Former Sports Talker Tirrell Arrested on New Fraud Charges
Former Des Moines sports talk host Marty Tirrell was arrested a week ago on federal wire fraud charges. This comes after Tirrell was sentenced to almost three-and-a-half years in prison on mail fraud charges in 2021. That sentence was in connection with a luxury ticket-flipping scheme
in which Tirrell used the proceeds for personal expenses and gambling. Now, prosecutors say Tirrell has done pretty much the same thing again, getting investors to give him money to buy luxury tickets for events like the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Taylor Swift concerts, Indiana Fever games and football and baseball playoff games. Tirrell was to sell the tickets and pay investors their original investment plus a share of the profits. Prosecutors say Tirrell did pay some investors back but did so with money from new investors. In fact, they say Tirrell never made the ticket purchases and instead used the money for personal expenses and gambling. Tirrell worked as a sports talk host at KXLQ-AM, Des Moines and later at KXNO, Des Moines. See the Des Moines Register story here.
platforms like radio, podcasts, streaming music services and satellite radio, with ad-supported audio representing 64% of total listening.” Breaking that down further, the study reveals that within the ad-supported audio universe, 
consumers spent 62% of their daily time with radio, 20% with podcasts, 15% with streaming audio services and 3% with satellite radio. Among 18-34 year-olds radio accounted for 43% of daily ad-supported audio time, where podcasts accounted for 31%. And adults 35+ spent 69% of daily ad-supported audio time listening to radio and only 16% listening to podcasts. Looking at listening based on radio formats (Nielsen PPM Cross-Market AQH Share. Q3 2025. Mon-Sun 6a-Mid), news/talk garnered a 10.6 share for Persons 18+ and a 12.0 share for Persons 35+, and a 6.1 share in the 25-54 demo. 
the Infinity Networks team. Her exceptional reputation for delivering revenue growth, strategic vision, and innovative approach to developing new revenue paths makes her an invaluable addition as we scale Infinity’s sales strategy.” Condo-Bucknell says, “I am truly honored. This is a fantastic next step, doing what I love, centered on driving revenue with an exceptional team. Infinity Networks is making great strides as a network leader, and I look forward to making a significant impact. Driving revenue requires strategic plans with depth-based concepts, stellar industry relationships, fresh ideas, and new revenue paths, all of which Infinity is 100% focused on. We will leverage strategic audio partnerships, cross-generational audience engagement, and unwavering commitment to client service, driving impactful results.”
Catsimatidis and others urged him to exit the mayoral race to give former Governor Andrew Cuomo a better chance of beating Democrat Zohran Mamdani. During his on-air conversation with Rosenberg, Sliwa “accused colleagues of betraying him” and he told Rosenberg WABC is “giving preferable treatment” to Cuomo. Catsimatidis later told the Post, “Regardless of all the news going around, I’ve always said great things about Curtis Sliwa, about how well he knows the city. But in a places like New York City where 70% of New York City are Democrats, the real Democrat is Andrew Cuomo, not Zohran Mamdani and Democrats should vote for Cuomo. Catsimatidis added, “I’ve never asked that he leave the race but recommended that a lot of other people have said he should.” Sliwa said on the air that he’s had to hire private security due to threats against him and his wife. “If anything happens to me or anything happens to my wife, because of this frenzy that I hear constantly coming from some of your colleagues there at WABC, it’s on you guys and you gals. My life is on the line here.” Sliwa’s radio show is currently off the air due to his active political campaign. 
The groaning and moaning that “radio is losing younger demos and will die tomorrow” misses the point. What attracts younger audiences? What has always attracted younger audiences? NEW STUFF. New clothes, shows, slang, ideas… NEW. When you “found” radio, you found a top 40 station that was saturated in the latest music, events and ATTITUDE. Radio remains vital by presenting and celebrating new, shocking, contest prizes, revolutionary ideas, hosts, jocks… NEW.
Sports’ 24/7 network will continue to deliver unmatched live coverage, expert commentary, and real-time sports programming to millions of listeners nationwide. This extends a partnership between Westwood One and Audacy that first began with the launch of CBS Sports Radio in 2012.” Westwood One will assume programming 
and distribution for the majority of the lineup of syndicated sports programming, including “The Jim Rome Show,” anchoring the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET daypart. Audacy will continue to produce BetMGM Network programs and additional weekend programming as part of the Westwood One Sports roster. The full programming lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. Audacy chief business officer Chris Oliviero comments, “Audacy and Westwood One have a long, storied history of collaboration,
and today’s evolution of our national sports partnership is that next chapter in our commitment to our hundreds of affiliates, their listeners, and our client partners. Be it local or national, broadcast or digital, opinion content or play by play, we continue to smartly look at ways to enhance our leadership position in sports content.” Westwood One & EVP corporate strategy & development, Cumulus Media Collin Jones adds, “Westwood One Sports has always been synonymous with the biggest moments in sports audio. Launching Westwood One Sports 24/7 programming strengthens that legacy and positions us to deliver unmatched coverage and commentary to fans coast-to-coast. We’re excited to work with Audacy to make this transition seamless and impactful.”
operated by CBS Broadcasting Inc., a subsidiary of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation. Audacy chief revenue officer Bob Philips says, “This is a major step forward for Infinity Networks and for our partners across the industry. By bringing together a respected brand like CBS News Radio under the Infinity Networks umbrella, we’re creating a scalable platform that enhances the reach and impact of great local and national content for our advertising partners. This expansion underscores our commitment to helping broadcasters grow audiences, strengthen advertiser relationships and deliver exceptional listening experiences everywhere.”
Ballroom on the eve of NAB Show New York. Some of the winners in spoken-word radio formats include: Premiere Networks’ Colin Cowherd for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year; WJR, Detroit’s Mitch Albom for Large Market Personality of the Year; WHIO-AM/FM, Dayton’s Larry Hansgen for Medium Market Personality of the Year; WWNC, Asheville’s Mark Starling for Small Market Personality of the Year; WBAL-AM, Baltimore for News/Talk Station of the Year; and WXYT-FM, Detroit for Sports Station of the Year.
Fan’ leading the charge and these powerhouse affiliates joining forces, fans from Green Bay to Duluth can now experience the best local sports conversation anywhere in Wisconsin.” Audacy’s WSSP-FM, Milwaukee “105.7 The Fan” is serving as the network flagship. The daily program lineup include: “Inside Wisconsin Sports” with Trevor Thomas and Josh Albrecht (6:00 am to 9:00 am); “Nine2Noon with Kuhn” with John Kuhn, Ramie Makhlouf, and Brandon Sneide (9:00 am to 12:00 noon); “The Mason Crosby Show” with Mason Crosby, Mitch “Thunder” Nelles and Tommy Wortz 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm); “Wisconsin Sports Daily” with Steve “Sparky” Fifer and Charlie Uczen (2:00 pm to 5:00 pm); and “Wisconsin Sports Wrap Up” hosted by Tommy Wortz (5:00 pm to 6:00 pm). Initial affiliate stations include Midwest Communications’ WNFL, Green Bay WRIG-AM/FM, Wausau; and WDSM-AM, Superior.
revocation of accreditation for Nielsen Audio Diary markets as reported in the RMR and TAPSCAN Web including Bryan College Station, Texas; Hudson Valley; Killeen-Temple, Texas; Odessa- Midland, Texas; Portsmouth-Dover-Rochester, New Hampshire; Reno; and Trenton. At the same time, the MRC has approved accreditations for all of Nielsen’s 28 PPM markets.
charge inflated prices, according to a report by Reuters. At the heart of the complaint is the charge that Nielsen is providing access to the national broadcast radio ratings only if the client spends a lot of extra money on 
the separate local ratings. Cumulus argues that Nielsen’s policy forces them to buy ratings in U.S. markets where it doesn’t operate stations in order to have the complete national ratings data. Nielsen has stated that Cumulus’ suit is “entirely without merit” and “we will respond accordingly.” The complaint also says Nielsen is “degrading product quality, raising prices without justification and blocking competitors from gaining footholds in the industry.” 
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer retired with enough do-re-mi to indulge two passions. He bought the NBA Los Angeles Clippers (for a record $2 billion). And he built 
The world of blogs and vlogs has been loaded with largely erroneous news of MTV closing. New owner, Paramount Global, is searching for divisions showing no growth. If MTV is now a liability, it may be a target for a shutdown.
of the Gods has powered thousands of hours of programming fun. Recently, I saw the latest edition of his book.
Like many of you, I love “Ancient Aliens” on the History Channel narrated by the formidable Robert Clotworthy. Robert is a great guest on my show, “Sterling Every Damn Night” and he puts up with whatever nonsense that gets tossed at him. Thank you, Robert.
– A Tribute to Law Enforcement, at its studios in Manhattan that begins with a press conference at 10:00 am followed by a roundtable discussion and lunch. Owner John Catsimatidis will host NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch, DEA president Scott Munro, and NYPD chief of transit Joseph Gulatta and others.
provides insights for marketers on how to curate advertising strategies that authentically connect with audiences and build trust in an increasingly fragmented and technology driven world.” The study was fielded through Critical Mass Media for iHeartMedia and found that 82 percent of respondents worry about AI’s societal impact, and 9 in 10 believe it’s important to know the media they consume is created by a real person. iHeartMedia president of insights Lainie Fertick says, “The data shows us that consumers are emotionally driven, digitally fatigued and yearning for authenticity in an increasingly algorithmic world. This is especially critical with rapid technology advancements and the growing use of AI in the media industry. For marketers, it creates both hurdles and unique opportunities to connect with audiences in this new environment.” Key findings from the study include: 1) Children are struggling to be independent in a tech-forward era; 2) Consumers are all online, but they aren’t happy to be there; 3) Trust in online information is at an all-time low; 4) 
Algorithms rule our lives, and consumers know it; 5) Media is dividing us on current events, but all agree that there’s “something going on with those Epstein files”; and 6) Though 97 percent of consumers know what AI is, with 70 percent actually using AI, distrust remains high. iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman comments, “It’s important for us to remember, as marketers, that we’re in a very delicate position within a turbulent time, both in America and around the world. In a world of digital saturation and AI acceleration, this study reveals that consumers are not just looking for convenience – they’re searching for meaning. Sports, radio, live media and human-led storytelling offer a rare sanctuary of trust, empathy and shared experience. Above all, we must continue listening to Americans more closely than ever before and focus on ways to foster real connection and amplify our collective humanity.”
legendary Art Lewis on news/talk powerhouse WSGW in Saginaw, Michigan. Art’s show was the first show I’d ever done in talk radio and I’d filled in a time or two before this date. But, on THAT date, the OJ Simpson verdict came in and was announced. I gave my opinion of disbelief. Outlined why I felt that way and the phones melted down for the subsequent three hours. I was in Heaven and realized this is what I was meant to do. I’d done weekend news updates on WSGW before that as I was also finding my way on TV at WEYI (the NBC affiliate) in Saginaw/Flint. But, there was something different about talk radio for me… A few days ago, WSGW brought me back. I am thrilled. Feels like home again. I feel a great kinship with all of my 170+ stations and that will never change. I owe every PD or owner that gives my show and me a shot a ton – but, getting back on WSGW is very special.” Pags adds, Thank you to Jeff Warshaw at Connoisseur Media, Dave Maurer who gave me that first shot back in the day at WSGW, Mark Thomas for bringing me back and great folks like Charlie Rood and Curt Harding who were there back in the day and, of course, Art Lewis who trusted my 29-year-old self with this show when he was off!”
Every talk host knows the move: play the clip. It might be a moment from late-night TV, a political ad, or a viral post that sets the table for the segment. It’s how commentary comes alive – listeners hear it, react to it, and stay tuned for your take.
Charge to listeners. Cavaliers games will air live on rock WMMS-FM and news/talk WTAM-AM/W295DE. The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters games will air on “SportsRadio 99.1” and NBA G league’s Charge games air on hip hop WAKS-HD2/W291BV “REAL 106.1.” iHeartMedia area president Keith Hotchkiss comments, “It’s an honor to continue our decades-long partnership with the Cavs Operating Company and we’re excited to bring this innovative new partnership to life with Rock Entertainment Group. Combining this coverage with iHeart’s unparalleled reach of more than 90% of our markets, we’re excited to give sports fans access to the great coverage Rock Entertainment Sports will provide.” The new station will also simulcast of select Rock Entertainment Sports Network programming and coverage of additional Ohio-based sporting events.
Thomas has been and continues his Saturday program “Unfiltered with Kenny Thomas” and his “Lobos Live” show on sister news/talk KKOB-AM/FM. Cumulus Albuquerque program director Brandon Vogt says, “Kenny is authentic, competitive, and connected – the perfect fit for afternoons. He knows this market, he knows our teams, and he knows how to carry a locker room-level conversation on the radio. In this new role, Kenny will make a huge impact in the community and on the airwaves, continuing the tradition of great local sports talk in Albuquerque on New Mexico’s heritage sports station, ‘The Sports Animal.’ We couldn’t be more excited.”
with a shared passion for research and innovation. Our alliance expands the ways we can support our research partners and deepens our ability to help the public, media, and policymakers make sense of how people think, vote, and engage with the world. We are moving into the future as one team – ready for what’s next.” The terms of the deal were not revealed. Edison Research founders Joe Lenski and Larry Rosin will be joining the leadership of SSRS.
LAUNCH Program. McNally currently serves as broadcast operations manager for Townsquare Media in Texas. MIW board president Sheila Kirby says, “Eunice is exactly the kind of emerging leader LAUNCH was built to champion. Her hands-on operations experience at Townsquare and iHeart, paired with a learner’s mindset and obvious passion for the craft, signal real leadership potential. We’re excited to provide the mentorship, access, and support that will help her accelerate the next stage of her career.”
it appears that allowing the former programmer to resign, firing half the news department, and pulling back on advertising and marketing didn’t work the ratings magic they originally had hoped for. In my opinion, KFI has seemed rudderless since Robin Bertolucci left the programming spot last November. The current programmer Brian Long, meanwhile, is also in charge of KLAC (570 AM) and KEIB (1150 AM), but with no time, a limited budget, and a decimated news department, the result is what it is. I don’t blame him at all. For his part, O’Kelly is keeping it positive, posting on Facebook, ‘All jobs end. It is not our lives or our health. Perspective is paramount. There is nothing to be sad about here. I’m genuinely excited for the future.’” Kelly is ranked #83 in the TALKERS 2025 Heavy Hundred. 
Mansour go as part of the company’s nationwide reduction in force. Mansour has been with the station for the past 18 years, most recently as senior executive in audio and digital marketing. He posted to social media, “What a ride it’s been. From creating dynamic content and marketing some of the biggest brands and personalities in the Twin Cities, to leading teams, driving revenue, and collaborating with some of the most talented people in media, I’ve learned, grown, and had an absolute blast along the way.” 
among those exiting the company and he posted to Facebook: “After 15 years at Salem Media San Antonio and a total of 17 years with Salem as a company I was a part of a massive companywide reduction in workforce. Over the years Salem has tried its best not to have a reduction in workforce but like most corporations it had to happen. I’m not bitter or angry I understand how this business works. I was proud of the work I did for Salem Media Group and even prouder to have worked with the people I did.” 
Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals. “The Sports Junkies” show, which also simulcasts every weekday morning on MNMT, will now be available to watch live and on demand on 106.7 The Fan’s YouTube channel. Additionally, “BMitch and Finlay,” airing daily from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, will now simulcast on MNMT starting November 3. Audacy Washington DC SVP and market manager Ivy Savoy-Smith says, “We are excited to extend and expand our partnership with Monumental Sports to enhance the listening and viewing experience for fans. Being the flagship station for the Wizards and Capitals solidifies our position as the top destination for D.C. sports fans. Through the expansion of our television and YouTube simulcast, we are creating more dynamic content for our audiences.”
Salem Radio Network is providing coverage of President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel as headdresses the Israeli Knesset and personally greets Israeli hostages released as part of the Israel-Hamas peace plan he negotiated. Townhall.com editor Katie Pavlich is among six American media members in the out-of-town travel pool accompanying President Trump on Air Force One. Pavlich will be filing reports as she follows Trump’s schedule.