The most discussed stories yesterday (9/9) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
iHeartMedia announces that addition of “The Ryan Gorman Show” to the morning drive daypart at “NewsRadio WFLA Orlando” (WFLF-AM), effective September 14. The program is based at 
iHeartMedia’s WFLA, Tampa and is also heard on WIOD, Miami. It features Gorman (left) and Dana McKay (right) with news anchors Nathalie Rodriguez and Chris Trenkman. iHeartMedia NTS brand coordinator and SVP of news and AM programming Florida Region Grace Blazer says, “Ryan and Dana bring an authentic connection to Florida and a unique ability to tackle the biggest stories of the day in an entertaining way. We’re thrilled to bring the show to Orlando and continue WFLA’s legacy of delivering trusted news and engaging content.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/8) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories over the weekend (9/5-7) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERSresearch:
Proponents of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act are celebrating the bill’s floor vote scheduled for September 14. The bill appears to have broad support and the delay in getting to this point has been 
frustrating for supporters. National Association of Broadcasters president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt comments: “America’s broadcasters applaud House Majority Leader Steve Scalise for his announcement to bring the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act to the House floor for a standalone vote the week of September 14. This is an important step forward for legislation that has earned overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress and across the country.
We are grateful to House leadership and lead cosponsors Reps. Bilirakis and Pallone and Sens. Cruz and Markey, along with hundreds of lawmakers from both parties whose persistence and leadership have brought us to this moment.
Our listeners have also made their voices heard loud and clear: AM radio is an indispensable lifeline during emergencies, a trusted source of news and information, and a vital connection for communities nationwide.
Now is the time to finish the job. We urge every member of the House to vote to pass the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act and preserve access to this essential public safety resource in every vehicle.”
The Texas U.S. Senate Race has escalated into a major hotspot of talk radio conversation across America with Houston-based Premiere Networks star Michael Berry being tapped into by fellow 
conservative hosts across America as he offers encouraging commentary to growing national concerns among Republicans about the Democrats flipping an all-important Senate seat in the traditionally red Lone Star State. Yesterday’s installment of the highly rated “Clay Travis & Buck Sexton” Show featured an in-depth interview with Berry (a.k.a. The Czar of Talk) about the Texas Senate race between AG Ken Paxton and James Talarico, who President Donald Trump has taken to calling “Talacreepo.” Listen to the segment here.
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (8/31-9/4) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
People
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
Connoisseur Media closes on the sale of KDLO-FM, KIXX-FM, 
KSDR-AM, KSDR-FM, KWAT-AM, in Watertown, South Dakota and KKSD-FM, Milbank, South Dakota to Riverfront Broadcasting. Riverfront – a South Dakota-based company headed by Doyle and Carolyn Becker – paid $350,000 for the six signals. Riverfront Broadcasting specializes in localized radio broadcasting and digital media.
ESPN Radio and Good Karma Sports announce the return of ESPN Radio’s College Football Campus Tour. ESPN and Good Karma say, “Leading directly into the featured ESPN Radio game of the week, the Campus Tour brings a national pregame broadcast and interactive Fan Zone experience to some of the 
biggest college football matchups of the 2026 season.” The tour will make 10 campus stops across the country, beginning Saturday, September 5, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when Clemson takes on LSU. Additional stops throughout the season include College Station, Texas; Louisville, Ky.; State College, Pa.; Gainesville, Fla.; Austin, Texas; Oxford, Miss.; and a return to Baton Rouge, with additional tour locations and matchups to be announced. At each stop, ESPN Radio hosts Jonathan Zaslow and Amber Wilson will broadcast live for at least two hours leading up to kickoff.
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/2) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
iHeartMedia appoints Tommy Castor has been named market president for the Salt Lake City operations that includes KNRS-AM/FM. Castor was most recently with Audacy as SVP and market manager in Wichita. Area president Glynn Alan states, “We are 
thrilled to have Tommy join the Salt Lake City team. His winning track record, industry expertise, and commitment to excellence make him a tremendous addition to iHeartMedia. Tommy’s leadership will inspire those around him and help position our team for even greater success in the years ahead.” Castor comments, “I’m honored to join the iHeartMedia team in Salt Lake City and lead such a talented group of professionals. This market has an incredible media landscape and strong community connections. I look forward to building on the SLC team’s success and positioning iHeartMedia as the premier media partner in the marketplace.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/1) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/31) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
New York City Councilor Frank Morano is getting back behind the 
mic today and tomorrow (8/31-9/1) to fill in for Michael Smerconish on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Morano – who was a talk host at WABC, New York for many years before running for public office – tells TALKERS, “I’ve got a fun couple of shows lined up, including Kelsey Grammer, along with some other interesting guests and plenty of calls and conversation.”
Howard Stern and SiriusXM announced that with beginning of the new season on Monday, September 14, “The Howard Stern Show” will be made available as a streamable episode for HBO Max, along with periodic extras. They say “The Howard Stern Show” on HBO Max will debut Thursday September 17, with new episodes releasing subsequent Thursdays.
iHeartMedia Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Steelers announce that former Steelers’ guard and Super Bowl champion Willie Colon and former Steelers linebacker Vince Williams are joining the weekday lineup. Colon will join Rob King and Max Starks co-hosting “In the Locker Room, Presented by your Neighborhood Ford Store” from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm on WBGG-AM “FOX Sports Pittsburgh” and on Steelers Nation Radio. Williams will join Tom Opferman co-hosting “The Steelers Blitz” from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon.
The most discussed stories over the weekend (8/29-30) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Dolly Parton‘s recent death at 80 (8/25) marked an irreplaceable loss for the world of music and popular culture. Her legacy as a songwriter, performer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist stands in a rarified class of its own. TALKERS founder Michael Harrison experienced what he describes as the “pleasure and honor” of meeting Dolly Parton one time… but their encounter played a historic role in a pivotal turn in her career. Harrison recalls, “It was almost 50 years ago. I was the managing editor of the industry trade publication Radio & Records and an influencer in the world of Album Oriented Rock radio as a personality on AOR giant KMET, Los Angeles. At the time, Dolly was the undisputed queen of country music… but she had not yet crossed over to the broader world of pop, let alone rock.”
In early 1977, RCA Records released a new country-ISH album by Parton titled New Harvest First Gathering with the hope of expanding her media footprint from exclusively country to pop and even rock radio without damaging her established base. In a promotional effort to achieve that goal, RCA recruited Harrison to interview her about her life, career, and the new album, track by track, and sent it out to hundreds of rock and pop stations. Harrison states, “She was absolutely fantastic!” Needless to say, the strategy was successful, and the promotional interview, pressed on 33 1/3 vinyl, got tons of airplay on scores of stations that never would have even thought about playing Dolly Parton. It set the stage for the title track of her next album titled “Here You Come Again,” released later in 1977, to become her first crossover hit.
Harrison recalls, “I had recorded several promotional interview albums for record companies at that time with rock artists such as George Harrison to accompany the hoopla surrounding the release of their new albums without them having to do hundreds of live interviews across the nation. But the idea of doing this kind of thing with an established country music figure as Dolly Parton outside that format was somewhat daunting to say the least. Regardless, all’s well that ends well. My interview with Dolly was well-received by even some of the most ardent rockers on the FM dial.”
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (8/24-28) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
People
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
KNSS, Wichita talk host Ted Woodward is named a 2026 inductee into the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Audacy summarizes Woodward’s media career, stating, “Woodward is a 
deeply rooted community fixture who has worked across nearly every local media outlet. He spent five years as a sportswriter for The Wichita Eagle before joining KNSS Radio in 1995. There, he co-hosted “Steve and Ted in the Morning” alongside fellow Hall of Famer Steve McIntosh for 28 years, where they won a Marconi Award for Outstanding Talent in 2017. Fans also know him as “Ted, the Sports Head,” a familiar voice on KFH Radio (KNSS-FM) for more than three decades.” Woodward and his fellow 2026 inductees will be honored at the KAB Hall of Fame Dinner on October 18 at the Wichita Marriott.
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/26) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit rules by a 2-1 vote that while political candidates are entitled to the lowest unit charge (LUC) for broadcast ads airing within the specified time periods prior to primary and general elections, political parties and joint fundraising committees are not. This comes after four Democratic candidates for federal office filed suit challenging the 
FCC Media Bureau’s decision that those entities could benefit from the LUC. The plaintiffs argued that the Media Bureau’s public notice “unlawfully dilutes [their] and other candidates’ statutory right to buy advertising time at lowest unit charge by insisting that broadcasters make that same right available to political parties and joint fundraising committees in circumstances where their spending cannot, under campaign finance law, be considered spending by or on behalf of a candidate.” The Court ruled that “the LUC requirement and campaign finance statutes are clear that neither political parties nor joint fundraising committees with non-candidate members can be entitled to the LUC.”
Kemp Broadcasting and Digital Outdoor is launching a new talk station in the Las Vegas market on KVGO-FM, Overton, Nevada – currently a classic hip hop outlet. On September 1, the station flip to talk as “106.9 FM The Right Talk for Vegas” featuring Premiere Networks’ Glenn Beck and “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton 
Show,” Salem Media’s Hugh Hewitt, Westwood One’s Mark Levin, Radio America’s “The Dana Show,” Talk Media Network’s Dr. Daliah Wachs, and Red Apple Media Networks’ “The Other Side of Midnight” with Walter Sterling. Kemp EVP Marty Basch says, “Kemp Broadcasting is excited to bring something different and compelling to the Las Vegas radio market. 106.9 FM KVGQ combines an outstanding lineup of nationally recognized talk personalities and local voices with the strength and reach of FM radio. We believe Las Vegas listeners deserve a talk station of this caliber.” Kemp adds, “The new station complements 670 AM KMZQ, Kemp’s local talk outlet, which has served the market for nearly a decade. Together, the two stations give the company a talk franchise spanning both national and hometown programming – and give Southern Nevada advertisers a broader platform for reaching engaged, habitual listeners.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/25) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Audacy’s Chicago sports talker WSCR, “104.3 The Score” confirms what was reported on Monday (8/24) that former WGN-TV sports anchor Jarrett Payton is joining David Haugh as co-host of the station’s new morning drive show, “Haugh and Payton.” Audacy says, “Son of the late NFL Hall of Famer and Chicago 
Bear Walter Payton, Payton brings extensive broadcasting experience alongside a background in business, public speaking, and philanthropy through the Jarrett Payton Foundation.” Payton says, “I’m truly excited and deeply honored to join the team at ‘The Score.’ I’m looking forward to working alongside everyone there and connecting with the loyal listeners who make this station what it is. This place has always felt like family to me. My dad graced these airwaves back in the ’90s, and the thought of being part of that same legacy means everything. Grateful beyond words for this opportunity. Let’s get to work.” The change comes after Audacy dismissed longtime morning host Mike Mulligan and midday co-host Marshall Harris. The midday show continues with incumbent personalities Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote hosting the “Rahimi & Grote Show.”