Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Audacy raises more than $3.9 million for the Jimmy Fund, which supports adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston during the 22nd “WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon.” Audacy says that since 2002, the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon has raised over $73 million to improve the lives of cancer patients everywhere.

FOX News Digital finished July as the top news brand with multiplatform minutes and views, according to data from Comscore. FOX News Digital closed out the month reaching 3.9 billion total multiplatform minutes, 1.9 billion total multiplatform views, and 119 million total digital multiplatform unique visitors.

Salem Radio Network is reporting from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week. SRN vice president/news & talk programming Tom Tradup says, “Bob Agnew’s up-close-and-personal knowledge of Kamala Harris from covering her in the Senate bring a rich depth to his coverage of her ascendancy to the 2024 Democrats nominee for president. Our tag-team of Agnew and SRN News White House correspondent Greg Clugston already is delivering DNC 2024 coverage that’s second to none in radio news.”

CBS News Radio takes home two Edward R. Murrow Awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association. CBS won in two categories: Breaking News Coverage (Radio) CBS News Radio October 7th and Overall Excellence (Radio) CBS News Radio.

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TALKERS News Notes

Remote News Service adds new affiliate stations as WWJB-FM, Brooksville, Florida; WIRY-FM, Plattsburgh, New York; and Champling Broadcasting in Oklahoma City subscribe to the service for local newscasts.

National multimedia sports platform OutKick reports that it finished May 2024 with 5.5 million total desktop and mobile unique visitors, up 3% versus April 2024, which is the second highest month-over-month growth compared to its custom competitive set. The platform also saw 23 million total multiplatform views and 20 million total multiplatform minutes, according to data from Comscore.

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TALKERS News Notes

FOX News Digital reports that it finished May as the top news brand with multiplatform minutes and multiplatform views, according to Comscore. FOX News Digital closed out the month with 3.2 billion total multiplatform minutes, 1.7 billion total multiplatform views, and 100 million total digital multiplatform unique visitors.

Good Karma Brands adds a third station, WBEV-AM, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin “ESPN Beaver Dam” as a broadcaster for all University of Wisconsin women’s volleyball games starting in the 2024-2025 season. The station joins WTLX-FM “100.5 ESPN Madison” and WTMJ, Milwaukee is carrying the games.

Industry News

Outkick Reports Multiplatform Data for April

National multimedia sports platform OutKick finished April 2024 with 24 million total multiplatform views, 22 million total multiplatform minutes and over 5.3 million total multiplatform unique visitors, according to data from Comscore. Outkick was founded by Clay Travis, co-host of the Premiere Networks syndicatedim “Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show.” Outkick SVP and managing editor Gary Schreier says, “OutKick continues to be authentic, unfiltered, and driven by common sense. We continue to feature topics that most sports sites refuse to cover. Our ability to stand out amongst the rest of the industry is reflected positively by the strength of our numbers every month.” The platform also recently expanded the “Tomi Lahren is Fearless” program from evenings three days per week to a daily show running live at 1:00 pm ET.

Industry News

FOX News Digital Tops Competitors in Multiplatform Views and Minutes

For the month of April 2024, according to data from Comscore, FOX News Digital maintained its leadim over news set competitors CNN.com and NYTimes.com in both multiplatform total views and multiplatform total minutes, as it has for 38 consecutive months. During the month of February 2024, FOX News Digital surpassed CNN.com in multiplatform unique visitors (comparable to radio’s cume) for the first time. However, in April 2024, CNN.com was again the leader in that metric by just under 1.4 million.

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TALKERS News Notes

STC Media, LLC’s “Sports Talk Chicago” adds new affiliate WROK-AM, Rockford, Illinois, bringing the Jon Zaghloul-hosted show’s roster to nine stations. Zaghloul says, “I couldn’t be more excited to bring ‘Sports Talk Chicago’ to Rockford. I want to thank Townsquare Media, and, specifically, Chuck Armstrong and Johnny Vincent, for helping to make this new partnership happen. We are thrilled to bring our patented blend of opinionated, unfiltered sports talk to such a great city. And we continue to thank our affiliates and supporters for helping us to expand across the region!”

Multimedia sports platform OutKick announces that it finished February 2024 with 24 million total multiplatform views – up 4% versus February 2023 – and delivered 22 million total multiplatform minutes and 20.2 million total digital multiplatform unique visitors, according to data from Comscore. Outkick SVP and managing editor Gary Schreier says, “OutKick continues its great start to 2024 with growth across the platform and remains the destination for all the news where sports and culture intersect.”

The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation will present its third annual Insight Award to Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, author, and philanthropist Soledad O’Brien during the NAB Show Welcome on April 15. The Insight Award recognizes an individual or organization for an outstanding artistic or journalistic work or body of work that enhances the public’s understanding of the role, operation, history or impact of media in our society. Previous recipients include LeVar Burton and “60 Minutes.”

Industry News

FOX News Digital Beats CNN.com in Multiplatform Unique Visitors

FOX News Digital finished February leading CNN.com with total digital multiplatform unique visitors for the first time ever, according to Comscore. FOX News Digital had 115.4 million (up 18% over last year)im unique visitors and CNN.com had 110.9 million (down 6% from last year). FOX News Digital has led CNN.com and NYTimes.com in multiplatform total views and multiplatform total minutes in recent years but CNN.com relinquishes the lead in multiplatform unique visitors (similar to radio’s cume) for the first time since Comscore has been reporting digital ratings.

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TALKERS News Notes

PodcastOne acquires the exclusive sales and distribution rights to “Camp Counselors with Zachariah Porter and Jonathan Carson.” The podcast first launched in 2022 and has released nearly 100 episodes to date. PodcastOne president and co-founder Kit Gray says, “We’re thrilled to welcome ‘Camp Counselors with Zachariah Porter and Jonathan Carson’ to our network at PodcastOne. Zachariah and Jonathan have created a great comedic podcast, and we’re looking forward to putting our considerable marketing and ad sales strength behind the show to grow its listenership and revenue potential.”

Multimedia sports platform OutKick says January data from Comscore credits it with 7.1 million total multiplatform unique visitors, up 22% versus December 2023. It also delivered 33 million total multiplatform views in January 2024, up 29% versus December 23, and saw 33 million total multiplatform minutes, up 27% versus the prior month. OutKick founder Clay Travis says, “We kick off the year once again with numbers that not only speak to the platform’s growth but our commitment to providing engaging content to our audience. OutKick is the only destination for common-sense reporting with talent that’s unafraid to speak their minds on any topic. I’m looking forward to an exciting year and continuing to drive the conversation.”

Industry News

FOX News Digital Leads News Set in Multiplatform Views and Minutes

FOX News Digital reports that, according to data from Comscore, it finished January continuing its streak as the top news brand with both multiplatform views and minutes. FOX News Digital closed outim the month reaching 3.27 billion total multiplatform minutes, compared to CNN.com’s 1.85 billion, and NYTimes.com’s 1.59 billion. FOX News Media attracted 1.66 billion total multiplatform views, compared to NYTimes.com’s 1.49 billion, and CNN.com’s 1.17 billion. When it comes to total digital unique visitors – similar to radio’s cume – CNN.com still holds the lead with 112.7 million. But FOX News Digital (109.7 million) has gradually been gaining ground on CNN.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Cable news network NewsNation launches a new Sunday public affairs program titled, “The Hill Sunday with Chris Stirewalt.” The show will debut on March 3 at 10:00 am ET. NewsNation president of news Michael Corn states, “We are delighted that Chris will be joining the new weekend lineup. He is a legendary figure in Washington and one of the most respected, intelligent, and well-sourced journalists covering U.S. politics.”

Digital sports platform OutKick announces that it finished 2023 with the most growth year over year amongst its competitive set in total multiplatform unique visitors, delivering a monthly average of 7.2 million total multiplatform unique visitors, up 65% versus 2022, according to Comscore. OutKick founder Clay Travis says,“2023 was a tremendous year for OutKick. We’ve added new shows, top-tier talent, and most importantly continued to generate engaging content with a roster that’s unfiltered and fearless.”

PodcastOne renews the exclusive sales and distribution rights for the “Our Fake History” podcast, created and hosted by Canadian high school history teacher Sebastian Major. PodcastOne chief content officer Eli Dvorkin says, “We’re thrilled to continue our long-term relationship with Sebastian and ‘Our Fake History.’ This podcast is a leader in debunking or verifying historical myths and legends while instilling the sort of knowledge that makes any listener just that much smarter.”

Industry News

FOX News Digital Sees Multiplatform Gains in 2023

FOX News Digital reports that it finished 2023 “as the top-performing news brand with multiplatformim views and minutes, according to data from Comscore. FOX News Digital accrued 20.2 billion multiplatform views (up 9% versus 2022) and multiplatform minutes reached 36.9 billion (up 6% over 2022). FOX topped competitors CNN.com and NYTimes.com in both of those metrics. Importantly, in the multiplatform unique visitors – comparable to radio’s cume – FOX achieved 93.6 million, an increase of 13% over its 2022 total, while news brand leader CNN.com racked up 121 million, a decline of 3% compared to 2022.

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TALKERS News Notes

Florence, Alabama news/talk/sports WBCF-AM notifies the FCC that it will cease broadcast operations effective December 31, 2023 and will go silent. The station, owned by Benji Carle, simulcasts on translator W246BS at 97.1 FM, also licensed to Florence.

Radio programmer Michael Czarnecki leaves his position with Binnie Media as vice president of programming for that company’s Maine radio stations and “The Pulse of New Hampshire” network of talk stations to join Saga Communications as PD for WMLL, Manchester, New Hampshire “96.5 Live Free Country.”

The OutKick digital sports media platform says it saw strong growth month over month in November 2023 with over 6.4 million total multiplatform unique visitors (up 6% versus the prior month), 24 million total multiplatform views, (up 2% versus the prior month), and 23 million total multiplatform minutes (up 1% flat versus the prior month), according to data from Comscore. On Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram, OutKick saw over 1.3 million total social actions in November 2023, up 48% versus the prior month and up 93% versus November 2022.

Josh Krulewitz is named ESPN SVP, communications and assumes leadership of ESPN’s communications department effective December 31. Krulewitz takes over for Chris LaPlaca who is retiring at the end of the year after more than 43 years at ESPN.

VSiN adds two new affiliate stations to its roster as WKCT-AM and WDNS-AM in Bowling Green, Kentucky and WTKG-AM, Grand Rapids, Michigan are now airing content from the network.

Industry News

FOX News Digital Leads November in Multiplatform Views and Minutes

FOX News Digital reports that it finishes November continuing its streak as the top news brand in multiplatform views and minutes, according to data from Comscore. FOX News Digital closes outim November reaching 2.9 billion total multiplatform minutes, compared to CNN.com’s 1.9 billion and NYTimes.com’s 1.5 billion. FOX News Digital achieved 1.7 billion total multiplatform views, compared to NYTimes.com’s 1.4 billion and CNN.com’s 1.3 billion. Looking at multiplatform unique visitors, CNN.com was #1 with 116.3 million, compared to FOX News Digital’s 88.6 million and NYTimes.com’s 70.5 million.

Industry News

Audacy and CBS Strike News Stream Deal

Audacy and CBS Stations announce a content distribution in which audio simulcasts of the news streams from 14 CBS-owned television stations in markets including Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento andim San Francisco will now be available on the Audacy app. CBS Stations says that CBS Local’s video streaming services are No. 1 overall in markets where they go head-to-head with other network competitors, according to data from Comscore. Audacy SVP digital audio content Tim Clarke comments, “We are thrilled to announce our strategic partnership with CBS Stations, expanding our commitment to delivering high-quality, locally relevant content to our listeners. This collaboration will give our listeners unparalleled access to timely and trusted news from major cities nationwide.”

Industry News

Outkick Reports Month-Over-Month Growth

Multimedia sports platform OutKick says that it saw strong growth from September to October with more than 5.9 million total multiplatform unique visitors, up 11%; 24 million total multiplatform views, up 13%im versus the prior month; and 23 million total multiplatform minutes, up 14% versus the prior month, according to Comscore. Outkick founder Clay Travis states, “OutKick’s expansion and growth continues to be the highlight each month. Our content serves those who seek not only common-sense reporting but unfiltered opinions with great perspective on a variety of topics.”

Industry News

FOX News Digital Tops Competitors in Multiplatform Minutes

FOX News Digital announces that it finished the October ratings period #1 in multiplatform minutesim among digital news brands, according to data from Comscore. FOX News Digital reached 3.4 billion multiplatform minutes, compared to 2.3 billion for CNN.com and 1.5 billion for NYTimes.com. FOX News Digital racked up 1.8 billion multiplatform views, compared to NYTimes.com’s 1.5 billion and CNN.com’s 1.4 billion. CNN.com leads the pack in multiplatform unique visitors with 129 billion compared to FOX News Digital’s 92 billion and NYTimes.com’s 75 billion.

Industry News

Outkick Reports Q3 Audience Up 34%

Sports media platform OutKick says that its third quarter audience data from Comscore indicates it had the “highest year-over-year growth amongst its competitive set averaging more than 5 million totalim multiplatform unique visitors, which is up 34% versus 3Q of 2022.” The platform also delivered 67 million total multiplatform minutes and 64 million total multiplatform views. Outkick founder Clay Travis says, “Once again OutKick finishes the quarter with strong numbers that highlight our consistent growth across the platform. Our in-depth and common-sense reporting continue to be the driving force and differentiate us from your standard sport sites.”

Industry News

FOX News Digital Leads News Brands in Multiplatform Minutes

FOX News Digital reports that according to data from Comscore, it finished the third quarter of 2023 marking 10 consecutive quarters leading news brands with multiplatform minutes, while seeing double-imdigit, year-over-year growth across all key performance indicators. FOX News Digital topped competitors CNN.com and NYTimes.com in total multiplatform minutes with 9.5 billion. It also led news brands in multiplatform views with 5.2 million. CNN.com continues to lead both FOX News Digital and NYTimes.com in multiplatform unique visitors with 120.5 million to FND’s 88.4 million and NYTimes.com’s 72.1 million.

Industry News

Outkick Unique Viewers Up 9%

According to data from Comscore, multimedia sports platform OutKick delivered 20 million total multiplatform minutes and 19 million total multiplatform views during the August 2023 period. The platformim also saw 5.2 million total multiplatform unique viewers, up 9% year over year. Outkick founder (and co-host of the Premiere Networks nationally syndicated “Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show”) Clay Travis says, “OutKick’s growth continues to spotlight our cutting-edge content and fearless talent. I’m excited for what’s to come especially with college football and NFL in full swing.”

Industry News

Outkick Reports Year-Over-Year Growth

Digital sports platform OutKick says that it delivered over 6 million total multiplatform unique visitors for July 2023, and that’s the highest year-over-year growth among its custom competitive set, up 119% versus Julyim 2022, according to data from Comscore. The platform also saw 24 million total multiplatform views and 27 million total multiplatform minutes. OutKick founder Clay Travis – co-host of the Premiere Networks syndicated talk show “Clay Travis and Buck Sexton” – says, “It’s always great to see OutKick’s strong growth every month. We continue to distribute engaging content on topics that reach beyond sports and add talent to our roster that embrace common sense reporting.”

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Audacy Greenville is honored by the South Carolina Broadcasters Association with 11 2023 State Television and Radio Awards. Two of those awards went to talk personalities as Charlie James of news/talk WYRD-FM “989 WORD” won for Best News Talk Show and Rob Brown of WORD-AM/WYRD-AM “The Fan Upstate” won for Best Sports Show/Sports Talk Show.

FOX News Digital finished July 2023 delivering gains year-over-year with multiplatform views, minutes and unique visitors according to Comscore. July marked 10 consecutive months of FOX News Digital as the top news brand with multiplatform views and 29 straight months as number one with multiplatform minutes. Competitor CNN.com still leads in multiplatform unique visitors with 114.5 million (July 2023) to FOX News Digital’s 83.4 million.

Industry News

Outkick Reports Strong Audience Growth

Multimedia sports platform OutKick says it has experiences “strong growth” over the past year with Q2 2023 data revealing more than 9 million monthly multiplatform unique visitors, 101 million total multiplatform views (up 45%),im and 112 million total multiplatform minutes (up 60%), according to Comscore data. Outkick founder (and Premiere Networks syndicated talk radio star) Clay Travis states, “OutKick doesn’t shy away from the most pressing topics in American sports today which is why we have continued to expand our audience every quarter.”

Industry News

FOX News Digital Posts Positive Q2 Audience Data

FOX News Digital reports that it finished the second quarter of 2023 with year-over-year growth that and its continuing lead in the news competitive set with both multiplatform minutes and views, according to data fromimn Comscore. FOX News Digital bested CNN.com and NYTimes.com in both multi-platform total views and multi-platform total minutes. CNN.com still leads the news competitive set in multi-platform unique visitors, but its numbers in this measure were down 2% (120.2 million) while FOX News Digital’s numbers were up 19% (95 million).

Industry News

Outkick Celebrates YouTube Growth

Sports media platform OutKick announces that its YouTube subscriptions rose more than 140% from March to April 2023. Outkick also says it enjoyed a record month of video views on YouTube with 284.2 million – up 909% versus March 2023, according to Shareable. Additionally, the platform finished April 2023 ahead of itsim custom competitive set in year-over-year growth across multiplatform unique visitors, page views, and minutes spent, according to data from Comscore. OutKick delivered over 8 million multiplatform total unique visitors, up 394% year-over-year, 32 million multiplatform total views, and 36 million multiplatform total minutes. OutKick founder Clay Travis says, “OutKick continues to be the only platform that drives the sports, culture, and political intersection and that separates us from the rest of the field. Our authentic and unfiltered reporting across the board is unmatched which is a direct result of the significant increases we’re seeing every month.”

Industry News

Comscore: Outkick Fastest Growing Sports Site

Clay Travis’s sports media platform OutKick finished as the “fastest-growing year-over-year in the top 50 sports sites in unique viewers” in February 2023, according Comscore. OutKick says it continues to post substantial increases in unique viewers with a 326% year-over-year growth versus February 2022. Travis says, “We’re continuing our growth trajectory every month and that’s directly correlated with the incredible OutKick talent that drives engaging content every day with personalities who are able to speak their minds.” OutKick also says it saw over 1 million social interactions on Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram, up 258% in February 2023 versus February 2022. Additionally, YouTube Video Views for OutKick attracted 7.1 million views – up 487% from the prior year, according to Shareable.

Industry News

FOX News Digital Again Tops in Multiplatform Views

According to the latest data from Comscore, FOX News Digital finished February 2023 as the top-performing news organization in the competitive set in both multiplatform minutes and multiplatform views. This marks five consecutive months as the top news brand with multiplatform views and two straight years as number one with multiplatform minutes. While FOX News Digital – as well as NYTimes.com – still lags behind CNN.com in multiplatform unique visitors (97.4 million to CNN.com’s 117.7 million), it has improved 23% in that category since February of 2022 while CNN.com is down 8% during that period.

Industry News

Curt Schilling Joins Outkick for Baseball Show

Former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling is joining Clay TravisOutKick to host a twice-weekly baseball video podcast that will debut on Friday (2/24). Outkick says “The Curt Schilling Baseball Show” will feature Schilling’s vast baseball knowledge, expert analysis, and unvarnished opinions on the most-talked-about issues and stories in the game. Clay Travis comments, “Curt Schilling is one of the best baseball analysts in the country. His hall-of-fame career and love for the game are evident to anyone who has ever followed him. OutKick is and will always be the strongest proponent for smart, original, funny and authentic voices in all of sports. He’s a perfect fit for the brand and I’m thrilled to welcome him to our team.” Outkick also reports that its January 2023 digital performance, where the platform saw 311% growth year-over-year in unique visitors, marked the most growth over 2021 among its competitive set. In the fourth quarter of 2022, the platform attracted 9.1 million multi-platform average unique visitors, up 235% from the fourth quarter of the prior year, according to Comscore.

Industry News

FOX News Digital Continues Dominance in Total Views and Minutes

FOX News Digital reports that according to data from Comscore, it finishes January 2023 as the “top-performing news organization in the competitive set in both multiplatform minutes and views.” FOX News Digital closed out January reaching over 3 billion total multiplatform minutes – compared to CNN.com’s 2.4 billion – and 1.8 billion total multiplatform views – compared to CNN.com’s 1.5 billion. FOX adds that the FOX News Mobile App reached 6.5 million unique visitors in January, surpassing the CNN Mobile App for the first time since October 2021, which saw 5.6 million unique visitors. When it comes to multiplatform unique visitors, FOX News Digital came in second with 109 million, compared to CNN.com’s 140 million.

Industry News

ESPN Digital Reports “Best Year Ever”

ESPN says that according to recently released Comscore data, ESPN set all-time records across its digital platforms in 2022, including an average of more than 108 million unique users in the U.S. each month of the year and 7.5 billion engagements on social media. ESPN adds that its ESPN app had its best year with 25.4 million average monthly unique visitors and says that that is “four times more unique visitors than its closest competitor.”

Industry News

FOX News Wraps 2022 as Tops in Multiplatform Views and Minutes

According to data from Comscore, FOX News Digital closed out 2022 as the top-performing news brand with multiplatform views and minutes. For the year, FOX News Digital secured more than 18 billion multiplatform views, over 34 billion multiplatform minutes and averaged 82.7 million monthly multiplatform unique visitors. FOX News states that it was also “the most engaged news brand on social media throughout 2022, according to Emplifi, reaching over 445 million social media interactions. FOX News Digital drove 179.7 million Facebook interactions, 49.6 million Twitter interactions and 215.9 million Instagram interactions. On YouTube, FOX News delivered its best year ever, driving over 3.4 billion views, finishing first in the news competitive set.” While FOX News Digital topped rival CNN.com in the multiplatform minutes and multiplatform views category, CNN.com was the leader in multiplatform unique visitors – the digital equivalent of cume – with 124.9 million compared to NYTimes.com’s 89 million and FOX News Digital’s 82.7 million.

Front Page News Industry News

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Salem to Acquire Miami Signals for Conservative Spanish News/Talk Format. The company announces it has entered into an agreement with Actualidad Media Group, LLC to purchase the assets of Class B daytimer WMYM-AM, Kendall, Florida and translator W254DT (98.7 FM) for an undisclosed sum. Salem Media Group executive chairman Edward Atsinger says, “Salem is beginning a new chapter in Miami as we expand our conservative and family themed programming to the Spanish-language audience. Miami is an obvious market for this expansion, and we’re excited to add great signals like WMYM AM 990 and FM 98.7 to our portfolio.” The company says it has a long history in Spanish-language broadcasting starting in 1984 in New York City with WNYM AM 1380, which was sold in the late 1980s and remains in the Spanish-language format today. Currently Salem owns Spanish-language radio stations in Dallas – KLTY-FM 94.9 HD2 and translator FM 102.5 (Spanish Christian Contemporary Christian Music);  KTNO-AM 620 (Spanish Christian Teaching and Talk) in Portland; KRYP-FM 93.1 “El Rey” (Regional Mexican); and in Denver – KBJD AM 1650 (Spanish Christian Teaching and Talk).

Cumulus Makes if Official: Rich Valdés to Host Jim Bohannon Show. Last week’s news of Jim Bohannon’s health-related retirement from his longtime late-night Westwood One program indicated that Mark Levin show associate producer Rich Valdés would be assuming hosting duties for the show. Now, Cumulus Media makes it official and says Valdés will be the permanent host for the program that will continue to be called “The Jim Bohannon Show.” Valdés welcomed Levin as his first guest on the program last night (10/170. Levin comments, “Jim Bohannon is a legend. He’s also the #1 gentleman of talk radio. His absence from radio will be deeply felt. But there is no better person to assume that slot than my dear friend and colleague, Richie Valdés. Richie V, aka Mr. Call Screener, has been a fill-in host for me and is superb. He is compelling, entertaining, smart, and an unapologetic patriot. I could not be happier for him and, even more, the great radio audience.”

Radio Hall of Fame Names WTOP’s Julia Ziegler ‘One to Watch.’ The Museum of Broadcast Communicationsannounces today that the Radio Hall of Fame names Julia Ziegler, director of news and programming for Hubbard Broadcasting’s all-news WTOP-FM, Washington as the recipient of its “One to Watch” award. The “One to Watch” award was created in 2018 in honor of radio legend and 2012 Radio Hall of Fame inductee Art Laboe, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 97. Each year, the nominating committee selects what it considers a promising radio personality or team who has demonstrated ratings success, audience growth, and impact on one or more radio stations and their communities. Ziegler began her career at WTOP in 2002 as an intern. From 2015 to 2019, she served as WTOP’s digital news director, where she oversaw the creation and development of WTOP’s digital news products, including WTOP.com, the WTOP app, social media, video, podcasts, smart speakers and more. She was part of the WTOP team that created and produced the award-winning true crime podcast, “22 Hours: An American Nightmare.” She rose to her current position in 2019. Nominating committee chair Dennis Green comments, “It is with great pride that we honor Julia Ziegler with this year’s ‘One to Watch’ award. Julia has literally done it all at a station that is one of the most highly respected in the nation.  From interning at WTOP to working her way up to director of news and programming while setting the station’s path in digital and social media, this recognition is well deserved.  On behalf of the Radio Hall of Fame nominating committee, congratulations, Julia, and continued success!”

Wayne Allyn Root Inducted into Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Pictured above is Las Vegas-based, nationally syndicated talk show host Wayne Allyn Root with his wife Cindy at the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame Gala on October 15. Root says he received a letter of congratulations from former President Donald Trump that read, in part, “Congratulations on your induction into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame! Melania and I send our best wishes to you, your wonderful family, and all those attending the 26th Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame Gala to celebrate your success and the success of your fellow inductees. This extraordinary honor is the result of your lifelong commitment to excellence, principled leadership, and perseverance. Your hard work and determination have provided the foundation for your continued success and exemplify the American Dream.”

New Fisher House Program Available November 1. The Fisher House Foundation announces that The Jeff Wyatt Group has a fresh edition of “The Fisher House Story” for 2022 that is available for download on November 1. You can hear the demo and be set to register and download on that date here. “The Fisher House Story – On the Road to 100 Houses” is a talk radio special provided in varying lengths for news/talk radio stations as well as a 30-minute public affairs show for ALL formats in the U.S. and around the world. Fisher House Foundation provides a home away from home for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. Fisher Houses provide temporary free lodging so families can be close to their loved ones during a medical crisis because “A Family’s LOVE is Good Medicine.” The free three-hour, one-hour, 25- and 30-minute radio specials are hosted by longtime Washington, DC talk radio personality Larry O’Connor and will feature stories of our nation’s heroes, the families who serve by their side, and how Fisher House plays a role in their journey. The programs are being produced in time for Veterans Day weekend (November 11) and are perfect for this holiday season, as well as for Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends. For more information on this radio special, available cash and barter free, contact Jeff Wyatt at The Jeff Wyatt Group at 301.518.3640 or jw@thejeffwyattgroup.com.

TALKERS News Notes. Data from the third quarter of 2022, according to Comscore, FOX News Digital finished the period as the top-performing news organization in the competitive set in multiplatform minutes and views. FOX News Digital closed out the quarter delivering over 8.5 billion total multiplatform minutes, over 4.3 billion total multiplatform views, and averaged 80 million monthly multiplatform unique visitors…..NRG Media’s news/talk KXEL-AM, Cedar Rapids-Waterloo, Iowa reports that it is replacing “The Jim Bohannon Show” with two programs – an expansion of Starnes Media Group’s “The Todd Starnes Show” and Key Networks’ “No Spin News” with Bill O’Reilly. Station program director Jeff Stein says, “Our audience loves Todd Starnes’ common-sense conservativism and has asked us to find a way to carry the full program. There’s no better way to fill the shoes of a radio hall-of-famer than to provide more of a show that has already proven to be popular with Iowans. Adding ‘No Spin News’ is a logical move, based on the success of both the ‘O’Reilly Morning Update’ and ‘Bill O’Reilly Update’ we air each morning.”…..FOX Sports Radio’s LaVar Arrington – co-host of the network’s weekday morning program “Two Pros and a Cup of Joe” with Brady Quinnand Jonas Knox, and co-host of the nationally-syndicated weekend program/podcast “Up On Game” with TJ Houshmandzadeh and Plaxico Burress – announces today the addition of comedian and social media influencer Bubba Dub to the “Up On Game Presents” lineup with his new show, “Trashh Talk Podcast with Bubba Dub.”

Midterm Elections, Russia-Ukraine War, The Economy, Trump Legal Issues, China Politics, Ye-Parler Deal, and British Politics Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (10/17). The numerous debates taking place in advance of the November midterm elections; Vladimir Putin’s kamikaze drone attacks in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; high gas & food prices and the up & down financial markets; the various legal issues facing former President Donald Trump; China’s Xi Jinping accepts a third term as president and his ambitions to dominate the global power structure; rapper and fashion mogul Ye announces bid to acquire conservative social media platform Parler; and the economic policy issues facing British Prime Minister Liz Truss were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

WGR, Buffalo Morning Host Howard Simon Pares Back Work Schedule. As reported in the Buffalo News, WGR-AM morning drive sports talk personality Howard Simon is cutting his work schedule back from five to three mornings per week. Simon – who’s co-hosted the morning show with Jeremy White for the past 18 years – tells the paper there are a couple reasons for the change: “He turned 60 in June, has been in sports radio for 30 years and the job isn’t as easy as many listeners believe it is to talk about sports for four hours daily.” Simon adds, “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. It has been difficult to live up to the demands of the job. It’s a lot of work, a lot of preparation.” The News reports that WGR personality Joe DiBiase is expected to co-host with White on Wednesday and Thursday, with Simon on the air on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. As far as his future plans, Simon says he and the station will address the situation after the football season.

 

Brian Kelly Exits Audacy St. Louis. According to a report from KSDK-TV, St. Louis, the staff cuts taking place across the country at Audacy-owned radio stations have hit the company’s St. Louis cluster and among those let go is Brian Kelly, a reporter and weekend host of “Total Information AM” for news/talk KMOX-AM. The report notes that Kelly first served with KMOX from 1997 to 2002. He returned to the station in 2009.

FOX News Digital Leads News Brands in July Tally of Multiplatform Minutes and Views. According to data from Comscore’s July 2022 ratings, FOX News Digital wrapped the month as the top-performing news organization in the competitive set in multiplatform minutes and views. FOX News Digital says it closed out the month reaching over 2.8 billion total multiplatform minutes (topping CNN’s 2.2 billion total platform minutes), 1.4 billion total multiplatform views (beating CNN’s 1.25 billion total platform views) but was far behind CNN’s 113 million multiplatform unique visitors with its 81 million multiplatform unique visitors. FOX News Digital also says it topped The NewYorkTimes.com with multiplatform unique visitors for the first time since January 2022.

 

Diversion Audio Partners with Gemini XIII for Talk and Fiction Podcasts. This partnership between podcast creator Diversion Audio and Gemini XIII brings new shows in the talk and fiction genres to podcast platforms. New programs being readied for this fall include: “The Shows We Watched,” hosted by TV/film critic and author James King and lifestyle influencer Emily Johnston; “War Queens,” featuring “Game of Thrones” and “Fast & Furious” actress Nathalie Emmanuel; “The Ali Rogin Show,” hosted by the PBS “NewsHour” correspondent and author; and the romantic fiction podcast, “The Royals of Malibu” based on the popular romance book series, The Royals by Erin Watt.

FBI Raid/Documents Investigation, Primaries/2024 Presidential Race, Migrant Busing, Russia-Ukraine War, The Economy, Extreme Weather, and Tony Fauci to Leave NIAID Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/22). The aftermath of the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago and documents investigation; the primary races for the November midterm elections and speculation about the nominees for the 2024 presidential race; the immigration troubles at the U.S.-Mexico border and Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s busing migrants to Washington, DC; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the assassination of Darya Dugina, the daughter of Alexander Dugin, the “spiritual guide” to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the inflation making food and consumer goods expensive and activity on the world’s financial markets; the drought affecting much of the U.S., Europe & China and the flooding in Texas; and Dr. Tony Fauci’s December exit from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.