Simon Conway Interviews Administration Officials
Pictured above is WHO, Des Moines talk host Simon Conway (right) with Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (left). Conway tells TALKERS that this is the fourth time he’s been invited to the White House to speak with administration officials. He says, “It is a true honor. You kind of have to pinch yourself actually when you realize where you are.” Conway spoke with seven officials including Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner (below).
Show” (12:00 noon to 2:00 pm ET) adds rotating co-hosts Cheryl Casone, Marcus Lemonis, and Lou Basenese alongside current host Jackie DeAngelis. Additionally, Liz Claman will launch a new Friday night program titled, “Claman’s Power Players” (7:00 pm to 7:30 pm ET). FOX News Media president and executive editor Jay Wallace says, “We’re excited to bring viewers fresh programming from a seasoned team of journalists, offering expert insight and analysis on the forces shaping the economy and driving business news. FOX Business remains committed to delivering compelling business news, market analysis, and conversation throughout the day, and these changes will further strengthen our weekday lineup.”
honor community service efforts conducted between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026. A panel of judges representing the broadcast industry and community service organizations will review the submissions and select 50 finalists. From that group, 10 stations will be named Crystal Radio Award winners. Winners will receive national recognition during a ceremony at the NAB State Leadership Conference in Washington, DC, on March 2, 2027.
Midwest Communications news/talk WMBD, Peoria, Illinois dismisses longtime morning drive co-host Dan DiOrio and morning drive news anchor Julia Bradley. DiOrio had served with the station for the past 35 years, most recently co-hosting the “Greg and Dan Show” alongside Greg Bratton, who continues as the station’s morning host solo.
“asked weekly consumers how they would feel if their favorite podcast host started using an AI-generated version to host their podcast. Most weekly podcast consumers, 66%, reacted negatively to the idea. One-third of weekly podcast consumers said they would feel ‘deceived,’ with another third feeling ‘upset.’ Thirty-two percent said ‘skeptical,’ followed by 28% who felt ‘betrayed.’” On the flipside, “14% of weekly podcast consumers were ‘impressed’ by the usage of an AI-generated host. Another 12% were optimistic, and 10% were ‘fascinated,’ all at the bottom of the list.”
Jeff Connell comments, “Jeff’s experience, editorial judgment and deep understanding of the Seattle market make him the right person to lead Northwest Newsradio’s news and programming.” At the same time, Lotus announces programming changes at KNWN and sister news/talk KVI. At KNWN beginning Monday (10/5), the midday schedule will include Bloomberg Radio’s “Balance of Power” from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, “Bloomberg Businessweek Daily” from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon, and “The Ramsey Show” from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Local programming will see Scott Carty join Aaron Wright on “Northwest Afternoon News.” Eric Heintz becomes morning editor and sports, and Kevin Dodrill adds KNWN APD duties to his role as program director for KVI. At KVI, “The Ari Hoffman Show” moves from afternoon drive to the 6:00 am to 9:00 am daypart. Westwood One’s Dan Bongino will air in early afternoons with Compass Media Networks’ Lars Larson holding down afternoon drive.
local news, weather and information across radio, television and digital platforms.” KXL program director Grant McHill says, “Partnering with KOIN 6 News allows us to expand our commitment to delivering fast, accurate and essential news to the Pacific Northwest. By combining KXL’s deep roots in local news radio with KOIN-6’s trusted reporting, we are building a stronger, more dynamic news ecosystem for Portland and beyond.”
GABBY Award from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters. The honor was presented Saturday (9/26) during the annual GABBY Awards in Duluth, Georgia. WAOK brand manager Joyce Littel states, “This award is a reflection of the continued efforts and hard work of our entire team. They work hard throughout the year, and they deserve recognition for all that they do for our station and, most importantly, for the community we serve. We are extremely proud to receive this honor.”
“Morning Update” program – hosted by Jeff Chidester – brought in AARP New Hampshire state director Christina Fitzpatrick and AARP advocates and volunteers Mary Roberge and Stephanie Schuyler to explore AARP’s “non-partisan voter education efforts, its work with candidates, changes to New Hampshire voting laws, Social Security, prescription drug costs, caregiving, fraud prevention, and the issues voters are raising as Election Day approaches.” Chidester told the audience, “I don’t think New Hampshire is ever out of an election cycle. Governing and elections are our sport. We get it at a very young age, and we are actively involved in it through our entire life.” WFEA program director Michael Czarnecki says, “New Hampshire voters take their responsibility seriously, and our responsibility at WFEA is to give them access to meaningful conversations and useful information. The goal of the ‘Morning Update’ is not to tell listeners what to think or how to vote. It’s to bring the people involved in these issues directly to our audience, ask good questions and give listeners the information they need to make their own decisions. This roundtable is a great example of that.”
Stugotz & The Bear” via iHeartPodcasts. The new show – starring Jon “Stugotz” Weiner and Chris “The Bear” Fallica – drops twice weekly in which they “take listeners on a fun, fast-paced ride through the biggest stories and best moments in college football.”
Among the honorees are Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott. Also being honored are: Marilu Galvez, general manager of WABC-TV, New York; Tina Perry, president of OWN TV Network & OTT Streaming; and Erin Underhill, president of Universal Television. Zenia Mucha, chief brand and communications officer at TikTok, will receive the inaugural Gracies Vanguard Award. Kristen Welch, chief financial and operations officer at Illustrative Mathematics, will receive the AWM Legacy Leadership Award, recognizing her longtime commitment to AWM and its mission of advancing women in media.
from iHeartMedia’s Black Information Network. WQLL market manager Andy Grimshaw says, “Sports are woven into the fabric of Baltimore, and we’re excited to bring some of the biggest voices in sports broadcasting to our listeners. From the biggest stories and games to expert analysis and the latest in sports betting, ‘FOX Sports 1370 AM’ will give Baltimore sports fans something to follow around the clock.”
another massive media consolidation deal that could raise prices for consumers, reduce content diversity, and weaken editorial independence. This settlement does nothing to resolve the FCC’s own unprecedented decision to approve near complete and unchecked indirect foreign ownership of one of America’s largest media companies from some of the most repressive governments in the world. Setting aside that worrisome arrangement, this transaction still represents a troubling new stage of media consolidation, with real consequences for consumers and for a free and independent press. The editorial independence protections included in this settlement remain untested, and there is good reason to be skeptical they will hold up once the ink is dry. Whether these commitments actually protect newsrooms inside CBS and CNN from political, financial, or regulatory pressure, or simply provide cover for further editorial interference, remains to be seen. I will be watching closely to see whether these promises translate into real protections or will be just words on a page.”
piece that goes against what many in the radio industry are saying about the AM Radio in Every Car Act that recently passed the House. His piece states, in part, “My employer and I don’t agree on this one. The federal government is about to impose a new rule on private enterprise, forcing automobile manufacturers to keep installing AM radios in cars and trucks…
paid ads among 182,500 TikTok users and connected that to in-market brand lift data. The study covered eight global markets and $71 million of media spend, which generated 23.6 billion impressions. The best practices revealed by the research include: 1) Host-read ads generate greater impact: System1 and WPP Media find creator ads (a.k.a. “host reads”) drive greater brand memory lift, which is the combination of brand awareness and ad recall; 2) Two best practices: Say the name of the advertiser within the first two seconds and ensure strong positive emotion via entertainment; 3) “Say it and show it”: Saying the brand and showing it in the first two seconds of the ad drives the strongest brand recognition; 4) Conduct a “brand early and often” creative audit: Watch/listen to all your ads. Check off if your brand is mentioned in the first two seconds and if there are at least five or more audio track brand mentions in 30-second ads; 5) Use both salesmanship and showmanship: Emotion-based creative that is funny and entertaining builds stronger brands and generates greater business outcomes; and 6) Utilize right brain elements such as characters with vitality, story unfolding, clear sense of place, sounds of the living, dialogue, word play, distinctive accents, and music with discernable melody. 
9.4 million views, while TikTok delivered nearly 1.4 million. GETTR Live added 545,800 views, X generated 644,500 impressions, and YouTube and Rumble contributed nearly 250,000 additional views. The company goes on to say its core broadcast and streaming operations remained strong, reaching more than 220,000 terrestrial radio listeners while producing 240,140 internet radio and JFMN.TV streaming sessions. JFMN’s mobile apps generated another 17,535 sessions. JFMN co-founder John Fredericks adds, “This is an absolutely phenomenal milestone for our company. We built JFMN from the ground up – without the corporate media establishment, without billionaire gatekeepers, without Wall Street gangster-banksters and without compromising what we believe. More than 12.7 million in monthly reach proves that Americans are hungry for bold, independent media that respects its audience and tells the truth.”
evening (9/22) at 8:00 pm ET. Bush currently hosts the digital show “Hot Mics with Billy Bush.” He was working for “Access Hollywood” in 2005 when he infamously caught Donald Trump on a hot mic saying about women that he could “grab ‘em by the p*ssy,” and that “when you’re a star, they let you do it.” Trump subsequently said the recording was fake. Regarding his new gig, Bush says, “I’m excited to join FOX News Media and its loyal audience to share my perspective on the people, ideas and moments shaping today’s culture…. as well as the ones trying to undo it!”
“Throughout its 36-year history of service to the talk radio and associated talk media industries, TALKERS has maintained a strict policy of non-partisanship in its coverage of the field and its players. However, the single ideological orthodoxy practiced by TALKERS through this period has been uncompromising support of the First Amendment – the prime principle and foundation upon which all American freedoms and values are built. Over the years, we have bestowed our prestigious Freedom of Speech Award upon a wide variety of broadcasters from all ends of the political spectrum, and we have gone to bat in support of hosts, stations and networks – popular and otherwise, Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservative – when under fire from presidents and other governmental forces determined to quell that fundamental right. For the sake of our industry and our country, we stand in protest of the current White House press ban imposed against our colleagues and strongly encourage all practitioners of American talk media, regardless of political persuasion, to unify in opposition to this egregious aggression against our fundamental right to fulfill our core duty and promise to the people of our nation.”