Fox News Channel | TALKERS magazine

Jimmy Failla Guest Hosts FOX News’ “Gutfeld!” Show

By TALKERS | February 28, 2023 by TALKERS

FOX News Radio host Jimmy Failla served as guest host on last Friday night’s edition of FOX News Channel’s “GUTFELD!” program starring Greg Gutfeld. Failla hosts the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET daypart on FOX News Radio and among his talents is stand-up comedy, making him a more-than-qualified guest host on Gutfeld’s show that offer’s a humorous take on the day’s news.

Pictured above (from l-r) on the set of the “GUTFELD!” show is the cast from Friday’s program: novelist and literary critic Walter Kirn, FOX News analyst and regular GUTFELD! panelist Kat Timpf, Failla, “Bar Rescue” host John Taffer, and FOX News Radio host Guy Benson.

Features

Ruddy Speaks Out as Talk Hosts Support Newsmax Versus DirecTV

By TALKERS | February 10, 2023February 10, 2023 by TALKERS

TALKERS founder Michael Harrison and Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy engaged in a phone conversation this week (2/8) to discuss the bruhaha buzzing through conservative news/talk radio triggered by AT&T’s recent decision to remove the popular conservative channel from its subsidiary, DirecTV. Ruddy, grateful for the support Newsmax is receiving from radio hosts, wanted to speak out directly to the medium further explaining his position. (NOTE: Newsmax also has a footprint in the news/talk radio space as syndicator of the daily Rob Carson midday program.)

Late in January, DirecTV, owned by AT&T, “deplatformed” Newsmax from more than 13 million of its subscriber homes calling it a “business decision.”

News of this stunned Washington, fueling GOP lawmakers with more evidence that big tech media was closing down conservative voices for political reasons.

This was the second time in just the past year AT&T moved to cancel a conservative channel, taking OAN off their platforms last April.

However, Newsmax is not OAN. Newsmax has, in breathtaking time, became the fourth-highest-rated cable news channel reaching 25 million Americans, according to Nielsen.

Major Members of Congress, Senators and newsmakers dot its programming lineup every day. Even First Lady Jill Biden made a prime-time appearance to discuss her cancer initiative last October and former President Donald Trump is a regular participant.

According to Ruddy, “The fact that AT&T was willing to take down Newsmax as Republicans take control of the House was yet another sign for America’s right that ‘wokeness’ remains in high gear.”

In the conversation, Ruddy described AT&T’s decision a “blatant act of political censorship” and “effort to restrict conservative voices before the ’24 election.”

Here are some takeaways from Chris Ruddy:

Government Collusion

“We know from ‘The Twitter Files,’ that Twitter worked in collusion with federal agencies, including the FBI, to censor and restrict the speech of news media and public figures,” said Ruddy.

“Why,” he asked,” would we not think that was happening” in Newsmax’s case, too?

(During testimony on February 8 before the House Oversight Committee, former Twitter executives admitted they handled the Hunter Biden matter poorly, but also said they were not in contact with government officials over the matter.)

Ruddy points to a 2021 letter penned by Democratic Members of Congress Anna Eshoo and Jerry McNerney, addressed to AT&T’s CEO and other cable operators, clearly aimed at removing OAN, Newsmax and FOX News Channel for spreading “misinformation.”

Harrison asked, “With two channels down, is FOX News a target next?”

Ruddy said it clearly is a target, but that cable operators will have a more difficult time “deplatforming” it.

Cutting Costs

Harrison asked, “When AT&T dropped OAN and Newsmax, didn’t the company say both moves were the result of cost-cutting?”

Ruddy responded that this claim makes no sense when Newsmax is concerned, “because they keep over 100 channels that have far less ratings and are more costly than Newsmax.”

A business approach, he said, would be for DirecTV to remove low-rated channels that are costly, not highly rated channels like Newsmax that are inexpensive.

He said AT&T’s unusual decision to cut Newsmax demonstrates a “political motive.”

Newsmax has produced a chart that shows 22 liberal-leaning news and information channels. Almost all have lower ratings than Newsmax – and all get fees higher than Newsmax was seeking.

Ruddy says Newsmax sought a very modest license fee of $1 per year per subscriber. CNN gets $14 a year from DirecTV. And almost every channel in the top 100 gets a multiple of the $1.

Harrison asked, “So, what’s the problem for DirecTV, which I understand raked in $2.7 billion last year in profits?”

Ruddy’s response: “DirecTV says that Newsmax is simply ineligible for any license fee, not one penny let alone $1.”

And here he seems to make a strong case AT&T is targeting Newsmax – by denying it any fees when almost everyone else gets paid a fee, especially liberal channels.

“AT&T DirecTV is being super clever,” Ruddy explains. “They tell Newsmax they’ll carry us for free, but we can’t get a license fee.” But, Ruddy adds, “Since all cable agreements, according to industry standards, get the lowest rate, that means all go to zero fees with no license fee for Newsmax.

“Since cable news channels need license fees to operate, DirecTV is effectively putting Newsmax out of business,” he said.

Political Bias

“This claim that Newsmax alone can never get a fee simply doesn’t seem to work for a lot of people in the public as well as Congress,” Ruddy said.

“Many conservative leaders in America – and some fair-minded independents and liberals – have already concluded that AT&T’s motives with Newsmax were largely driven by politics, and not by dollars and cents.”

New House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he called AT&T and informed the company that “Newsmax should not be treated any differently based upon them being a conservative news outlet.” McCarthy has vowed there will be hearings on the removal of Newsmax.

Even Alan Dershowitz, one of America’s famed liberal lawyers, agrees with McCarthy that Newsmax’s removal doesn’t pass the smell test.

“Clearly, they used economic reasons as a cover for political reasons,” Dershowitz told Newsmax’s Greta Van Susteren last week.

Dershowitz said he believes AT&T’s decision “had elements of partisan and ideological and political bias directed at stations that don’t adhere to the views of the company.”

“Anybody who believes that this was purely an economic decision should buy a bridge in Brooklyn,” he said, adding that A&T DirecTV “ought to reconsider and put Newsmax back on.”

Fighting Back

When AT&T DirecTV deplatformed OAN, a relatively hard-right channel with a relatively small viewership, it received little attention. But the executives at AT&T may have awoken a sleeping giant by taking on Newsmax.

Newsmax’s reach is extensive, reaching 40 million Americans through online, apps, emails, and a huge social media network – not to mention that its content is highly utilized by many radio talk show hosts and producers.

Ruddy told Harrison, “For a long time Newsmax’s audience has been aligned and interconnected with the talk radio audience. We are seeing tremendous synergies across all media platforms, including talk radio.” Ruddy has been speaking out on this subject on a number of radio talk shows across America.

On the same day of the Ruddy-Harrison conversation, the Newsmax CEO appeared on Mark Simone’s top-rated show on powerhouse WOR in New York to discuss the censorship of his channel. Demand is so great for interviews, Newsmax analysts Dick Morris and Hogan Gidley are also doing interviews about the AT&T matter.

The End Game

Ruddy said he’d like Newsmax to be back on DirecTV. Initially, DirecTV said they had no intention to bring Newsmax back on air. But last week, the company reversed course and said they are open to do so.

However, according to Ruddy, so far DirecTV has not changed their position that Newsmax is not entitled to any license fees.

“We are willing to negotiate but DirecTV has to do so in good faith,” Ruddy said, adding “We’re waiting.”

He said even if Newsmax stays off DirecTV, his media empire will continue to grow.

“This episode has made us stronger and AT&T is a good company for us to build against in the months and years ahead,” he said. “Everyone knows AT&T and they’re not well-liked for engaging in politics, targeting conservatives – and they even owned CNN during its worst years,” Ruddy said.

“We’ve been in business for 25 years and no matter what the controversy, Newsmax has always come out ahead. It will this time too,” he concluded.

After speaking with Ruddy, Harrison stated, “We all know that the First Amendment only applies to government censorship and privately-owned platforms have the right to present or not present whatever opinions conform to their positions. However, when government officials use the influence and prestige of their office to pressure high-level media executives to deplatform legitimate players for obvious political ends – as seems to be the case in this Newsmax scenario – that becomes a major concern for all Americans who value free speech. And even if the government wasn’t involved, massive power requires equal responsibility and even-handedness. Although in many cases the picture remains murky – for the most part, it is clear to me that conservatives claiming an ongoing imbalance of bias against them, by the informationally-vital venues of big tech, have an abundance of growing evidence to support their complaints. And that should be a major worry of all fair-minded Americans trying to negotiate the turbulent waters of this new digital era without losing at least the spirit of the First Amendment let alone the letter of the law.”

Industry News

CB Cotton Joins FOX News Channel as Correspondent

By TALKERS | February 7, 2023 by TALKERS

Journalist CB Cotton joins FOX News Channel as a New York-based correspondent covering breaking news from the network’s headquarters. Cotton has been serving as a reporter for ABC affiliate KMGH-TV, Denver, Colorado where she was the station’s lead night side reporter focused on crime, justice, and law enforcement. During her tenure, she covered the city’s breaking news stories, including the Boulder King Soopers supermarket shooting and the December 2021 Marshall fire. She has also reported on alleged police misconduct, such as the violent arrest of Kyle Vinson in Aurora, the controversial apprehension of then-75-year-old Karen Garner in 2020 and the fallout surrounding the death of Elijah McClain following his 2019 arrest. Cotton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast and electronic journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill. She is professionally fluent in Spanish and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Press Photographers Association.

Front Page News Industry News

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

By Editor | October 25, 2022 by Editor

SRN News to Provide Live Coverage of Oz-Fetterman Debate. This evening’s debate between Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidates Dr. Mehmet Oz and John Fetterman is being covered by Salem Radio Network News. The one-hour debate is taking place at WHTM-TV, Harrisburg’s studios at 8:00 pm ET and is being moderated by WHTM news anchor Dennis Owens and WPXI-TV, Pittsburgh anchor Lisa Sylvester. SRN News says it will feed the Oz-Fetterman debate to affiliates via the network’s longform news channel; affiliates of SRN’s companion 24/7 service TOWNHALL News will be able to access the broadcast via Salem’s XDS channel. SRN News says the coverage of the debate is part of its commitment to keep affiliates updated on breaking news 365 days a year.

FOX News Announces Town Hall with Ohio Senate Candidates Ryan and Vance. On November 1, FOX News Channel will host a town hall with Ohio U.S. Senate candidates U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan and J.D. Vance. The program will be co-moderated by FNC’s chief political anchor Bret Baier – anchor of “Special Report” and “The Story” anchor and executive editor Martha MacCallum. MacCallum will host a preview of the town hall during “The Story” at 3:00 pm ET that day.

Bill Handel to Emcee Radio Hall of Fame Ceremony. Next Tuesday’s 2022 Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Chicago’s Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel will be emceed by KFI, Los Angeles morning personality Bill Handel. The induction ceremony and dinner will also feature messages prepared for the event by Ryan Seacrest, Donnie Simpson, Jim Kerr, Tom Joyner, Mike Francesa, Stephen A. Smith, Rick Cummings, Beth Bacall, and Charlie Cook. Handel, who was inducted into the Hall in 2017, has received numerous other industry awards and was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009.

Beasley Media Group to Support Wreaths Across America. As part of its Community of Caring initiative, Beasley Media Group is partnering with non-profit Wreaths Across America to help it achieve its goal of remembering our fallen U.S. veterans, honoring those who serve, and teaching the next generation the value of freedom. Beasley is running a companywide public service campaign through the middle of December, which will include on-air public service spots and interviews as well as online digital content featured on stations’ websites and Quu digital in-car dashboard messaging that encourages listeners to support the Wreaths Across America event and the organization’s on-going programs throughout the year. National Wreaths Across America Day takes place on Saturday, December 17. Coordinated wreath-laying ceremonies will take place to honor our interred veterans at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 3,400 additional participating locations in all 50 U.S. states and abroad. Beasley chief content officer Justin Chase says, “As a remembrance of our late founder George Beasley, a US Army Sergeant, as well as the many past and present Beasley employees who have served our country in the US military, it is such an honor to support Wreaths Across America. During the kickoff of this holiday season, we’ll be encouraging our audience to volunteer or donate to this worthy cause.”

iHeartMedia and Graphic Audio Unveil ‘Cornbread Mafia’ Podcast. This new podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Graphic Audio – titled “Cornbread Mafia” – covers the unbelievable true story of the biggest marijuana bust in U.S. history. It’s based on the book by Jim Higdon and is hosted by Megan Nadolski of Goat Rodeo podcasts. The press release says, “Find out what life was like for a group of Kentucky-based outlaws, a place with farming, moonshine, and pride in its bloodline. But timing is everything, as you’ll learn through the eyes of the unforgettable Johnny Boone, the man who hoped to grow and harvest one of the greatest marijuana crops in modern times and instead found himself (and all of surrounding Marion County), at the center of America’s War on Drugs. This is what legends are made of.”

Today’s Homeowner TV Show Launches 25^th Season. The television version of Danny Lipford’s “Today’s Homeowner” program is premiering its 25th season this week. He also hosts the “Today’s Homeowner” weekly radio program. The program – known for its practical, trustworthy, and fresh home improvement advice for real homeowners’ renovations and DIY adventures – broadcasts to loyal weekly viewers across the country. It currently airs in 207 of the 210 available Nielsen markets with over 91% coverage of the nation. It also airs in Canada on The Rural Channel. The previous 24 seasons of “Today’s Homeowner” (550+ episodes) continue to be available on free streaming on-demand and linear platforms.

Midterm Elections, Trump Legal Issues, St. Louis School Shooting, The Economy, Russia-Ukraine War, British Politics, and Ye Controversies Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (10/24). The debates ahead of the November midterm elections and speculation about which party will control the House and Senate in January; the several legal battles facing former President Donald Trump; a shooting at a St. Louis-area school claims the lives of two victims; inflation and concerns about a recession; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and its destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure; Rishi Sunak assumes the role of prime minister of Great Britain; and Ye loses his Adidas deal in the aftermath of his latest anti-Semitic comments 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

Monday, October 10, 2022

By Editor | October 10, 2022 by Editor

Monday Memo: Plan NOW For The Big Story. “When-the-fit-hits-the-shan, news/talk stations need to be conspicuous.” In this week’s column, consultant Holland Cooke uses that colorful quote as he provides four suggestions for stations to re-familiarize themselves with their network’s continuing coverage routine.” Read Holland Cooke’s column here.

Pending Business: To Do Lists. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa knows the importance of being organized in running a sales department or being a seller in this business. He gains inspiration from Benjamin Franklin – an incredibly busy man known for creating “To Do” lists – in drawing up five important things he suggests you include in creating yours each day. Read it here.

Bohannon’s Final Bow Set For This Friday. One of the most proficient and classiest talk/radio personalities the country has ever heard – Jim Bohannon – will hang up the headsets on his eponymous program this Friday (10/14). Having appeared on the TALKERS “Heavy Hundred” an astounding 27 consecutive years, the highly affable “Jimbo” is calling it quits due to health reasons. Beginning next Monday (10/17), Rich Valdes will succeed Bohannon on the weeknight, three-hour (10:00 pm – 1:00 am) Cumulus Media Westwood One broadcast. Bohannon states, “It’s been a great 40 years with Westwood One – the last 30 of which as host of ‘The Jim Bohannon Show.’ I’ve enjoyed every minute of our daily nighttime town hall with my guests, callers, and all of America. “Now, I’d like to introduce Rich Valdes, a very bright, vibrant young man who will be taking over in the same tradition.” Cumulus Media executive vice president of corporate marketing/Westwood One president Suzanne Grimes remarks, “We celebrate Jim’s long radio history and all his achievements, including his induction into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame; the First Amendment Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association; the Lifetime Achievement Award from TALKERS Magazine; and his inductions into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. We are especially proud that Jim has been an invaluable member of our Westwood One family these many years – he is truly an industry legend. As we pass the baton to Rich Valdes, we’re excited to bring a new name and voice to talk radio. We look forward to continuing our tradition of providing the best programming to our affiliates and listeners.” Valdes notes, “No one can ever fill Jim’s shoes. I consider it a blessing and great honor to be part of the next generation of late-night talk show hosts, following the tradition of Jim Bohannon and Larry King.” TALKERS founder/publisher Michael Harrison has a very candid conversation with Bohannon on PodcastOne’s “The Michael Harrison Interview,” which drops tomorrow (Tuesday, 10/11). Bohannon joined Westwood One in 1983 and spent over 31 years as host of the early morning weekday news magazine “America in the Morning” and previously hosted “America This Week.” He began his career in 1960 at KLWT-AM, his hometown station in Lebanon, Missouri.

Sid Rosenberg Pays Tribute to Bernard McGuirk. WABC, New York personality Sid Rosenberg shares personal feelings about his longtime broadcasting colleague Bernard McGuirk who succumbed last week (10/5) after a courageous battle with prostate cancer. The two co-hosted the highly successful “Bernie & Sid in the Morning” program since April of 2018 bringing it to the top of the ratings in the competitive Big Apple AM drive daypart. But their relationship went back many years before that to their days together as part of team backing the legendary “Imus in the Morning” program and more. Rosenberg discusses their history together and his loving perspective on McGuirk as a broadcaster and a friend in an exclusive conversation with TALKERS founder Michael Harrison. To listen to the tribute, please click here.

Scheld Schedules His WCBS-AM Departure. In a memo to the staff of WCBS-AM, news director/brand manager Tim Scheld notes he will be leaving the Audacy New York all-news facility before the end of the year. Lauding the WCBS-AM team and Audacy New York market president Chris Oliviero, Scheld writes that “Audacy New York is in great hands.” Also included in the memo, Scheld states an Audacy arrangement with SAG-AFTRA signifies a new strategy, combining WCBS-AM’s resources with those of co-owned/similarly-formatted WINS. “[It’s] a plan I have endorsed and frankly helped design.” Scheld was a WCBS-AM reporter from 1987 – 1994 and rejoined the station in 2003, after a nine-year stint as a correspondent for ABC Radio News. In addition to his WCBS-AM duties, he’s chair of the Radio Television Digital News Association.

KGO Betting On The Spread. Confirming a story reported here last Friday (TALKERS, 10/7), Cumulus Media San Francisco today transitions longtime news/talk KGO to “The Spread 810 AM,” the Bay Area’s first station focused on sports betting. Cumulus San Francisco vice president/market manager Larry Blumhagen comments, “This is a bittersweet day for us, as it’s hard to say goodbye to the legendary KGO, which has been a part of listeners’ lives for so many years. We want to thank all the people who have been a part of KGO’s historic run these many years and the listeners who loyally tuned into the station. Times change, and we must change with them. We are excited about this new chapter and look forward to serving the Bay Area’s passionate sports fans in an incomparable way.” Cumulus San Francisco sports talk KNBR and KTCT program director Kevin Graham adds PD duties for “The Spread” and notes, “We are pleased to introduce sports-betting radio to our community. The station will feature a lineup of expert personalities that deliver unique sports talk and sports betting insights that entertain, inform, and engage. While [KGO] will feature specific gambling information, we believe our entertaining presentation will make it a favorite for all Bay area sports fans and a perfect complement to the legendary KNBR and KTCT.” The station’s weekday programming lineup includes: Joe Ostrowski, Joe Giglio, and Erin Hawksworth (6:00 am – 9:00 am); Jim Rome (9:00 am – 12:00 noon); Nick Kostos and Ken Barkley (12:00 noon – 4:00 pm); Quinton Mayo, Trysta Krick, and Ryan Horvat with “Bet MGM Tonight” (4:00 pm – 8:00 pm); and CBS Sports Radio (8:00 pm – 12:00 midnight). Among persons 6+ in Nielsen Audio’s September 2022 San Francisco sweep, KGO “810 AM” was up two-tenths from August 2022 (1.5 – 1.7, #21 to #20). In San Jose, KGO registers its fourth straight uptick for a combined +1.0 (1.7 – 2.0 – 2.2 – 2.6 – 2.7, 6+) and ranks #13.

Round Three of September PPMs Released. The third of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s September 2022 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including: Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus. Nielsen Audio’s September 2022 sweep covered August 18 – September 14. TALKERS managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his “Ratings Takeaways” from this group of 12 markets. News/talk packs a one-two punch (6+) in Salt Lake City, where iHeartMedia’s KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM “Talk Radio” erupts with a +2.5 (9.1 – 11.6, 6+) to rank on top for the eighth month in succession, while Bonneville-owned KSL “News Radio 102.7 FM & 1160 AM” adds six-tenths (6.1 – 6.7, 6+), advancing from fourth to second. In addition to SLC, the format registers number one showings in Sacramento with iHeartMedia’s KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM “News 1530 AM & 93.1 FM” gaining eight-tenths (8.1 – 8.9, third to first, 6+), and in Cincinnati, where co-owned WLW “700 Cincinnati’s News Radio” – despite being off six-sixths – is on top for the seventh consecutive month (11.7 – 11.1, 6+). Meanwhile, Cox Media Group-owned WDBO “Orlando’s News Talk” dials up a +1.3 (3.7 – 5.0, 6+) and enters the top ten (#11 to #8). The largest (6+) August 2022 – September 2022 increase by any station in the 36 PPM-markets whose data has been released thus far is in Columbus, where Tegna-owned sports talk WBNS-FM logs a +2.6 (6.8 – 9.4, 6+); “97.1 FM The Fan” vaults from fourth to first. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete “Ratings Takeaways” for this group of 12 markets (as well as the first two groups) here.

Hurley Charity Event Hauls in $65,00+. The fourteenth Annual Hurley in the Morning Charity Dinner and Silent Auction was held last Friday (10/7) at Atlantic City’s Resorts Casino Hotel. This year’s event raised more than $65,000 and featured congressman Jeff Van Drew as guest of honor/keynote speaker. An additional supplemental live on-air auction is still to be staged. According to “Hurley in the Morning” Charity founder/chair Harry Hurley (pictured at the right with Jeff Van Drew), “It was an amazing, ‘Who’s Who’ evening, which will directly benefit many worthy non-for-profit organizations throughout New Jersey and beyond. For example, this special event will make it possible for the “Hurley in the Morning Charity” to make a $7,000 contribution [next June] to The Broadcasters Foundation of America. Jeff Van Drew arrived early and was the last to leave.” To date, The Harry Hurley charity has donated $21,000 to the Broadcasters Foundation of America.” Hurley, who does morning drive (6:00 am – 10:00 am) on Townsquare Media Atlantic City news/talk WPGG “WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM & 1450 AM,” reveals that Fox News Channel/Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade will be guest of honor/keynote speaker September 29, 2023 at “our fifteenth annual Hurley in the Morning Charity Dinner and Silent Auction.”

TALKERS News Notes. As part of cutbacks at Beasley Media Group Boston sports talk WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub,” Toucher & Rich morning show producer Mike Lockhart and nighttime Adam Jones Show co-host Christian Arcand exit. Meanwhile in Philadelphia at co-owned/similarly-formatted WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic,” John Kincaid Show member Jaimie Lynch departs. … Almost seven months to the day from his kidney transplant, Zimmer Broadcasting Cookeville (Tennessee) news/talk WHUB “News Talk 107.7 and 1400 The Hub” program director/6:00 am – 8:00 am host/promotion director/assistant news director Brent Carl Fleshman won two first-place trophies at last week’s inaugural Tennessee Association of Broadcasting’s “Excellence Awards.” Fleshman was named “Best Local On-Air Personality” and “Best Local Talk Show” in the “Small Market Radio Division,” which consists of stations not in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.In 2016, Fleshman won the NAB Marconi Award as “Small Market Personality of the Year” and was a finalist for that award in 2019. … “Fridays with Frankie,” a limited-edition Audacy series hosted by reality show star Frankie Grande, debuted last Friday (10/7). Each episode will feature a different topic and will be live aired on Audacy’s digital platform at 8:00 am (ET) and replayed until 12:00 midnight (ET). The show will also air across Audacy’s Channel Q’s network of stations. … The Society of Professional Journalists names the headquarters of the Voice of America – 330 Independence Avenue SW in Washington, DC – as a Historic Site in Journalism. The Voice of America is the editorially independent international broadcaster funded by the United States government. SPJ international community co-chair Dan Kubiske states that, “For 80 years, the Voice of America has been a source of solid and honest journalism. From its beginning in 1942, despite being a U.S. government agency, through custom, charters and law the editorial independence of VOA journalists has not wavered.”

Front Page News Industry News

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

By Editor | September 28, 2022 by Editor

WBAL-AM, Baltimore Promotes Jeff Wade to Director of Programming/News Director. Baltimore news/talk outlet WBAL-AM/W268BA “NewsRadio and 1090/FM 101.5” promotes Jeff Wade, adding director of programming duties to his continuing role as news director. Wade joined the Hearst Television radio station as news director in 2017. Hearst says that during Wade’s tenure, the news team earned a National Murrow Award for Breaking News Coverage along with numerous Regional Murrow Awards, including a Regional Murrow for Overall Excellence in 2022. In his new role, Wade will oversee WBAL’s roster of talk personalities while continuing to lead its news staff. He held similar roles at WGAN-AM in Portland, Maine from 2005-2014 and Binnie Media’s NH1 News in New Hampshire from 2014-2017. Wade takes over for longtime WBAL programmer Scott Masteller, who is transitioning to a part-time role with the station, helping to coordinate the station’s sports broadcasting schedule, which includes the Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Ravens, and Navy Football. Hearst Baltimore president and general manager Dan Joerres says, “With Scott transitioning to the next phase of his career at WBAL NewsRadio and Jeff having already tackled a similar opportunity earlier in his career, I am wildly confident that our listeners will continue to enjoy the best in local news, talk and sports on WBAL NewsRadio.” Wade adds, “It’s the honor of a lifetime to be given the opportunity to lead this outstanding team of broadcasters and build on the foundation Scott has laid.”

Steve Goldstein Rises to President for Hubbard’s 2060 Digital. Digital sales pro Steve Goldstein is promoted from his SVP sales strategy and general manager to president of Hubbard Radio’s 2060 Digital. Company EVP/chief financial officer Dave Bestler says that in this new role, Goldstein will increase his focus on growing 2060 Digital’s brand and revenue footprint in the expanding digital marketing and advertising sector across the United States. Bestler adds, “Since 2019, Steve has done a great job leading our growing business at 2060 Digital as well as leading our overall sales strategy at Hubbard Radio. Given the explosive growth of our 2060 Digital business, promoting Steve to president of 2060 Digital and focusing his amazing talents exclusively here is both needed and exciting.” The company says that since its inception in 2015, 2060 Digital has become a critical revenue growth strategy for Hubbard Radio, providing a comprehensive platform of digital agency services that help local, regional and national brands drive measurable business outcomes across a diverse array of digital marketing channels. 2060 Digital operates offices in 10 Hubbard owned and operated radio markets, as well as 2060 Digital’s Shift division in Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Nashville. Goldstein says, “I am thrilled to focus my full attention on our already thriving 2060 Digital business. Our talented ops team lead by VP/ops Andy Shepherd, as well as our sellers and Hubbard Radio’s market leaders are making a meaningful difference for our clients. I couldn’t do this without the continued support of Ginny Morris and Dave Bestler, both of whom are committed to innovating and growing 2060 Digital. As we lean into new innovations, I am excited about the increased value 2060 Digital will provide to brands and the overall company.”

Bill O’Reilly Publishes Latest Book in ‘Killing’ Series: Killing the Legends. The latest book in the “Killing” series from television journalist and conservative media figure Bill O’Reilly is published. Killing the Legends: The Lethal Danger of Celebrity (St. Martin’s Press, 2022) – written with Martin Dugard – explores the lives, legacies, and tragic deaths of three of the most famous people of the 20th century: Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Muhammad Ali. Promo copy for the book says, “These three icons changed the worlds of music, film, and sports. Their influence, though, far exceeded the entertainment and athletic fields. These three changed society and culture. They were known and inspired people across the globe. They each became larger-than-life figures. They were on top of the world until their lives spiraled out of control. Immense success led to failure, addiction, or unhappiness that forced them to reinvent themselves and their talents. In industries that celebrated youth, they faced down growing older and found ways to renew themselves. But in the end, they were all three isolated by their fame —and sadly, it was their inner circles, those they trusted the most, that contributed to their downfall.” This is the 12^th book in O’Reilly’s “Killing” series that has sold more than 19 million copies worldwide.

Paul Rotella to Exit NJBA. The longtime president and CEO of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association announces he is exiting his role with the organization. Paul Rotella says in a letter announcing his decision, “Since 2008, I have been privileged to serve the broadcast industry by helping the NJBA meet fiscal and industry-wide challenges. My lobbying efforts on behalf of the industry, and the production of our informative and exciting annual conferences, have been particularly gratifying aspects of my work on behalf of our nationally acclaimed Association. I am especially grateful for the wonderful friendships that this experience has provided me and for the superb colleagues I have been fortunate enough to call friends. Most of all, I am blessed with the best family anyone could ask for, and I am particularly grateful for their unselfish contributions to my success, and to the success of the NJBA.”

TALKERS News Notes. Longtime talk media personality Jason Lewis releases his latest book, Party Animal, The Truth About President Trump, Power Politics & the Partisan Press (Barnes & Noble Press, 2022). The former Minnesota congressman spent some time this summer filling in on iHeartMedia’s news/talk KTLK-AM, Minneapolis after the untimely passing of Andrew Lee…..FOX News Channel reports that, according to Nielsen Media Research, it finished the third quarter of 2022 as cable’s most-watched network in primetime and total day viewers. Marking 83 consecutive quarters as the highest-rated cable news channel in primetime, FNC also outpaced CNN and MSNBC combined in total day and primetime with total viewers, and easily surpassed both networks in the 25-54 and 18-49 demos for the quarter. FNC also ranked number one in all of basic cable in total day viewers for the sixth quarter in a row, winning every single weekday hour with double and triple-digit percent advantages while delivering 94 of the top 100 telecasts in cable news…..Talk host Richard Cason and MKS Broadcasting’s news/talk KFMO-AM, Flat River Missouri agree to part ways. Since March of 2021, Cason had been hosting the Sunday 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm program. Cason says his program is still available on Frankspeech.com and Patreon.

The Economy/Financial Markets, Hurricane Ian, Trump Legal Issues, Midterms/2024 Presidential Election, Immigration, U.S.-China Relations, Russia-Ukraine War/Nord Stream, and European Politics Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/27). The high rate of inflation and the sell-off on the world’s financial markets; Hurricane Ian strengthens to category 4 and aims for Florida’s west coast; former President Donald Trump’s New York civil suit and the DOJ’s documents investigation; the November midterm elections and the potential nominees for president in 2024; the Biden administration’s immigration policy and the transporting of migrants; tensions between the U.S. and China over the former’s support of Taiwan; Vladimir Putin’s calling up more troops, his threat of nuclear force in the Ukraine war, and the suspected sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline; and the rise of far right politicians in the European Union 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

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

By Editor | August 31, 2022 by Editor

Audacy CEO David Field Responds to Industry Piece Predicting Company’s Bankruptcy. After a number of tweets on Tuesday (8/30) from various media people called attention to InsideMusicRadio.com publisher Jerry Del Colliano’s opinion piece about the state of Audacy’s business, Audacy CEO David Field responded with a companywide memo and a public response on Twitter. Taken out of context, the headline was subject to misinterpretation unless one read the entire piece. The story goes on to reference a memo Field wrote four years ago in which he gave his observations about the reasons for iHeartMedia’s and Cumulus’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganizations. Del Colliano’s column suggests Audacy is now facing the same issues iHeartMedia and Cumulus did and Del Colliano predicts that Audacy is headed down the same path as he terms Field’s 2018 memo “a premonition of things to come as Audacy heads into bankruptcy next year.” Field’s response states, “An industry blog post published today falsely claimed that ‘David Field confirms Audacy’s bankruptcy.’ That statement is categorically and unequivocally untrue. Audacy intends to pursue all applicable remedies for false and defamatory statements meant to cause damage to Audacy, its employees and its stakeholders to the fullest extent of the law. As you have heard from me and others on our leadership team, we are excited and confident in our future and focused on capitalizing effectively on the acquisitions, investments and enhancements we have made to position the company for a bright future in the dynamic, growing world of audio. With the additions of a strong leadership position in podcasting, a meaningfully enhanced national sales organization, the rollout of a new, reimagined digital platform, emerging ad tech and data capabilities, plus the industry’s best local radio group with an unrivaled #1 position in news and sports, Audacy is better positioned than ever to serve customers and audiences with greater revenue and earnings potential under normalized market conditions.”

Deborah Flora to Host Daily Show on KUNS-AM, Denver. After giving up her weekend talk show on Salem Media Group’s news/talk KNUS-AM, Denver to pursue the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate, Deborah Flora returns to the station to host a daily 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm program beginning September 6. Flora is a former Miss Colorado, is president and founder of the non-profit Parents United America. She is also a founding partner of both Lamplight Entertainment and Whetstone Media Group, and produced numerous projects, including the documentary, Whose Children Are They? KNUS operations manager Kelly Michaels says, “We are fortunate to have Deborah back on 710 KNUS and I know she will crush it on her new weekday show. She is a hard-working and caring host who is determined to help make Colorado a better place for families to raise their kids.” Flora comments, “I’m excited to be back on the air and connecting with Coloradans every day. We will talk about common sense solutions to the real issues facing the great people of this state, while inspiring listeners to take a stand for what they care about most.”

FOX News Channel Third Most-Watched Television Network in August. According to data from Nielsen Media Research, FOX News Channel finished August 2022 as the third most-watched network in all of television during weekday primetime, outpacing ABC and trailing only CBS and NBC. In a press release citing Nielsen ratings, FOX News Channel says it remained cable’s highest-rated network in total day and primetime with total viewers and the top rated in total day with the 25-54 demo. FNC surpassed CNN and MSNBC combined with total day and primetime viewers and was number one in all of cable with total day and primetime viewers. FNC also ranked number one in cable news in primetime viewers for the 19th month in a row and notched 96 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the month. In total day, FNC delivered 1.5 million viewers, 211,000 with the 25-54 demo and 128,000 with the 18-49 demo. In primetime, FNC netted 2.3 million viewers, 311,000 in the 25-54 demo, and 189,000 with the 18-49 demo. The network also delivered the top four programs in cable news with viewers and the top 15 of the top 16 cable news programs in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s late afternoon offering “The Five” continued as the top-rated show in viewers for the fifth consecutive month and finishing first in cable news for the last eight out of nine months. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” continued as the highest-rated program in cable news in the younger 25-54 demo, averaging 3.3 million viewers and 486,000 in the demo, as well as 301,000 in the 18-49 category throughout July. “Hannity” scored 2.9 million viewers, 397,000 in the 25-54 demo and 235,000 among adults 18-49, achieving the third most-watched program in all categories and outpacing the competition on MSNBC and CNN combined.

John Mullen Named General Manager for Hofstra University’s WRHU-FM. Broadcasting professional and educator John T. Mullen is named general manager for Hofstra University’s student run radio station WRHU-FM 88.7 Radio Hofstra University, effective September 1. Mullen has been serving as the station’s operations manager. Lawrence Herbert School of Communication Dean Mark Lukasiewicz says, “John has been an important part of the growth and success of WRHU since he joined the station in 2005, spearheading the station’s longstanding relationship with the New York Islanders and other professional sports franchises, and steering the application process for the station’s many industry awards – most notably, three NAB Marconi Awards over the past several years. As a mentor and advisor, he has helped hundreds of students develop skills, build confidence and prepare for careers in broadcasting and other industries, accomplishments that are at the core of WRHU’s mission at Hofstra. John is stepping into a role largely created and defined by outgoing general manager Bruce Avery, who departs with our profound thanks for leading WRHU and its students to such great accomplishments over his more than three decades at Hofstra. I could not imagine a better candidate than John to take the reins from Bruce, and to launch a great new chapter in the storied history of WRHU Radio Hofstra University.”

TALKERS News Notes. WOAI, San Antonio-based, nationally syndicated talk host Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo is sitting in for Sean Hannity on Premiere Networks’ “Sean Hannity Show” today (8/31)…..iHeartMedia announces that the podcast “StraightioLab” – hosted by comedians George Civeris and Sam Taggart – joins the iHeartPodcast Network as part of iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Player’s Network. “StraightioLab” is described as an intellectual podcast where the two “unpack the rich, multi-colored tapestry of straight culture. In each episode, George and Sam are joined by a guest to hold a mirror to society and finally get to the bottom of mysterious and perverse topics such as college fraternities, gender reveal parties, the military, themed restaurants, and the concept of ‘the holidays.’”…..Audacy’s Cadence13 names longtime Hollywood executive Patton Valentine to oversee intellectual property adaptation strategy across its original content divisions. The company says it has ambitious plans for adapting its hit audio documentary and scripted storytelling IP into the world of film and television, with many projects already in the works. Valentine joins Cadence13 from Ley Line Entertainment, where he served as head of television…..iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman and COO and CFO Rich Bressler will participate in a question and answer session during the BofA Securities 2022 Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference on Thursday September 8 at 4:10 pm ET. A live webcast of the session will be available to the general public at the start of the session through a link on the Investors homepage of iHeartMedia’s website.

Trump Documents Investigation, Russia-Ukraine War, Biden’s Student Loan Plan, Jackson Water Woes/Western Heatwave, and Mikhail Gorbachev Dies Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/30). The U.S. Justice Department’s battle with former President Donald Trump over the document search of Mar-a-Lago; the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and its effect on Europe’s natural gas supply; criticism of President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program; the potable water supply problems in Jackson, Mississippi and the heatwave forecast for the U.S. West; and former USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev dies 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 9, 2022

By Editor | August 9, 2022 by Editor

Round One of July PPMs Released. The first of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s July PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, San Jose, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union (New Jersey). Nielsen’s July 2022 sweep covered June 23 – July 20. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Rating Takeaways from this group of markets. In New York City, Red Apple Media’s news/talk WABC adds a full share to finish with a 4.1 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) and rises to the #7 rank, while iHeartMedia’s crosstown news/talk WOR loses one-tenth for a 1.9 share finish good for the #19 rank. Nexstar Media Group’s news/talk WGN, Chicago adds seven-tenths to wrap the survey with a 3.3 share and rises to the #10 rank. Audacy’s crosstown all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM sheds four-tenths to post a 4.6 share and falls from #2 to #4. In Dallas, Cumulus Media’s news/talk WBAP continues its upward trajectory adding a half share for a 4.5 share finish that pushes it to the #4 rank. Cox Media Group’s news/talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta is steady with a 5.7 share and remains locked in the #4 spot. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets here.

AM 790 in Providence Returns to Sports Talk as ‘790 The Score.’ Heritage Providence station WPRV-AM completes its previously announced flip from business news to sports talk as Cumulus Media launches “790 The Score.” The station – originally WEAN-AM when it debuted in 1922 – broadcast a sports talk format for about 10 years from 1998 through 2008 as WSKO “The Score.” That was replaced by oldies for about a year before flipping to business talk in 2009. Cumulus says the new station “brings sports and sports betting news, information, and insights to the burgeoning and underserved sports betting audience in the Providence area. ‘790 The Score’ delivers behind-the-book perspectives from experts in a highly entertaining and engaging format.” Cumulus Providence VP and market manager Holly Paras says, “It’s official: ‘790 The Score’ is now Providence’s best bet for sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts, and we couldn’t be more excited! The station features a lineup of expert personalities that deliver unique sports talk and sports betting insights that entertain, inform, and engage, along with New England Patriots football, New York Yankees baseball, Boston Celtics basketball, and Brown University football and basketball play-by-play. We think Providence sports and sports betting fans will love ‘790 The Score!’” The program lineup includes: Bet MGM, Bet QL, Jim Rome, local host Kevin McNamara, and more.

KHOW, Denver’s Michael Brown Named New Host of ‘The Weekend.’ Former Under Secretary of Homeland Security and Director of FEMA, Michael Brown – host of “The Situation with Michael Brown” on iHeartMedia’s KHOW, Denver – is named the full-time host of the Premiere Networks nationally syndicated radio program, “The Weekend.” The three-hour show is heard on more than 300 stations nationwide. Brown takes over for Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo as the regular host of the show. Brown says, “I couldn’t be more thrilled to take the reins of ‘The Weekend.’ When Premiere asked me to sign on full-time, it was a no brainer. I’m looking forward to furthering my connection with this nationwide audience each week. We’re going to have a great time together as we go beyond the headlines to tackle the stories that matter most with honesty, smarts and a dose of fun.”

Westwood One Audio Active Group: Only Half of NFL Fans Are Aware Thursday Night Games Are Only on Amazon Prime. This week’s blog from the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group includes data from a national study from MARU/Matchbox of 1,000 Americans over the age of 18 that indicates half of frequent NFL viewers and only 30% of occasional NFL viewers are aware that “Thursday Night Football” will only be available on Amazon Prime Video. Although the majority of football fans with Amazon Prime say they’ll watch NFL “Thursday Night Football” on Amazon Prime Video, about half of “Thursday Night Football” viewers are not Amazon Prime members. This presents opportunity for Westwood One as after a decade behind a paywall, the audio stream of its national broadcasts will now be available for local radio station affiliates. The Westwood One national audio stream will also be available on the free NFL app. For years WFAN listeners in the New York market could hear the game over the air but not on WFAN’s audio stream. Now listeners will have the option to listen to Westwood One’s Monday night, Thursday night, and Sunday night broadcasts on their smart speakers, smartphones, and laptops. See the blog post here.

Three Executive Promotions at Triton Digital. The company announces that three executives are being promoted within the company. Oscar Sermeno is upped to vice president of market strategy, Americas; Daniel Karlsson is promoted to vice president, market development and global strategy; and Michael Chien is elevated to vice president of advertising product strategy. Triton Digital president and CEO John Rosso comments, “Triton Digital continues on a trajectory of rapid growth and global expansion. These recent promotions within our leadership team will play an instrumental role in furthering Triton’s innovative spirit while maintaining operational excellence and expanding the company’s presence around the world. All while continuing to provide best-in-class audio streaming, podcasting, audience measurement, and advertising technology on a global scale.”

TALKERS News Notes. The nationally syndicated program, “The Dana Show” – starring Dana Loesch, adds new affiliate WFLF-AM, Orlando “WFLA.” The iHeartMedia station is picking up the Radio America-syndicated show for the 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm daypart…..The National Association of Broadcasters announces the availability of the 2022 Election Toolkit – an online resource that provides local television and radio broadcasters with ideas and information to cover the 2022 local, state and federal elections. The 2022 Election Toolkit provides assets to help broadcasters serve their communities in the lead-up to Election Day on November 8. It includes information on identifying false statements online, suggested tactics for hosting debates, voter registration resources and guides for finding local polling places. Broadcast-ready public service announcements encouraging voter participation are also available in both English and Spanish through the toolkit. NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt says, “Local broadcasters are a trusted and reliable source of news and information, which takes on heightened importance in combatting disinformation as Americans exercise their right to vote. The toolkit will equip radio and television stations in helping voters make informed decisions at the polls – an essential component in ensuring the vitality of our democracy.” Find it here…..Two podcasts – “Smart Talks with IBM,” an iHeartRadio show produced in collaboration with Pushkin and IBM, and “Bridgerton: The Official Podcast,” a Shondaland Audio and iHeartRadio program, are receiving a 2022 Adweek Podcast of the Year Award. Adweek’s annual Podcast of the Year Awards recognizes the best podcasts, featuring shows across 28 categories aimed at all sorts of audiences.

FBI Searches Mar-a-Lago, The Economy, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Taiwan/U.S.-China Relations, Russia-Ukraine War, and Olivia Newton-John Dies Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/8). The FBI executes a search warrant at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club as part of an investigation into presidential documents; the still-high price of gasoline and food and concerns about a recession; November’s midterm elections and speculation about the nominees in the 2024 presidential race; China’s ramped up military exercises around Taiwan and the tenuous relations between the U.S. and China; Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine and its impact on the global economy; and Olivia Newton-John dies at 73 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

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

By Editor | July 6, 2022 by Editor

Ken Charles to Step Away from KNX, Los Angeles. News radio programmer Ken Charles announces that he’ll be leaving Audacy’s all-news KNX-AM/FM, Los Angeles when his contract expires on July 22. Charles made the announcement in a Facebook post. He says, “This is one of the hardest emails I have ever written. I’ve made the difficult professional and personal decision not to renew my contract and am stepping down as brand manager for KNX and format VP for Audacy. It has been an honor and a privilege to be part of the 102-year history of KNX and to lead this amazing group of professionals. I am extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished together. We’ve covered every type of story imaginable, fires, earthquakes, a global pandemic, protests in the streets, two of the most intense elections ever, a Dodgers World Series victory, a Lakers NBA championship, the Rams first LA Super Bowl title (sorry Kings) and so many more. We celebrated KNX’s 100th anniversary and won the first two national Edward R. Murrow awards in the station’s 54-year all-news history. We’ve evolved the station’s sound, grown our ratings, expanded our digital footprint and become a leader in the company. Finally, we moved KNX to the FM dial and became KNX News 97.1 FM. There are so many of you I want to individually acknowledge and thank for making my seven years at KNX an amazing experience, but I don’t want this to become an Oscar speech and be played off this email. However, I do want to thank my partner in our success, our news director, Julie Chin. None of the above happens without Julie’s help, counsel, insight, friendship and hard work. She will continue to be a steady hand in the continuing success of KNX and keep the momentum we’ve built going.”

New TALKERS 2022 Video Posted. The latest video from the June 10 TALKERS 2022 convention at Hofstra University has been posted. This fireside chat was introduced by John Caracciolo, president/CEO of JVC Broadcasting and featured FOX News Radio and FOX News Channel star Brian Kilmeade being interviewed by WPG, Atlantic City morning drive host Harry Hurley. See the complete video of this session here.

Danny Marang Joins Midday Show at “1080 The Fan” in Portland. Sports media pro Danny Marang is named midday show co-host at Audacy’s sports talk KFXX-AM, Portland “1080 The Fan.” Marang joins longtime station host Dusty Harrah on the new “Danny and Dusty” show that airs from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm. Marang is a 10-year Portland media veteran who also hosts “Jacked Ramsays,” a Portland Trail Blazers-focused podcast alongside “1080 The Fan” morning show host Brandon Sprague. Marang previously served as host of Trail Blazers pregame and postgame shows on NBC Sports Northwest and as a writer for SB Nation website “Blazers Edge.” He also served as an operations intelligence officer in the United States Air Force. Audacy Portland SVP and market manager Kim Martinez states, “Danny brings a rich breadth of experience covering this area’s sports scene, and we’re pleased to team him up with Dusty Harrah for the launch of a brand-new midday show. Together, Danny and Dusty will deliver fresh, entertaining and informative content to carry our listeners through their workdays.”

Triton Digital Releases Streaming Rankers for May 2022. The monthly ranker of top performing digital audio publishers for May 2022 has been published by Triton Digital. This ranker is based on Average Active Sessions (AAS) and represents the average number of sessions at any point in time in the reported time period, with invalid sessions omitted. AAS can be calculated by dividing Total Listening Hours by the number of hours within the reported time period (AAS=TLH/Hours in period). For the United States and measuring 6am-12am Mon-Sun, iHeartRadio is ranked #1 with 298,936 AAS. At #2 is NPR Member Stations (73,102 AAS), followed by Audacy at #3 (62,820 AAS), and Cumulus Streaming Network at #4 (41,251 AAS). Other radio-related companies ranking in the top 25 include Beasley Broadcasting Corporate at #7 (19,321 AAS), Hubbard Broadcasting at #8 (15,079 AAS), Salem Communications at #11 (8,599 AAS), Urban One at #12 (8,357 AAS), and Bonneville International at #14 (6,789 AAS). See the complete ranker here.

New Jersey Theatre Unveils ‘Beasley Media Group Green Room.’ The nonprofit State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick – one of the oldest operating theatres in the state – announces that its green room is now named the “Beasley Media Group Green Room” as part of its Next Stage Campaign. The naming commemorates Beasley Media Group’s commitment to the arts community and longtime support of State Theatre New Jersey, which is currently celebrating its 100th Anniversary Season. The extensive renovations at the theatre are helping preserve its rich history while continuing to serve the community as a state-of-the-art cultural center far into the future. The renovations, which were completed in October 2021, included newly renovated lobbies, all new restrooms, upgraded HVAC systems, a new elevator for access to all levels, brand-new theater seats, and renovations to the backstage area, including the green room. Beasley SVP and market manager Dan Finn says, “We are honored and thrilled with the naming of the Beasley Media Group Green Room in the historic and beautiful State Theatre New Jersey. Congratulations to the State Theatre on the success of the Next Campaign and for celebrating the recent milestone of 100 years of live entertainment.”

July 4 Shooting/Gun Control, January 6 Hearings/Georgia Election Probe, The Economy, Midterms/Trump & the GOP, Russia-Ukraine War, and Boris Johnson Troubles Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/5). The Fourth of July shooting in suburban Chicago that left seven people dead and talk about gun control issues; the January 6 hearings and the subpoenaing of Senator Lindsey Graham, Rudy Giuliani and others in the Georgia investigation into allegations of election interference by former President Donald Trump; the high price of gas & food, the sinking financial markets, and threats of a recession; the midterm elections and Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine; and Boris Johnson’s tenuous hold on his prime minister position 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

Monday, June 13, 2022

By Editor | June 13, 2022 by Editor

TALKERS 2022 Exceeds Expectations. The 25^th annual installment (and second pandemic-era edition) of the talk media industry’s longest-running, largest, and most important national convention – TALKERS 2022 – took place this past Friday, June 10 and by all accounts significantly exceeded expectations. It was widely hailed by many of its longtime participants as “the best ‘TALKERS’ ever!” It was presented by TALKERS in association with Hofstra University’s award-winning radio station WRHU-FM/WRHU.org. Some 275 passionate media professionals from all over the country traveled to the beautiful campus of Hofstra on Long Island to see, hear and meet more than 60 luminary speakers – from talk media programming, management, station ownership, syndication, sales, marketing and technology – tackle the most compelling issues, opportunities and challenges currently at play in the industry. It was a power-packed day of non-stop panels, solo addresses, fireside charts, award presentations, exhibits and networking opportunities. The TALKERS editorial staff is now sifting through hundreds of photos and hours of video preparing extensive coverage of the conference and its enormous treasure trove of content that will be appearing in TALKERS magazine for days and weeks ahead. Please stay tuned for forthcoming stories, photos and complete video coverage of all sessions. TALKERS founder and convention producer/director Michael Harrison says, “We are deeply grateful to all the attendees and sponsors as well as our colleagues at Hofstra University for making TALKERS 2022 such a rewarding and memorable experience.” Photos: Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo playing the National Anthem during the opening ceremony (above right), and (above left) WPG, Atlantic City morning personality Harry Hurley interviewing FOX News Channel and FOX News Radio star Brian Kilmeade.

Monday Memo: Identify ‘Piano Movers.’ In this week’s column, consultant Holland Cooke asks, “What is difficult for most people but comes easy to you?” It’s a new business brainstorm for sales reps, and what HC calls “a Side-Hustle Alert for on-air talent.” Read it here.

Pending Business: Happy Father’s Day. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa wonders if your station had a sales meeting solely focused on Father’s Day. “Unlike Mother’s Day where ‘natural’ categories like flowers, candy, dinner, spa days, even jewelry make the annual target list, what did your target list look like for Father’s Day? The irony is, the National Retail Foundation projects only an $80 difference in the average gift spends between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. So how creative was your Father’s Day targeting? Was that list much different from your Christmas targeting for dad?” Read his column here.

NJBA President Paul Rotella’s Struggles, Courage and Imminent Victory Over Adversity. One of the most compelling stories in the radio industry has been the personal and professional journey of New Jersey Broadcasters Association (NJBA) president Paul Rotella. He is thankfully on the mend after suffering a terrible health struggle with rare form of meningitis that took him to the brink of death. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison, seeing Paul Rotella at this past Friday’s TALKERS 2022 (6/10) bravely walking with the help of a cane and enthusiastically watching, absorbing, cheering and delighting in the comradery of being with his fellow broadcasters, was SO moved that he pulled together his sources, resources and data to pay tribute to the man as quickly as possible. Harrison states, “I consider Paul Rotella to be a spectacular human being, family man, broadcaster, attorney and spokesman not only for the broadcasting community of the Garden State – but a force of nature in spreading a prideful image of the State of New Jersey, in general, across America – not always an easy task.” Harrison penned a tribute to Rotella including a remarkably candid and personal print interview with him that appears in today’s TALKERS. To read it, please click here.

WWO Blog: Pharmaceutical Brands Realize Benefits of AM/FM Advertising. In this week’s blog from the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group comes information from a comprehensive analysis of the pharmaceutical category that included data from Nielsen Media Impact, Nielsen’s media plan optimization tool; a MARU/Matchbox national study conducted over the course of two years from February 2020 through October 2021; and pharmaceutical ad creative testing results from the Advertising Benchmark Index. Cumulus Media EVP, marketing and Westwood One president Suzanne Grimes, says, “Pharmaceutical brands have discovered network radio, and it is one of our fastest growing categories. The big revelation for pharma brand advertising is that audio does all the heavy lifting, and the visuals are secondary. ABX creative testing reveals radio creative performs at 90% of the effectiveness of TV for 25% of the CPM.” Some of the highlights of the studies include: 1) According to Nielsen Media Impact, pharmaceutical/OTC brands see an average incremental reach increase of +38% when including AM/FM radio with TV; 2) Shifting 20% of an arthritis medication’s TV budget to AM/FM radio afforded the brand a significant reach advantage versus its competition (+29%) and increased its total share of voice from 22% to 39%; and 3) A pharmaceutical brand saw its TV reach drop -33% over a four-year period with the same spend due to the erosion of TV audiences. Shifting 30% of the October 2021 TV budget to AM/FM radio recovered the lost reach, generating a +51% lift in campaign reach. See more from the blog here.

Chris Williams Exits KXNO-AM/FM, Des Moines. Sports talk radio personality Chris Williams reveals via Twitter that he’s exited iHeartMedia sports talk outlet KXNO-AM/FM, Des Moines in order to focus on his family life. Williams has been serving as co-host of the afternoon drive program “The Sports Fanatics” with Ross Peterson. Williams tweeted, “When I was attending journalism school at Iowa State in the mid 2000s, my dream was to one day host a sports talk show on the iconic 1460 KXnO. For the last seven-plus years, I have had the privilege to live this dream. A lot has changed since then. I now have two beautiful daughters Cami (7) and Elyse (2), who I love more than I knew was even possible. Ross Peterson was my friend. He is now a brother who will be family forever. I recently made the decision to leave KXnO as a daily host to focus on my young family. The 3-6 time slot is an honor to fill, but also takes a major toll on family when you have young kids (especially when you have aspirations to be the best little league softball coach in the metro). I leave KXnO excited to be a better husband, son, friend and human being.”

The Economy, January 6 Hearings, Russia-Ukraine War, Gun Legislation, Midterms/Trump & the GOP, Western Heat-Wildfires Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The soaring price of gasoline and food, sinking tech stocks, and worries about a recession; today’s scheduled second January 6 Committee hearing; Russia’s advances in the war in Ukraine and the conflict’s effect on the world economy; the attempts at bi-partisan gun legislation; the ousting of San Francisco’s progressive DA, the November midterm elections, and Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP; and the Western heatwave and drought were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

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Thursday, May 26, 2022

By Editor | May 26, 2022 by Editor

Walter M. Sterling is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. The host of the syndicated 10:00 pm – 1:00 am weekend talk show “Sterling on Sunday” – Walter M. Sterling – is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Actually the roles are reversed and Sterling interviews Harrison in a two-segment excerpt from his program this past Sunday night (5/22). Sterling had Harrison on to discuss the impact of digital age technology – specifically the smart phone – on the wiring of the human nervous system. “This is a watershed leap in the evolution of Homo Sapiens,” says Harrison. “While grappling with the question of what it is to be American, society is going to have to increasingly deal with the vastly deeper issue of what it is to be human.” Walter M. Sterling is the on-air persona of historically influential radio programming innovator and management advisor Walter Sabo. Don’t miss this provocative and illuminative conversation. To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

Salem Media Group Signs Julie Hartman to Multiplatform Deal. This new pact with recent Harvard University grad Julie Hartman comes three months after she began doing a weekly podcast with Salem Radio Network personality Dennis Prager, titled, “Dennis and Julie.” Hartman’s new deal with Salem Media Group involves her doing projects for the Salem Podcast Network, Salem News Channel, and Salem Radio Network. Senior vice president of spoken word Phil Boyce says, “Julie represents a new generation of young media professionals, and we are adding some to the Salem platform, proving that even at Harvard you can come out a conservative if you keep your wits about you. Her story is compelling and even riveting and will probably be a book and a movie someday.” In September, Hartman will begin hosting two shows every weekend on Salem News Channel, three podcasts a week on the Salem Podcast Network, and substitute hosting on various Salem Radio Network programs. Hartman says, “I am honored that Salem Radio Network has entrusted me with this responsibility. Finding Dennis Prager’s work and getting to know him has illuminated my life’s vocation. Because of him, I’ve been able to collaborate with many other remarkably talented people at Salem. My generation needs courageous, independent, truth-telling voices. My goal is to be among the best of them.”

FOX News Media to Launch ‘The Senate Project’ Debate Series with Lindsey Graham and Bernie Sanders on June 13. A new debate series called The Senate Project – being created by the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate – premieres on June 13 in a debate between Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Bernie Sanders. Moderated by FOX News Channel’s Bret Baier, the 12:00 noon ET broadcast will be a one-hour policy debate between the two senators streaming on FOX Nation. The second debate, hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center, will be held in July at George Washington University, carried live and on demand across C-SPAN platforms, including streamed on C-SPAN Now. A third debate will be held by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation in Utah this fall. The press release states, “The goal of The Senate Project debate series is to reintroduce the culture of seeking common ground and consensus that has been the essence of the Senate since it was conceived in 1789. We hope it will inspire policymakers to not only make the case for their points of view, but to then work towards the example set by Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Orrin Hatch for bipartisan bridge-building.”

WSJS-AM, Winston-Salem Transitions to News/Talk/Sports. Triad sports talk station WSJS-AM, Winston-Salem (along with its four FM translators) is transitioning to a news/talk/sports format, effective June 6. Truth Broadcasting says, “In the legacy of Wally Williams, Wayne Willard, George Lee, Glenn Scott, Gene Overby and Smith Patterson, WSJS is returning to a local news/talk/sports format with Jeffrey Griffin behind the microphone as the host of “Triad Today” (7:00 am to 10:00 am). Midday programming will include familiar voices and award-winning programming from Brian Kilmeade, Todd Starnes and Charlie Kirk.” The station is continuing local sports talk “The Drive with Josh Graham” in afternoon drive. Truth Broadcasting COO Michael Carbone says, “It’s an incredible thrill, as well as a responsibility, to return the voice of the people to WSJS. A local talk station belongs to the listeners – our neighbors – to share their thoughts, their favorite things, favorite teams, their passion for the Triad, their celebrations, their issues, their dreams. We will restart that conversation and let the voices of the city color our days again.”

FANTASTIC SPEAKER LINEUP AND AGENDA for TALKERS 2022. TALKERS is presenting the 25^th annual installment of the talk media industry’s longest-running, largest and most important convention, TALKERS 2022, on Friday, June 10, 2022 on the campus of Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York in association with the prestigious university’s multi-award-winning station WRHU Radio.

TALKERS 2022 will be a “who’s who” of the talk media industry…

Red Apple Media CEO/WABC, New York owner John Catsimatidis is set to keynote with special guest addresses to be provided by iconic Key Networks personality Bill O’ Reilly and FOX News Radio/FOX News Channel star Brian Kilmeade.

See the complete agenda here.

TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison says, “We are delighted to be able to join forces again with our colleagues at Hofstra – the site of our very successful 2021 and 2016 events – and enjoy the remarkable resources that its Lawrence Herbert School of Communication brings to the table.”

As was the case last year, this event will be held in a COVID-19 compliant environment based upon the circumstances at the time of the convention. As is its tradition, TALKERS 2022 will boldly address key issues – some existential – facing the talk radio and talk media industries at this dramatically critical juncture of rapidly accelerating technological and societal change as well as identifying the remarkable opportunities inherent in these developments. It will also provide participants with unique and powerful networking opportunities. Attendance at the conference is limited to members of the working media and directly associated industries as well as students enrolled in accredited learning institutions. All attendees will be required to register in advance on the phone with credit cards. Attendance will be limited, and the conference is again expected to be an early sellout. Full details about the agenda (more than 50 in-person, luminary speakers) sponsorship opportunities and hotel information will continue to be posted in TALKERS in the days ahead. The all-inclusive registration fee covering convention events, exhibits, food, and services for the day is $349. Because space will be limited and a sellout is anticipated, all registrations are non-refundable.

To register or to obtain sponsorship information, call Barbara Kurland at 413-565-5413.

Travel and Hotel Information for TALKERS 2022. The full-service Long Island Marriott Uniondale is serving as the closest and best hotel for TALKERS 2022. To reserve rooms, please click here. All New York area airports are a car ride away from the hotel and Hofstra: JFK (18 miles), LaGuardia (24 miles), MacArthur (34 miles), Newark (47 miles). Free and convenient parking information at Hofstra will be posted here shortly.

TALKERS News Notes. Chicago market media pro Bob Sirott – host of Nexstar Media’s WGN Radio morning show – will receive the Dante Award from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans at a luncheon today (5/26). The organization says that since its inception in 1971, more than 40 Chicago journalists have received the Dante Award, which recognizes media professionals who pursue truth in their work. Sirott says, “Looking at the long, impressive list of previous Dante Award winners, it makes me realize that the highly respected selection committee who decides who gets this award realized they had given this to every media person in Chicago except me. They simply ran out of names.”…..Salem Media Group announces that it will present at the LD Micro Invitational XII in Westlake Village, California on Tuesday, June 7 at 6:30 pm ET. LD Micro began in 2006 as an independent resource to the microcap world…..Cumulus Media’s Westwood One, in its capacity as the official network radio partner of the NCAA, will air the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Semifinals and Championship Games over the Memorial Day weekend holiday. For the first time, Westwood One will broadcast the Women’s National Semifinal and Championship games in addition to the Men’s contests.

Alliance for Women in Media Foundation Presents 47^th Annual Gracie Awards. Pictured above at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California is the board of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. Tuesday’s 47^thAnnual Gracie Awards Gala was hosted by Holly Robinson Peete and “recognized exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment.” Local and student winners will be honored at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 22 in New York City. Photo: Getty Images for AWM

Texas School Massacre/Gun Control, Primary Races/Trump & the GOP, the Economy, Russia-Ukraine War, January 6 Investigation, COVID-19, and U.S.-China Relations Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (5/25). The aftermath of the shooting in Uvalde, Texas that claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers and the battle over gun control legislation; Tuesday’s primary races in Arkansas, Texas, Alabama, & Georgia and Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP; the high cost of food & gas, the shortage of baby formula, and the tech stock selloff; the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and its effects on the rest of the world; the investigation into the January 6 Capitol attack; the high rate of COVID-19 cases in parts of the U.S.; and U.S.-China relations in the wake of President Joe Biden’s visit to Asia 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

Thursday, April 21, 2022

By Editor | April 21, 2022 by Editor

Bill O’ Reilly is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. Multi-platform news/talk media star and best-selling author Bill O’ Reilly is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” O’ Reilly’s 40-plus year career has been colorful, controversial, and continues to be consequential. After gaining prominence as an anchor for the mainstream TV networks ABC and CBS, he served as host of the groundbreaking celebrity gossip entertainment-industry show, “Inside Edition,” and then evolved into politics going on to be the top-rated host at FOX News Channel for approximately two decades. Today, his short-form commentaries, syndicated by Key Networks, are heard on hundreds of news/talk radio stations across the nation and he’s currently in the process of launching a new nightly, long-form syndicated program titled, “No Spin News.” Harrison and O’ Reilly discuss the state and future of modern era news/talk media in addition to looking back at what it was like for the independent-minded talker to co-host and partner with former President Donald Trump on his recent four-city “History Tour.” Be sure to meet Bill O’ Reilly at the forthcoming Talkers 2022 conference at Hofstra University on Friday, June 10. To listen to the entire podcast, please click here.

Sean Hannity Becomes Longest-Running Primetime Cable News Host. According to FOX News Channel, primetime superstar Sean Hannity notches another industry milestone as he tops the late Larry King to assume the mantle of the longest-running primetime cable news host in U.S. television history. Today (4/21), marks 25 consecutive years, six months, and 15 days at the helm of a primetime cable news program – beating King’s run on CNN. Hannity has been a staple of FNC’s primetime lineup since the launch of the network in 1996. He was co-host of “Hannity & Colmes (with the late Alan Colmes) that debuted on October 7, 1996. FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott says, “Sean’s authenticity and insightful commentary have created one of the most enduring connections with our audience and it’s been an honor to watch him over the years. A FOX News original, he has helped innovate the industry, and we are incredibly proud of his extraordinary success.” Hannity comments, “I am extremely grateful to FOX News Media and to our loyal, dedicated viewers whom I am proud to serve every night.”

WHAM/WSYR Talk Host Bob Lonsberry Pens Blog Post About Personal Mental Health. Longtime WHAM, Rochester and WSYR, Syracuse talk host Bob Lonsberry’s April 20 post to his blog reveals a man searching for help to deal with mental health issues he confesses have plagued him his entire life. The blog doesn’t go into specific detail about his own struggles but does document to some degree his family history of mental illness, especially that which tormented his mother for most of her life. He begins the post saying, “This column is not intended to elicit sympathy or be seen as courageous. Not by any means. It is rather a report on the final desperate action of a man who has destroyed the lives of his family, hurt countless other individuals, failed at his religion, and probably devolved from narcissist to sociopath. This isn’t pretty or sweet, but neither is it manipulative or attention seeking. It’s just a column. Please, leave me the delusion that I’m a writer. And if me being nuts makes you more comfortable asking if you might be nuts, too, and maybe need some help, too, then good. That’s the point.” Read the blog post here.

Round Two of March PPMs Released. The second of four rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio’s March 2022 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including: Washington, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San Diego, Tampa, Denver, Baltimore, and St. Louis. Nielsen’s March 2022 sweep covered March 3 – March 30. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Washington, Hubbard Radio’s all-news WTOP-FM jumps 1.4 shares for an 8.7 share (6+, weekly AQH share) finish and climbs to the #2 rank, while Cumulus Media’s crosstown news/talk WMAL-FM slips two-tenths for a 3.9 share finish good for the #10 rank. iHeartMedia’s news/talk WRKO, Boston continues its ascent, tacking on 1.1 shares to wrap the survey with a 4.7 share and the #8 rank, while sister all-news WBZ-FM slides seven-tenths to a 5.5 share and the #6 rank. In Seattle, Bonneville’s news/talk KIRO-FM remains on top posting a 7.4 share to stay ranked #1. The talk in St. Louis is dominated by Audacy as heritage news/talk KMOX finishes with a 3.6 share, after shedding two-tenths, and remains ranked #11, while sister talker KFTK-FM drops eight-tenths for a 2.6 share finish good for the #15 rank. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well as the first round) here.

Meghan Ottolini Joins WEEI-FM, Boston’s ‘Merloni & Fauria’ Show. Boston sports media personality Meghan Ottolini is getting an expanded role on sports talk WEEI-FM’s “Merloni & Fauria” afternoon drive program, effective May 4. She’s been serving as a part-time host on the show since January of 2021. Audacy Boston SVP and market manager Mike Thomas says, “Meghan is a rising star in this industry, and we are very excited to have her join ‘Merloni & Fauria’ each afternoon. Writing is a passion of Meghan’s and she will be able to continue to do that for our station’s website, enabling her to create can’t-miss content for Boston sports fans – both on air and online.” Ottolini most recently served as a multimedia reporter for the Boston Herald since 2017. Additionally, she was an on-air talent for NBC Sports Boston’s “Quick Slants” television program. She comments, “I’m thrilled to join WEEI and work alongside Lou [Merloni] and Christian [Fauria] delivering premier sports talk coverage in the best sports city in the country. This opportunity is such a privilege and I look forward to having a lot of fun in this next chapter of my career.”

The TALKERS magazine 2022 Heavy Hundred of Talk Radio Hosts is Published. The 2022 edition of TALKERS magazine’s annual list of the 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America – also known as the Heavy Hundred – has been published. Since the early 1990s, TALKERS editors – with input from industry leaders – have compiled this annual feature created to recognize the hard-working talk radio personalities in America. TALKERS executive editor Kevin Casey says of this 2022 edition, “Creating the Heavy Hundred is always a challenging task for our editorial staff. Our use of both hard and soft factors in evaluating candidates for the list only adds to the difficulty in selecting the “most important” radio talk show hosts, but it’s a project that allows us to really get a big-picture look at the key players in this format and it’s something that we take very seriously. Congratulations to all of the talk radio personalities who are recognized on this year’s Heavy Hundred!” See the list here.

FOX News Digital Top Performer in Multiplatform Minutes for March. According to the Comscore data for the month of March, FOX News Digital finished as the top-performing news brand in the competitive set in multiplatform minutes. FOX News Digital says this marks its fourth consecutive quarter ranking as number one in the category in the news competitive set. FOX News Digital delivered 3.5 billion total multiplatform minutes, topping closest rival CNN.com (3.35 billion). For the first quarter of 2022 (Jan.-Mar.), FOX News Digital delivered 9.2 billion total multiplatform minutes versus CNN.com’s 7.85 billion. However, In the multiplatform unique visitors metric, CNN.com was far and away on top with 136.3 million compared to FOX News Digital’s 79.2 million for March. For the first quarter, CNN.com’s multiplatform unique visitors total was 147.9 million to FOX News Digital’s 85.3 million.

Radio Pros Launch New Consulting Firm. The new firm is called the Smith Richards Collective and is being launched by radio executives Steve Smith and Tim Richards and digital marketing strategist Heidi McIvor-Allen. The organization says it “brings deep radio operations, programming, and digital marketing experience to radio stations and groups, with a fresh approach and innovative strategies to help stations grow their audience and revenues, while saving money.” It adds that in addition to podcast and radio talent coaching services, the Smith Richards Collective offers full-service white glove consulting for radio stations and groups, as well as an embedded full-service digital marketing agency, McIvor Marketing, which offers stations and groups a full spectrum of digital resources and support.

Salem New York’s ‘The Answer’ to Produce ‘The Salem Business Breakfast.’ Next Wednesday (4/27) Salem Media Group’s news/talk WNYM-AM, New York “AM 970 The Answer” is presenting “The Salem Business Breakfast” at Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey. It takes place from 6:00 am to 10:00 am as Joe Piscopo broadcasts the morning show live. An interactive business panel discussion will be moderated by attorney and AM 970 The Answer personality Arthur Aidala that will include: Bernie Kerik, former NYPD Police Commissioner; Steve Perillo, president & owner of Perillo Tours; Ace Watanasuparp, national director of strategic sales at Citizens Bank Home Mortgage Division & founder of Chase Restaurant Group; Jason Greene, vice president of Magniflood INC; and Melanie Landano, founder & owner of Mel’s Butcher Box.

TALKERS News Notes. New York City Audacy radio stations are airing the podcast episodes hosted by WCBS-FM personality Patty Steele for which she won a 2022 Gracie Award in the category National Podcast – Lifestyle Limited Series. The program is titled “The Deep 6” and the episodes that will be aired on April 24 at 6:00 am consist of her interview with her 26-year-old son Jake about his heroin addiction and his journey to recovery. Steele, a mother of three, reveals her struggle through the ordeal that simultaneously occurred with her breast cancer diagnosis. With five years of sobriety under his belt, Jake and his mom decided it was time to make their story public with the hope of helping others. Steele comments, “It’s important that we take the stigma away from addiction issues and talk openly about what is truly affecting our children. I’m so grateful that Jake and I are in such a good place that we’re able to share our journey.” WINS director of news and programming Ben Mevorach states, “Patty’s conversation with her son is heartbreaking, inspiring, life-affirming, and compelling. It is one of the most important podcasts to come along in a very long time. What makes it so powerful is its authenticity. You can feel the pain and unrelenting love for her son on this very personal journey. Patty is brave beyond words to share and explore all that has happened and because her story could be any parent’s story, every parent will find a part of themselves in it.”…..Pictured at left is Salem Radio Network talk radio host Mike Gallager(left) with 16-time WWE World Champion wrestler Ric “The Nature Boy” Flair (right). Gallagher bumped into Flair while taking his first “maskless” flight since the pandemic began in 2020…..Audacy is conducting 45 volunteer events nationwide to celebrate Earth Day as part of its 1Day1Thing Sustainability Initiative. The series of events, which will engage employees across the company, aim to make a positive impact on the communities in which the company serves and the planet. Projects including tree planting, park and waterway cleanups, recycling projects and habitat restoration, among others. Audacy director of sustainability Jaimie Field says, “We pride ourselves on our relentless commitment to supporting the health and success of the communities that are at the heart of our business, and we’re thrilled to unite our teams across the country to do some good for our planet. Sustainability is a focal point of our Audacy Serves initiative, and we’re looking forward to leveraging these actions this Earth Day to make a lasting impact on our environment, both today and for generations to come.”…..Good Karma Brands president Steve Politziner has been inducted into the 45th class of the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame. Each year, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission recognizes an elite group of individuals who have made major impacts to the Palm Beach County sports landscape. By bringing ESPN to the market through the power of radio, TV and events, he helped shape Palm Beach County’s sports identity, created a home for sports fans and has provided coverage to the great sports stories, teams and athletes that make up the community.

Russia-Ukraine War, Netflix Crash/Financial Markets/Inflation, Midterms/Trump & the GOP, DeSantis vs Disney, College Debt Forgiveness, COVID-19, Macron-Le Pen Race, and Arizona Wildfire Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (4/20). Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and its ICBM test and threat of nuclear weapons use; the crash of Netflix’s stock, its effect on the financial markets and the broader issue of high gas and food prices; the battle for control of Congress in the November midterm elections and Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP; Florida Governor Ron DeSantis pushes legislation to strip Disney of its decades-old special district benefit; the Biden administration’s move to provide 50,000 students with college debt forgiveness; the ruling that cancels the air travel mask mandate and the BA.2 variant; the tight race between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen for president of France; and the raging Arizona wildfire 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

Friday, April 8, 2022

By Editor | April 8, 2022 by Editor

NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment of the one-hour weekend special, “The Michael Harrison Wrap,” that looks back each week at the hottest topics discussed in American talk media per the research of TALKERS, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Atrocities,” looks back at this past week of 4/4 to 4/8. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Derek Hunter, talk show host, WCBM, Baltimore; Jim Bohannon, talk show host, Westwood One; Walter Sterling, talk show host, “Sterling on Sunday”; Arthur Aidala, criminal trial lawyer/talk show host, AM 970 The Answer, New York and Matthew B. Harrison, associate publisher, TALKERS/law professor, Western New England University School of Law. The show airs weekends on WONK-FM, Washington, DC; WTIC, Hartford; KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; KDFD, Denver; KFNX, Phoenix; KTLK-FM, St. Louis; WPG, Atlantic City, NJ; SuperTalk 99.7 WTN, Nashville; KMZQ, Las Vegas; WTPL, Manchester, NH; WEMJ, Laconia, NH; WTSN, Dover-Portsmouth, NH; WVLY, Wheeling, WV; WTRW-FM, Scranton/Wilkes Barre, PA; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; WGDJ, Albany, NY; WJFN-FM, Richmond, VA; WZFG, Fargo; KTGO, Tioga, ND; KWAM, Memphis; K-NEWS, San Luis Obispo; WGMD, Rehoboth Beach, DE; WCHM, Clarkesville, GA; WPHM, Port Huron, MI; KSYL, Alexandria, LA; KTOE, Mankato, MN; WCED, DuBois, PA; K-NEWS 101.3, Owensboro, KY; WWTK, Sebring, FL; WSAR-AM/FM, Fall River, MA; WIZM-AM/FM, La Crosse, WI; WMVA, Martinsville, VA; KQEN, Roseburg, OR; the Virginia Talk Radio Network; CRN Digital Talk Radio Network; Podcast Radio UK and many more. To listen to this week’s episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS topic research, please click here. “The Michael Harrison Wrap” is now available in syndication via Talk Media Network to stations across America on a market exclusive basis. For affiliation information, please click here or call 616-884-8616.

KVI, Seattle to Add Rita Cosby Show to Program Lineup. Programming changes will take place at Lotus Communications’ talk outlet KVI-AM, Seattle “Talk Radio 570” on Monday (4/11). The station will move the Radio America syndicated “The Dana Show” starring Dana Loesch to the 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm daypart and will add “The Rita Cosby Show” in the 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm slot. Lotus says, “Cosby is one of the most recognized and respected broadcasters in America who has attained an extraordinary level of success in multiple arenas that few in the media landscape have achieved. Cosby was named Radio Ink’s 2018 Most Influential Woman Legend of the Year and has won six Gracie Awards in radio, including for Outstanding Host and Outstanding Talk Show. She is also a renowned Emmy-winning TV host, who anchored highly rated primetime shows on both FOX News Channel and MSNBC.” KVI program director Rick Van Cise adds, “Dana Loesch has proven to be a great addition to KVI’s nighttime lineup – so much so that we are expanding her show and moving it to an earlier timeslot. We are also thrilled to announce the addition of Rita Cosby who will help KVI listeners wrap up their evening with a deep-dive into the latest news along with powerful and compelling interviews.”

Former Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr to Host Afternoon Show on KWTO-AM, Springfield. Beginning Monday (4/11), former Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr will host the 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm show on Zimmer Midwest Communications’ news/talk KWTO-AM/K227AO, Springfield, Missouri. The station says that Haahr graduated with honors from the law school at the University of Missouri and practiced law before serving eight years in the Missouri General Assembly, including as Speaker of the House from 2018-21. The station employs another former House Speaker in morning host Tim Jones. Zimmer-Springfield operations manager Tom Ladd says Haahr was a “no-brainer for a station that’s quickly becoming known as the ‘Speaker’s House.’ Elijah brings so much passion for radio and a connection with listeners. His show will be informative, bit it will also be a lot of fun.”

Good Karma Brands Announces New Digital Program ‘Good Karma Wrestling.’ Last night (4/7), Good Karma Brands debuted its new digital content venture, “Good Karma Wrestling (GKW),” across its social and digital platforms. The weekly show, hosted by ESPN Chicago’s Jonathan Hood, ESPN Milwaukee’s Gabe Neitzel, and ESPN West Palm’s Brian Rowitz, now streams every Thursday at 7:00 pm ET. Good Karma Brands VP of content Evan Cohen says, “We are extremely excited to launch our first coast-to-coast show with Good Karma Wrestling. Jonathan, Gabe and Brian will bring a fresh insight and fun energy to the show, and nothing speaks to sports and entertainment quite like wrestling.” GKB adds that every “Good Karma Wrestling” show will be viewable to watch back and linked on GKB’s platforms.

‘Island Time in the Desert with TMac & Noah’ Joins Up On Game Presents Podcast Lineup. A new podcast joins the Up on Game Podcast Network led by FOX Sports Radio’s LaVar Arrington. The new show, “Island Time in the Desert with TMac & Noah,” featuring University of Arizona freshman football players Tetairoa “TMac” McMillan and Noah Fifita to the Up On Game Presents podcast lineup. The podcast gives “listeners a front row seat as two student athletes navigate the rigors of college life in the classroom and on the field. The duo will share their thoughts and opinions on the week’s trials and victories, as well as interviews with guests along their journey.” Arrington says, “I’m excited to welcome these young men, who I watched grow up in front of my eyes, to the Up on Game Presents feed. Noah and TMac changed the whole landscape of high school football in the Trinity League – arguably the toughest league in the country. They played a vital role in making Servite High School football relevant again and I believe they will do the same for Arizona. Powerful, impactful, young voices are needed and essential for our youth in this day and age, and I’m proud and honored to welcome Noah and TMac to the Up On Game Presents family.”

The Russia-Ukraine War/U.S. Foreign Policy Top News/Talk Story for Week of April 4-8. The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, allegations of war crimes against Russian soldiers, and the U.S. foreign policy combined as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers Ten^TM. At #2 this week was the economy, including still-high gas prices, the high cost of food, and the supply chain, followed by the actions of the January 6 Committee at #3. The Talkers Ten^TM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s complete chart here.

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