Benztown Unveils List of Top Voiceover Pros
Benztown announced the release of its 9th annual Benztown 50 List of Radio’s Biggest Imaging Voices – the radio industry’s exclusive listing of the top 50 voiceover artists in the U.S. and Canada. Benztown enlisted P1 Media Group to compile and analyze industry data that was the foundation for the list. A special highlight of
this year’s Benztown 50 is the presentation of the voiceover industry’s highest honor, the Chris Corley Lifetime Achievement Award, to Ann DeWig. Benztown president Dave “Chachi” Denes says, “We are thrilled to recognize the top 50 VO artists in the U.S. and Canada for 2024, along with the peer-voted ‘Best of Format’ honorees and the great Ann DeWig, recipient of the Chris Corley Lifetime Achievement Award. These individuals represent the pinnacle of audio branding and are synonymous with many major brands in our industry. Fifteen years ago, when we began working with VO talent, I never imagined we would collaborate with the best in North America. I am incredibly grateful for their support; without it, Benztown would not be where it is today. As we celebrate these honorees, we also honor all world-class VO talent and the emerging voices that shape the future of the industry.” See all the winners here.
Old Friends and Colleagues Gather for CRN International Reunion. Some 50 long-ago colleagues gathered at a warm weekend reunion at a cozy restaurant in the Nutmeg State for what, in the 1970s, began as “Connecticut Radio Network.” It evolved into CRN International, a major advertising promotion agency, which ceased operations a decade ago. CRN SkiWatch reports aired across the USA, customized for each affiliate, and based on conditions reported by CRN’s army of spotters. Pictured above (l-r): consultant Holland Cooke; CRN International founder Barry Berman; and WABC, New York news personality, Joe Connolly. (NOTE: CRN International is not to be confused with long-active CRN Digital Talk Radio.)
AdLarge Adds Innovative “CIRCLE THIS” Podcast to Client Stable. AdLarge, a pioneering podcast advertising agency, has announces the addition of “CIRCLE THIS with Andrea ‘Dre’ Bendewald” to the 
The hallmark awards ceremony, presented by CalViva Health in the New Exhibit Hall of the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. The awards paid tribute to 10 Central Valley women who have excelled professionally, served as role models, and given back to their communities, as well as one business honored for its support of women and women’s issues. Patty Hixson’s successful radio career spans 32 years serving the Central Valley. An active leader in the community, she has been a member of the Fig Garden Rotary Club for 30 years, serving as president in 2018, and was a longtime member of the California State University-Fresno’s Bulldog Foundation. Hixson also served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce. Patty Hixson said: “I’m honored and humbled to be recognized among this astute group of leaders. Giving back to the community is a central part of my DNA, and I thank the Marjaree Mason Center for this award and for its important efforts supporting all women in our community.”
The agreement extension will feature Jeff Lewis expanding his popular show, “Jeff Lewis Live” to two hours a day giving listeners more of Jeff Lewis promoted as “just the way you want him…live and uncensored.” Lewis tells TALKERS, “SiriusXM has given me the freedom to build a show that is unfiltered, unapologetic, and morally corrupt. I’m grateful for the opportunity to grow my show and my cult…I mean, listeners.” The show will now air Monday through Fridays from 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm ET on SiriusXM’s 
Triton Digital has just released its 
Andrea Mitchell to Receive Prestigious Award. Alliance for Women in Media (AWM) has announced that Andrea Mitchell, NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent and chief Washington correspondent, will be honored with the prestigious Gracies Icon Award at the 2024 
Radio One Charlotte, in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, is presenting an all-day radiothon today (10/17) to support those affected by Hurricane Helene. This event is taking place from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm across Radio One Charlotte stations: WOSF, WFNZ, WLNK, WPZS, WOSF-HD2 and heritage news/talk WBT. Marsha Landess, Radio One Charlotte regional VP, tells TALKERS, “We are focusing the power of our six radio stations to help raise funds for the relief efforts for our neighbors in the western part of our state. We know their lives have been turned upside down, and we want to do our part to assist them in rebuilding and recovering. Our goal is to raise a substantial amount to help them begin to put their lives back together. Every dollar counts, whether large or small.” Kay Carter, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, adds, “Everyone at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina is so grateful to Radio One for all their efforts to assist us as we work to help the many victims of Hurricane Helene. The needs are great, and we want to thank all the radio stations and their listeners for considering a donation to the Radiothon. We promise to use the donations wisely to provide food and other supplies throughout the affected areas.”
Even as its stations were airing hundreds of hours of continuous live news and storm coverage during hurricanes Helene and Milton, Cox Media Group (CMG) was raising nearly $1 million and providing food, water and necessities for impacted people and communities. That includes taking mobile charging stations into communities for people to charge their phones and other devices. Hurricane relief efforts took place across CMG’s southeast TV and Radio stations. “These efforts by our CMG family highlight the indispensable role of our stations – and our entire broadcasting industry – as we work together to make a powerful and positive impact on the communities we live in and serve,” said Dan York, CMG’s president/CEO. “As importantly, none of this would have been possible without the incredible support from our local partners and audiences. The response of our viewers and listeners has been nothing short of remarkable.” CMG radio stations include news/talker WDBO 107.3 / AM 580 in Orlando.
Premiere Networks personality Clay Travis co-hosted “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show” live from affiliate News Radio 570 WWNC in Asheville, NC (10/11). Travis toured the area via helicopter to witness the extensive damage from Hurricane Helene in an effort to continue raising awareness, funds and volunteers for hurricane relief that will be needed for months to come. During the visit, WWNC morning host/news director Mark Starling joined the broadcast for a powerful conversation about the devastation the community has experienced. He detailed how the station covered Hurricane Helene, providing vital information to the Asheville community including coordinating rescue efforts and reuniting families. Starling, who stayed at the station for 14 days straight during the hurricane, said: “…when TV couldn’t do it, the newspaper couldn’t do it, there was nothing online, the only thing left was AM/FM radio. All seven stations stayed on the air simulcasted… we were wall-to-wall…what we wanted to do here at the radio station, at iHeart Asheville, was we wanted to show the community that we can get through this. And we’ve been kind of repeating this line: ‘community is the answer to this crisis.’ …what we have seen is the absolute best in humanity in an absolute horrific, horrific time.” Listen to their full conversation 
“The CloakRoom with Former Senator Doug Jones” will air live tomorrow from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm ET on channel 127. According to company sources, with just a few weeks remaining before the November 5 elections, Senator Jones will engage with Progress listeners, taking calls to discuss the pressing news stories of the day. He’ll also leverage his personal political experience to analyze the key senatorial races, as well as the presidential election. In addition, the former senator will be joined by Julie Chavez Rodriguez, VP Kamala Harris’s campaign manager, as well as a surprise guest. “The stakes in this election could not be any higher,” Jones tells TALKERS. “I can’t think of a better way to talk directly with voters nationwide and have real conversations about the issues at the top of their minds as we head into Election Day. As a regular guest on SiriusXM’s Progress channel, I know they have a passionate audience with a lot of important, fresh subjects to discuss, so this should be a lot of fun.” The show will have its first run live during the usual time slot of “The Dean Obeidallah Show.” 
already streamlined Emergency Grant Guidelines and Application Process to make it even easier and faster to get funds into the hands of broadcasters hit hardest by these storms. The situation is catastrophic for many of our colleagues and with insufficient or total lack of internet service, an individual or families cannot even submit an application.” Under the adjusted guidelines, broadcasters who have suffered catastrophic loss contact their market or general manager, who then fills out the Hurricanes Helene and Milton Group Submission Form for all of those within their station who are applying. 
This edition explores game-changing shifts in creativity, artificial intelligence, measurement, and audience activation—highlighting key trends crucial for navigating the evolving ad environment. KEY FINDINGS: According to research compiled in the guide, emotional messaging is gaining renewed importance in audio advertising, driving an 8.2% increase in consumer action with ads that evoke positive feelings. In the creator economy, “test and see” strategies are becoming obsolete, as authentic creator partnerships are now essential to media plans. In fact, 40% of advertisers are shifting from one-off campaigns to year-long collaborations with creators, recognizing the lasting value these partnerships offer.
The one-hour show is live weekdays from 6:00 -7:00 pm. WGCH covers Fairfield County, CT as well as neighboring Westchester County, NY. The station serves the community with extensive local news, sports and talk programming. Boyer tells TALKERS, “My show will be fast paced, very informative, full of joy and very uplifting, for my listeners.” Boyer hosts two other syndicated shows – “Cannabis Talk A-Z” and “Frankie Boyer Radio.” For more information contact 508-878-1782 or 
He will report directly to PodcastOne’s president Kit Gray and will leverage his industry expertise to expand internal sales and publishing synergies, increase talent revenues and the company’s prominence with both media buyers and content creators. 
WOR, New York morning co-host Michael Riedel returned to the airwaves yesterday morning (10/1) after a camping trip to North Carolina that turned into a rather harrowing experience due to Hurricane Helene. 
Riedel arrived in North Carolina last Tuesday and learned from his group’s guide that the forecast was rain for the entire duration of their trip. At that point, no one connected the rain with the hurricane, however. When their time on the mountain first began, Michael and his fellow hikers may have thought their near run-in with a bear was going to be the craziest part of their trip, but after two days of near-steady rain, Riedel’s group’s guide made the decision to end the hike and come down the mountain to seek safety. “The guide said if we don’t get down to the road…the river is going to flood and we will be trapped,” Riedel told his co-host Len Berman and morning news anchor Larry Mendte. “[But] all of the little streams and the creeks that we crossed on the way up…were now raging torrents of water, and we had to find places to cross. And when we crossed the streams, we all had to, like, hold on to each other to form a chain so that the water wouldn’t wash us away…and we had to do that three times.” Even though they were without electricity, internet, or phone service and had virtually no food and were down to just four bottles of water to share among 10 group members, Riedel and his group found a bed and breakfast in downtown Asheville that despite calls for evacuation was willing to take them in. “You know, I have to say I was very lucky,” Riedel reflected. “There was a woman who worked [there who] took water from the Creek behind the B&B and… made vegetable soup [using vegetables from their garden]…to feed us.” Ultimately, after three days of being stranded, Riedel was able to share a ride to the airport with another guest at the bed and breakfast and landed back at LaGuardia airport Monday evening (9/30). Talk about home sweet home. To hear more about Riedel’s adventure,