Industry News

John Kincade to Return to Dickey’s “The Fan”

Atlanta sports media pro John Kincade is returning Dickey Broadcasting Company as part of what the company calls “a new long-term agreement, marking a significant and exciting reunion for both the veteran broadcaster and the Atlanta-based media organization.” While details about Kincade’s role, including when imghe’ll be on the air, will come at a later date, Dickey says Kincade is “a familiar and respected voice in sports radio, [who] previously built a strong connection with listeners during his 20-year tenure with the station, becoming a trusted presence in the market.” The company adds, “His addition reflects DBC’s broader commitment to industry-leading investment in its people, technology, and strategic partnerships ensuring the company remains at the forefront of sports media. By continually enhancing its talent roster, embracing innovative broadcasting tools, and strengthening collaborations across the industry, Dickey Broadcasting Company is well positioned to inform, entertain, and serve its audience at the highest level.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (June 22-26)

Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (6/22-26) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. U.S.-Iran Negotiations / War Powers Resolution
  2. Primary Elections
  3. Housing Bill / SAVE America Act
  4. Reflecting Pool Controversy / America 250 Kickoff
  5. SCOTUS Rulings
  6. Gas Prices / Tech Stocks
  7. AI Concerns
  8. Texas Immigration Center Shooting Convictions
  9. Keir Starmer Resigns
  10. Alan Greenspan / Clive Davis / David Clayton Thomas Deaths

People

  1. Donald Trump
  2. JD Vance / Marco Rubio
  3. Benjamin Netanyahu
  4. Bill Cassidy
  5. Mike Johnson
  6. Zohran Mamdani
  7. Darializa Avila Chevalier
  8. Keir Starmer
  9. Alan Greenspan
  10. Clive Davis / David Clayton Thomas

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

Rare Interview with David Clayton-Thomas About BS&T Found in TALKERS Archives – Broadcasters Invited to Use at Will

The Grammy Award-winning Canadian singer and songwriter whose powerhouse voice propelled Blood, Sweat & Tears to the summit of popular music, died peacefully last evening at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. He was 84.

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TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison was friends with Clayton-Thomas and the group back in the early 1970s while he was the morning host at pioneering album rocker WNEW-FM, New York.  However, by the mid-seventies, Harrison lost touch with Clayton-Thomas and the group.  Move the clock ahead to March of 2020 and David Clayton-Thomas was promoting a new solo album – the latest of many that enjoyed hit status in his native Canada – and Harrison had the opportunity to catch up with his old friend in an interview conducted during the height of the COVID pandemic. Clayton-Thomas was quarantining in Toronto, and Harrison was doing the same in Massachusetts. TALKERS has isolated a segment of the archival interview with the rock legend in which Clayton-Thomas recounts the history of how he joined the band.  Interested broadcasters wishing to use any or all of this clip are free to do so.  Please click here. (Photo credit: Marie Byers)

Industry News

Fabian to Lead Cumulus Boise

Cumulus Media appoints Mike Fabian vice president / market manager for its Boise operations that includes news/talk KBOI-imgAM/FM and sports talk KTIK-FM “953FM The Ticket,” plus three music brands. Fabian most recently served with Townsquare Media in Arizona. Fabian states, “I am honored to join the Boise team and look forward to becoming part of both the organization and this remarkable community. Throughout my career, I have always believed that great teams and strong relationships are the foundation of success. I am excited to work alongside this talented group, serve the Boise community, and help build on the strong tradition these stations have established.”

Industry News

Today is BFoA Giving Day

Today (6/25) is the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s annual Giving Day, an effort to raise critical funds that support the organization’s mission of providing financial assistance to broadcast professionals facing severe hardship due to debilitating imgillness or disaster. The BFOA has distributed more than $20 million in aid to radio and television professionals over the past 15 years, representing over 200 broadcast companies across 45 states and U.S. territories. BFOA says, “On Giving Day, we encourage everyone in broadcasting to come together and support our broadcast community. Every contribution helps ensure that the Broadcasters Foundation can continue to provide a helping hand to broadcasters in need when tragedy strikes.” You can make a donation here.

Industry News

WABC’s Sid Rosenberg to Join NYSBA Hall of Fame

WABC, New York morning drive host Sid Rosenberg is being inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of imgFame. He’ll officially join the Hall on October 22 during a ceremony at the Rainbow Room in New York City. NYSBA says in a letter to Rosenberg,” Your career has been outstanding… while successful at WFAN and 1010 WINS, you have become a radio legend in your 10 years at 77WABC. From co-hosting the “Bernie and Sid” in 2016 to today’s “Sid and Friends in the Morning,” you have blazed a path in the tough New York City market.”

Uncategorized

Ben Cominos Exits WHBY, Appleton, Wisconsin; Local Brewery to Stream Show

Late morning talk host Ben Cominos, host of the “Outside the Box” program, exits Woodward Communications’ news/talk WHBY, Appleton, Wisconsin. The station posted the news to Facebook, saying, “WHBY will discontinue its political talk programming block from 8:30 am – 11:00 am previously held by Ben Cominos with imgOutside the Box. We wish Ben nothing but the best moving forward.” According to WFRV-TV, Green Bay, the station says it will release more details in the coming weeks “about which local programming will replace Cominos and its political block.” Cominos is not giving up his show, however. He tells the Green Bay Press-Gazette, “I’m not going to bury the lede, I’m no longer employed by WHBY. ‘Outside the Box’ will still live on though. My show has been picked up by Minocqua Brewing.” He says “Outside the Box” will stream 9:00 am to 11:00 am weekdays on the Minocqua Brewing Co. Times Substack and on his own Facebook, TikTok and YouTube accounts. Cominos describes his show as “a working class political show for the people that feel left behind by the two-party system.”

Uncategorized

Cumulus Promotes Jay Davis to RVP

Cumulus Media promotes Jay Davis to regional vice president in which he’ll add oversight of the company’s six-station Colorado imgSprings market that includes news/talk KVOR to his duties and he’ll continue to lead the Oklahoma City operations. Cumulus president of operations Bob Walker states, “Jay is an accomplished leader and the perfect partner for the team in Colorado Springs. We are eager to see the impact he and the team will continue to have in that community for our listeners and clients.”

Industry News

Dennis Malloy Returns to New Jersey 101.5 Middays; Eric Johnson Back in Management Seat

Less than a year ago, Dennis Malloy (right) retired from Townsquare Media’s WKXW, Trenton “New Jersey 101.5” where he had co-hosted the midday show with Judi Franco (left) for almost 30 years. imgNow, the station announces that Malloy is returning to the station on July 13 to resume his role as co-host of the “Dennis & Judi Show.” This change doesn’t put Franco’s current co-host Eric Johnson out on the street. The former, longtime “New Jersey 101.5” program director is returning to management as operations manager and program director. He will serve as a fill-in talk host on the station and will spin records duringimg the station’s weekend music programs. Johnson says, “So here is where we are. Dennis and Judi are back together on July 13. I am moving into a role that lets me put 48 years of experience to work shaping what New Jersey radio sounds like across three markets. And I will still be here, writing about this state I have loved my whole life, and showing up on the air when you need a familiar voice.”

Industry News

Will West Moves from On-Air to Digital Sales at Cumulus Knoxville

Knoxville sports talk host Will West announces that he is giving up his on-air position as co-host of the “Tyler and Will” show (with Tyler Ivens) on Cumulus Media’s WNML “The Sports Animal” and imgwill take on the role of digital sales manager for Cumulus Knoxville. He says he will continue to be heard on air as part of the Tennessee football postgame show. He told his listeners, “I want the next chapter in my life to be where I’m no longer the main character, but that I’m able to help other people to be the best version of the main character themselves.” He added, “I’m tired. This is a grind. This [new management position] opens up more time that I can spend with my wife. This opens up a situation where I can step in and grow other people.” See the Knox News story here.

Industry News

Caroline Beasley Inducted into Florida Broadcasters Hall of Fame

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Beasley Media Group CEO Caroline Beasley was inducted into the Florida Broadcasters Hall of Fame during a ceremony that took place during the Florida Association of Broadcasters Annual Conference on Thursday, June 18 at The Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Pictured above at the event are (from l-r): Dr. Robert Beasley, Brian Beasley, Caroline Beasley, Bruce Beasley and Brad Beasley.

Industry News

“The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” Celebrates Five Years

Premiere Networks’ nationally “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” celebrates five years on air this month. The program debuted on June 21, 2021 airing in the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET daypart dominated for years by the late Rush Limbaugh. Now, the imgprogram is hears on more than 550 stations nationwide. Two years later, Premiere launched The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Podcast Network currently offering eight news, politics and culture podcasts. Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott says, “We’re so proud to celebrate this milestone with Clay and Buck. They had enormous shoes to fill when we launched this show, and they’ve surpassed our expectations in every way. Clay and Buck have built a dynamic, high-impact brand of talk radio that continues to grow across multiple platforms and delivers unmatched results for our affiliate and advertising partners. We look forward to celebrating many more milestones together!”

Industry News

Gelman and Clarke Join BFoA Board of Directors

The Broadcasters Foundation of America elects two media executives to its board of directors as Michael Gelman, executive producer of “Live with Kelly & Mark,” and Tim Clarke, most recently with Audacy as SVP and head of digital audio content join imgthe organization. BFoA chair Scott Herman says, “We are honored to welcome Michael and Tim to the Broadcasters Foundation board of directors. Both are highly accomplished leaders whose careers reflect excellence, innovation, and a deep commitment to our industry. Their insights, relationships, and strategic vision will be invaluable as we continue to grow awareness of the Foundation’s mission and ensure that broadcasters across the country know that help is available when they need it most.”

Industry News

iHeartMedia Announces AudioGraph to Deliver Attribution to Broadcast Radio

iHeartMedia unveils AudioGraph – a suite of advertising capabilities that the company says will, for the first time, “bring digital-like targeting, identity-based planning and measurement, and outcome-based attribution to broadcast radio at scale.” These capabilities are powered by Triton Digital, the global technology and services leader. iHeartMedia says, “The vast majority of audio imgconsumption (64%) comes from broadcast radio, yet up until today, it has lacked the targeting and measurement infrastructure available in digital. iHeartMedia’s broadcast radio stations reach more than 278 million consumers every month, and now with AudioGraph, for the first time, advertisers can plan, target, measure, and attribute that audience using privacy-safe, ID-informed insights with digital-like precision.”

Powered by Triton Digital, AudioGraph makes it possible by connecting a privacy-safe identity spine, enriched audience attributes built from TransUnion data, and proprietary ID-level listening models that enable planning and measurement at the listener level while activating campaigns at broadcast scale. Proof of concept shows that broadcast radio campaigns planned and measured using privacy-safe AudioGraph IDs can deliver a KPI outcome 75% higher than traditional demo-based plans.

iHeartMedia chief business officer Lisa Coffey comments, “Audio has always delivered unmatched scale and human-to-human connection, but measurement and precision have lagged behind digital. With nine out of 10 Americans listening to broadcast radio every month, it’s extremely important that buyers can access this scale and impact with the precision and efficiency of digital media. With AudioGraph, we’ve closed that gap. Marketers can now use audio as an addressable and measurable performance channel at a national scale; with the same accountability they expect from every other part of their media plan.”

Industry News

Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (June 15-19)

Here are the most-talked-about stories of the past week (6/15-19) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:

Stories

  1. U.S.-Iran Agreement
  2. Gas Prices / Financial Markets Activity
  3. Primary Races / Georgia Shelves Redistricting
  4. DNI Hearing Cancelled / Voter ID Law
  5. JD Vance Book-Appearance on “The View”
  6. Newsoms Investigation
  7. AI Concerns / Data Centers Pushback
  8. SpaceX IPO / Musk First Trillionaire
  9. Ukraine Strikes Moscow
  10. Obama Library Opening

People

  1. Donald Trump
  2. JD Vance
  3. Marco Rubio
  4. Benjamin Netanyahu
  5. Rick Jackson / Burt Jones / Mike Collins
  6. Mike Johnson
  7. Jay Clayton
  8. Gavin & Siebel Newsom
  9. Elon Musk
  10. Barack & Michelle Obama

To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.

Industry News

Red Apple Ups Harris to SVP of News & Programming

Red Apple Media promotes Lee Harris to SVP of news & programming, up from his vice president of news position with the Worldwide News Network. Now, Harris will also oversee imgprogramming strategy and content development for WABC Radio and Red Apple Audio Networks. Red Apple Media owner John Catsimatidis states, “Lee is a game-changing talent. His ability to build winning content, lead high-performing teams, and understand what audiences want is second to none. As we continue growing WABC Radio, the Worldwide News Network, and Red Apple Audio Networks, Lee will play a critical role in shaping our future and driving our success worldwide.” Harris, who spent nearly 30 years as a news anchor at 1010 WINS, joined Red Apple Media six weeks ago. He says, “Red Apple Media is one of the most exciting and innovative companies in broadcasting today. Under John’s vision and Chad [Lopez’s] leadership, the company is building something truly unique in American media. I’m honored by this opportunity and energized by the challenge ahead. Together, we’ll continue creating compelling programming, expanding our national and international footprint, and delivering content that informs, entertains, and connects with audiences across the country and around the world.”

Uncategorized

“Stuff You Should Know” Tops Triton Digital’s May Podcast Ranker

Triton Digital releases its U.S. Podcast Ranker for May (based on weekly average downloads for participating networks) and reports imgthat iHeart Audience Network’s “Stuff You Should Know” rises one place to #1, displacing Audioboom’s “Pod Save America” (#2). Other noteworthy changes include Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show” falling one spot to #4; Salem Podcast Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” moving back four places to #12; and American Public Media Group’s “Marketplace” rising one place to #11. See the complete ranker here.

Industry News

NYC City Councilor and Former WABC Host Calls on FCC to Protect Baseball Broadcasts

New York City council member Frank Morano (R-Staten Island) and council member Harvey Epstein (D-Manhattan) are introducing a resolution calling on congress to review Major League Baseball’s antitrust exemption and on the Federal Communications Commission to explore approaches that promote imgthe availability of professional sports programming on free, over-the-air broadcast television. The resolution comes amid growing frustration among baseball fans over the increasing number of games being placed behind streaming paywalls and spread across multiple subscription services. Morano, who previously served as host of the late-night program on WABC, New York, states, “Baseball is America’s pastime, but in New York it’s also our pastime. For generations, families could turn on the television or radio and follow their hometown team. Today, fans are often expected to juggle multiple subscriptions and streaming platforms just to watch a season’s worth of games. That’s bad for consumers, bad for working families, bad for seniors, and ultimately bad for the future of the game itself.”

Industry News TALKERS 2026

TALKERS 2026 Video: Lee Habeeb Presents “The Art of Storytelling”

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Noted raconteur and documentarian Lee Habeeb kicks off TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter with an engaging morning presentation titled, “The Art of Storytelling.” Habeeb, the charismatic producer, host, and writer of the wildly popular syndicated news/talk radio series “Our American Stories,” makes a case for the effective use of storytelling in all aspects of talk radio citing several iconic episodes of American history as examples of the endless wealth of material available to hosts. Stay tuned to TALKERS daily posts of new video of the outstanding sessions that recently took place (6/5) at the 28th installment of the talk media industry’s longest running and most important national gathering. To see the Habeeb presentation in its informative and inspirational entirety, please click here.