Benztown, along with P1 Media Group, Global Radio Ideas Facebook Group, and Collective Heads consultant 
Jimmy Steal are presenting a free webinar for radio professionals around the globe titled, “Creating On-Air Megastars and Programming Legendary Radio Station.” The 45-minute webinar will be hosted by Benztown CEO Andreas Sannemann and P1 Media Group partner Ken Benson and will feature programming pro Jimmy Steal. Register for the webinar here.
SiriusXM Announces NFL Draft Coverage. SiriusXM is presenting live coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft from Green Bay on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The SiriusXM broadcast will be anchored by Jason Horowitz. SiriusXM’s expert analysts will be former NFL scout, coach and front-office executive Pat Kirwan, former NFL quarterback Jim Miller, former coach Rick Neuheisel, and former NFL running back Jacob Hester.
Cumulus Q1 Report Comes on May 1. Cumulus Media will present its first quarter 2025 operating results during a conference call on May 1 at 8:30 am ET. The company will issues a press release with the results prior to the call.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Remember how Larry King would interrupt rambling callers to ask, “What’s your question?” It could sound gruff, but it was really a courtesy, to viewers or listeners. Larry feared TV clickers and dashboard radio buttons. He kept-it-moving to keep viewers and listeners from wandering.
And if you follow research on podcast consumption, you understand that attention there is an even heavier lift than for real-time broadcast programming which asks less of the consumer to acquire. Accordingly, these tips:
— Hook early, hook hard: Your first 60 seconds (max) are your billboard. Don’t waste them. Create curiosity about what listening to the episode will deliver, early-in (or before) your produced intro.
— Edit aggressively: Cut fluff and filler, avoid rabbit holes. Trim “um,” “you know,” and circular chit-chat. Each listening moment needs to earn the next moment.
— Apply proven radio techniques: teasing, resetting, production tactics.
— Be “sticky with structure:” A consistent format helps make your podcast habit-forming. If applicable to your topic, think “Problem-Story-Solution.” Note how Keith Olbermann’s podcast emulates his previous TV show format. I’m not saying do THAT format; I’m saying HAVE one.
— Speak to one person – like radio does, but even more so – because podcast listening is so intentional, and topics can be so specialized. Make eye contact, and don’t talk to “the audience.”– Create “next time” anticipation: Plant seeds for the next episode.
— Make replayable moments. Your slam-dunk is having listeners share your podcast with their friends. Deliver content that somehow enables them. Or makes them laugh, or cry, or care.
Like broadcasting, podcasting competes with EVERYTHING, TikTok, text messages, EVERYTHING, and life’s chaos. Make every second count.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
Premiere Networks’ FOX Sports Radio announces that its coverage of this week’s NFL Draft will includes two of its nationally syndicated program broadcasting live from Green Bay. The network’s 25th annual Draft Night LIVE
broadcast will be led by FOX NFL Insider Jay Glazer, who will be joined by network personality LaVar Arrington, former Jets general manager Joe Douglas, and FOX Sports’ lead College Football reporter Jenny Taft to deliver live predictions, analysis and reactions throughout the night on Thursday. Additionally, “The Dan Patrick Show” will broadcast live from The Bar – Holmgren Way as will “The Doug Gottlieb Show” – emanating from The Legacy Hotel – Green Bay and The Bar – Holmgren Way on April 24 and 25.
A federal judge in Virginia is agreeing with the Justice Department’s charge that Google operates with “monopoly power” in its internet advertising business. The ruling by District Judge Leonie Brinkema stated in part that by linking the ad server and publisher ad exchange businesses together, the company was able to create and keep monopoly power in those two markets. Google will appeal the ruling. NAB
president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt commented on the ruling saying, “Today’s decision affirms what local broadcasters and other publishers have long known: Google has used its dominance in the online advertising marketplace to disadvantage content creators and tilt the playing field. We commend the Department of Justice for taking on this critical case. As policymakers and regulators consider the implications of this ruling, we urge them to recognize that the same Big Tech dominance harming digital publishers is also undermining the advertising revenue local broadcasters rely on to serve their communities. We are encouraged that the FCC, under Chairman Carr’s leadership, is taking steps to modernize its rules and look forward to swift action that begins to level the competitive playing field.”
iHeartMedia’s BIN: Black Information Network launches a new special public awareness campaign focusing on the critical and urgent issue of Black maternal health. The campaign is titled, “Saving Black Moms: A Maternal Health Crisis,” and will “shine a light on the issue of Black maternal health and advocate
for change through an integrated media campaign including special on-air reports, news features, public service announcements, social media engagement, a dedicated microsite, and community partnerships.” BIN president Tony Coles says, “As a network committed to amplifying underrepresented voices, it is our responsibility to shine a light on the alarming disparities that Black women face before, during and after childbirth. This campaign is about advocacy, action, and partnership. By working with trusted community organizations and The BIN Local Roundtable, we can help raise awareness and ensure every Black mother receives the care and support she deserves.”
Pubcasters to Present NJ Governor Candidates. New Jersey public media network NJ PBS and public radio outlet WNYC announce their live broadcasts covering the New Jersey gubernatorial race with conversations with the candidates. Republican candidates will appear on May 7, at 7:00 pm; Democratic candidates will appear on May 12, at 7:00 pm. The broadcasters say the goal is to have the candidates engage in civil, solutions-based discussion about issues facing New Jersey.
NHPR Nominated for a Peabody. New Hampshire Public Radio and collaborator The Pudding are being nominated for a Peabody Award in the Immersive & Interactive category for “Failures to Act” — reporting that delved into one of the largest youth detention abuse cases in American history that took place in New Hampshire. The reporting revealed the stories contained in more than 1,281 civil lawsuits filed by people who say they were abused as children while in state custody.
WestStar MultiMedia Entertainment is looking for a broadcast and podcast engineer. The company says, “If you’ve got audio chops, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. We’re not just another podcast. ‘The Kim
Komando Show’ is a nationally syndicated tech radio show heard on over 510 stations, SiriusXM, podcasts and streaming platforms, reaching millions every week. And guess what? We’re based right here in Phoenix. This is the job if you want to level up your career in broadcast and podcasting without leaving the Valley.” See the complete job description and apply here.
Lotus Communications is seeking an enthusiastic, highly motivated radio and digital account executive. The company says, “We are looking for someone who can connect with clients and help them achieve
their business objectives through effective broadcast and digital advertising. The ideal candidate will possess excellent communication skills, have an enthusiastic and outgoing personality, along with a drive to succeed. Most importantly, we are looking for hard-working salespeople who want to have FUN at work, make money, and help local businesses grow.” See more about this position and apply here.
The Radio America nationally syndicated program “The Dana Show” – hosted by Dana Loesch – is joining the daily lineup at Bonneville’s news/talk KTTH, Seattle in the 9:00 am to 12:00 noon daypart
starting Monday (4/21). KTTH program director Jason Antebi says, “We’re thrilled to welcome Dana Loesch to KTTH’s weekday lineup. Dana’s bold, no-nonsense style and sharp political insights have built a loyal national following, and we’re confident her wit and fearless commentary will strike a chord with our Seattle audience. She’s a powerhouse voice in conservative media, and we’re proud to have her on board.” Loesch states, “I love my listeners in the Emerald City, and I’m thrilled to now be part of the great lineup at KTTH. Thanks to Jason and his team at Bonneville Seattle for making this opportunity possible.”
Pictured above is WTON, Staunton, Virginia owner and morning show host Joe Thomas (right) interviewing Wright Tavern Foundation chair Tom Wilson (left) during Thomas’ remote broadcast. Thomas was visiting the Concord, Massachusetts tavern museum ahead of the 250th anniversary of the “shot heard ‘round the world” celebrated annually in Massachusetts as Patriots Day. The Wright Tavern is where Paul Revere was headed on his legendary ride on the eve of the American Revolution.
Audacy names Bob Mackay SVP and market manager for its Dallas operations that includes news KRLD-
AM, sports talk KRLD-FM, six music brands and the Texas State Networks. Mackay will continue to serve as vice president of sales for Audacy Dallas. He succeeds Brian Purdy, who continues as regional president with oversight of 16 markets.
Beasley Partners with University of Michigan Athletics. Beasley Media Group, University of Michigan Athletics, and Learfield’s Michigan Sports Properties announce a multi-year broadcast agreement that makes rock WCSX-FM, Detroit the new flagship radio home for the Michigan Wolverines. WCSX-FM will broadcast all Football, Men’s Basketball, and Men’s Hockey games, along with coaches’ shows and exclusive ancillary programming. In addition, WMGC-FM will carry select Women’s Basketball regular-season games as well as postseason matchups.
Lisa Waks Named to Executive Position. AdLarge and the fwd. network name Lisa Waks EVP of business development and partnerships. In this role, Waks will be leading the business development team in strategic digital partnerships and expanded opportunities for the company and creators across the fwd. network’s portfolio of female-focused content.
Guy Gordon leaves Cumulus Media’s news/talk WJR-AM, Detroit after declining to take the company’s offer to move from mornings to early afternoon and take a 60% pay cut, according to a story by Neal Rubin in the Detroit Free Press. Gordon says he understands that the request by management was due to
a budget crunch – the company has been eliminating positions at stations across the country. He says he didn’t have “an inkling” that his job was at risk, “I probably should have. Radio is really tough now.” Gordon has been a host on the morning show since June of 2023 and was on in afternoons six years prior to that. During his long career in Detroit, he worked as 11:00 pm news anchor at WXYZ-TV and as morning anchor on WDIV-TV. He told his listeners, “If this is the end of the career, I have no grievances. I’m Lou Gehrig without the horrible disease. I’m the luckiest man on Earth.” See the Detroit Free Press story here.
According to data from Edison Research, female monthly podcast listenership has tripled over the past decade, growing from 15% in 2015 to 45% in 2025. This is from Edison’s “Women’s Audio Report: Women & Podcasts” with support from SiriusXM Media. The report finds that when factoring in video podcast viewership, estimates for engagement by women climbs even higher, to 52% of women age 18+ now
consuming podcasts in some form. Other notable findings from the report: 1) Female podcast consumers skew younger (39% between ages 18-34), have higher incomes (29% with household incomes over $100K), and higher education levels (51% with college degrees); 2) Primary motivations among women monthly podcast consumers include exploring topics in depth (53%), learning (46%), and entertainment (44%); and 3) Among the women monthly consumers who have heard an ad on a podcast, 75% have acted as a result of hearing an ad. The Women’s Audio Report was based on 2,520 interviews with women age 18+ who had listened to audio in the last month. See more about the Women’s Audio Report webinar here.
Salem Radio Network nationally syndicated talk host Charlie Kirk is visiting college campuses to engage with students, specifically students who disagree with him. According to KIVI-TV, Boise, the founder of Turning Point USA is on “The American Comeback” tour and was at the campus of Boise State University yesterday (4/15). On the tour, Kirk talks with students who disagree with him under a pop-up tent with the words, “Prove Me Wrong,” emblazoned along its top. Kirk will visit Washington State University in Pullman, Washington tomorrow (4/17). Kirk is pictured above at the event on the Boise State campus.
Civic Media owns and/or operates 20 signals across the state of Wisconsin airing its news/talk programming and announces a new weekday lineup for the network. First is a new morning show, “Mornings with Pat Kreitlow,” hosted by the founding editor of Courier Newsroom’s Wisconsin digital media outlet, UpNorthNews. The company says several existing morning shows will be folded into the new program, while new voices will be added in other communities around the state to provide the best mix of
state and local information. Earl Ingram, host of “The Earl Ingram Show,” will join “Mornings with Pat Kreitlow” on 540AM WAUK in Milwaukee and appear as a regular guest on other network shows. In other moves, “Matenaer On Air” with Jane Matenaer and Greg Bach shifts one hour earlier, airing from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. “The Thom Hartmann Program” returns to its live air time (11:00 am to 2:00 pm). “The Todd Allbaugh Show” moves to 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and “The Maggie Daun Show” now airs from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Civic Media CEO Sage Weil says, “We are excited to bring a more robust and flexible morning show to the state, and to reposition our best shows to serve our uniquely Wisconsin audience. This new approach will provide the flexibility to spotlight our local voices that focus on what is happening in our local communities, from Earl Ingram in Milwaukee to Chad Holmes in Wausau, and to share that content both on and off the air.”
Katz Media Group promotes PJ Stack to vice president of political sales and Kevin McTigue to director of
political sales for their Katz Digital Video division. The promotions are effective immediately. The company says these leadership moves reflect Katz’s continued 
investment in delivering strategic, results-driven solutions for political advertisers through both linear and digital media. Katz Media Group CEO Mark Gray states, “Katz has built the most experienced and trusted political sales team in the industry. With deep-rooted expertise across both broadcast and digital, our team delivers unmatched scale, strategy, and results for political advertisers. As the landscape continues to evolve, Katz remains the go-to partner for campaigns looking to connect with voters in meaningful and measurable ways.”
Ramsey Solutions CEO Dave Ramsey publishes his latest book titled, “Build a Business You Love,” (2025, Ramsey Press). In this new book, Ramsey shares his 30-plus years of building a business from a one-
man operation to a $250 million-a-year company with over 1,000 employees and a nationally recognized brand. Ramsey says the book draws on his hard-earned lessons, equipping readers at every stage of business to grow themselves, lead their teams and scale their businesses. He says, “Running a business is the hardest thing you’ll ever do, but it can also be the greatest thing you’ve ever done. If you’re not careful, you can wind up hating what you’re trying to build. I’m a guy who’s lived it and made it work — someone who’s messed up a lot and gotten back up after being knocked down. This book isn’t theory. It’s the blueprint for building something you can be proud of.” See more about the book here.
Good Karma Brands’ Milwaukee news talk outlet 620 WTMJ is making changes to its program lineup that says will enhance its news offerings and doubling down on its political talk. Effective tomorrow (4/16), Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi will co-host the late morning program Point Taken from 10:00 am to
12:00 noon. “Wisconsin’s Morning News” with Vince Vitrano & Erik Bilstad, will air from 6:00 am until 10:00 am and the station’s midday news show, “Wisconsin’s Midday News” with Greg Matzek & Jessica Tighe, will air from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm. The change eliminates Brey’s one-hour 9:00 am show and moves business-
focused “The Upswing” with Jeff Sherman (heard from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon) to Saturdays and available as a podcast. Brey says, “Steve first invited me to come onto his show back in 2020 and we hit it off immediately. He is largely the reason I have a career in radio at all. After years of being a guest on each other’s shows or a fill in host, I am so excited that we finally have the chance to tussle with the biggest political stories of the day with each other every weekday. We rarely agree but we always have fun and I think that’s the kind of energy that makes good radio and interesting conversations.” Scaffidi adds, “I’m thrilled to finally be able to work with Kristin on a daily basis. We recently launched our podcast, You Need to Listen, but having two hours with her each weekday morning will offer our fans and listeners a chance to hear our unique perspectives on the news of the day.”
Las Vegas-based, nationally syndicated radio and television personality Wayne Allyn Root was the emcee for this year’s annual Palm Beach GOP Lincoln Gala. Root says that after attending the event three years ago, he was honored to be asked to serve as emcee as well as in a speaker role presenting his America’s Top Ten Countdown. Root says that after the event he and his wife Cindy had a late dinner at Mar-a-Lago and chatted with President Trump, who was having dinner with Elon Musk and his son X. They also met old friends former HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson (above) and former Trump advisor Roger Stone (below).
Salem Media Group announces multi-dimensional deal that it says not only adds two of the most influential voices in American media, Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump, but launches the company into an entirely new era of scale, relevance, and cultural power. As part of the deal, Salem acquires a 30% stake in MxM News, a mobile news aggregation app co-owned by Trump Jr., and enters into a longterm services
agreement under which Trump Jr. and Salem will work together to develop a series of high-impact promotional and growth initiatives. At the same time, Salem enters into a strategic agreement with Lara Trump to collaborate on business growth in the digital podcast space, advertiser partnerships, and content innovation. Both Trumps become significant stakeholders in Salem Media. Salem CEO David Santrella states, “These aren’t just partnerships, they’re power moves. Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump bring credibility, energy, and the kind of megaphone that moves markets and shapes public opinion. Their alignment with Salem signals a massive leap forward in our ability to lead the next era of conservative media. Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump aren’t just becoming business partners with Salem, they now also have significant ownership stakes in the company with a major incentive to grow shareholder value which in turn will drive the stock price. It’s definitely an exciting time to be a Salem shareholder.”
The National Association of Broadcasters says it filed comprehensive comments with the Federal Communications Commission in response to the agency’s call for public input under its “Delete, Delete, Delete” initiative. NAB says its filing “urges the FCC to seize this moment to fundamentally modernize its
regulatory framework, beginning with long-overdue reforms to the national television ownership cap and the local radio and TV ownership rules. NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt states, “This is a moment for bold ideas, and NAB is proud to lead the charge. The FCC’s rules should reflect today’s media landscape, not one from decades past. Our filing lays out a clear, actionable path to modernize regulations and empower local radio and TV stations to better serve their communities. We appreciate the Commission, especially Chairman Carr, for launching this important effort. Reforming outdated ownership rules is the essential first step to strengthening local journalism and ensuring broadcasters can continue to survive.” See the entire filing here.
Tomorrow (4/16), KBLA, Los Angeles “Talk 1580” radio personalities Tavis Smiley, Dominique DiPrima, and Nii-Quartelai Quartey will participate in the radio station’s community town hall titled, “The
Eaton/Altadena Fire: 100 Days and Counting,” from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Robinson Park Recreation Area in Pasadena. There will be a panel of survivors, community leaders, activists, experts, and more to reflect on the 100 days since the fire erupted and address hard and heart questions about where the community goes from here. Tavis Smiley, founder of Smiley Audio Media, says, “I’m looking forward to hearing from our beloved Black Altadenians and learning how KBLA Talk 1580 can continue to support their efforts to find justice and accountability to make them whole.”
This week’s Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog reveals data from Advertiser Perceptions, commissioned to annually survey brands and media agencies on the sales contribution of five advertising effectiveness factors: Brand, Creative, Reach, Recency, and Targeting. In February,
Advertiser Perceptions surveyed 301 marketers and media agencies on the sales generated by each of the five sales drivers and as they have for the past six surveys, those surveyed had an average % of perception of creative’s contribution toward driving sales around 20%. But the reality according to one study is that creative’s contribution toward driving sales is actually about 49%. Quatical principle Marc Binkley says, “Creative is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet… it’s a way to supercharge budgets. Emotional, well-branded creative is a way to be more memorable. The goal isn’t just awareness, it’s being memorable in as many buying situations as possible.” See the complete blog post here.