his biography. Forbes reports, “Carr’s chapter on the FCC calls for the agency to ‘change course’ and focus on reining in big tech and promoting national security. The FCC commissioner proposes overhauling legal protections that shield tech companies from liability for content posted on its platforms and supports Congress passing legislation similar to laws in Texas and Florida that punish social media companies for suspending or banning users based on their ‘viewpoints’ – part of broader claims by conservatives that social media companies are biased against them. Project 2025’s FCC agenda also calls for banning TikTok as part of a crackdown on infrastructure from China and calls for tech companies to provide greater transparency.” 
few weeks. Dobbs was part of the debut of CNN in 1980, serving as vice president and host of the “Moneyline” program. He joined FOX Business in 2011 and served there until exiting in 2021 after being named in the Smartmatic defamation suit. During his career, Dobbs also hosted a talk radio show syndicated by United Stations Radio Networks from 2008 through 2012. He also hosted the “Lou Dobbs Financial Report” syndicated by Salem Radio Network. The program “Lou Dobbs Tonight” won an Emmy in 2004, and Dobbs won a George Foster Peabody Award for his coverage of the 1987 stock market crash.
following the retirement of Andy Lohman. Williams is serving as market manager for the company’s Fairbanks, Alaska operations. iHeartMedia division president Dan Lankford says, “I have had the privilege of working with Kim over the past four years while she served as market president for Fairbanks. I’m excited to see Kim’s passion and experience expand to all of the iHeartMedia stations across the entire Alaska and Hawaii area.”
Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood, New Jersey on September 12th featuring Donald Trump Jr., EVP of the Trump Organization. The event will be moderated by WPHT talk host Dom Giordano and the station says the conversation will cover the presidential race, the state of our union and his worldview as a conservative firebrand.
township of Lower Merion with regard to its former headquarters in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. The original amount to be paid by Audacy was $1.4 million however that figure was later deemed incorrect and now the company agrees to pay the township $2 million. Audacy is still awaiting final approval from the FCC to be able to operate its radio stations as the new Audacy.
Now and Up First in the #1 and #2 spots, respectively, and NBCUniversal News Group’s Dateline NBC at #3. Movement of note for news/talk radio-related podcasts includes Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show” rising one place to #6; iHeart Audience Network’s “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton” show moves three spots to #23; and Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Shawn Ryan Show” advances 13 places to the #26 rank. 
since 2014 and a part of the Pittsburgh sports media landscape for nearly 25 years. He takes over for Bill Hillgrove, who retired after serving for 30 seasons. King is joined in the booth by color analyst Craig Wolfley. King says, “The Steelers hold a special place in this community and across the country. I am thankful to Art Rooney II, the Steelers and iHeartMedia for giving me this incredible opportunity to be a meaningful part of one of the greatest organizations in professional sports. I look forward to getting started, doing the job well and bringing the enthusiasm of the games to people around the world. I could not be more excited.”
radio stations in Omaha, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Ogallala, and Sioux City. Division president Shosh Abromovich says, “I am thrilled to announce Rhonda as our new area president. Her insightful knowledge of the industry, combined with her sharp skillsets, will undoubtedly drive our team’s growth and development throughout the Nebraska-Iowa Area and throughout iHeartMedia. Her fresh perspective and unwavering dedication to excellence will make her an invaluable asset to our community, our partners, and our listeners.” 
serving with the company in the same capacity in Shreveport, Louisiana. Boden takes over for Cheryl Salomone, who announced her retirement earlier this year. Cumulus SVP of operations Mark Sullivan states, “Tish Boden has been an impactful leader with a strong record of success. I’m happy for her to be closer to her family and happy for our team in Fayetteville, as they are welcoming a strong leader. I’m also grateful for the time that I had to work alongside Cheryl Salomone and thank her for her meaningful contributions to the company and to the Fayetteville community. We wish her the very best in her retirement.”
audio content in the last week; 37% of female sports audio listeners spent 5+ hours listening to sports audio in the last week; 2) Female sports audio listeners are more likely than male sports listeners to listen to sports audio with others: 80% of female sports audio listeners ever listen to sports audio with other people compared to 73% of male sports audio listeners; 3) Female sports audio listeners are turning to podcasts to seek new perspectives: 59% of female sports audio listeners and 67% of female sports podcast listeners say yes that they consume sports audio to hear unique perspectives on sports topics not covered in other media; and 4) There is an opportunity with female sports audio listeners as they lack a wide variety of content: 35% of female sports audio listeners agree that there aren’t enough sports audio programs that give different perspectives; 34% agree that there aren’t enough audio programs that cover the sports they like/follow.
intended it be a deregulatory exercise. NAB says, “The Local Television and Radio Rules retain and even tighten decades-old restrictions on which – and how many – television and radio stations broadcasters may own in a particular geographic market. The rules are premised on the notion that broadcasters could exert disproportionate influence by shaping news and entertainment options. But that idea is a relic from a bygone era – before the emergence of the Internet, smartphones, social media, and streaming. In reality, broadcasters today struggle to keep pace with rapidly proliferating audio and video platforms that are steadily taking audience share and advertising dollars. Instead of making it harder for broadcasters to compete, the Commission should have modernized its outdated rules because they are no longer justified. Given the significance of the Commission’s rules, the size of the regulatory record, and the number of parties involved, Petitioners respectfully submit that oral argument would be beneficial.”
and WHQT in Miami; WCBS-AM, New York; WINS, New York; and WBLI, WALK, and WKJY on Long Island. She was a two-time Gracie Award winner and was a recipient of other honors and awards. Her greatest joy was her son Ethan, who she shared with her former husband Andrew Kalb. Garcia loved her animals and fostered many kittens through the years as well. 
ideal medium platforms for retailers and e-commerce brands: Heavy audio listeners are more likely to shop online. Heavy AM/FM radio and podcast listeners also spend more online than TV viewers. AM/FM radio listeners and heavy podcast listeners over-index on Amazon Prime membership and purchase intent; 2) AM/FM radio makes your TV better – “20 gets you 50”: Nielsen Media Impact optimizations reveal shifting more media weight to AM/FM radio generates significantly more reach, especially among younger demographics 18-49. AM/FM radio does an extraordinary job increasing campaign reach among light TV viewers, who are far less likely to see retailer TV ads. The rule of thumb is “20 gets you 50”: a 20% shift of a TV media budget to AM/FM Radio generates a 50% increase in reach; and 3) Audio holiday AM/FM radio campaigns work: Consumers exposed to an Amazon holiday AM/FM radio campaign have higher brand equity (awareness, ad recall, prior purchase and purchase intent). Nielsen sales effect studies reveal AM/FM radio campaigns for retailers generate significant return on advertising spend: $15 dollars of incremental sales for every dollar of AM/FM radio advertising. 
Evita,” joins the Cumulus Podcast Network, dropping its first episode today (7/16). Cumulus says, “In this first podcast extension under the Bongino umbrella, Gen Z journalist and culture analyst Evita Duffy-Alfonso joins the Bongino Report with a daily show covering all the top stories. ‘Bongino Report Early Edition with Evita’ drops each weekday on most major podcast platforms and is live daily on Rumble.” Dan Bongino says, “You don’t want to miss Evita. She is a bright new face in conservative talk who is not afraid to deliver hard-hitting news, uncensored opinions, and the stories that need to be told. If you love the ‘Bongino Report,’ you’ll love the ‘Bongino Report Early Edition with Evita.’”
announcer last season, will continue as Bills Insider for the station, co-hosting “One Bills LIVE,” weekdays at 1:00 pm and simulcast on MSG Western New York. Audacy Buffalo SVP and market manager Tim Wenger says, “Chris is best suited to carry on the long tradition of informative, passionate and entertaining Bills play-by-play announcing. His decades-long knowledge of the organization will be invaluable as he assumes the play-by-play microphone.”