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Yesterday’s (9/16) Top News/Talk Media Stories

The second attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life over the weekend remained the most talked about story in talk media yesterday (9/16).  The Israel-Hamas war and rising Middle East tensions; the Russia-Ukraine war; the migrant crisis; and situation in Springfield, OH; the economy-inflation and the indictment of Sean “Diddy” Combs were also some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

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WPHT, Philly Draws 500 to “Politics & Pints” Live Event with Don, Jr

Dom and DonAudacy news/talker WPHT, Philadelphia’s recently launched live series of public meeting events titled “Politics & Pints” kicked into high gear this past Thursday (9/12) evening as popular station midday personality Dom Giordano hosted an evening with Trump Organization EVP, Donald Trump, Jr before a sold-out crowd of 500 listeners, sponsors, and local officials at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood, NJ. The conversation covered the election, the state of the union, and Trump Jr’s worldview. Giordano (pictured above left) tells TALKERS, “Don Trump Jr (r) took us inside big Trump moments like the family coming down the escalator in 2016 and his call with his father after he was shot. He did this while doing a dead-on Trump impression and speaking fluent Czech.”  Giordano adds, “He was very personable and quite intelligent.” Politics and PintsA cash bar for soft drinks, beer and wine was available for purchase in the lobby of the Scottish Rite Auditorium. Ticket prices ranged from $500, which included a VIP pre-event meet and greet, a copy of Letters to Trump and a commemorative Politics & Pints tumbler, to $195 for reserved seating that included a copy of Letters to Trump by former President Donald Trump. Special handicap seating was also available.

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TALKERS News Notes

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Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (9/14-15)

The second attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life was a major topic in news/talk media late in the weekend. Other topics included the presidential race followed by the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, the economy-inflation, the migrant crisis (focused on the debunked Haitian/Springfield, OH pet story) and the NYPD investigation which were the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

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Charlotte’s WBT AM/FM, Radio One, and The Carolina Journal partner to present “The Carolina Journal News Hour on WBT”

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TALKERS News Notes

98.5 The Sports Hub Names Ryan Johnston as New Boston Bruins Play-By-Play Announcer.  Beasley Media Group’s 98.5 The Sports Hub, WBZ-FM, Boston has named Ryan Johnston to take over play-by-play duties for the Bruins NHL broadcasts. Johnston replaces Judd Sirott, who recently left the radio seat to move over to TV. The sports radio veteran has been with The Sports Hub since 2009. He’s been the PBP fill-In on 98.5 and the Boston Bruins Radio Network since 2010. Johnston has also been the main host of the station’s Saturday morning “Sports Hub Hockey Show” since 2012. For the past three years he’s been a regular fill-in for the “Toucher & Hardy” (Fred Toucher and Rob “Hardy” Poole morning program.)

 

Joe Thomas Morning Show Now in Syndication by TMN.  2024 has been quite a year for talk broadcaster Joe Thomas of Charlottesville, VA. imHe purchased his own station – WTON, Staunton, VA after serving the Charlottesville market for years as morning host of WCHV. Now he has put his morning talk show into syndication through Talk Media Network. It has already been cleared on WZXI in Lancaster, KY and WTTB on Florida’s ‘Treasure Coast’ (as well as his own WTON in Central Virginia). Joe tells TALKERS, “This is such an honor to work with people like Josh Leng and Willis Damalt at TMN. We’re up every morning to help the new listeners get their day started just like we have been for over 20 years!” He adds, “Just like that ‘other’ guy named Thomas [Jefferson] from Charlottesville, my show promises free speech and independence and I hope that it too spreads across America.”  For information about “Joe Thomas in-the-morning,” contact Willis Damalt at TMN. 917-603-7148 or willis@talkmedianetwork.com.

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Top News/Talk Media Stories for Week of September 9-13

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BOSTON GLOBE: FCC Cracking Down on Unlicensed Radio Stations in Mass – the Majority Cater to Haitians

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Audacy Podcasts Enters Strategic Partnership with Non-Profit “The Moth”

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TALKERS News Notes

WJR AM 760 Brings Live NFL Football to Detroit Sports Fans on Monday and Thursday Nights.WJR  Cumulus Media announces that Detroit news/talk station WJR AM 760 will air NFL football on Monday and Thursday nights through a new agreement with Westwood One. WJR AM 760 will provide exclusive and comprehensive coverage of the 2024-2025 NFL season, broadcasting Monday and Thursday night regular season football games on the station and in a simulcast on Cumulus Media’s WDVD-FM HD2.  WJR AM 760 coverage will also include the NFL Playoffs, beginning with the wild card round and ending with the Super Bowl. Coming up on WJR AM 760’s NFL coverage is the Buffalo Bills match-up against the Miami Dolphins in Miami tonight (9/12) at 7:30pm.  Ann Thomas, PD of WJR AM 760, tells TALKERS, “WJR is thrilled to partner with Westwood One to bring Monday and Thursday night NFL football to Michigan residents.”

 

Ashley Sterner Sheilah Kast

Morning Host Ashley Sterner Expands Role at Baltimore Public Media’s WYPR.    Baltimore Public Media’s WYPR 88.1 FM has announced that Ashley Sterner (pictured above, left), long-time host of “Morning Edition,” will now co-host “On the Record” alongside Sheilah Kast (r). Sterner, a familiar voice at WYPR for nearly two decades, steps into her new role to expand her engagement with the community through in-depth discussions and storytelling.  Kast expressed excitement about Sterner’s new position telling TALKERS,  “Ashley has been instrumental in how our listeners start their day, and now she brings that same expertise to deepen the dialogue on ‘On the Record.’ We are delighted to welcome her as co-host and look forward to the fresh perspectives she will introduce alongside our engaging program content.” Sterner adds, “I’m excited to share more of Maryland’s stories on the radio and couldn’t dream of working with a better team!”  The program, produced by Maureen Harvie and Melissa Gerr, offers interviews involving “audacious artists, intrepid scientists, community leaders, and more.” WYPR Sterner will make her co-hosting debut tomorrow (9/13) on the NPR affiliate, with the show broadcasting every Wednesday and Friday at 9:30 am.  (Photo by Melissa Gerr/WYPR.)

 

Golf

Broadcasters Foundation Pulls Off Major Fund Raiser to Benefit Industry.   A record number of radio and television on-air personalities and executives, plus renowned athletes, turned up on Monday (9/9) for the sold-out Celebrity Golf Tournament, a major fundraiser for the Broadcasters Foundation of America, which helps broadcasters in acute need due to life-altering illness and other catastrophies. BFOA Logo Pictured above are the on-air celebrities and athletes who participated at the Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, NY. For more information about the BFoA, please click here www.broadcastersfoundation.org

 

Virtual News Center Adds Missouri Cluster.  Virtual News Center – a growing independent news provider for radio stations – is adding five new stations to its list of affiliates with the additions of KCGQ, KGKS, KEZS, and KGIR. The stations serve Cape Girardeau, MO. River Radio, LLC owns KSIM/KZIM Newsradio 960 and added Virtual News Center to the rest of its cluster following the success of the station. “KZIM/KSIM has been very pleased to have a relationship with Virtual News Center over the last several years. We have recently grown that relationship by utilizing the Virtual News Center news writing and production services. They provide quality, timely, news with talent that connects with our listening audience,” says general manager Mike Renick. “Mike Renick and Faune Riggin are doing great radio in Cape Girardeau, and we are excited to make their local news shine with Karen Johnson and Brandon Dickson,” says Virtual News Center owner Joel Dearing.  Johnson will anchor daily newscasts for the cluster with reporting from Dickson. Virtual News Center provides market-specific news, weather, and sports content to dozens of radio stations across the U.S.   For more information visit www.virtualnewscenter.com.

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Bill O’ Reilly is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Video Podcast

Click Heree
Is the new communications technology a threat to free speech and privacy?  Has the presidency become too much of a media and cultural focal point in our society?  How important is character versus competency in judging public officials?  What impact is AI having on academic honesty?  Is YouTube creating a sea change in the national media landscape?  These questions and more are tackled in a fascinating interview conducted by TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison with radio, TV, and online talk icon, Bill O’ Reilly on this week’s installment of “Up Close Far Out” presented by the new TALKERS Media YouTube channel.  In addition to being a major cable news/talk TV pioneer and a successful cross-platform talk media commentator still going and growing in the digital era, O’ Reilly is the author of 18 consecutive #1 New York Times best sellers.  Harrison and O’ Reilly discuss his new release, Confronting the Presidents: No Spin Assessments from Washington to Biden among an array of topics.  Don’t miss this!  To view the program in its entirety, please click here.

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Yesterday’s (9/11) Top News/Talk Media Stories

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Talk Media Had a Dynamic Night – FOX and Other Networks Propose Additional Debate in October

Debate Illustration generative AIAcross the nation, talk media hosts from radio, television, cable, podcasting, and YouTube channels were literally working overtime immediately before, during, and after the historic ABC News presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia.  TALKERS received reports from across the talk industry that, unlike so many events of this nature that prove disappointing, this debate delivered an edge-of-the-seat, non-stop drama that evoked comparisons to an emotional sporting event like a 12 round heavyweight championship bout during the golden age of boxing. Legendary WPHT, Philadelphia midday host Dom Giordano was in attendance reporting for his station as well as hundreds of others across America that tapped into his swing state perspective on an ad hoc basis.  Dom GiordanoGiordano tells TALKERS,  “Being in the Spin Room was like being in the middle of multiple simultaneous rugby scrums while trying to discuss the most sensitive issues for our country.”  During post-debate coverage, lead election anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum announced that FOX News Media sent letters to both the Harris and Trump campaigns around 7:30 pm before last night’s debate requesting the opportunity to host an additional debate in October. Here’s an excerpt from the letter:

We propose to host a debate in October while early in-person voting gets underway in multiple battleground states. We’d like to offer the following options:

  • Wednesday, October 9 in Arizona
  • Tuesday, October 15 in Georgia
  • Wednesday, October 16 in North Carolina

 Media critic Brian Stelter of CNN reports, “Multiple TV networks are eager to host a presidential debate in October. The Harris campaign, exuding confidence after Harris baited Trump on stage Tuesday night, immediately said she would agree to a second debate with the ex-president. But Trump is not committing, and his overnight comments suggest he is not serious about a sequel.”  On Fox & Friends this morning Trump rejected Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, the aforementioned anchors that FOX suggested as potential debate moderators in October proposing Sean Hannity, Jesse Watters or Laura Ingraham instead.

The next big event in this World Series of politics will be the VP debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance to be hosted by CBS on October 1.

 

Industry News

Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio Announces Free Virtual Digital Sales Webinar

Digital Sales Webinar
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. (MIW), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to advancing female leadership in radio broadcasting, in conjunction with Beasley Media Group, has announced an upcoming Digital Sales Webinar. This productive and valuable event will feature three of the industry’s most respected leaders and innovators in the digital space: Tina Murley, chief revenue officer of Beasley Media Group; Jenny Sutton, SVP of digital media sales and operations for Audacy; and Shannon Knoepke, market president of Townsquare Media, Minnesota. The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, September 19th at 4:00 pm ET. Topics will include:

• The growing importance of Digital Audio, with a focus on streaming and podcasting.

• Leveraging Social Media as a powerful tool for audience engagement and revenue generation.

• Maximizing the potential of Local Digital initiatives.

• Best practices for Impression-Based Selling, including pricing strategies and performance metrics.

• The role of Third-Party Partnerships in driving success.

• Strategies for enhancing Advertiser ROI through innovative digital approaches.

• The synergistic value of combining Over-the-Air (OTA) and Digital platforms to boost client returns.

“This webinar is a unique opportunity to learn from the top minds in digital sales and gain insights that can help navigate the complexities of today’s media landscape,” said Ruth Presslaff, MIW board president. “We encourage everyone to join us for what promises to be a compelling and educational event, beautifully arranged by Sheila Kirby and generously sponsored by Beasley Media Group.”  Beasley Media Group CEO Caroline Beasley adds, “We are thrilled to support this important MIW webinar that underscores the vital role digital plays in our business today.”

Register for the webinar here. To learn more about Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc., visit radiomiw.com.

 

 

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TALKERS News Notes

imOne More Debate Story Out of Philly.  We must share this with you.  Last night’s spectacular was a bonanza of activity for Audacy’s swing state news/talk giant WPHT (as is this entire election).  The station is the home of Walter M Sterling’s idiosyncratic “Sterling Every Damn Night” 9:00 pm – 12:00 midnight.  Sterling (a.k.a. Walter Sabo) aired the entire debate followed by probing analysis from a male entertainer, “Donald Trunk,” in addition to “Steven a baker and bakery owner,” “Thea Landen, a smutty book author,” “Celena Ballerina a senior in college” and the station’s real midday host Dom Giordano. For one hour, they discussed how crappy their food and electrical bills are as well as how confusing the debaters were. A caller thanked Thea for her nightly smutty book readings stating, “She reminds me of my wife.”

Industry News

Yesterday’s (9/10) Top News/Talk Media Stories

Anticipation of last night’s presidential debate and coverage thereof topped the list of yesterday’s topics followed closely by the economy. Abortion, gun control, the migrant crisis, the Israel-Hamas war, the Russia-Ukraine war and  climate change were also some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday (9/10), according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

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TALKERS News Notes

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Annual “Grassroots Radio Conference” Focusing on Progressive Media and Issues Set for New Orleans

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Yesterday’s (9/9) Top News/Talk Media Stories

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TALKERS News Notes

Mark KayeCanceled (WOKV-FM, Jacksonville) Talk Radio Host Returns With Political Podcast “Mark Kaye Saves the Republic!”Radio talk show host and Newsmax TV personality Mark Kaye tells TALKERS that he’s launching an entertaining new political podcast, “Mark Kaye Saves the Republic!”Lara Trump and Mark Kaye The new daily podcast and livestream promises to deliver fun and informative takes on breaking news and political headlines. Mark approaches the show with his trademark high energy and quick wit to create what he describes as “a cool atmosphere for all his loyal listeners affectionately called Kayetriots.”  Kaye states, “I am beyond excited to create entertaining and informative daily content again. Since I was canceled [by WOKV-FM, Jacksonville], my audience has been struggling to find real news and true conservative values on the radio or anywhere else. This is not just another news podcast. It’s an online world where patriotic Americans come together to get the daily information and inspiration they need to keep fighting for this great country. My listeners and I are going to save the republic and we’re going to have a lot of fun doing it!”  The show kicks off this week with live coverage from the Presidential Debate in Philadelphia. “Mark Kaye Saves The Republic!” is produced by Kayetriot Media.

 

 

 

Heidi HarrisHeidi Harris Inducted Into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame.  After 26 years in radio including stints at KXNT and KDWN in Las Vegas, veteran talk show host Heidi Harris was inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame this past weekend (9/7).  Harris tells TALKERS, “It’s an honor to be recognized by the Nevada Broadcasters Association, which works tirelessly on behalf of the broadcasting community, and awards generous scholarships every year to the next generation of broadcasters.”  Harris continues to be a trailblazer presenting “The Heidi Harris Show” as an online streaming and video podcast production.

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Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (9/7-8)

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Connoisseur Morphs WICC, Bridgeport into “The Voice of Connecticut” to Fill Gap Left by the Late WCBS 880

WICCConnoisseur Media tells TALKERS about a variety of significant changes for its Western Connecticut news/talk powerhouse, WICC 600 AM, Bridgeport – changes inspired by the closing of Audacy’s WCBS 880 in adjacent New York City. Brigitte Quinn WICC is now “The Voice of Connecticut” expanding its reach by simulcasting on 95.9 FM, previously home to classic rock formatted “The Fox.” This strategic move is designed to strengthen WICC’s position as Fairfield County’s premier source for news, talk, and information.  A pivotal part of this transformation is WICC’s new affiliation with CBS News, which will provide national news coverage at the top of every hour. Station officials tell TALKERS, this partnership reinforces WICC’s role as the region’s trusted news source, delivering timely and credible information to the communities it serves.  “This rebranding and expansion to 95.9 FM represents a pivotal moment for WICC,” stated Keith Dakin, VP of Programming for Connoisseur Media. “The talent on our team, coupled with our new affiliation with CBS News, will allow us to meet the demand for news and talk programming in Southern Connecticut. We’re excited about this next phase and looking forward to serving a much wider geography and bigger audience.”  But, as the saying goes, that’s not all.  A new local daytime show from 12:00 noon-2:00 pm ET will be added beginning September 30th hosted by Brigitte Quinn who was the creator, host, and managing editor of “Newsline” on WCBS 880.  She was the station’s first female morning-drive anchor and later anchored mornings on 1010 WINS. Quinn’s TV career includes roles at MSNBC, NBC News at Sunrise, and Fox News Channel.  Quinn remarks, “Ever since my family and I moved back to beautiful Connecticut, I’ve become a faithful WICC listener. I’m delighted to be joining such a great news/talk radio station, ‘The Voice of Connecticut.’”  Quinn’s addition brings WICC’s entire daytime lineup local as she joins talk hosts Melissa Sheketoff 5:00 am -10:00 am, Lisa Wexler 10:00 am-12:00 noon and Paul Pacelli from 2:00 pm-6:00 pm.  New additions to weekend programming also include Emmy nominee Chef Plum, Mike Cerulli of WTNH, New Haven,  and Dave Ruden of the Ruden Report covering local high school sports.  The station plans to continue evolving in this direction with one more critical news reporter position to fill. “We invite Fairfield County listeners to tune in to ‘The Voice of Connecticut,’” says Kristin Okesson, SVP of Connoisseur Media Connecticut. Connoisseur Media Logo“Our affiliation with CBS News paired with these exciting changes in programming reinforces our commitment to deliver modern, engaging content and we’re confident that our audiences will appreciate the new ‘voice’ they hear.   I’m especially proud that our daytime shows are hosted by four incredibly talented hosts – three of them in particular are outstanding women in their own right.” WICC can be streamed at voiceofct.com.  For more insight into these changes, check out WICC host Lisa Wexler’s interview conducted on air yesterday with company CEO Jeff Warshaw by clicking here.

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Newsmax Files With SEC for Initial Public Offering, Plans to List on NYSE

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TALKERS News Notes

Beasley Broadcast Group Launches Exchange Offer, New Notes Offer, Tender Offer and Consent Solicitations Relating to Existing Notes. Beasley Broadcast Group is offering, to people who hold its current debt, the opportunity to exchange their existing debt for new debt with slightly better terms, as well as some shares of the company’s stock. The company is also giving an option for those debt holders to sell part of their debt for cash, though at a lower price than its original value. Beasley hopes this will help improve its financial situation by reducing its debt and extending the deadline for paying it off. Most of their debt holders are already on board with this plan.

FOX Weather Debuts Sports Weather Video Podcast.  FOX Weather meteorologists Ian Oliver and Steve Bender are debuting a one-of-a-kind sports weather video podcast entitled “Storming the Field today (9/6). The podcast, which will air each week during the NFL season, will be made available on FOXNewsPodcasts.com, FOX Weather’s YouTube page and stream Friday nights on FOX Weather from 11:00 -11:30 pm ET.  Featuring FOX Weather’s exclusive Risk of Weather Impact (ROWI) forecast, Oliver and Bender will break down how the weather will affect each week’s top NFL games and players. They will be joined by a special guest to preview each game, detail how the teams will handle the elements and explain the impact weather will have on the fan experience, fantasy football and sports betting. Free agent NFL running back Melvin Gordon III is Oliver and Bender’s guest on today’s first episode.

 

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C.C. Carter Making Brilliant 9/11 Tributes Available at No Cost to Talk Media Shows

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Top News/Talk Media Stories for Week of September 2-6

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Catsimatidis Adds Roger Stone to WABC and Expanding Syndie Roster

Roger StoneWABC, New York/Red Apple Media owner/CEO John Catsimatidis continues to add intriguing live elements to the lineup of his radio station and leverage them into product for his growing syndication platform, Red Apple Audio Networks.  The latest such addition to the station and network is unapologetically controversial political strategist Roger Stone.  Since the 1970s, Stone has worked on the campaigns of Republican politicians, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Jack Kemp, Bob Dole, and most recently, Donald Trump.  Stone’s show is heard on WABC, Sunday afternoons from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET.  The first two hours focus on national and world news and are available to radio stations across the nation via the Red Apple Audio Network.  The third hour is specific to WABC and issues focused on the New York area.  In making the announcement about his new association with Stone, Catsimatidis tells TALKERS, “His insightful commentary on the political landscape and what’s ahead for America will be of tremendous value to our listeners in New York, around the country, and around the world.”  Stone adds, “John has done a great job bringing in big names from politics, business, and entertainment and I’m looking forward to enjoying being on the radio, sharing my perceptions about what’s going on in Washington and the world, and connecting with listeners across America.”

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ARE YOU READY? Westwood One Launches 38th Consecutive Season as Exclusive Primetime Radio Partner of NFL

Cumulus, Westwood One, NFL

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New York Festivals 2025 Radio Awards Opens for Entries

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TALKERS News Notes

Blood Donation Event

National Blood Donation Week.  Yesterday (9/4) was National Blood Donation Day in America and this is National Blood Donation Week (9/1-9/7). Las Vegas-based TMN syndicated and TALKERS Heavy Hundred host Dr. Daliah Wachs was instrumental in creating these established annual events during which governors across the U.S. unite to help generate blood donations and raise awareness in support of the nation’s blood banks. A former recipient of the TALKERS “Humanitarian of the Year” award, she is pictured above giving blood while being interviewed yesterday by media personality Everett Cardwell on Las Vegas TV station KSNV channel 3.   Drives are being held across the country and can be found by visiting the American Red Cross website.  For media inquiries, or to arrange an interview, please contact Dr. Daliah Wachs at doctordaliah@hotmail.com or (702) 279-4123.

 

  Toyota and Lexus Join New Three-Year SiriusXM Subscription Program.  LexusSiriusXM today (9/5) announced that Toyota is now participating in its new three-year Extended Service Subscription program designed to empower automakers and dealerships in the United States to deliver even more value to new-vehicle buyers. Through this program, participating Toyota and Lexus retailers across the nation are now able to include the Extended Service Subscriptions to SiriusXM’s leading audio entertainment services with the purchase of select new vehicles, expanding the Toyota and Lexus Connected Services features available for customers while providing flexibility in payment options.  ToyotaSiriusXM capability is a standard feature in all Toyota and Lexus models sold in the United States. Now, participating Toyota and Lexus dealerships can choose to add the three-year Extended Service Subscription to new models featuring the latest Toyota Audio Multimedia and Lexus Interface. The three-year subscription’s cost will be added to the vehicle’s purchase or lease price. Vehicles that do not include the three-year Extended Service Subscription will continue to include a standard three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM.

 

Industry News

Yesterday’s (9/4) Top News/Talk Media Stories

The horrific Georgia school shooting topped the list of yesterday’s topics followed closely by the presidential race. Donald Trump’s ongoing legal issues, the economy, the migrant crisis, the Israel-Hamas war, and the Russia-Ukraine war were also some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday (9/4), according to ongoing research from TALKERS.