The Talk Media Network nationally syndicated program “The Dr. Daliah Wachs Show” is added to the program lineup at KEUN-AM, Eunice, Louisiana; WGNY-AM, Newburgh, New York; and WNRI, Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
By Walter Sabo
a.k.a. Walter M Sterling
Host, Sterling Every Damn Night
WPHT, Philadelphia
Sterling On Sunday, Syndicated, TMN
During my tenure at NBC, once a month the division heads would meet at the behest of the CEO to report on their progress and trends in their sector. As the executive vice president of the FM division, I took a seat in that formidable group and tried to keep my remarks as brief as possible. What could I possibly say that would be more damn important than the words of the president of NBC News or the NBC Television network? In addition to NBC’s CEO, the CEO of owner RCA would often join the fun.
Cable TV was flourishing, and CNN had just launched. I was at least 15 years younger than everyone in that meeting and had a different perspective on cable. Therefore, I was shocked by this exchange:
The CEO asked the president of NBC News what he thought of CNN. The President of NEWS said these exact words:
“It might do well for breaking news but otherwise it will not take the place of our news.”
Next on the staff meeting agenda was a discussion of HBO. Should NBC run spots for HBO? Again, the group did not think HBO would be much of a factor on the entertainment menu. They agreed to run the spots promoting HBO. Yes, I objected but lost.
In its first three decades, CNN was a serious factor for news, ratings, and revenue. CNN brilliantly made partnership deals with local TV stations to exchange stories and carriage. Independent TV stations could tap CNN feeds for breaking news coverage. Those deals, requiring no cable, established CNN at viewer level in every city.
HBO last year won more Emmys than NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX combined. In fact only one Emmy went to a traditional network last year: “Abbott Elementary,” ABC.
Radio’s inherent advantage over all other mass media is its distribution system. Elegant and free, it just works! A decision was made about 10 years ago by many radio companies to use radio’s power, clout, and credibility to promote podcasts. Podcasts… hard to find, hard to hear, and requiring expensive equipment that suffers from buffering now. The hidden reason for the podcast push is that Wall Street doesn’t love legacy media. They like new things even if the new thing is deeply flawed. When needing money or liquidation, legacy media companies proudly point to their listening STREAMS.
Commercial broadcasters have proven to be not so great at podcasting. Of course not. It’s a different medium: On-demand audio that can be paused and reviewed. Radio DJs and talk hosts were never trained or attracted to audio creation that is blind to time of day and repeated. It’s different. Why promote it? It’s like NBC promoting HBO.
The good news? Wall Street is realizing the proven appeal of legacy media: The George Soros Funds invested in Audacy. Apollo Advisors, the first-in money for Sirius, now owns Cox Broadcasting. Time to stop throwing our time spent listening and creative energy at podcasts that price their audience lower than legacy media. Bad business.
The wise way to benefit from the podcast revenue opportunity is to buy what works. Acquire existing, successful podcasts and aggregators.
Walter Sabo has been a C Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General and many other leading media outlets. His company HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers.. His nightly show “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at sabowalter@gmail.com
Red Apple Media announces that former New York Governor David Patterson is joining 77WABC for the program “Left vs. Right” alongside host James Flippin. The station says. “‘Left vs Right’ is a riveting debate every Saturday, from 4:00 pm-5:00 pm, of who’s right, who’s wrong, and where is the common-sense
solution that brings both sides together for progress and unity. Patterson and Flippin battle the political, social, and economic differences, ultimately landing on common sense and the truth in every situation.” Red Apple owner John Catsimatidis says, “I have known David for many years. He is a common-sense politician, with the ability to make insightful observations about national and local politics. David represents the Democratic perspective with a level-head and a focus on finding the common ground that unites us and moves us forward. Our listeners already know David. His entrée as a regularly scheduled co-host of ‘Left vs. Right’ will be a welcome addition to our listeners.” Patterson says, “I am thrilled to be a part of the permanent WABC Radio lineup and to represent the left side of things. As Americans, we have more in common than we might realize. With common sense, we can come together as Americans and New Yorkers and solve our problems. I’m looking forward to working with James and helping to bring New Yorkers together.”
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Often, Millennials and GenZ-ers sound like they’ve replaced “T” with a soft “H.”
“Putin” comes out “Pooh’in.” “Groton” becomes “Groh’en.” “Dayton?” “Dayh’en.” Cold outside? Wear your “mih’ens.” Shark attack! Who got “bih’en?”
It’s as though as the “T” was “forgoh’en.” It’s not the way the script is “wrih’en,” just the way they read it. The biggest retail advertising spenders are radio’s lifelong habitual users: adults. Sound grown-up.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
Lifelong broadcaster and FCC consultant Kelly Orchard is publishing a suspense novel titled, Dead Air: The
Day the Music Died, that involves pirates hijacking 100 radio stations in five major U.S. cities and follows one company’s story over the course of 24 hours. Orchard was raised in a radio family that owned and operated stations in the 1980s and 1990s. Her family later launched a consulting business that conducted mock FCC inspections and she says the idea for her novel was born from those experiences.
Lotus Communications is seeking an experienced and results-driven broadcasting general sales manager to lead their sales team and drive revenue growth across our diverse broadcasting portfolio. The GSM directs
the team to develop, sell and service local business. The position is responsible for delivering assigned revenue targets through managing sales team efforts, developing sales talent and monthly business planning. The GSM develops relationships with businesses, engages with networks such as chambers, business alliances etc. to uncover opportunities within the local market. The GSM will maintain an account list while helping the sales team sell and develop cohesive campaigns for new direct businesses. Send your resume here.
During the fourth quarter of 2024, iHeartMedia brought in $1.1 billion, an increase of 4.8% over the same period in 2023. For the full year of 2024, revenue was $3.85 billion, an increase of 3% over the full year of 2023. The company breaks down its operating results by division and Multiplatform Group (which includes
radio stations) Q4 2024 revenue was $684 million, flat compared to Q4 of 2023. The company’s Digital Audio Group Q4 2024 revenue was $339 million, an increase of 7%. Withing the Digital Audio Group, podcast revenue was $140 million, an increase of 6%. For the fourth quarter of 2024, the company reports net income of $31.9 
million. For the full year of 2024, it reports a net loss of $1 billion. iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman states, “Our fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $246 million was up 18.2% vs. prior year, our highest percentage increase in almost three years, and our consolidated revenues were up 4.8% compared to the prior year, demonstrating the inherent operating leverage in this business. We are pleased that we successfully completed the comprehensive exchange transaction discussed last quarter – extending the majority of our debt maturities by three years; keeping our consolidated annual cash interest expense essentially flat; and providing overall debt reduction. This provides the company with the flexibility to remain focused on creating shareholder value in 2025 and beyond.”
Richmond sports talk host Big Al Coleman calls it a career and he did his final broadcast on Summit Media’s sports talk WURV-HD2/W291CL, Richmond. According to a story from WTVR-TV, Richmond,
Coleman has been a fixture in Richmond sports talk for more than 30 years on numerous stations in the market. He began his working life as a stockbroker but caught the sports talk bug in the 1990s. He says, “Everybody to a person said to me, ‘Don’t quit your day job. You can’t do a sports talk show in Richmond, Virginia, five days a week. It ain’t gonna work…’ It worked. It worked.” He laments that the business isn’t what it was back in the day, “There’s not the same camaraderie. It’s not the same fun that it used to be.” But he adds, “It’s still fun; I still like doing the show. But it’s just time for me to go.” See the WTVR-TV story here.
Audacy announces it is expanding its exclusive, multi-year sales and distribution partnership with CBS to include CBS Entertainment, CBS Media Ventures, CBS News, and CBS Studios podcast slates. The CBS News & Entertainment portfolio has 39 titles including “The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert,” “60 Minutes,” and “CBS Evening News.” Audacy chief digital officer and president, podcast and streaming J.D. Crowley says, “CBS Sports is a thriving part of our business, and we are thrilled to expand our partnership with CBS’ storied news and entertainment slate. This stellar lineup of talent and podcasts offers a compelling slate of premium content and new scaled opportunities for our advertising partners.”
Audacy’s all-news KYW, Philadelphia “Newsradio” is honoring 10 leaders making a difference and uplifting the lives of people in and around Philadelphia’s communities of color. This year’s honorees were recognized at a ceremony hosted by KYW Newsradio community impact reporter Racquel Williams at Audacy’s headquarters last night (2/27). Audacy SVP and market manager David Yadgaroff states, “KYW Newsradio’s annual GameChangers is a meaningful honor given to the community by the community. We are proud to spotlight the unsung heroes whose contributions shape and elevate us all. It’s a privilege to amplify their stories and the lasting impact they have through our platforms.”
Reporting its operating results for the fourth quarter of 2024 and for the full year of 2024, it says net revenue for Q4 was $218.5 million, a decrease of 1.2% from the same period in 2023. For the full year of 2024, net revenue was $827 million, a decrease of 2.1% from the full year of 2023. The company posts a net loss of $283.3 million for 2024 “compared to net loss of $117.9 million, reflecting a 2024 pre-tax non-cash
impairment charge of $224.5 million compared to a pre-tax non-cash impairment of $65.3 million in 2023, both primarily reflecting FCC-related charges.” Cumulus president and CEO Mary G. Berner states, “Since the pandemic’s onset, the radio industry has experienced tough economic and secular headwinds. In the face of those, we outperformed our peers through the end of 2023 on key metrics including cost takeouts, EBITDA 
margin recovery, free cash flow generation, net leverage, and liquidity. 2024 brought additional challenges, including accelerated national headwinds as well as an industry-wide slowdown in local radio advertising. In response, we doubled down on investing in growth areas, particularly in our digital marketing services business, which is pacing up 30% in Q1. Additionally, we continued evolving our broadcast go-to-market strategies, including with new offerings that are successfully attracting large new broadcast clients, and we drove additional cost efficiencies with 2024 actions that will result in $43 million of annualized fixed cost savings, of which $15 million benefited 2024 with the balance in 2025. Though the industry environment remains challenging for now, our 2024 refinancing efforts provided us with the time needed to both execute our day-to-day blocking and tackling and, in parallel, continue to reimagine the ways in which we can get the most out of our key assets to create new revenue streams and build additional long-term value.”
The California governor is launching new podcast via iHeartPodcasts titled, “This is Gavin Newsom.” iHeart
says, “Governor Newsom is going solo and diving into the real issues that matter – government, politics, affordability, quality of life, and the cultural moments shaping our world. No spin, no script, just real talk about what impacts listeners most.”
The Radio Television Digital News Association is strongly condemning President Donald Trump’s edict that he and not the White House Correspondents Association, will be selecting members of the official White House press pool. RTDNA president and CEO Dan Shelley states, “No president, or any public official,
should have the right to handpick the journalists who cover them. Doing so gives them license to select only news outlets whose coverage they deem positive and exclude responsible journalists whose reporting, although fair and accurate, the administration may not like. We call on the Trump administration to reverse this decision without delay so that the American people, and the world, can be assured they are getting a complete and accurate account of the activities of the President of the United States. This is especially critical during times of crisis.”
Audacy’s sports talk WFAN-AM/FM, New York names Emmanuel Berbari postgame show host for its New
York Yankees baseball broadcasts. Berbari, in his third year with the station, will continue to serve as a fill-in play-by-play announcer. Audacy New York market president Chris Oliviero says, “We are excited to have Emmanuel take on an expanded role as the postgame show host for WFAN’s Yankees broadcasts. Emmanuel has been a terrific contributor to our team coverage the last few seasons and his passion for the game makes him a perfect fit to wrap up each game for the fans of the Bronx Bombers.”
iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God announce that the Black Effect Podcast Festival will take place on Saturday, April 26 from 12:00 noon to 8:00 pm at Pullman Yards in Atlanta. Charlamagne Tha God will join the festival alongside some of the Black Effect’s most popular personalities for a day full of live podcast
tapings and discussions aimed at aspiring podcasters in the Black community. He says, “We’re excited to return to Atlanta, building on the incredible momentum of the podcast industry and the growing impact of Black creators in the space. As the influence of Black voices continues to shape culture and drive conversations, The Black Effect remains committed to powerful storytelling, meaningful brand collaborations and unforgettable live experiences. This year, we’re celebrating not just where we’ve been – we’re embracing the limitless future of Black podcasting and the influence it holds.”
iHeartMedia announces a multi-year partnership with the Government Communications Office of the State of Qatar to create a thriving podcasting industry in the Middle East and North Africa. iHeartMedia says, “The partnership brings world-class podcasting infrastructure to Qatar and will spark a wave of creative storytelling across the MENA region, leading to the region becoming a global podcasting hub.” iHeartMedia will develop
a state-of-the-art podcast studio in Qatar, accompanied by a lineup of original shows and the introduction of some of the world’s most popular podcasts to Arabic-listening audiences. It will also execute specialized masterclasses to nurture local talent and host global industry events, including Web Summit gatherings, positioning Qatar as a meeting point for the world’s top podcasting voices. iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman comments, “Podcasting has exploded in the US and is now a mass-reach medium. And iHeartMedia, with our expansive network as the #1 podcaster in America, is in a unique position to grow strong listenership around the globe. iHeartPodcasts features a massive catalog of original shows spanning every category and this new partnership creates an opportunity to work with a long roster of incredible creators and distribute even more content to new audiences in the Middle East.”
Indianapolis sports talk WFNI-AM/WIBC-HD2/W228CX/W298BB “93.5 & 107.5 The Fan” announces the addition of Jeff Rickard and James Boyd to the morning show with incumbent Kevin Bowen. The Urban One station says, “Kevin Bowen, a staple of Indy sports radio and a trusted voice on ‘The Fan,’ continues his role as your morning companion. Known for his deep roots in Indianapolis and unmatched Colts coverage, Kevin brings day-to-day expertise and the local sports passion fans love. Joining him is Jeff Rickard, an experienced and nationally respected sports media veteran who has called Indianapolis home for over a decade. Twice honored as Sports Illustrated’s National Sports Radio Host of the Year, Jeff delivers a wealth of knowledge, versatility, and charisma that guarantees compelling, high-energy discussions. Adding a fresh perspective is James Boyd, a dynamic Colts reporter for The Athletic with a sharp eye for analysis and storytelling. Alongside his insights on the Colts, James also occasionally writes on the Pacers and Fever.”
iHeartMedia Asheville names Jessica Fuller senior vice president of sales for the cluster that includes
news/talk WWNC-AM, sports talk WPEK-AM “ESPN Asheville,” plus five music brands. She says, “I couldn’t be more thankful for the mentorship and support I’ve received throughout my career at iHeart, which has brought me to this exciting opportunity. Working alongside such talented colleagues in this beautiful, resilient mountain town is a true privilege. I look forward to continuing to grow with iHeartMedia and helping our amazing clients succeed with the best strategies in the business.”
Air personality Matt Jones and iHeartMedia sign an exclusive five-year agreement for Jones to continue his current role as host of “Kentucky Sports Radio” on NewsRadio 630 WLAP-AM in Lexington, SportsTalk 790
AM in Louisville and 51 other stations around Kentucky. iHeartMedia Kentucky/Memphis area president Kristy Beebe states, “We are incredibly excited to extend our partnership with Matt Jones and ‘Kentucky Sports Radio.’ Matt’s unique insights and engaging style have made him a beloved figure in the sports community, and we are proud to continue bringing his show to our dedicated audience. This renewal underscores our commitment to delivering top-notch sports content and maintaining our position as the leading audio company in the region.”
Pictured above at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas attending the National Religious Broadcasters’ International Christian Media Convention are Salem Radio Network talk host Mike Gallagher (left), Colorado Christian University president (and former Salem Sacramento talk host) Eric Hogue (center), and SRN VP/news and talk programming Tom Tradup (right). Some 5,000 attendees are expected at the four-day convention.
The Broadcasters Foundation of America announces the recipients of the 2025 Leadership Awards, the Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award, and the Chairman’s Award in advance of the BFOA Annual Breakfast set for Wednesday, April 9 in the Encore Resort during the NAB Show in Las Vegas. The 2025
Leadership Award honorees are: Chris Forgy, president & CEO, Saga Communications; David Kantor, former CEO of Urban One’s Radio Division; Curtis LeGeyt, president & CEO, NAB; Susan Larkin, COO, Audacy; Dennis Lyle, president & CEO, Illinois Broadcasters Association; and Valari Staab, chairman, NBC Universal Local. The 2025 Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award honoree is Scott Herman, former COO, CBS Radio, and chair, Broadcasters Foundation of America. The2025 Chairman’s Award honoree is Richard Bodorff, senior counsel, Wiley Law.
The New York Post reports that New York sports broadcaster Al Trautwig died on Sunday (2/23) at his home on Long Island after complications from cancer. The Post notes, “The Long Island native had been a mainstay in New York sports fans’ homes over his decades-long broadcasting career, covering everything from the Yankees to the Knicks and Rangers, as well as the New York City Marathon and the Olympics.” See the Post story here.
According to a story at SILive, Red Apple Media Group owner John Catsimatidis is throwing his support behind Republican Staten Island City Council seat candidate Griffin Fossella over fellow Republican and WABC overnight host Frank Morano. Catsimatidis says he’s a longtime family friend of the Fossellas and
that Griffin Fossella worked for him on his 2013 NYC mayoral campaign. Responding to the issue, Morano tells SILive, “We all have personal relationships in this race. I’m proud to have the support of the Staten Island Republican Party… and I look forward to debating my opponent on the issues impacting South Shore residents. John [Catsimatidis] is a good friend and has given me the opportunity of a lifetime to do a nationally syndicated radio show. I’ll always be grateful to him for every opportunity he’s given me.” Catsimatidis says of Morano, “He’s a good broadcaster and he always has a job at WABC.”
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Radio is an intimate, one-to-one medium; so “you” and “your” – speaking to one person – will resonate more than addressing “all of you.” There’s only one of me.
Podcasting is even more personal, because listeners choose content in a more intentional way than they push dashboard AM/FM buttons. And because many podcast topics are specialty topics, it’s high-affinity stuff.
A major league sportscaster I’ve coached (who really gets it) put it this way: “We’re Fed-Exing it to their brains.” Said another way: Make eye contact.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
FOX News reports that Sean Hannity’s interview with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk “dominated television” on Tuesday night with 5.4 million viewers and 733,000 in the 25-54 demo. The interview delivered
a 52% increase with viewers and 58% increase in the 25-54 demo compared to Hannity’s 2025 average and saw a 129% increase with viewers compared to the same day last year. The FOX News exclusive secured nearly 70% of the cable news audience at 9:00 pm ET and was the highest-rated episode of “Hannity” in 2025 aside from Inauguration Day. According to YouTube analytics and Emplifi, FOX News drove 20.5 million video views across YouTube, TikTok, X, Instagram and Facebook.
Major League Soccer’s San Diego FC announces that iHeartMedia’s KGB-AM “San Diego Sports 760 AM” will serve as the club’s official English-language broadcast radio partner while Grupo PSN’s TUDN 1700 AM will be the club’s official Spanish-language radio partner. The multi-year partnerships ensure comprehensive
live match coverage, expert analysis, and exclusive club content for San Diego FC fans across the region. San Diego FC CEO Tom Penn comments, “We are thrilled to welcome iHeartMedia and Grupo PSN as our official radio broadcast partners. These partnerships will allow us to connect with fans in both English and Spanish, ensuring that every moment of San Diego FC’s journey is accessible to our passionate supporters.”
By Walter Sabo
CEO Sabo Media Advisors
Walter M. Sterling
Host, “Sterling Every Damn Night,” WPHT Philadelphia
“Sterling On Sunday,” TMN Syndication
Jim Gearhart is a remarkable on-air talent who was the AM drive host on New Jerey 101.5 for 20-plus years. In the 1960’s he was a star on WCBS-AM and WNEW. The illustration is an ad for his 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm show on WNBC circa 1968.
At first glance the ad presents a normal appeal to listen to Jim. Take another look. The message is: “Listen to Jim, he’s back,
“AND, you can talk to the biggest stars.”
One-on-one conversation between a listener and a newsmaker was BRAND NEW. All of the WNBC ads at the time stress that listeners could talk directly with celebrities. Listeners had to be “taught” that radio took phone calls!
There are two different types of talk radio cities: legacy cities and expansion cities.
Until the mid-1980s there were approximately 48 full-time talk stations. Their host cities had embraced talk radio since the dawn of radio. Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Miami. When satellites made it possible for more cities to have a talk station, expansion talk outlets had a serious challenge. A challenge I witnessed at WHBQ, Memphis.
WHBQ was the first telephone talk station in the hometown of Elvis. It was not doing well despite strong talent, signal and RKO money. Very few calls. Focus group participants revealed the answer: “Oh, I can call in? I thought those were actors.” The people of Memphis had never heard a telephone talk station and therefore didn’t know how it “worked.”
WNBC had the same challenge. It was the first TELEPHONE talk station in New York. Dominant WOR was #1 for decades but never took a listener phone call. The ad for Jim sold the innovation that listeners could talk to the radio.
To evolve the format, collectively we desperately need new programming features. Features as compelling as the power of one listener talking one-on-one to a newsmaker.
Walter Sabo has been a C Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General and many other leading media outlets. His company HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers.. His nightly show “Walter Sterling Every Damn Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at sabowalter@gmail.com
The highly decorated Navy Seal who fired the shots that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011, Robert J. O’Neill, is this week’s guest on the TALKERS MEDIA YouTube channel video, “Up Close Far Out with Michael Harrison.” He is one of the most highly decorated combat veterans of our time having served at SEAL Team Two, SEAL Team Four and eight years at the legendary SEAL Team Six. Taking part in and leading over 400 combat missions, O’Neill operated in the Balkans, Liberia, Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. During his remarkable career, Robert J. O’Neill has been decorated 53 times with medals and honors earned in heroic combat. Harrison and O’Neill engage in an intense conversation about morality, stress, drugs, fear, and the permanent consequences of battle incurred at the most demanding of levels. O’Neill is also the author of the New York Times and London Times bestselling memoir The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior. To view the video in its entirety, please click here.
The Radio Television Digital News Association is requesting that Associated Press reporters and photographers be reinstated in their access to the Oval Office and Air Force One. The administration revoked the AP’s press pool designation for events occurring in the Oval Office and the president’s aircraft because of the organization’s use of the AP Stylebook. That criticism includes that news organizations are referencing the Gulf of Mexico instead of the Gulf of America. The administration also said the AP is
“weaponizing language through their stylebook to push a partisan worldview in contrast with the traditional and deeply held beliefs of many Americans and many people around the world.” RTDNA president and CEO Dan Shelley states, “The current White House moves targeting one of the world’s oldest and most respected news outlets are outrageous and unacceptable. It is the Trump administration, and not the Associated Press, that is trying to contort facts so that they align with its often divisive, and sometimes completely erroneous, version of the truth. We protest the administration’s actions in this instance and object to its effort to shape shift legitimate fact-based journalism to better resemble its alternative versions of the truth.”
Pictured above is Salem Radio Network talk host Mike Gallagher (right) at the White House with press secretary Karoline Leavitt (left). Gallagher was in Washington, DC to take part in the White House Media Day event. He recorded one-on-one interviews for his radio program with Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent; senior director for counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka; senior fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum May Mailman; and Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins.
Audacy promotes sports talk personality Jake Vulinec to host of the 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm program “Overtime on The Fan” on WKRK-FM, Cleveland “92.3 The Fan.” Station brand manager Keith Britton comments, “Jake is a rising star in this industry, and we couldn’t be more excited to see him take over ‘Overtime.’ Jake’s
dedication, enthusiasm, and fresh perspective will bring new energy to the show, and we know our audience will love what he brings to the table.” Vulinec joined “92.3 The Fan” in May 2023 as a part-time update anchor and fill-in host. He says, “It’s surreal to me to be starting my career in the place I’ve called home for my entire life. I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to continue to grow alongside the outstanding team at ‘92.3 The Fan’ and the best fanbase in the world. The city of Cleveland and my fellow fans have given so much to me, and now I hope to be able to give some of that back to them.”
Legendary radio figure, Gary Stevens, passed away on Monday (2/17) in Delray Beach, FL, at the age of 84. Stevens succeeded in a number of phases of the radio business from being a major star DJ on groundbreaking top 40 outlet WMCA, New York in the 60s as one of the iconic “Good Guys” to achieving influence as a radio company manager, program distributor, media investment banker, and station broker (where he profitably rode the consolidation wave). He was known for his innovation in all these fields. He served as president of Doubleday Broadcasting in the late 70s, investments advisor with Wertheim Schroeder & Co., Inc. in the late 80s and as the head of his own firm, Gary Stevens & Co. in the 90s. During his stellar career, he served on a number of boards at major radio organizations including Saga Communications, where he briefly served as interim chairman upon the death of Ed Christian in 2022, and industry associations including the NAB and RAB. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison comments, “Although Gary Stevens’ accomplishments and influence on the radio industry stretched over more than half a century and was quite profound – kids of my generation, who had the opportunity to grow up in New York during the swingin’ sixties, will always remember him as one of the glorious WMCA Good Guys. His passing truly marks the end of an era.”
Noted industry historian and video chronicler, Art “Radio’s Best Friend” Vuolo reports to TALKERS, “Gary was the last of the WMCA Good Guys still alive, I took a fantastic B&W film from NYU’s film department that I guess ran on WNET Channel 13 in NY back in 1967 and added titles (a.k.a. supers) so each DJ would be identified and put an opening slate (in color) at the start. Gary Stevens is probably the most prominently featured in this film with some great behind-the-scenes insight as to how top 40 radio was done in America’s top market. 1010 WINS had already bowed out and gone all-news in April of 1965, so it was WMCA and WABC who were dukin’ it out in 1967. However, in the spring of 1966, WOR-FM was a new tend-setter on FM with rock n’ roll. Here’s the link (player below) to the amazing film. Enjoy every second!”