Industry News

Ongoing Coverage of TALKERS 2024 Radio and Beyond

The 27th annual installment of the talk media industry’s longest running, and most important national event took place this past Friday (6/7) at Hofstra University on Long Island. TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond – like its colorful predecessors – was an advance sellout. The power-packed, one-day agenda featured a roster of more than 60 speakers from all ends of the talk radio and related talk media industries including talent, station owners, CEOs, programmers, technical experts, journalists, syndicators, and a wide variety of visionaries. The annual talk media industry tradition was presented by TALKERS in association with the prestigious university’s multi-award-winning station WRHU Radio and Hofstra’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication. Key discussions included “Gaining Traction in a Noisy World,” “The Case for AM Radio,” “Generating News/Talk Revenue in the Digital Era,” “The State of Sports Talk Radio,” “The Brave New World of Technological and Generational Change,” “Programming News/Talk Radio,” “Perspectives on Hosting Television Talk,” “Philanthropy and Community Service,” “The Art of Story Telling,” “Talk Radio Programming Opportunities Beyond Politics,” “Meeting the Challenges of Being a Talk Talent,” “The Big Picture of Radio’s Role in a Rapidly Changing World,” and “The State of the First Amendment” among others. As the volumes of data generated by this gathering are sorted out, TALKERS will provide in-depth, detailed coverage of the conference in the days and weeks ahead including posting videos of its key segments.  See a selection of photos from TALKERS 2024 Radio and Beyond below.

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Glenn Beck of Premiere Networks delivering TALKERS 2024 keynote address.  He spoke about the importance of developing storytelling skills as well as maintaining authenticity.  “Mean what you say and say what you mean.”

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Howie Carr (l) of the Howie Carr Radio Network being presented the TALKERS 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award celebrating his long career as a New England talk radio staple as well as his enormous accomplishments fighting crime and corruption as an investigative journalist. Mark Goldman of Goldman McCormick PR (r) made the presentation.

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WOLB, Baltimore veteran talk show host Larry Young paid tribute to the late SiriusXM Satellite Radio icon Joe Madison in a double ceremony honoring the memory of Joe and the outstanding career of his widow/executive producer Sharon “Sherry” Madison who was the 2024 recipient of the TALKERS Woman of the Year award.  Also speaking (but not pictured) at the presentation were Dave Gorab, VP/GM of talk programming at SiriusXM and last year’s recipient Martha Zoller of WDUN, Athens, GA who accepted on behalf of Mrs. Madison who was unable to attend.

We will post more photos from TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond tomorrow.

Industry News

TALKERS 2023: Video of “Navigating a Radio Talk Show Hosting Career” Panel Discussion Posted

During the coming days, videos of all of TALKERS 2023’s numerous sessions conducted June 2 at Hofstra University will be posted, continuing today (6/21) with the panel discussion, “Navigating a Radio Talk Showim Hosting Career.” The session, sponsored by C. Crane, was introduced by managing partner, Goldman McCormick PR and syndicated host, Ryan McCormick (pictured at right) and moderated by WPHT, Philadelphia host, Dom Giordano (pictured above). Panelists (pictured below from left to right) include Heather Cohen, SVP, the Weiss AgencyMartha Zoller, host, WDUN-AM/FM, Gainesville, GA; Frank Morano, host WABC, New York; Rich Valdes, host, Westwood One; and Jeff Katz, host, WRVA, Richmond, VA. See video of the session here.

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Industry News

Today’s Radio Talk Show Hosts Face Unique Challenges

A special panel addressing the career management issues facing today’s talk radio talent has been set for TALKERS 2023 which will take place on Friday, June 2 at Hofstra University on Long Island. It’s always been difficult to forge a successful on-air career in radio – but today, it is particularly intense. Talk show hosts in 2023 must deal with integrating their on-air responsibilities with the multi-platform nature of modern media, fragmented pop culture, stifling budget restrictions, and highly distracted or corporately paralyzed management. This all plays out against the backdrop of controversy, political correctness, a dizzyingly non-stop news cycle and incessant technological change. The session titled, “Navigating a Radio Talk Show Hosting Career,” will be introduced by Ryan McCormick, managing partner, Goldman McCormick, PR and a syndicated talk show host in his own right; moderated by Heavy Hundred mainstay and the “Dean of Philadelphia Talk Radio,” Dom Giordano, WPHT, Philadelphia; and include panelists (in alphabetical order): super-agent, Heather Cohen, SVP, The Weiss Agency; Heavy Hundred member Mandy Connell,  KOA, Denver; Heavy Hundred member Jeff Katz, WRVA, Richmond; Heavy Hundred member Frank Morano, WABC, New York/Red Apple Audio Network, and Heavy Hundred member Martha Zoller, WDUN, Gainesville, Georgia.   More than 60 luminaries from the talk media industry are set to speak at a power-packed day of fireside chats, solo addresses, panel discussions, workshops, award presentations, new equipment showcases and endless networking opportunities. TALKERS 2023 is nearing an advance sellout. See more about the agenda, registration, sponsorship and hotel information here.