TALKERS 2023
June 2, 2023 – Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Presented by TALKERS in association with WRHU Radio
Sponsored by (in alphabetical order):
The Doctor Asa Show – Backbone Networks – Benztown – The Michael Berry Show – Broadcasters General Store – C. Crane – Collette – Comrex – The Epoch Times –- Goldman McCormick PR – Guestbooker.com – The Sean Hannity Show – Newsmax – Our American Stories – Premiere Networks – Radio America – The Ramsey Show – Dr. Murray Sabrin – Stephan Multimedia – The Todd Starnes Show – Talk Media Network – Visit Atlantic City
AGENDA
Registration Desk Open – 7:30 am to 6:00 pm – Lobby of John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Registration Director: Barbara Kurland, Business Manager, TALKERS
Assistant Registration Director: Olivia Mannarino, Associate, TALKERS
________________________________________
Breakfast – 8:00 am to 8:55 am – Reception Tent next to John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Breakfast Emcee: David Bernstein, GM/Broadcast Operations, TALKERS
“Woman of the Year Award”
Recipient: Martha Zoller, Host WDUN-FM-AM, Gainesville, GA
“Lifetime Achievement Award”
Recipient: Kraig Kitchin, CEO, Sound Mind, LLC
Sponsored by Sean Hannity / Premiere Networks
________________________________________
Exhibits Open – 9:00 am to 5:00 pm – Lobby of John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Backbone Networks – Representative: Richard Cerny, President/CEO
Broadcasters General Store – Representative: Buck Waters, Marketing Executive
Collette – Representatives: Jim Edwards, VP, US Affinity Development; Paul Holly, Partnership Marketing Manager
Comrex – Representative: Chris Crump, CBNE, Senior Director of Sales & Marketing
____________________________________________
Morning Greetings – 9:00 am to 9:45 am – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
TALKERS 2023 Emcee: Kevin Casey, VP, Executive Editor, TALKERS
“National Anthem”
Performed by: TBA
“Morning Wakeup”
Speaker: Jimmy Failla, Host, FOX News Radio
“Setting the Stage: Triple Perspective”
Official Greeter: Todd Starnes, Host/President, The Todd Starnes Show Syndication/Owner, KWAM, Memphis
“Welcome to TALKERS 2023”
Introduction: Victoria Jones, Executive Director, DC Radio Company
Speaker: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Special Guest (by remote): Bob Pittman, CEO, iHeart Media
Sponsored by The Doctor Asa Show
____________________________________________
Panel Discussion – 9:50 am to 10:25 am – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
“Programming News/Talk Radio in the Digital Era – Part 1”
Introduction: TBA
Moderator: Mike McVay, President, McVay Media Consulting
Panelists:
Michael Czarnecki, VP, Programming, Binnie Media
Tom Cuddy, Program Director, WOR, New York
Kevin DeLany, VP, News & Talk Programming, Westwood One
Eric Stanger, SVP, Operations, Sean Hannity Show, Premiere Networks
Joe Thomas, Host/Program Director, WCHV – Charlottesville, VA/PD, WRAD, River Valley, VA
Brett Winterble, Host, WBT, Charlotte
Sponsored by Premiere Networks
_____________________________________________
Fireside Chat Part 1 – 10:30 am to 10:50 am – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Guest: Christopher Ruddy, Founder/CEO, Newsmax Media
Host: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Sponsored by Collette
Fireside Chat Part 2 – 10:55 am to 11:15 am – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Guest: Jeff Warshaw, Founder/CEO Connoisseur Media
Host: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Sponsored by Benztown
____________________________________________
“Freedom of Speech Award” – 11:20 am to 11:40 am – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Recipient: Tavis Smiley, Host/Owner, KBLA, Los Angeles
Presenter: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Sponsored by The Todd Starnes Show
_______________________________________________
Four-Way Discussion – 11:45 am to 12:10 pm – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
“The State of Sports Talk Radio”
Introduction: TBA
Facilitator: John T. Mullen, General Manager, WRHU-FM/WRHU.org, Hofstra University
Panelists:
Grace Blazer, VP, National NTS Brand Coordinator, Director of News and AM Programming Florida Region, iHeart Radio
Mark Chernoff, Sports Reporter, 107.1 The Boss, Long Branch, NJ/Sports Radio Talent Coach
Spike Eskin, VP, Programming, WFAN, New York and CBS Sports Radio
Sponsored by Backbone Networks
____________________________________________________
Lunch – 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm – Reception Tent next to John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Lunch Emcee: David Bernstein, GM, Broadcast Operations, TALKERS
“Welcome to Hofstra University”
Speaker: Mark Lukasiewicz, Dean, Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, Hofstra University
“Special Lunch Greetings”
Speaker: Carl Higbie, Host, Newsmax TV
“Humanitarian of the Year Award”
Presenter: Harry Hurley, Host, WPG, Atlantic City
Recipient: Jim Thompson, Former President, Broadcasters Foundation of America (posthumously)
Accepter: Renee Cassis, Broadcasters Foundation of America
Sponsored by Newsmax
____________________________________________
Panel Discussion – 1:20 pm to 1:55 pm
“Talk Radio and Podcasting”
Introduction: Guy Benson, Host, FOX News Radio
Moderator: Lisa Wexler, Host, WICC, Bridgeport, CT
Panelists:
Heather Cohen, SVP, The Weiss Agency
Steve Goldstein, CEO, Amplifi Media
Ron Hartenbaum, Managing Member, WYD Media
Chris Oliviero, Market President, Audacy New York
David Pakman, Host, The David Pakman Show
Larry Young, Host, The Larry Young Podcast
Sponsored by Visit Atlantic City
____________________________________________
Panel Discussion – 2:00 pm to 2:35 pm – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
“Generating Talk Radio Revenue in a Digital World”
Introduction: Doug Stephan, Host, Good Day Show/Founder Stephan Multimedia
Moderator: Steve Lapa, President, Lapcom Communications Corp
Panelists:
Vince Benedetto, CEO, Bold Gold Media Group
Paul Gleiser, Host/Owner, KTBB-FM-AM, Tyler, TX
Todd Starnes, Host/President, The Todd Starnes Show Syndication/Owner, KWAM, Memphis
Paul Vandenburgh, Host/Owner, WGDJ, Albany, NY
Michael Zwerling, Host/Owner, KSCO-FM-AM/KOME, Santa Cruz
Sponsored by The Ramsey Show
____________________________________________
Panel Discussion – 2:40 pm to 3:15 pm – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
“The Big Picture”
Introduction: Matthew B. Harrison, Esq., Associate Publisher, TALKERS/President, the Harrison Legal Group
Moderator: Michael Harrison, Publisher, TALKERS
Panelists:
Arthur Aidala, Esq. Founding Partner, `Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins, PC/Host, AM 970 The Answer, New York
Dr. Asa Andrew, CEO/Host, The Doctor Asa Network
Vince Benedetto, CEO, Bold Gold Media
Lee Habeeb, Host/Producer, Our American Stories
Lee Harris, Morning Co-Anchor, WINS, New York
Kraig Kitchin, CEO, Sound Mind, LLC
Sponsored by Newsmax
____________________________________________
Panel Discussion – 3:20 pm to 3:55 pm – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
“Programming Talk Radio – Part 2”
Introduction: Alex Fife, VP Operations, Southeast, iHeartMedia – Total Traffic & Weather Network
Moderator: Walter Sabo, CEO, Sabo Media/Host/Producer, Sterling on Sunday
Speakers:
Phil Boyce, SVP, spoken word format, Salem Media Group; Ops VP, New York region/WMCA/AM 970 The Answer
Ross Kaminsky, Host, KOA, Denver
Josh Leng, CEO, Talk Media Network
Dan Mandis, Host/Program Director, WTN, Nashville
Matt Meany, Program Director, WABC, New York/Red Apple Audio
Greg Stocker, Brand Manager, WPHT, Philadelphia
Sponsored by Our American Stories
____________________________________________
Panel Discussion – 4:00 pm to 4:35 pm – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
“Navigating a Radio Talk Show Hosting Career”
Introduction: Ryan McCormick, Managing Partner, Goldman McCormick, PR
Moderator: Dom Giordano, Host, WPHT, Philadelphia
Speakers:
Mandy Connell, talk show host, KOA, Denver
Jeff Katz, talk show host, WRVA, Richmond
Frank Morano, talk show host, WABC, New York
Martha Zoller, talk show host, WDUN, Gainesville, GA
More TBA
Sponsored by C. Crane
____________________________________________
Three-Way Chat – 4:40 pm to 5:00 pm – John Cranford Adams Playhouse
“Making the Connections Between Local and National, Radio and Television”
Facilitator: Harry Hurley, Host, WPG, Atlantic City, NJ
Speakers:
John Caracciolo, President/CEO, JVC Broadcasting
Brian Kilmeade, Host, FOX News Radio/FOX News Channel
Sponsored by The Michael Berry Show
________________________________________________
Closing Reception – 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm – Reception Tent next to John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Sponsor TBA
Program subject to changes
Share this with your network
Cooper 360” with 447,000. The new 9:00 pm ET show “Chris Plante The Right Squad” pulled an audience of 325,000 impressions, defeating CNN’s “Whole Story” with 293,000. And at 10:00 pm ET “Greg Kelly Reports” took first place with 278,000 viewers, compared to Chris Wallace giving CNN an audience of just 263,000. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy says, “Newsmax has witnessed a consistent, positive trend for weeks and we are looking forward to enormous interest in the network as we draw closer to the GOP primaries and ’24 election.”
Communications Partners LP, a 39-station group which he later sold to Cumulus Broadcasting in 2000 for $258 million. At this time, he pioneered notable progress in integrating legacy media with emerging digital technology. In 2004, he formed Connoisseur Media which now operates 13 radio station brands and digital assets in five markets. Highly respected and celebrated industry-wide for his outspoken candor and bullish approach to radio station ownership, Jeff Warshaw serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Broadcasters, the executive committee of the Radio Advertising Bureau, and is chairman of the Nielsen Audio advisory council. Harrison describes Warshaw as “one of the most knowledgeable, emerging forces to be reckoned with among radio industry leaders.”
Christopher Ruddy founded Newsmax in 1998 to publish online and offline content in the fields of news, politics, health and finance. Newsmax.com ranks consistently as one of the country’s most-trafficked news websites. Newsmax TV, a cable and over-the-top media service news channel started in 2014, has shown remarkable growth becoming one of the nation’s leading television news and political opinion sources. Newsmax recently entered the field of talk radio with a syndication arm and is reportedly exploring expansion into radio station ownership. As a journalist, Christopher Ruddy previously worked at the New York Post and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. He was also awarded a Media Fellowship at the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford University. He holds a BA summa cum laude in history from St. John’s University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the London School of Economics. Harrison describes Ruddy as “a key player in emerging 21st century media.”
DirecTV and its leadership for working with us to find a mutually beneficial business agreement to bring our programming back to its customers. While we raised the issue of censorship relating to our removal, we now believe in DirecTV’s commitment to distributing diverse viewpoints, including conservative ones. DirecTV has made clear during our negotiations that it has always been focused on protecting its customers from the rising programming costs across the pay TV industry and never intended to limit one perspective or to target conservative voices. We accept their position and believe that our new agreement with DirecTV will allow them to continue to be a go-to-source for one of the most diverse lineups of news programming, now with three conservative news networks including Newsmax.” Newsmax Media CEO Christopher Ruddy will be speaking at TALKERS 2023 on Friday, June 2 at Hofstra University.