Industry News

Edison: Reaching Potential Voters with Audio Ads

According to data from Edison Research’s ongoing Share of Ear study, reaching potential voters with campaign ads should include spending on audio because “fully 84% of the voting-age public is reached by ad-supported audio daily.” Where to spend depends on which potential voters campaigns are trying toim reach. “Republicans listen to more AM/FM radio than other groups, with an index of 109 (or 9% more listening than average). The ad-supported spoken-word channels on SiriusXM are a particularly efficient place to find Republicans, with an index of 146. Meanwhile, podcasts stand out as the more efficient platform for reaching Democrats, indexing at 121. And what about those elusive Independents, who often tip an election? Both streaming music, and in particular music videos on YouTube, over-deliver for these potential voters, with indexes of 103 and 123 respectively.” Edison adds, “Regardless of the party that buyers are trying to reach with political ads, audio stands out as a superior pathway to reaching voters. Audio provides enormous audiences and often a far less cluttered political environment than other ad channels.”

Industry News

WPHT, Philadelphia Presents Major Live On-Air “Mayoral Showcase”

In what is being described as a first in Philadelphia talk radio, Audacy’s WPHT presented a huge three-hour debate/discussion/showcase on Friday (2/24) involving six Democrats and one Republican running for mayor in the crime-stricken city. Hosted by the widely acknowledged “Dean of Philadelphia Talk Radio,” Dom Giordano, on his 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm radio program and Facebook video stream, the event is receiving praise from all quarters for its thoroughness and even-handedness. It was a historic talk radio feat to organize a live event with such a large number of candidates and particularly with that many Democrats on a conservatively oriented station. Due to the horrific violence in Philadelphia, the main conversations centered on public safety, support for police, and whether to retain the current police commissioner. Station feedback indicated many listeners outside the city limits welcomed the showcase because they acknowledged that crime in Philadelphia is bleeding over into the suburbs and a significant percentage of residents still want to work in and visit Philadelphia. Reflecting on the event, Giordano tells TALKERS, “This presentation required vision from Audacy and WPHT management, trust from the Democratic candidates, the willingness of listeners to analyze which Democrat would be best on public safety, and great dogged producing from Dan Borowski, our amazing executive producer.” 

Pictured above are (from l-r): Giordano, Maria Quinones Sanchez and Derek Green.  Both Sanchez and Green are former city council members who recently resigned to run for mayor.

Industry News

Yesterday’s (1/25) Top News/Talk Media Stories

The Kevin McCarthy-led House and the removal of top Democrats from the Intelligence Committee; the matter of classified government documents found in the possession of Joe Biden, Mike Pence, and Donald Trump; Russia’s aggressive response to the provision of tanks to Ukraine from Germany and the U.S.; the questions about George Santos’ true source of the freshman congressman’s campaign funds; Facebook reinstates former President Donald Trump; the state of the U.S. economy and concerns about a recession; and Pope Francis “decriminalizes” homosexuality were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.