MONDAY MEMO: Bleep?
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
As the Dodgers celebrated the win that advanced them to the National League Championship Series, a FOX Sports TV reporter asked LA’s Enrique Hernandez what made this team so special.
First checking “Are we live?” Hernandez replied, “The fact that we don’t give a f**k!” (which was not bleeped).
Earlier that day vice presidential candidate Tim Walz campaigned in Michigan. Reacting to disparaging remarks Donald Trump had made ABOUT Detroit IN Detroit, Walz quipped “All’s they know about manufacturing is manufacturing bullshit.”
Later that evening, Bill Maher delivered the amusingly plainspoken experience his HBO viewers paid to opt-into. Next day, his uncensored vocabulary jumped to basic cable, via CNN’s free-with-commercials rebroadcast. I’ve heard a CNN talking head say “asshole;” and panelists on other cable news channels now say “bullshit” nonchalantly.
Call me a prude, but I make my living improving the results businesses get by advertising on radio stations I consult…because listeners keep listening. Lotsa luck if they don’t hear the commercial…because they tuned out…because they have kids in the car.
Admittedly, by simply uttering a term as antique as “prude,” I risk seeming late.
Why I wince when I hear “pissed off” on the air? That’s grown-up talk Homer and Marge Listener might use when Bart and Lisa and Maggie aren’t around. And my clients can recite my spiel about how “parents with children of any age still living at home are the super-spenders local retailers want to meet.” So, wouldn’t “irked” or “chagrined” or “miffed” do?
I asked around…
Salem Media Group CEO David Santrella: “I couldn’t agree more. I’ve never been asked why I DIDN’T use foul language, but a few times, on the occasion that I did, I have been asked why I chose those words. That’s always ended with me needing to apologize.”
Consultant Mike McVay hears “a continual downgrading generation-to-generation of what’s acceptable.” He recalls, “When I was eight years old, some older kids were laughing about the ‘F Word’ being written in chalk on a sidewalk. I asked my mother what it meant. She was horrified. Today it is used in off-air conversation casually. It’s used in many songs” radio plays.
Evolution? Devolution?
TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison observes how “the potency of these words has changed over the years. Words like ‘hell,’ ‘damn,’ or even ‘bitch’ were no-no’s.” Now, political correctness has us on the verge of saying what we allude to with initials, “the ‘N’ word, the ‘R’ word, and the ‘F’ word.”
Veteran network radio and TV anchor Ted David reckons that “language is a dynamic thing. ‘Scumbag’ — which meant a condom — is now universally accepted. ‘Sucks’ used to mean fellatio. And in Europe the ‘C’ word is frequently uttered in public. How long till here?”
McVay recalls: “One of my adult children recently used the phrase ‘pissed off’ in a public setting. I said, ‘Not appropriate.’ She said, ‘I didn’t think of it as profanity’ and apologized.”
Is it just a matter of time?
Among Mike’s daughter’s demographic cohort, WJNK VP and Jessamine County Living Magazine president Brittany Moses: “With the changing media landscape, listeners are more conditioned to hearing language we would have gasped at even 5-10 years ago. I do think that while there should be some limitations for the ‘family’ stations, I could see the broadcast community getting more lax on language. I think it’ll be inevitable. SXM, podcasts, etc. are already moving that direction.”
Even as Bill Maher‘s vocabulary leaks from HBO to CNN, Arkansas Broadcasters Association executive director Neal Gladner draws a line: “Where someone is paying to listen to a specific program, I presume they know what they’re going to get and those are not advertiser-based offerings. It’s a different set of concerns.” For broadcasters? “Whether it’s a morning talk show or news on a cable network, I think the best rule to apply is would you use that language in front of your grandmother?”
WABC’s Joe Connolly is among dozens of WDRC/Hartford alumni who advanced to major market success. He recalls venerable PD Charlie Parker‘s advice to “imagine the people listening as a family watching a parade – grandparents, parents and kids.” Joe says “I’ve followed that advice ever since. It hasn’t hurt my career one bit.”
How did we get here?
Lisa Gache has advised Oscar-winning celebrities, and high-profile brands such as Mattel, Tiffany & Co., Burberry, TJX Companies, American Girl, Beverly Wilshire and the Hotel Bel-Air.
“People are negative. They’re angry, they’re fed up, they’re impatient, they’re right and they’re not taking it anymore. And this is what we’re hearing reflected in our vocabulary. It’s everywhere, it’s crass and it’s uncomfortable. But it did not begin with Trump.”
Her advice? “Managing the cringe can only occur through leading by example. This is why I always try to clean up my side of the street first and be the role model I’d like to see in the world. I never tell anyone what to do (including offering advice), unless you’re my kid or you’ve hired me to instruct you.” Gache adds, “And while we’re on the subject of foul language, I have to admit I started watching VEEP again, and the expletive-laden analogies they spew, one after the other, is some of the smartest dialogue I’ve ever encountered! I cannot stop laughing because it’s too good and it works. But this is the celluloid world and in the real word, you just can’t do that!”
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “The Local Radio Advantage: Your 4-Week Tune-In Tune-Up” and “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
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, 
Six members of the state’s broadcasting community were inducted including Betty-Jo Cugini of WERI/WRX Radio/WLNE-TV/WJAR-TV; Chris DiPaola of WBLQ-AM Radio (posthumously); Joe Hassett, color commentator Providence College Basketball; Dan Yorke of WPRO-AM Radio/WPRI-TV; Paul Zangari of WEAN-AM Radio/RI PBS/ WPRO-AM Radio; and Sean Daly, WLNE-TV/WPRI-TV. An emotional high-point of the ceremony took place when the late Chris DiPaola was inducted as the inaugural recipient of the Ron St. Pierre Radio Innovator Award – named after the late RI radio legend who passed away earlier this year. The award was accepted by DiPaola’s father and son. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison attended the event, noting, “Last night’s beautiful gathering was a reminder that local radio and television are very much alive and well in Rhode Island. There were laughs, tears, pride, camaraderie, and an abundance of good vibes. It was inspirational!”
The podcast publishing arm of iHeartMedia and Radio Ambulante Studios (RAS), a pioneering Spanish-language podcast production company that tells the stories of Latin America and Latino communities around the world, announced a deal that will bring RAS and its full slate of shows to iHeart’s My Cultura Podcast Network. As part of the deal, Radio Ambulante Studios’ flagship, award-winning podcast “
Remote News Service (RNS), a boutique news network providing hyper local, and custom news and traffic remotely, has added four new affiliates. These include station clusters in Wisconsin in both Prairie du Chien and Viroqua, and in Michigan two more markets, Soo and Sault Ste. Marie. Gabe Buch, OM/PD at Robinson Media’s WQPC, Prairie du Chien tells TALKERS, “Remote News has a been a life saver! Very easy to work with and they went the extra step to make our news local. The transition to Remote News was very easy and the anchor we chose is easy to work with and sounds great.” Michael SanAngelo, OM for Sovereign Communications adds, “Our company is on the Canadian border, and we’ve struggled for years to find the right person to collect, write and deliver solid local and regional news on our seven-radio station group. In just two weeks with Remote News Service, our news content has been night and day better and exactly what we have always wanted.” RNS owner Lesley Lotto tells TALKERS, “I’m floored once again at the tremendous growth! 54% this year so far. But this is not about me, it’s our amazing team who continues to attract new clients due to their dedication and hard work. I’m beyond proud.” To learn more about RNS, 
Premiere Networks announces the addition of “
Ham is a prominent journalist, FOX News contributor, speaker, author, and co-host of the news podcast “
The duo will help listeners navigate the headlines that matter most to American families and understand how they affect them. Known for being funny and a bit irreverent, yet serious and thoughtful about important issues, Markowicz and Ham have one purpose in mind: to keep the audience informed without wearing them out.
What’s it like to be a self-made billionaire mogul with powerful ownership interests in the media, grocery, energy, real estate, political, and sports industries? TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison presents a candid one-on-one dialogue with Red Apple Group CEO and WABC, New York owner John Catsimatidis that covers all the above bases and then some. “Cats” discusses his ongoing plans for WABC Radio; the future of the AM radio dial; roots of the inflated cost of food and gasoline; his development of beach front condo properties in Coney Island, NY and St. Petersburg, FL; and what he describes as his “common sense” approach to today’s political environment. Catsimatidis’ life is the embodiment of the American Dream – a true rags-to-riches story of a Greek immigrant who came to New York City with his family at the age of six months and worked his way to success, starting in his parents’ humble grocery store, to become one of the most influential individuals in the nation. Harrison and Catsimatidis take the viewer on an amazing “fun” journey from the nostalgic sidewalks and baseball stadiums of old New York to the pinnacle of 21st century business, media, and technology. To view this exciting new entry on the TALKERSMEDIA YouTube channel, please