Industry News

WRKO, Boston Raises More Than $67,000 for Disabled Veterans

iHeartMedia news/talk outlet WRKO, Boston raised more than $67,000 during the station’s ninth annual DAV Radiothon to benefit the Disabled American Veterans Department of Massachusetts. The radiothon took place on Friday (11/8) and featured talk hosts Jeff Kuhner, Chuck Zodda, Mike Armstrong, Grace Curleyim and Howie Carr encouraging listeners to donate and raise funds for the DAV of Massachusetts’ homeless shelter and transportation programs. iHeartMedia Boston director of operations, news, talk and sports Bill Flaherty says, “Once again, the WRKO listeners responded in support of our Veterans. Their generosity provides much needed services for those who sacrificed so much for our country.” Since 2016, the DAV Radiothon has raised over $1,125,000 to benefit veterans in the community.

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 on Friday, June 7 at Hofstra University on Long Island. TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond 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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Super-agent, Heather Cohen, president of the Weiss Agency (l) pictured with her super-client Fred Toucher, morning co-host on WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub” Boston (r) at TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond. Cohen spoke on the “Brave New World” panel and Toucher was the fireside chat guest on “The State of Sports Talk Radio.”

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New England power couple: Howie and Kathy Carr played important roles at TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond. Howie Carr, host, the Howie Carr Radio Network (l) was this year’s recipient of the Jim Bohannon Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement (2024 TALKERS Lifetime Achievement Award) in addition to speaking on the “Behind the Mic” panel discussion. Kathy Carr, president, the Howie Carr Radio Network (r) appeared on the “Generating News Talk Revenue in the Digital Era” panel.

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This great shot of Chris Oliviero, market president, Audacy New York was captured in the ever-buzzing hallway of Hofstra University’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication – home of TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond. Oliviero spoke on the panel, “The Big Picture.”

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Former recipient of the TALKERS Humanitarian of the Year award, Larry Young, host, WOLB, Baltimore (l) is pictured with his assistant Vernon Streeter (r). Young presented a stirring tribute to the late talk radio legend Joe Madison of SiriusXM Satellite Radio, who passed away earlier this year.

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Kraig T. Kitchin, CEO, Sound Mind, LCC and co-chair, Radio Hall of Fame (l) is pictured right outside Hofstra University’s “Studio A” soundstage with TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond producer/director Michael Harrison (r). Kitchin – last year’s recipient of the TALKERS Lifetime Achievement award – spoke on the “Big Picture” panel which was moderated by Harrison.

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Longtime WPHT, Philadelphia superstar, Dom Giordano smiles for the TALKERS camera during one of the very quick breaks between sessions at TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond.  Giordano, the “dean of Philadelphia talk radio” spoke on the “Behind the Mic” panel.

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Under the lights: Another segment of the capacity crowd of attendees at TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond is pictured in the Hofstra University Lawrence Herbert School of Communication “Studio A” TV soundstage where the entire event was captured on video. TALKERS will begin posting the video recordings of the conference next week bringing its exciting content to a worldwide audience.

More pictures from TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond — as well as videos of panels and presentations — still to come!

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 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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KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM, Seattle afternoon talk show host John Curley was the 2024 recipient of the TALKERS Humanitarian of the Year award (the Sharon L. Harrison Memorial Award for Community Service). He is pictured delivering his acceptance speech discussing the importance of using your platform for good causes.

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Michael Harrison (l) interviewed Fred Toucher (r), morning show co-host of WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub, Boston in a fireside chat titled, “The State of Sports Talk Radio.”  The discussion included comparisons between sports talk and news/talk radio, the benefit of sports talk hosts operating in on-air teams, the relationship sports talk hosts have with home teams and their ardent fans, dealing with harsh criticism on social media, the impact of gambling on sports talk radio, the challenges hosts are facing in covering women’s basketball and more.

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One of the many highlights of the conference was a blessedly civil “Great Debate” between WYD Media syndicated host Thom Hartmann (c) representing the left and Salem Radio Networks host Mike Gallagher (r) representing the right.  The session was moderated by Lee Harris (standing l), director of integrated operations, NewsNation/WGN Chicago.

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The panel session titled, “Behind the Mic,” delved into the issues and challenges faced today by talk radio talent. Participants included (l-r) Jeff Katz, WRVA, Richmond; Frank Morano, WABC, New York/Red Apple Media; Martha Zoller, WDUN, Athens, GA; Moderator Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo, Compass Media Networks; Dom Giordano, WPHT, Philadelphia; Howie Carr, Howie Carr Radio Network; and Chris Krok, WBAP, Dallas.

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

Howie Carr to Receive 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award

The TALKERS editorial board has announced the selection of legendary New England radio talk show host Howie Carr as the 2024 recipient of the Jim Bohannon Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement. Carr will be presented the honor at the forthcoming TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond conference on Friday, June 7 at Hofstra University on Long Island, NY. Carr has been a Boston-based radio talk show host since the 1980s, heard primarily on WRKO. WRKO is now one of more than 20 stations across theim region that carry Carr’s independently syndicated afternoon drive talk show. He is an inductee in the Radio Hall of Fame. With roots in investigative print journalism, Carr is the New York Times best-selling author of The Brothers Bulger and Hitman, in addition to several other Boston organized-crime books and two novels. He has remained in newspaper work that goes back prior to his radio career as an active columnist for the Boston Herald and has received a National Magazine Award for his work with Boston Magazine. Boston organized-crime boss Whitey Bulger was so infuriated by Carr’s groundbreaking reporting that he once put out a murder contract on Carr – a story detailed on “60 Minutes.” At his 2013 trial on murder and racketeering charges, Bulger tried to have Carr banned from the courtroom by calling him as a defense witness. Before he was brutally murdered in a gangland hit, the crime czar still said his greatest regret was not murdering Carr when he had the chance. Carr once taught a course at Harvard, where he had to cross a picket line against himself to get to his class. In making the announcement, TALKERS founder Michael Harrison stated, “Howie Carr is the real deal – the best of both the old and new schools in media. He was practicing ‘cross-platform’ journalism and commentary long before it became the digital-era norm. He’s got ink in his veins and RF in his brains. His impact in the Northeast has been so strong for such a long time that if the six New England States were to consolidate as one, he would possibly be its first governor.” Carr will be one of 60 industry leaders speaking at TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond. For more information, see story below.

Industry Views

Howie Carr is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast

Legendary radio talk show host Howie Carr is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Carr – a mainstay at WRKO heard 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm – is legendary among Boston-based radio figures as a conservative populist in addition to being a long-running Boston Herald columnist famous for his fearless organized crime fighting and investigative reporting on government corruption. Over the years, his show grew so popular that it has expanded to being carried on several dozen radio stations across New England on his own independent Howie Carr Radio Network. Carr, a prolific author, has penned two best-selling New York Times blockbusters, The Brothers Bulger and Hitman, in addition to several other Boston organized crime books and a couple of novels. His latest book – a memoir covering his journey from being a city hall reporter to hanging out with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago – is titled, PAPER BOY: Read All About It. Harrison and his guest discuss the past, present and future of media and journalism including Carr’s no-holds-barred critique of the corporate powers shaping today’s flow of information and dis-information. Not to be missed! Listen to the podcast in its entirety here.

Industry News

“Paper Boys” at Dinner

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Legendary New England radio talk show host/newspaper reporter-columnist/prolific author Howie Carr (right) and TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison (left) shared dinner and conversation last night (1/14) at the renowned hotspot Trevini in Palm Beach, Florida where they discussed Carr’s forthcoming guest appearance on the award-winning podcast, “The Michael Harrison Interview” and Carr’s latest bestseller, Paper Boy: Read All About It (2023 Frandel, LLC). The book is a fascinating memoir following Carr’s life in the media “from the early days at Boston City Hall to hanging out at Mar-a-Lago with President Donald Trump.” Carr is heard daily across New England on his HCRN syndicated four-hour radio show, an hour of which is carried on the Newsmax streaming service. He is also a long-running columnist for the Boston Herald.

Industry News

WRKO, Boston Raises Over $172k for Disabled Vets

iHeartMedia’s news/talk WRKO, Boston raised more than $172,000 during its eighth annual “DAV Radiothon” to benefit the Disabled American Veterans Department of Massachusetts last Friday (11/10). Over 13 hours, WRKO’s on-air personalities Jeff Kuhner, Chuck Zodda, Mike Armstrong, Graceim Curley and Howie Carr encouraged listeners to donate and raise funds for the DAV of Massachusetts’ homeless shelter and transportation programs. iHeartMedia Boston director of operations, news, talk and sports Bill Flaherty says, “Year after year, the WRKO listeners overwhelm us with their generosity. This year, they have helped to raise $172,852 for the DAV of Massachusetts. It’s an honor to dedicate a day of programming to those who have given so much of themselves for this country.” Since 2016, the “DAV Radiothon” has raised over $1,058,000 to benefit veterans in the community.

Industry News

Howie Carr “Doing Better” After Fainting

Boston-based, syndicated talk radio host Howie Carr required medical attention after fainting during his daily, afternoon drive talk radio program. According to Patch.com, Carr had said at the beginning of his show thatim he’d undergone a medical procedure earlier in the day and was not feeling well. Carr’s family tweeted, “Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers for Howie. During his show today, he fainted. He is getting care now and doing better.” Carr’s flagship station is iHeartMedia’s WRKO, Boston and he’s heard throughout the Northeast via The Howie Carr Radio Network. Read the Patch.com account here.