Tag: Keith Williams

Industry News

Good Karma Brands Celebrates 25 Years of “ESPN 1000”

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Good Karma Brands is celebrating the 25th anniversary of “ESPN Chicago” (WMVP-AM, Chicago) with a sold-out live broadcast tomorrow (3/24) from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm at the House of Blues in downtown Chicago. Good Karma SVP Keith Williams says, “When GKB purchased ‘ESPN 1000,’ we knew the incredible impact of the station and its most notable figures have had in the Chicagoland area. The standout moments over the last 25 years are endless, and we are excited to celebrate with our partners, fans and teammates at the House of Blues.” Those scheduled to appear at the live broadcast include former Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould, former Chicago Bears quarterback and past guest of “Waddle & Silvy,” Jay Cutler, Chicago native and American musician Billy Corgan, ESPN analyst and co-host of “Pardon the Interruption,” Michael Wilbon, and ESPN reporter, host, and television personality Sarah Spain. “ESPN 1000” director of content Danny Zederman adds, “‘ESPN 1000’ is thrilled to host the station’s biggest names and most impactful people in one room on Friday to celebrate 25 years. We will look back at our success and also look forward to our exciting future as the home of the Chicago Bears and the Chicago White Sox.”

Front Page News Industry News

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Round Two of October PPMs Released. The second of four rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio’s October 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 October 2022 sweep covered September 15 – October 12. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Washington, although Hubbard Broadcasting’s all-news WTOP added nine-tenths for a 9.0 share (6+, weekly AHQ share), it remains locked in the #2 spot, while Cumulus Media’s news/talk WMAL-FM drops four-tenths for a 4.1 share finish that keeps it ranked #7. iHeartMedia’s news/talk WRKO, Boston is steady with a 3.8 share and remains ranked #9 while sister all-news WBZ-AM is also unchanged at a 5.3 share and continues in the #5 spot. In Seattle, Bonneville’s sports talk KIRO-AM tacks on six-tenths for a 7.6 share and holds the #1 spot for a second straight month while sister news/talk KIRO-FM adds half a share for a 7.1 share finish lifting it to the #2 rank. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways for this group of markets (as well as the first round) here.

SiriusXM Reports Third Quarter Net Revenue Up 4%. Reporting its third quarter 2022 financials, SiriusXM says its revenue was $2.28 billion, an increase of 4% over the same period in 2021. Net income was down from $343 million in Q3 of 2021 to $247 million in Q3 of this year. The company says it added 187,000 self-pay subscribers during the quarter. Chief executive officer Jennifer Wirtz comments, “We are pleased to report third quarter results that reflect strong execution during the period while leaning into investments designed to ensure SiriusXM will thrive long-term. This quarter we focused on enhancing the listener experience and expanding our unparalleled stable of programming and talent to continue providing our subscribers with the best in audio, both in-car and in the SXM App. From live sports and election coverage to exclusive artist channels and live Small Stage performances, we are thrilled to offer a diverse and differentiated content slate paired with technology that makes it easier than ever to discover new favorites.”

Radio Hall of Fame Inducts Class of 2022. The 2022 Radio Hall of Fame inductees were inducted at a ceremony last night (11/1) at Chicago’s Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. This year’s inductees were: “Broadway” Bill Lee, WCBS-FM, New York (inducted by Beth Bacall); Carol Miller, WAXQ-FM, New York (inducted by Jim Kerr, a 2018 inductee); Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, SiriusXM (inducted by Stephen A. Smith); Ellen K, KOST-FM, Los Angeles (inducted by Ryan Seacrest, a 2018 inductee); Jeff Smulyan, chairman & CEO, Emmis Communications (inducted by Rick Cummings); Lon Helton, “Country Countdown USA” (inducted by Charlie Cook); Marv Dyson, radio executive (accepting on his behalf were Marv’s son Victor Dyson and Elroy Smith); Suzyn Waldman, WFAN & NY Yankees Radio Network (inducted by Mike Francesa, a 2018 inductee); and Walt “Baby” Love, Gospel Traxx (inducted by Donnie Simpson, a 2020 inductee). Also honored on stage was Mark Thompson, co-host of “Mark & Brian,” and a 2020 inductee. The evening was emceed by KFI, Los Angeles morning star Bill Handel who is pictured here (left) with Radio Hall of Fame co-chair Kraig Kitchin (right). Photo: David Kindler Photography

Baseball Legend Ron Cey Launches New Show with CRN Digital Talk Radio. Baseball legend Ron Cey is joining CRN Digital Talk Radio to host the new program, “We’ll See About That with Ron Cey,” that will be heard Saturdays at 2:00 pm ET. CRN Digital president and CEO Michael Horn says, “One of the iconic stars of the Los Angeles Dodgers and a fan favorite on any team, we are thrilled to have Ron Cey join the CRN team. Ron is entertaining! He brings his expertise and unique perspective to radio and is ready to talk about sports, newsmakers and tell stories that will inspire you!” Joining Cey on his inaugural broadcast is Dodger Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, who recently retired after being known as the “Spanish Voice of the Dodgers” for 63 years.

Triton Digital Releases Top Streamers for September 2022. The ranking of streaming publishers for September from Triton Digital is released and in the U.S. (6AM-12AM Mon-Sun), iHeartMedia continues its hold on the #1 spot. Based on Average Active Sessions, iHeartMedia is far and away the top dog with 304,338 AAS. At #2 is NPR Member Stations (68,620 AAS), followed by Audacy at #3 (63,410 AAS) and Cumulus Streaming Network at #4 (42,246 AAS). Some of the other radio-centric companies making the ranker are Beasley Broadcasting Corporate at #7 (19,129 AAS), Hubbard Broadcasting at #8 (14,566 AAS), and Salem Communications at #10 (8,568 AAS). This Triton ranker only includes clients that participate for the full month for which the ranker is being released. You can see the complete ranker of the top 25 streaming publishers here.

TALKERS News Notes. The NFL’s Chicago Bears will be heard on Good Karma Brands’ WMVP-AM “ESPN Chicago” beginning with the 2023 season. In addition to operating and distributing the Bears Radio Network, “ESPN 1000” will add pre- and post-game programming as well as create unique content to air on its local shows. GKB SVP and Chicago market manager Keith Williams says, “The Chicago Bears are a best-in-class organization, and we are excited to partner with a charter franchise of the NFL. We are dedicated to delivering a top-notch broadcast for our partners and fans around the Midwest and the world. Our teammates are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to get started and execute at the highest level.” “ESPN 1000” director of content Danny Zederman adds, “‘ESPN Chicago’ is thrilled to be adding the Chicago Bears to our play-by-play roster alongside the Chicago White Sox. Our on-air talent is incredibly passionate about our hometown team, and that passion will show within and beyond the in-game broadcasts, integrated throughout our programming year-round.”…..This past weekend, Penn State and the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame jointly honored FOX Sports Radio’s LaVar Arrington – co-host of the network’s weekday morning program, “Two Pros and a Cup of Joe,” with Brady Quinn and Jonas Knox, and co-host of the nationally-syndicated weekend program/podcast, “Up On Game,” with TJ Houshmandzadeh and Plaxico Burress – with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute during halftime at the Penn State vs. Ohio State game at Beaver Stadium. Arrington was recognized for his time at Penn State and his upcoming induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in December 2022.

Midterm Elections/Trump 2024, The Economy/Fed Rate Hike, Pelosi Attack Aftermath, January 6/Trump Legal Issues, Russia-Ukraine War, Israeli Politics, RSV Cases Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/1). The midterm elections and the fight for control of the House and the Senate tied with former President Donald Trump’s expected run for president in 2024; inflation, fears of a recession and the Fed’s expected interest rate hike; the conspiracy theories surrounding the attack on Paul Pelosi; subpoenas issued in the January 6 investigation and Trump’s other legal issues; Russia’s assault on Ukrainian infrastructure and its weapons deals with Iran; Benjamin Netanyahu’s bid for a third term as Israel’s prime minister; and the soaring rate of RSV in the U.S. 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, January 3, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Monday Memo: CES, Carefully. Like most conventions a year ago, CES2021 settled for virtual. But this week, it’s game-on in Las Vegas. And there – vax’d, boosted, tested, masked, and toting the jug-handle-size bottle of hand sanitizer – is Holland Cooke. Read more here.

 

Pending Business: A New Year’s Lesson. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa says a holiday chat with a former associate recalled a memorable case of a radio seller who transitioned from newspapers and the switch was not smooth sailing at first. But persistence and management support saved the day. Read more here.

Ratings Takeaways from Nielsen’s December PPM Survey. Last week, Nielsen Audio released December 2021 ratings data for all 48 PPM markets. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from those markets for the period that covered November 11 to December 8. Audacy’s all-news WINS-AM was the top spoken-word station in New York, adding two-tenths for a 3.8 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) good for the #8 rank. In Los Angeles, although it shed four-tenths, iHeartMedia’s news/talk KFI posted a 3.1 share and rose to the #7 rank. Audacy’s all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago fell out of first place to the #2 rank though it remained steady with a 5.7 share, while Nexstar Media’s crosstown news/talk WGN-AM was flat with a 3.7 share but rose to the #8 rank. Cox Media Group’s news/talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta lost 2.7 shares, finishing with a 6.6 share and falling from #1 to #4. In Washington, Cumulus Media’s news/talk WMAL-FM added two-tenths for a 3.7 share and inched up to the #11 rank while Hubbard Radio’s all-news WTOP-FM dipped nine-tenths for a 6.8 share good for the #4 rank. Even though Bonneville’s news/talk KIRO-FM, Seattle added one-tenth, its 6.6 share was only good enough for the #2 rank. The news/talk battle in Salt Lake City flipped as iHeartMedia’s news/talk KNRS-AM/FM remained ranked #2 after slipping one-tenth to a 7.1 share while Bonneville’s crosstown KSL-AM/FM lost 1.5 shares for a 6.0 share finish causing it to fall from #1 to #5. The news/talk wars in Milwaukee showed some separation as iHeartMedia’s WISN-AM remained ranked #1,  posting its second consecutive 10.3 share while Good Karma Brands‘ crosstown WTMJ-AM fell five-tenths to a 7.1 share and finished ranked #4. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from all 48 PPM markets here.

Salem’s WIND-AM, Chicago Adds to News and Traffic Operations. Changes in the news and traffic departments are taking place at Salem Media Group’s Chicago news/talk WIND “AM 560 The Answer.” Long time morning news anchor Mike Scott – who has anchored newscasts on the station between 5:00 am and 12:00 noon each weekday for the past 17 years – will join Salem as full-time news director and continue anchoring news and traffic. Scott had appeared on the station through an agreement between Salem, Total Traffic and Weather Network, and NBC News Radio. That agreement is not being renewed.  Scott says, “I’m incredibly gratified to be able to continue in my role on the air with AM 560 and Salem Media. We have some of the best listeners in all of Chicago radio and some of the best on-air talent. I look forward to providing the first look at the day’s news for our audience.” Scott will also assume anchoring duties for the Salem Podcast Network’s “Daybreak Insider Podcast,” which launched in September of 2021. Additionally, JoAnn Genette will join WIND as an afternoon news anchor through an agreement with Remote News Service. She will anchor weekday afternoon newscasts through 6:30 pm. Also, longtime Chicago traffic reporter Jill Urchak will begin handling afternoon traffic reports for the station. Urchak has spent close to 25 years as a traffic reporter in Chicago, including at WGN-AM, WBBM-AM, WSCR-AM, and WLUP-FM, as well as WBBM-TV. Salem regional VP and WIND general manager Jeff Reisman says, “News and traffic are cornerstone elements for our format and for our radio station. Keeping Mike Scott on our team while also adding JoAnn and Jill solidifies our commitment to serve our audience. We have a team of veteran broadcasters with experience and insight that our listeners can trust.”

Zederman Named Director of Content for ‘ESPN 1000’ in Chicago. At Chicago sports talk outlet WMVP-AM “ESPN 1000,” Good Karma Brands names Danny Zederman director of content. Zederman joins the leadership team as a 15-year veteran of “ESPN 1000.” Zederman has been serving as executive producer of the “Kap & J.Hood” show. He says, “I’m grateful to Good Karma Brands for the opportunity and am excited to work alongside ESPN 1000’s market manager Keith Williams, to lead and collaborate with our talented teammates and partners. My goal is to continue entertaining our fans, grow the ESPN Chicago brand on all platforms and add value to the community.” Williams says, “We’re excited to announce Danny Zederman as ESPN Chicago’s director of content.  Danny’s strategy and vision for our team in the future will allow us to grow to serve our partners, fans and teammates.”

Jimmy Failla Featured on FOX News’ New Year’s Celebration. Pictured above in Times Square prior to Friday’s New Year’s celebration is FOX News Radio host Jimmy Failla (right). With him is FOX News Radio manager of affiliate sales & marketing Tamara Karcev (left) and KTTH, Seattle talk host Jason Rantz (center). Failla was featured as one of the FOX personalities on the “All American New Year Live from Nashville” special that aired on New Year’s Eve.

TALKERS News Notes. Over the New Year’s holiday weekend, Ric Edelman debuted his new, nationally syndicated radio program, “The Truth About Your Future with Ric Edelman,” on 26 affiliates around the country. Edelman hosted AgeWave founder Dr. Ken Dychtwald on the program. Edelman says, “If you’re alive in 2030, you will likely live to age 100 or beyond. We need to make sure that your money lasts as long as you do, and that’s why I’m focusing on the topics that matter to investors today. The investments of the past 40 years won’t deliver the results you need in the future, so I’ll be sharing the ideas and strategies you need to achieve success in the 21st century.”…..The Independent Broadcasters Association’s board of directors elects officers for the 2022-2023 term. Ron Stone was re-elected for a second term as president and executive director of the IBA. Two of the other officers were also re-elected, Darrell Calton, chairman and assistant secretary and Allen Dick, VP and treasurer. Tony Renda was elected as secretary and assistant treasurer, replacing Mike Flood. Stone says, “I am pleased that the board has re-elected three of the founding officers for an additional term. I am very excited to have Tony Renda as one of our leaders in the next term. Tony has been instrumental in helping the IBA with many of the initiatives we took on in our first two years.  The IBA has succeeded in its first 18 months delivering many new ways for its members to save on operational costs, create new revenues, and benefit from all the professionals in the industry that are working with us. We have said from the beginning that a large independent membership provides scale and with scale we can deliver many great things for independent broadcasters.  I am looking forward to working with our management team to establish new goals for the IBA for 2022 and 2023.”

COVID-19, New Year’s Holiday, Twitter Boots MTG, January 6 Investigation, Colorado Wildfires, NASCAR ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Issue, Betty White Dies, Antonio Brown Incident Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The exploding rate of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., the Omicron variant, and vaccine mandates; the New Year’s holiday, 2021 retrospectives, and predictions for 2022; Twitter permanently cancels account of Marjorie Taylor Greene; the investigation into the January 6 Capitol attack; the wildfires that devastated the Boulder, Colorado area; criticism over NASCAR for “reviewing” Brandon Brown’s crypto sponsorship and the “Let’s Go, Brandon” slogan; entertainment icon Betty White dies at 99; and Antonio Brown’s bizarre exit from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the middle of Sunday’s game were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.