Los Angeles – Page 6 – TALKERS magazine

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.

Monday, October 17, 2022

By Editor | October 17, 2022 by Editor

Monday Memo: Podcasting? Think How-Long, Not How-Many. “When I say, ‘Seinfeld quote,’ you think ‘Do the opposite,’” consultant Holland Cooke reckons. In this week’s column, HC borrows another Jerry-ism to warn against “an all-too-common mistake” he hears podcasters make. Read it here.

Pending Business: How Do You Handle Mistakes? Radio sales pro Steve Lapa asks that question after his recent experience with a local company that handled a problem the right way. When the inevitable mistake happens at your station or network, are you “all hands on deck” or do you back away from the issue? He offers a four-point prescription for overcoming this adversity. Read it here.

KNX, Los Angeles Unveils ‘LA’s Morning News.’ Today (10/17), is the debut of the new “LA’s Morning News” program in Audacy’s all-news KNX-AM/FM, Los Angeles. The company calls it “the next generation of the iconic brand’s all-news morning show about the stories that matter to millions of Southern Californians.” Longtime KNX News anchor and podcaster Mike Simpson moves to the morning drive daypart as host alongside co-host Vicky Moore and veteran traffic reporter and news personality Jennifer York. The moves follow the retirement of legendary morning news anchor Dick Helton after a 53-year career with 24 years of it spent at KNX. Audacy regional president Jeff Federman says, “Mike, Vicky, and Jen are the perfect team to build upon the legacy of integrity, credibility, and humanity in our great shared experience – the morning commute in LA. We’d also like to extend our gratitude to Dick, as his decades of service to our communities are unrivaled.” Mike Simpson states, “There’s something very special about waking up a region as large and dynamic as this one. It’s about getting people out the door and keeping them company on their commute with what they need to know. I’m beyond thrilled to start working with Vicky, Jen and the entire team. Here’s to multiple alarm clocks!” Simpson most recently co-anchored the afternoon drive news and “KNX In Depth,” and created the hit podcast “I’ve Got Questions with Mike Simpson.” Vicky Moore has hosted mornings on KNX since 2004, and Jennifer York has been guiding KNX listeners through their commutes for more than a decade following a long stint as an airborne television traffic reporter in Los Angeles.

SummitMedia Gives Todd Johnson Oversight of Richmond Market. Wichita market president Todd Johnson adds market president duties for SummitMedia, LLC’s Richmond, Virginia station group that includes sports talk WURV-AM “ESPN Richmond” and four music brands. Johnson continues to serve in the president role for the Wichita market. SummitMedia chairman Carl Parmer comments, “Todd has done an outstanding job developing our Wichita cluster and I am confident he will bring the same passion, dedication and leadership to Richmond.” Johnson adds, “I’m honored to assume this new role for SummitMedia and expand my role in the company. I look forward to working with a new team of broadcast and digital experts, while enhancing the products and services we deliver to our clients.”

TALKERS News Notes. Joining the sale department at Skyview Networks are audio sales professionals Leslie Sturm and Jeana Meade. Sturm joins as vice president, network sales. She comes to Skyview with an extensive background at the agency and advertising sales levels. Meade, a 12-year broadcast audio veteran, is now Skyview’s newest network audio manager. Skyview president of network partnerships and chief revenue officer Jeanne-Marie Condo says, “Leslie and Jeana’s tremendous experience and stellar industry knowledge will be a driving force for sales on both coasts. Each of them has hit the ground running, fitting in perfectly with our current culture while bringing their unique skills forward, and we are thrilled to have them on board to help lift our initiatives to new levels.”…..DailyWire+ Podcast Network names audio industry pro Scot Herd SVP of ad revenue. Herd most recently served as VP of network sales for iHeartMedia. In this position, Herd will oversee the company’s team of in-house ad sales reps selling podcasts including: “Candace Owens,” “The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast,” “Morning Wire,” and the YouTube exclusive show, “The Comments Section with Brett Cooper.” DailyWire+ continues its sales partnership with Westwood One, which continues selling the network’s flagship podcast, “The Ben Shapiro Show.” Herd says, “I’m thrilled to take over this new role at DailyWire+ and to capitalize on our tremendous growth. We are committed to our partners and will go above and beyond to optimize all our advertising campaigns. This sales team is second to none and I am privileged to be in this position. 2023 here we come!”…..Podcast discovery platform Podcast Radio Network, official podcasting content partner of NAB Show New York 2022, announces that it is kicking off Podcast Futures New York, a special event for audio and podcasting professionals held in conjunction with NAB Show New York, on Wednesday (10/19) from 10:00 am-5:00 pm at the Javits Center.

TALKERS PERSONALITY PROFILE: The Late Barry Farber’s Daughter Bibi’s Musical Journey. TALKERS managing editor Mike Kinosian follows the fascinating story of Bibi Farber, the NYC-born daughter of the late talk radio legend Barry Farber on her musical odyssey that took her from the U.S. to Sweden (where she spent her teen years and was part of that country’s emerging alt-rock scene) and back again. Bibi Farber and her two-years younger sister Celia grew up in the Big Apple. Their parents had long been separated and in 1976 the two young girls (13 and 11 at the time) relocated to Orebro, Sweden with their mother, Ulla. “I didn’t want to go, but it wasn’t up to me,” emphasizes Bibi, who would wind up living in Sweden for six years – Celia for eight; both finished high school there. “I went to the United Nations School and loved it. Even though my father saw less of us, he loved that we were living in Sweden. He thought it was a much safer place than New York, which in the mid-1970s, was no place for two teenage girls to live. Sweden was a great place, although we did split with American culture.” Albeit that Bibi didn’t start playing music until becoming a high school student in Sweden, she loved rock music and was self-taught. “I didn’t have any formal music training but was able to play in punk bands,” she points out. “I was a classic rock kid from New York, so I was into artists such as Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Elton John, the Who and the Stones. When I got to Sweden, those artists weren’t big there. They didn’t have any commercial radio as we do in America.” Over the years, Bibi has written and recorded a number of tracks – some that have found their way into major commercials – and has carved out a niche performing for people in hospitals, nursing homes, and similar locations between her home in the Hudson Valley and Brooklyn, New York. She has also mastered the art of stilt-walking and has, upon occasion, incorporated it into her unique performances. To read the entire story, please click here.

Russia-Ukraine War, Midterms, Trump Legal Issues, Xi Jinping, January 6 Hearing, Inflation/Financial Markets, and Ye-Parler Deal Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. Russia’s use of Iran-made drones to bomb civilian targets in Ukraine; the Herschel Walker–Raphael Warnock debate and the build-up to the November midterm elections; the numerous legal battles facing former President Donald Trump; Chinese President Xi Jinping begins third term, speaks at Communist Party’s 20^th Congress; the final January 6 hearing and the committee’s recommendation to subpoena Donald Trump; the high rate of inflation and the mercurial financial markets; and Ye’s deal to acquire conservative media platform Parler were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, October 13, 2022

By Editor | October 13, 2022 by Editor

Jones Must Pay Nearly $1 Billion In Sandy Hook Defamation Case. A Connecticut jury has ordered “Infowars” talk show host Alex Jones to pay $965 million in total damages to the families of eight victims of the Sandy Hook school shootings and an FBI agent. Additional damages covering attorneys’ fees will be determined next month. The verdict came after three weeks of testimony in a state court in Waterbury. Not sounding remorseful on yesterday’s radio show (Wednesday, 10/12), Jones railed against the jury’s decision, urging listeners to send money or buy supplements sold on his website. He stated, “They want to scare us away from questioning Uvalde or Parkland [but] we’re not going away, we’re not going to stop.” Jones actually cheered as the judge listed off millions in damages for each count. After one count was read, Jones said, “Get those numbers up.” At times he gave thumbs-up and raised his hand in the air. Jones and Free Speech Systems – parent of his Infowars content company – were held liable for defamation for spreading false stories that the Sandy Hook shootings were a hoax and the victims were actually “crisis actors,” who were following a script written by the government to build support for gun control. Fifteen plaintiffs were awarded damages in the case, one of three suits against Jones from his conspiracy theories about the shooting. The largest single award of $120 million went to Robbie Parker, whose six-year-old daughter, Emilie, was killed in the shooting. Jones spent years mocking Parker as an actor. The plaintiffs also included an FBI agent who responded to the shooting; he was awarded $90 million in damages. An earlier suit in Texas awarded one victim’s parents close to $50 million. Another case is going to the damages phase after Jones lost the suit.

Jim Bohannon is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. Longtime talk radio superstar Jim Bohannon is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Yesterday (10/10), the radio industry was shocked and deeply saddened at the announcement by Cumulus Media’s Westwood One in TALKERS that one of its longest running, most successful and universally beloved syndicated talk show hosts would be hanging up his headphones on Friday October 14^th due to health issues. It was a surprise to many – but industry insiders were already aware that this broadcasting legend was suffering from an advanced case of esophageal cancer… and the prognosis was increasingly grim. His career that spanned more than five decades including the past 30 as host of his solid late-night syndicated show is one of the greatest of all time. His achievements include induction into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, the Radio Hall of Fame, and the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. He has received the First Amendment Award from the Radio-Television Digital News Association and the Lifetime Achievement Award from TALKERS magazine; along with numerous other awards and honors. Michael Harrison interviewed Jim Bohannon this past Sunday (10/9) afternoon. It is candid, compelling and will no doubt be a historic audio document capturing a dramatic slice of radio history and culture – as well as deep insights into the human condition. After recording the interview and podcast, Michael Harrison stated, “It is with profound sadness and love that I have the honor of presenting this interview to the public.” Not to be missed! To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

Gracie Awards Opens Call For Entries. For nearly 50 years, the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation-presented Gracie Awards have honored individual talent and exemplary programming created by women, for women, and about women in radio, television, and digital media in news and entertainment. AWMF president Becky Brooks comments, “We are more committed than ever to honor the remarkable work by so many in our creative community. As our most important fundraiser of the year, the Gracies enables the Foundation to deliver on its promise to further the connection, education and recognition of women in media.” The 2023 Gracie Awards co-chairs are: The Weiss Agency executive vice president Heather Cohen; McVay Media Consulting president Mike McVay; and Hallmark Media chief communications officer Annie Howell. Emmy winner Vicangelo Bulluck has produced the Gracie Awards since 2016 and will return in that capacity for the 2023 awards. Entry eligibility air dates are January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022; deadline for all entries is January 12, 2023 at 11:59 pm (ET).

Live365, TuneIn Strike Distribution Deal. Through a distribution agreement between internet radio companies Live 365 and TuneIn, Live365 broadcasters can access TuneIn On Air distribution as part of Live365’s premium packages – or – as an add-on to any other package. TuneIn On Air allows internet radio broadcasters to expand their reach to TuneIn’s 30 million U.S.-based listeners via TuneIn’s app and 200+ connected devices. TuneIn chief executive officer Richard Stern remarks, “This partnership with Live365 fits perfectly within our mission to reinvent radio for a connected world and democratize access to radio for broadcasters large and small. We believe great conversations are driven by the power of the human voice and we know our listeners rely on us to stay connected to the issues that matter to them most via our content catalog. We’re thrilled to help more broadcasters reach TuneIn’s expansive audience.” Live365 chief executive officer Jon Stephenson notes, “We’re excited to strike up this historic distribution deal with TuneIn to offer our Live365 broadcaster community access to TuneIn on air’s unparalleled distribution reach. As internet radio pioneers, this is an extraordinary opportunity to combine forces and allow broadcasters to utilize Live365’s easy-to-use tools and licensing coverage while reaching TuneIn’s millions of listeners. We’re proud to offer this to our community as we focus on expanding our distribution offering.”

TALKERS News Notes. The 44^th President of the United States, Barack Obama, visits his former aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor for an interview that airs tomorrow (Friday, 10/14) at 7:00 pm as an episode of Sirius XM’s “Crooked Radio” (SiriusXM Progress). It will then be issued Saturday as a podcast. The former President’s “Pod Save America” appearance will be replayed tomorrow night (Friday, 10/14) at 9:00 pm and throughout the weekend. It will be his first on the show in exactly two years (10/14/2020). … Following a 24-year tenure at Los Angeles’ KNX “News 97.1 FM,” morning co-anchor/senior political correspondent Dick Helton (pictured at right) will retire tomorrow (Friday, 10/14) from the Audacy facility. Prior to joining KNX, Helton spent 29 years anchoring in Chicago at co-owned/similarly-formatted WBBM-AM. … Per a report in The Lincoln Journal-Star, Damon Benning succeeds Matt Davison as analyst on University of Nebraska football radio broadcasts. Formerly a host on NRG Media Omaha sports talk KOZN “1620 The Zone,” Benning played for the Cornhuskers from 1992 – 1996. Davison had been a Nebraska analyst the past 19 years. … As part of an intra-Pennsylvania transaction, 34 full-power stations and 12 translators in five “Keystone State” markets are changing hands. Forever Media is the seller; Kristen Cantrell’s Southern Belle Media Family/Seven Mountains Media Family is the buyer. Among stations being sold include: sports talk WQWK, news/talk WRSC, W279DK, and W227DV (all in the State College market); Altoona market news/talk WFBG; news/talk WNTJ, W230BK, and W283CX, and news/talk WNTI (all in the Johnstown market); news/talk WMGW, W264DK, news-talk WTIV and W287DC, and news/talk WFRA and W251CL (all in the Meadville-Franklin market) news/talk WKST, W250CW, and W248DJ (all in the New Castle market); and Lebanon market news/talk WLBR. The complete transaction is for $17.375 million in assumption of promissory notes to Kerby E. Confer, the Judith M. Confer Irrevocable Trust, and Confermation, LLP. Kerby E. Confer is Kristen Cantrell father.

A Podcast With “More To It” Debuts Next Tuesday. Co-produced by syndicated sports talk host Dan Patrick; iHeartPodcasts; Workhouse Media; Dat Dude Entertainment; and Jam Street Media, “More To It With Marcellus Wiley” will drop next Tuesday (10/18) on The Dan Patrick Podcast Network. Former co-host of FS1’s “Speak For Yourself” and ESPN’s “SportsNation,” all-pro defensive end Wiley played ten seasons in the NFL for four different teams. Patrick opines, “Marcellus’ frequent appearances on my show always stood out because he never showed up with cliché comments. He’s never been boring and I love that he brings something new to every conversation. I’m looking forward to listening to his new show and thrilled that he’s officially part of our family.” Wiley notes, “I’m honored to work with the legendary trailblazer Dan Patrick, whose path of success perfectly embodies the title of this podcast. I’m so excited to share these amazing journeys of perseverance and success with the world to inspire the inner power we all possess.” Wiley’s podcast will feature conversations with athletes, entertainers, and people with surprising stories that prove there’s more to everyone’s reality than meets the eye. It kicks off with an interview with rapper Lil Wayne. Future scheduled guests include Anthony Anderson, Charles Barkley, Snoop Dogg, Andrew Yang, Deion Sanders and Ben Horowitz.

Confusion On FM Booster Geotargeting. Several Texas and Colorado broadcasters have filed letters with the FCC, requesting their names be removed as supporters of a GeoBroadcast Solutions petition that supports geo-targeting on FM boosters. Dan Balla and Andrew Devall, presidents of Texas entities Falls Media and Q-Media Group, respectively, wrote they “were entirely unaware of our participation in this proceeding and did not knowingly consent to having our name included on such filings. We are relatively small radio broadcast operators with enormous demands on our limited time and resources. In general, we do not have the bandwidth to personally monitor activities at the FCC. Given this highly unusual circumstance, [we] respectfully request that the Commission remove the prior filings indicating our support for GBS’s requested rule change from the record.” According to Colorado broadcasters Scott Poese (Ranchland Broadcasting) and Warren Epstein (Pikes Peak College), comments filed under their names “do not accurately reflect our views. Contrary to what the comments indicate, [we] do not support the GeoBroadcast Solutions petition or believe it would benefit our stations or the public.”

Front Page News Industry News

Friday, October 7, 2022

By Editor | October 7, 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, “Going to Pot,” looks back at this past week of 10/3-10/7. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Martha Zoller, talk show host, WDUN, Gainesville, GA; Jack Heath, talk show host, “The Pulse of NH”; Dr. Murray Sabrin, emeritus professor of finance, Ramapo College, NJ/author; Matthew B. Harrison, Esq., associate publisher, TALKERS; Glenn Beck, talk show host, Premiere Networks/author; Tavis Smiley, author/talk show host/owner, KBLA, Los Angeles. The show airs weekends (Friday evenings to Sunday nights) on 100-plus broadcast signals and networks across the U.S. and U.K as well as having developed a significant international following as a podcast. 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 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.

KGO, San Francisco to Begin Sports/Wagering Format on Monday. The end of the news/talk format on Cumulus Media’s legendary KGO-AM, San Francisco came in a way that many market observers are calling bizarre – just to give one adjective. During the late morning Mark Thompson show, the station suddenly ended the talk show and began airing a recorded announcement followed by music stunting. Thompson himself was as surprised as the listeners to learn the that station will flip to a new format on Monday (10/10) – some form of sports betting talk. The message from Cumulus was: “Today we say goodbye to the legendary KGO. Over the last 80 years, KGO has been here for Bay Area listeners covering and discussing all the news that has impacted our world and local communities. We thank you for your loyalty and for trusting KGO to be your source for information. We also want to sincerely thank all the talented men and women that worked so hard over the years to produce award-winning programming on KGO. On Monday, 810AM begins a new era. We hope you will tune in.” Northern California-based journalist Matthew Keys reports that sources say the new format will be branded “The Spread 810AM.”

Beasley and Audacy Swap Las Vegas Stations. The two companies are entering into an asset exchange agreement that will see Beasley Media Group’s news/talk KDWN-AM and FM translator K268CS (101.5) go to Audacy, which will give FM station KXTE (currently alternative rock) to Beasley. As part of the agreement, longtime Las Vegas-based syndicated morning personalities “Dave and Mahoney” will continue to be heard on KXTE-FM. Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley says, “Throughout Beasley Broadcast Group’s 61-year history, we have actively managed our station portfolio with the goal of serving the communities where we operate with the best local programming and brands, diversifying our operations, managing risk and improving financial results. The agreement to exchange KDWN-AM/FM translator for KXTE-FM addresses all of these strategic objectives and upon completion, will complement our Las Vegas market presence and content with five strong signals in the market.” The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year subject to Federal Communications Commission approval and other customary closing conditions.

Round Two of September PPMs Released. The second of two rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio’s September 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 September 2022 sweep covered August 18 – September 14. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. Hubbard Broadcasting’s all-news WTOP-FM, Washington remains ranked #1 in the market after adding one-tenth to finish the survey with an 8.1 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share). Cumulus Media’s crosstown news/talk WMAL-FM tacks on six-tenths for a 4.5 share that lifts it to the #7 rank. In Boston, iHeartMedia news/talk WRKO slips half a share for a 3.8 share that leaves it ranked #9, while the company’s all-news WBZ-AM adds seven-tenths for a 5.3 share good for the #5 rank in the market. Audacy’s WCCO-AM, Minneapolis rises eight-tenths to finish the survey with a 5.6 share that lifts it to the #7 rank, while iHeartMedia’s crosstown news/talk KTLK-AM is up one-tenth for a 3.1 share finish and Hubbard Broadcasting’s talk KTMY-FM dips two-tenths for a 3.1 share finish leaving them tied at the #15 rank. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well as the first round) here.

iHeartMedia Sells New Orleans Office Building. The New Orleans City Business reports that iHeartMedia has sold the downtown New Orleans building that houses its operations there. The three-story, 17,765-square-foot building has been on the market for two years and was acquired by a Florida-based investment group. The story notes that the building was constructed in the mid-1990s. It has “a 250-kilowatt generator, 60 parking spots with a secured gate and two adjacent lots.” The sale price is reported to be just over $3.57 million. It was originally listed at $3.7 million in August 2020.

Grant Stinchfield Launches Show on Salem Podcast Network. KRLA-AM, Los Angeles morning drive personality Grant Stinchfield is launching a podcast on Salem Media Group’s Salem Podcast Network on Monday (10/10) titled, “Stinchfield.” He currently hosts “The Morning Answer” show on KRLA alongside Jennifer Horn. Salem SVP for spoken word Phil Boyce says, “Grant does a great morning show with Jen in Los Angeles, and we’re excited that he’s moving up on the Salem platform. Now, listeners all over the country get to hear his take on the day’s news and events. We’re delighted to give him this opportunity.” Stinchfield comments, “America is in crisis and the corporate media establishment continues to silence strong conservative voices. This podcast is about pushing back and refusing to be silenced. We will expose the stories the mainstream media refuses to cover. I am so proud to be a part of Salem Media, an organization that refuses to sit idly by and watch our nation fall deeper and deeper into debt and despair. Its commitment to free speech is why I am proud to call Salem Media a partner.”

TALKERS News Notes. According to a report by Kevin Kinkead at Crossing Broad, Jamie Lynch is out at Beasley Media Group’s sports talk WPEN-FM “97.5 the Fanatic.” There is no information from the company on Lynch’s departure, although a cost-cutting motive is the most likely. Morning drive host John Kincade said on the program, “Obviously you will notice Jamie is not here. I can only say that we miss Jamie because a situation like this is a time when Jamie is of the greatest joy. We miss him not being here with us today. And if you miss Jamie this morning you can only imagine how much we do. I don’t know how much more to say. I’m not at liberty to say. But we miss him and we wish he was here with us.”…..Public media company GBH announces that Jim Braude will leave the WGBH-TV program “Greater Boston” at the end of this year. Braude also co-hosts the “Boston Public Radio” program on WGBH-FM, Boston with Margery Eagan and will continue in that role. Braude has hosted the “Greater Boston” television program since 2015 and co-hosted the radio program with Eagan since 2013…..Cipolla Analytics announces the appointment of Dr. Ed Cohen as chief research officer for the company, overseeing the expansion of its SpotGPS advanced intelligence software for radio. Developed especially for PPM markets, Cipolla Analytics says, “SpotGPS makes it easy to get the listening credit you deserve. SpotGPS reveals content placement and quantity on your stations and the competition in a way that is clear, colorful, and compelling.” Cohen was previously vice president, ratings and research for Cumulus Media, and led Nielsen Audio’s connected car streaming audio research initiative as vice president, measurement innovation.

Russia-Ukraine War and Foreign Affairs Top News/Talk Story for Week of October 3-7. Russia’s annexation of portions of Ukraine, its continuing military invasion of the country, and surrounding foreign affairs 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 inflation, the financial markets and the threat of a recession – followed by politics and the November midterm elections 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.

KWAM Seeks News Staffers. KWAM, Memphis “The Mighty 990” is expanding its local news coverage. KWAM has promoted Ben Deeter – executive producer of “Wake Up Memphis” – to full-time news anchor and anchor of the radio station’s political coverage. KWAM owner Todd Starnes says there are plans to add more reporters and anchors. Email resumes to: info@kwamradio.com.

FOX News Media Seeks Freelance Radio Anchor. This onsite position in either Los Angeles, Chicago or New York is a freelance radio anchor for the FOX News Audio family as on-air talent for FOX News Radio Network/FOX News Headlines 24/7 Sirius XM Channel 115. In this position, you will work under tight deadlines and deliver top-notch newscasts. You have a passion for breaking news and the flexibility to work on a day’s notice. Learn more about this position here.

Reporter Position Open at FOX News Media in Washington, DC. For this onsite reporter position FOX News Media is looking for an experienced, full-time reporter to join the Washington DC team. You will cover a wide range of political, government, and Congressional stories for FOX News Audio (FOX News Headlines 24/7 and FOX News Terrestrial Radio). You possess strong journalism skills and thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Most importantly, you have great editorial judgment and the ability to break important news stories. Learn more and apply here.

Freelance Producer/Editor Opportunity at FOX News Media. This exciting opportunity is based in New York for a freelance producer/news editor to supervise the staff for our network radio news operations (terrestrial and FOX News Headlines 24/7 – Channel 115 on SiriusXM Radio). In this role you are our editorial leader, working with news anchors to craft the content and structure of a 24/7 news operation. This is fast-moving news environment! Your ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven newsroom allows you to deliver top-quality segments/newscasts. You excel at multi-tasking and pay close attention to details. Your writing and editing skills are excellent and your editorial judgment is first-rate. Find out more here.

Ratings Takeaways

September 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part One

By Editor | October 5, 2022 by Editor

September 2022 PPM Data – Information for the September 2022 ratings period has been released for 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.

Nielsen Audio’s September 2022 sweep covered August 18 – September 14.

TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.

Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.

All comparisons noted are August 2022 – September 2022 (6+).

Note: The NFL season kicked off September 8; NFL – and MLB – flagships are noted where applicable.

NEW YORK

News/Talk: Red Apple Media’s WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 4.3 – 3.0, -1.3, #8 to #11

iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 2.0 – 1.7, -.3, anchored at #18

News: Audacy’s WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 2.8 – 3.0 +.2, #12 to #11 and co-owned WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets) 3.0 – 2.9, -.1, #11 to #13

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees, NY Giants) 2.8 – 3.2, +.4, #12 to #10

Public Radio News/Talk: WNYC Broadcasting Foundation’s 3.6 – 4.1, +.5, tenth to eighth

Number One 6+: Mediaco Holding-owned/Emmis operated urban AC WBLS, first month, 5.7 – 6.6, +.9

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: urban AC WBLS (+.9)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: news/talk WABC (-1.3)*

*Represents the largest August 2022 – September 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

LOS ANGELES

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KFI “AM 640” 4.8 – 4.7, -.1, repeats in fourth-place

News: Audacy-owned KNX-FM “News 97.1” 3.3 – 3.5, +.2, tenth to eighth

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Pasadena Area Community College’s KPCC 2.3 – 2.6, +.3, #18 to #14

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KOST, second month in a row, 5.4 – 5.8, +.4

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: hot AC KBIG (+.5)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: Spanish contemporary KLVE (-.7)

CHICAGO

News/Talk: Nexstar Media Group’s WGN “Radio 720” 3.6 – 3.5, -.1, eighth to ninth

News: Audacy-owned WBBM-AM & WCFS “News Radio 780 AM & 105.9 FM” (Bears) 4.6 – 4.9, +.3, fifth to third

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WSCR “670 The Score” (Cubs) 2.7 – 2.5, -.2, repeats at #14

Public Radio News/Talk: Chicago Public Media-owned WBEZ 4.8 – 4.4, -.4, third to fifth

Number One 6+: Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV, fifth month in a row, 5.5 – 6.6, +1.1

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: classic rock WDRV (+1.1)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: country WUSN (-.8)

SAN FRANCISCO

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KSFO “Talk Radio 560” 2.0 – 1.8, -.2, #17 to #18 and co-owned KGO “810 AM” 1.5 – 1.7, +.2, #21 to #20

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 6.2 – 6.4, +.2, continues in the runner-up slot

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” (SF Giants, 49ers) 4.0 – 3.6, -.4, fifth to sixth

Public Radio News/Talk: KQED, Inc.-owned KQED 8.5 – 7.8, -.7, first

Number One 6+: public radio news/talk KQED third month in a row, 8.5 – 7.8, -.7

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: regional Mexican KSOL (+.8)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease (Tie): public radio news/talk KQED and adult contemporary KISQ (-.7)

DALLAS

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned WBAP “News Talk 820 AM & 99.5 HD2 FM” 4.5 – 4.9, +.4, fourth to third

News – Talk: Audacy’s KRLD-AM “News Radio 1080” (Cowboys) 2.2 – 2.6, +.4, #19 to #16

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KTCK “Sports Radio The Ticket” 4.3 – 4.0, -.3, sixth to seventh

Public Radio News/Talk: North Texas Public Broadcasting-owned KERA 2.8 – 3.0, +.2, #14 to #13

Number One 6+: Univision regional Mexican KLNO, eighth month in a row, 5.5 – 5.4, -.1

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KDGE (+.8)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: CHR KHKS (-1.0)

HOUSTON

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KTRH “AM 740 News Radio” (Astros) 3.9 – 3.3, -.6, #10 to #14

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Houston-owned KUHF 1.7 – 2.0, +.3, #19 to #18

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KODA, eighteenth consecutive month, 9.0 – 8.7, -.3

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: country KKBQ (+.7)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: news/talk KTRH (-.6)

ATLANTA

News/Talk: Cox Media Group-owned WSB-AM & WSBB “Atlanta’s News & Talk” 5.5 – 6.3, +.8, continues in fifth-place

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Dickey Broadcasting-owned WCNN “The Fan” (Braves) 3.3 – 3.2, -.1, remains at #11

Audacy’s WZGC “92.9 The Game” (Falcons) 1.8 – 2.7, +.9, #17 to #15

Public Radio News/Talk: Atlanta Public Schools-owned WABE 5.1 – 6.8, +1.7, sixth to third

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies WSRV, ninth successive month, 9.0 – 8.3, -.7

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: public radio news/talk WABE (+1.7)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: hot AC WSTR (-.9)

PHILADELPHIA

News/Talk: Townsquare Media’s WKXW “New Jersey 101.5” 1.3 – 1.4, +.1, #20 to #19

News: Audacy-owned KYW & WPHI “News Radio 1060 AM & 103.9 FM” 5.1 – 5.2, +.1, sixth to seventh

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WIP “Sports Radio 94” (Phillies, Eagles) 4.8 – 5.3, +.5, seventh to sixth and WIP’s internet stream, 2.5 – 2.6, +.1, #13 to #12

Public Radio News/Talk: WHYY-owned WHYY steady at 4.6, remains in eighth-place

Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group rock WMMR, second straight month, 8.0 – 8.7, +.7

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase (Tie): rock WMMR and adult hits WBEN-FM (+.7)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease (Tie): classic rock WMGK and alternative WRFF (-.4)

LONG ISLAND

News/Talk: Red Apple Media-owned WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 2.5 – 2.1, -.4, flat at #17

iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 2.6 – 2.1, -.5, #15 to #17

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets)” 3.6 – 3.9, +.3, eighth to seventh and cluster-mate WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 2.6 – 2.4, -.2, #15 to #14

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees, NY Giants) 3.7 – 3.8, +.1, seventh to eighth

Emmis-owned/Good Karma Brands-operated WEPN-FM “98.7 ESPN New York” .8 – 1.3, +.5, #25 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic rock WBAB, fifth month in succession, 6.2 – 6.6, +.4

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies WBZO (+.8)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: rock WWSK (-.8)

RIVERSIDE

News/Talk: None in the top twenty

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: San Bernardino Community College District’s KVCR, .3 – .4, +.1, locked at #19

Number One 6+: Anaheim Broadcasting classic hits-oldies KOLA, ninth consecutive month, 5.9 – 7.7, +1.8

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies KOLA (+1.8)**

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: Spanish contemporary KLVE (-.8)

**Represents the largest August 2022 – September 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

SAN JOSE

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KGO “810 AM” 2.6 – 2.7, +.1, #12 to #13

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 4.8 – 5.7, +.9, third to second

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” (SF Giants, 49ers ) 3.4 – 3.7, +.3, repeats in eighth-place

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Empire Audacy adult contemporary KOIT-FM, third straight month 6.6 – 7.3, +.7

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: hot AC KEZR (+1.1)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease: 1980s-based KOSF (-.7)

MIDDLESEX

News/Talk: Townsquare Media-owned WKXW “New Jersey 101.5” 5.1 – 6.0, +.9, fourth to second

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets) 2.7 – 2.6, -.1, repeats at #12 and co-owned WINS steady at 1.4, #18 to #17

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees, NY Giants) unchanged at 2.8, remains at #11

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLTW, third month in a row, 7.4 – 8.6, +1.2

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WLTW (+1.2)

Largest 6+ August 2022 – September 2022 Decrease (Tie): urban contemporary WWPR and sports talk WEPN-FM (-.5)

Up next: September 2022 overviews for: Washington, DC; Boston; Miami; Seattle; Detroit; Phoenix; Minneapolis; San Diego; Tampa; Denver; Baltimore; and St. Louis.

Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.

Front Page News Industry News

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

By Editor | October 4, 2022 by Editor

It’s Official: KEGL-FM, Dallas Flips to Hot Talk as ‘97.1 The Freak.’ After a cryptic message from longtime Dallas sports talk personality Mike Rhyner two weeks ago fueled speculation that iHeartMedia would flip rock outlet KEGL-FM “97.1 The Eagle” to sports talk, the company finally reveals that the change will actually be to hot talk. KEGL-FM is now “97.1 The Freak.” The company says that “The Freak” will be “a broad-based personality radio station that connects in a personal way with the DFW audience.” It will feature “The Speakeasy” from 7:00 am to 11:00 am starring Jeff Cavanaugh, Kevin “KT’ Turner, Julie Dobbs and Matt Cather, followed by “The Ben & Skin Show” with Ben Rogers, Jeff “Skin” Wade, Krystina “K-Ray” Ray and Michael “Grubes” Gruber; and “The Downbeat” in afternoon drive hosted by former longtime KTCK personality Mike Rhyner, with Mike Sirois and Michael “Grubes” Gruber. iHeartMedia Dallas regional VP of programming Patrick Davis says, “We’re beyond excited to introduce “97.1 The Freak.” The level of talent is insurmountable, and we’re thrilled for the opportunity to further connect with Dallas-Fort Worth!”

Radio Hall of Fame Announces 2022 Legends of Radio Inductees. The Museum of Broadcast Communications announces the selection of 10 new Legends inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame for 2022, “recognizing the talents and efforts of air personalities, programmers and operators who contributed with greatness to the radio industry and have since passed away.” They are: Doug Banks, nationally syndicated on-air personality; James Brown, legendary singer, to be inducted as a radio station owner of WJBE, Knoxville; Bob Coburn, host of the syndicated “Rockline” show; Chick Hearn, play-by-play announcer/voice of the Los Angeles Lakers; Bernice Judis, owner and general manager, WNEW-AM from the 1930s through the 1950s; Sid Mark, host of syndicated program, “Sounds of Sinatra”; Bobby O’Jay, on-air personality, WDIA-AM, Memphis; Pervis Spann, on-air personality, WVON-AM, Chicago; James Thompson, Group W Broadcasting president and president of the Broadcasters Foundation of America; and Rosalie Trombley, music director of CKLW-AM, Detroit in the 1960s–1970s. Radio Hall of Fame co-chair Kraig T. Kitchin says, “The Radio Hall of Fame is dedicated to recognizing the individuals who have made the greatest impact on our 100-plus-year-old industry. I’m thrilled to see the nominating committee confirm the induction of these 10 individuals who each made such an impact on our industry in their time.” The Radio Hall of Fame recognizes its 2022 class of inductees at the in-person 2022 Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Tuesday, November 1, at Chicago’s Radisson Blu Acqua Hotel.

Derek Wolfe Joins Darren McKee for Afternoons at ‘104.3 The Fan’ in Denver. Television station KUSA-FV “9News” is reporting that recently retired Denver Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe joins Bonneville’s sports talk KKFN-FM, Denver “104.3 The Fan” as co-host of the weekday afternoon sports show “The Drive” with Darren “Dmac” McKee. Wolfe takes over the co-host role on the afternoon drive show after the company did not renew the contract of fellow former Bronco and Colorado Buffalo Tyler Polumbus.

Cumulus Unveils New Morning Show at ‘104.5 The Zone’ in Nashville. Beginning tomorrow (10/5), Cumulus Media’s sports talk WGFX-FM, Nashville “104.5 The Zone” features two new co-hosts alongside Ramon Foster. Kayla Anderson – who’s been sports anchor, reporter and more for WKRN-TV, Nashville “News 2 TV” – joins the program as does current WGFX-FM high school play-by-play voice, Titans post-game show host and fill-in host Will Boling. Station operations manager Paul Mason says, “Ramon Foster has a tremendous natural ability to connect with sports fans in morning radio, and our listeners love him. Bringing Ramon together with experienced television sports anchor and reporter Kayla Anderson and hometown broadcaster Will Boling creates a truly special dynamic that will make for some great morning sports radio!”

BFoA Delivers Aid to Broadcasters Puerto Rico, Florida, and Carolinas. The Broadcasters Foundation of America says it is providing emergency aid to qualifying colleagues in the radio and TV industry who have been personally hit hard by Hurricanes Fiona and Ian. BFoA says that so far, requests have come in from individuals who work at Spanish Broadcasting System, America CV Station Group, Telemundo, and Univision, with the first of those checks going out to qualifying individuals this week. BFoA president Tim McCarthy states, “Our Emergency Grant Program is set up with a streamlined vetting process that allows us to move quickly and get checks to those in desperate need quickly. Broken pipes, power outages, displacement, and more have brought devastation to many of our colleagues.” Broadcasters can apply for emergency aid and see if they qualify by clicking here.

AWM Names Gracies Leadership Awards Honorees. The Alliance for Women in Media announces the seven honorees for the Gracies Leadership Awards that will be presented on Monday, November 14 at Tribeca 360 in New York. Google News Initiative is a presenting sponsor of the awards. AWM says the annual event provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the significant impact women have made in the media industry, while also spurring to action and emboldening female leaders in attendance. The list of this year’s honorees include the following: Nancy Daniels, chief of content, TNets, Discovery, Animal Planet, & Science Channel; Marie Donoghue, vice president, Global Sports Video, Amazon; Kim Godwin, president, ABC News; Wendy Goldberg, chief communications officer, iHeartMedia, Inc.; Chesley Maddox-Dorsey, CEO, American Urban Radio Networks; Debra O’Connell, president, Networks, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution; and Dawn Porter, founder, Trilogy Films. AWM president Becky Brooksstates, “It is an exceptional honor to recognize and celebrate this strong lineup and powerhouse of women leaders in our industry. Soledad O’Brien as our keynote speaker will undoubtedly create an unforgettable event for everyone in attendance.”

TALKERS News Notes. A new deal between SiriusXM and Dan Abrams’ Law&Crime TV network adds the network to the satcaster’s streaming channel lineup. Abrams says, “I’ve loved being part of the SiriusXM family and am thrilled to be expanding our collaboration. We have been talking with SiriusXM for years about a Law&Crime channel that would bring compelling trial coverage and crime content to the platform, so it’s really exciting to see this come to fruition.” In addition to his Law&Crime network, Abrams is also the host of “The Dan Abrams Show” heard from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET on SiriusXM P.O.T.U.S. channel as well as the host of “Dan Abrams Live” on NewsNation, the chief legal analyst for ABC News and host of “On Patrol: Live on Reelz.”…..NHPR will be celebrated on Thursday, October 20, 2022, as the recipient of The Nackey S. Loeb School’s Quill & Ink Award. This award is not given annually, but instead is reserved to honor significant contributions to the First Amendment. NHPR is being honored for continuing to produce high-quality accountability journalism in the face of legal threats and vandalism directed at some staff members and their families. NHPR president and CEO Jim Schachter says, “This is a fitting tribute to our newsroom’s outstanding work and our journalists’ courage. I’m glad that it recognizes the entire organization, because it takes everyone at NHPR to make our journalism possible.”

Russia-Ukraine War, Hurricane Ian Aftermath, Inflation/Recession Fears, Trump Legal Issues, November Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Oath Keepers Trial, and Brazilian/European Politics Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (10/3). Russian president Vladimir Putin’s move to call up more troops and to attempt to annex parts of Ukraine; the destruction in southwest Florida left by Hurricane Ian; the record-setting inflation and fears of a recession; the legal issues facing former President Donald Trump and his defamation suit against CNN; the November midterm elections and speculation about the presidential nominees in 2024; the Washington, DC trial of several Oath Keepers on seditious conspiracy charges relative to the January 6 Capitol riot; and the political situation in Brazil and in Europe 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, September 30, 2022

By Editor | September 30, 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, “Cornered Rat” looks back at this past week of 9/26 to 9/30. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Jason Lewis, former U.S. Congressman (R-MN)/talk show host/author; Glenn Beck, talk show host, Premiere Networks/author; Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company; Tavis Smiley, talk show host/owner, KBLA, Los Angeles/author; Richard Neer, talk show host, WFAN, New York/author. The show airs weekends (Friday evenings to Sunday nights) on 100-plus broadcast signals and networks across the U.S. and U.K as well as having developed a significant international following as a podcast. 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 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.

Audacy to Flip Sports Talk ‘790 The Ticket’ to Spanish Talk as ‘Radio Libre 790.’ Beginning Monday (10/3), sports talk WAXY-AM “790 AM The Ticket” flips to Spanish conservative talk as “Radio Libre 790.” The programming change takes place in partnership with national conservative Hispanic network Americano Media. Audacy regional president and Miami market manager Claudia Menegus says, “We’re proud to introduce Spanish radio to our South Florida portfolio for the first time ever and empower the voice of so many of our neighbors in this community. With the launch of this station, we aim to not only serve our listeners but give them a reliable home for the news they seek and the information they rely on every day.” Americano Media chief Ivan Garcia-Hidalgo adds, “The joint endeavor with Audacy is a natural fit for Americano. We provide the best Hispanic news-talk programming in Spanish, with the best hosts covering important current events, and Audacy’s audience is demanding that information. This is the first of many terrestrial radio syndication agreements for Americano, and we look forward to a strong partnership with Audacy.” The station will feature Americano Media’s talent, which includes former “Radio Mambi” hosts Nelson Rubio, Dania Alexandrino, and Lourdes Ubieta, who will cover the day’s political and critical news events, technology, and breaking news. Americano Media produces 18 hours of original programming each weekday from 6:00 am to 12:00 midnight, with diverse Spanish-speaking hosts. Regarding the sports programming on WAXY-AM, the station’s two local shows – Tobin & Leroy and Hoch & Crowder – are both already simulcast on Audacy’s sister sports talk outlet WQAM and will remain there.

Chicago TV Personality Jane Clauss Named Contributor to WLS-AM’s Steve Cochran Show. Windy City television personality Jane Clauss joins Cumulus Media’s news/talk WLS-AM as morning show contributor for “The Steve Cochran Show.” Clauss is an EMMY Award winner and currently host of “Creative Living,” which airs nationally on the Yurview network, as well as “Arizona Living: Your Home Your Inspiration” show and “Craft Room Crash” on CLIXTV. She was the longtime host of “Living Healthy Chicago” on WGN-TV. Clauss has radio experience, having served with WGN-AM and WLUP-FM. WLS-AM program director Stephanie Tichenor says, “I am delighted to welcome Jane Clauss on board as a contributor on ‘The Steve Cochran Show.’ Jane is the consummate media professional whose brand has delighted generations of Chicagoans. From her ‘Loop’ days to her longtime contributions on ‘Living Healthy Chicago,’ Jane has always been authentically ‘Chicago.’ I am excited to have her join Steve as they wake up Chicago every weekday morning with what our listeners need to know to get through the day.” Clauss comments, “I’m thrilled to call ‘the Big 89’ my new radio home. Being a part of the legendary WLS call letters and working alongside Steve Cochran every weekday morning is a true honor.”

KFNX-AM, Phoenix Owner and Talk Host Bill Brady Named ‘Best Evening Radio Show’ by Phoenix New Times. It’s an honor that news/talk KFNX-AM, Phoenix owner and air personality Bill Brady says he didn’t see coming but is nonetheless thrilled about. The alt-weekly Phoenix New Times names his talk program Best Evening Radio Show in its Best of 2022 feature. Brady’s entry reads: “Aching to ogle at Arizona’s craziest candidates ahead of November’s general election? Pining for a preview of the Arizona Cardinals’ season debut against the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs? Talk radio veteran Bill Brady says, ‘Why not both?’ The Bill Brady Show airs every weekday afternoon from 5 to 7 p.m. on 1100 AM radio, so tune in on your drive home from work and enrich your day with what he calls ‘a return to common sense commentary.’ His instantly recognizable voice has graced the ears of Valley residents during interviews with everyone from CIA directors to sports greats such as NFL quarterback Johnny Unitas and boxer Sugar Ray Leonard. Most recently, Brady has taken in-depth dives with the Arizona Wildcats, state candidates including Adrian Fontes, and even New York Governor Mario Cuomo.”

Salem Radio Network Host Branden Tatum Addresses NRB’s Capitol Hill Media Summit. Pictured above is Salem Radio Network host Branden Tatum speaking at the recent National Religious Broadcasters’ Capitol Hill Media Summit. The host of “The Officer Tatum Show” spoke from his perspective as a Christian executive, encouraging fellow Christian leaders to set an example for their teams by upholding five pillars of faith, integrity, loyalty, combat, and victory. “God has called us all to something special. We cannot sit back and let the next man do the job God has for us. There’s a group of people that can only hear from you. Remember that faith is not a stagnant verb but an active verb. You have to put action behind your broadcasting.”

Deborah Parenti Receives Lifetime Achievement Award. The president and publisher of broadcast industry trade journals, Radio Ink and RBR+TVBR, Deborah Parenti (left) received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Parenti was honored for her achievements as a market manager and longtime broadcaster in Dayton. She is pictured with talent agent Heather Cohen, SVP of the Weiss Agency (right), who spoke about Parenti’s outstanding career during the ceremony.

TALKERS News Notes. For the run up to the November election, SiriusXM is inviting Crooked Media to take over its SiriusXM Progress channel. The special Crooked Radio programming will feature Crooked’s top-ranked podcasts, including “Pod Save America,” “Lovett or Leave It,” “Pod Save the World,” and “Strict Scrutiny.” In addition, SiriusXM’s L.A. Garage studios hosted a special taping of “Pod Save America” before an audience of their superfans on September 28. Crooked Media founders Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor, alongside their fellow “Pod Save America” host Dan Pfeiffer, were joined by guests including Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter John Legend, Senator Elizabeth Warren, “Vibe Check” co-host Sam Sanders, and “Dare We Say” podcast hosts Alycia Pascual-Peña and Yasmine Hamady…..Cumulus Media launches “Hello Ross,” an all-new, original podcast on the Cumulus Podcast Network featuring Ross Mathews who’s famous for his television celebrity interviews and red carpet moments. The inaugural episode features an in-depth interview with Chelsea Handler. Upcoming episodes will feature hilarious and insightful conversations with fascinating people including Guy Fieri, Todrick Hall, Kathy Griffin, Bowen Yang, and Martyn Bullard…..FOX Sports Radio unveils its weekend lineup for the 2022 football season. With the transition of “Covino & Rich” from weekends to FSR’s weekday afternoon timeslot, the network welcomes back veteran sports talk personality Mark Willard to lead the network’s Sunday evening show. He’s joined by longtime FSR weekend host Ephraim Salaam. FSR also launches “FOX Sports Radio’s Countdown to Kickoff” on Saturdays and Sundays with Brian Noe, Rich Ohrnberger, Jared Smith, Geoff Schwartz, and Bill “Krack” Krackomberger.

Russia-Ukraine War/Baltic Gas Leak/Foreign Affairs Combine as Top News/Talk Story for Week of September 26 – 30. Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the intentional destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, and U.S. foreign affairs issues combined as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers Ten^TM. At #2 this week was inflation and the sell-off on the world’s financial markets, followed by politics and the November midterm elections 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.

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, September 22, 2022

By Editor | September 22, 2022 by Editor

FAIR’s Hold Their Feet to the Fire Radio Row 2022 Brings Hosts and Guests Together in Washington, DC. Today (9/22) is the second day of the two-day radio row presented by Federation for American Immigration Reform. The 15^th annual “Hold Their Feet to the Fire” began on Wednesday with more than 65 talk media personalities interviewing politicians and immigration experts and discussing the hot-button issue of immigration reform and the problems the nation faces with the recent surges of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Pictured above are two of the hosts taking part in the radio row. Above left is WNRI, Woonsocket, Rhode Island personality John DePetro flanked by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), and above right is WRVA, Richmond afternoon host Jeff Katz with the media personalities Diamond and Silk.

WPHT, Philadelphia Talent Shuffle Includes New Morning Show; Zeoli Moves to PM Drive. A change in the programming schedule at Audacy’s news/talk WPHT, Philadelphia includes a new morning drive program titled, “Kayal and Company,” led by Nick Kayal and including Dawn Stensland and Greg Stocker (who also serves as station PD). Current morning drive host Rich Zeoli moves to the 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm daypart. Dom Giordano remains in the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm slot and Stensland continues her solo program from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. The changes become effective on October 3. Audacy Philadelphia SVP and market manager David Yadgaroff comments, “For the first time ever, WPHT will be live and local from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm, which further cements this fan favorite as the voice of Philadelphia and a reliable destination for our listeners. We’re excited to welcome Nick, who is trading in his sports background for his passion for politics, to our morning drive, and move Rich and his highly-successful program to entertain and inform listeners as they wind down their days.” Kayal previously worked in the market on sports talk WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic.”

The Ramsey Network Launches ‘Smart Money Happy Hour’ Podcast. A new podcast from the Ramsey Network is launched titled, “Smart Money Happy Hour,” starring Rachel Cruze and George Kamel. The podcast is described as “a mix of solid advice and snark from two friends who also happen to be money experts.” The show joins the Ramsey Network roster of podcasts that includes “The Ramsey Show,” “The Dr. John Delony Show,” “The Rachel Cruze Show,” “The Ken Coleman Show,” “The Fine Print,” “Borrowed Future” and “The EntreLeadership Podcast.” Ramsey Network EVP Blake Thompson says, “Rachel and George have such unique chemistry. One minute I was laughing along with them, the next I was thinking about money in a whole new way. People are going to love the pop culture references and the casual, pour-a-glass-of-wine environment these two have created in this new podcast.” Some of the “Smart Money Happy Hour” topics include: Is Convenience Culture Worth Being Broke?; HGTV: The Network That Brainwashed Us; How to Leave a Royal Legacy for Your Family; and Can the Middle Class Still Afford to Go to Disney?

SmileyAudioMedia Offering ‘Agenda for America’ Election Programming to Stations. As a part of its continuing election coverage, Tavis Smiley, SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. and KBLA, Los Angeles “Talk 1580” announce that they are offering exclusive election programming to urban stations nationwide. SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. and KBLA Talk 1580 are producing a live, four-part series titled, “Agenda for America: An African American Perspective” that is executive produced by Smiley and moderated by KBLA’s radio hosts. The company says these four national conversations featuring influential Black voices will be offered at no charge to other talk- and urban-formatted radio stations and audio platforms across the country. The four programs are: “The State of Black Women in America,” hosted by Areva Martin; “The State of Black Men in America,” hosted by Zo Williams; “The State of Black Youth in America,” hosted by Dominique DiPrima; and, “Why We Can’t Wait: The Urgency of Now,” hosted by Tavis Smiley. The series airs live on Thursdays from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm PT on KBLA “Talk 1580.” Smiley says, “KBLA ‘Talk 1580’ is not only a portal for talk and opinions for the progressive African American listening audience, but also a content provider of relevant programming for urban stations around the country. We intend for KBLA ‘Talk 1580’ to be the epicenter of election coverage, addressing local, state and national issues, affecting what matters most to our people.”

Audacy’s All-News WWJ, Detroit Unveils New Anchor Lineup. Beginning on October 3, the news anchor lineup changes at Audacy’s all-news WWJ, Detroit “News Radio 950.” The station says longtime anchor Jackie Paige (right) moves to mornings, joining Jonathan Carlson (left) from 7:00 am to 10:00 am. Paige will also host middays from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. Brooke Allen follows from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Tony Ortiz takes over at 2:00 pm and is joined by Allen from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Ortiz also hosts from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Erin Vermeulen remains the evening news anchor from 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight. Audacy Detroit SVP and market manager Debbie Kenyon comments, “We are excited to announce our new lineup, which is full of news anchors who are seasoned and well known in the community. This new slate will allow WWJ to continue its mission of keeping listeners informed of breaking news and the top stories of the day.”

BIA Advisory: WTOP Maintains Top Biller Spot for 2021. A report from BIA Advisory Services tallying radio’s top billers for last year reveals that Hubbard Broadcasting’s all-news WTOP-FM, Washington stayed in the #1 position with an estimated $70 million in revenue in 2021. BIA Advisory says that figure was an increase of 12.9% from $62 million in 2020. It goes on to say, “This surpasses the overall growth rate of 10.3% that BIA forecasts for over-the-air radio from 2020 to 2021, as the industry started to pull out of the pandemic slump. WTOP-FM is also the only station on this list to surpass its pre-pandemic revenue figure of $69.8 million in 2019.” The spoken word stations on the 2021 list that showed improvement include Audacy’s all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago – up to the #4 spot from #5 in 2020 ($34 million); Beasley Media Group’s sports talk WBZ-FM, Boston rose from #6 to #5 ($33.4 million); Audacy’s all-news WINS, New York was up from #9 to #8 ($31.6 million); its sports talk WFAN, New York rose from #10 to #9 ($31.5 million); and its all-news WCBS-AM, New York entered the top 10 at #10 ($30.9 million). The big change from the 2020 list to the 2021 list was Cox Media Group’s news/talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta falling from #4 to #12. BIA also ranked the top billing by radio companies. You can see both charts here.

Triton Digital Releases August 2022 U.S. Podcast Report. This report from Triton Digital ranks the most popular podcasts in the U.S. for the month of August based on Average Weekly Downloads. Changes from the July 2022 report include audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” rising from #3 to #1, bumping Cumulus Podcast Network’s “Ben Shapiro Show” from #1 to #3. Remaining in the #2 spot is NPR’s “NPR News Now.” You can see the complete list of the top 100 U.S. podcasts from Triton Digital here.

TALKERS News Notes. The New York City Radio Committee, a joint partnership of all the major radio broadcasters in New York City, is developing a marketing campaign to promote the power of radio. The campaign includes radio messaging on over 20 of New York’s most-listened-to stations, digital and social media marketing along with trade media. The multi-media campaign runs through November. The focus of the initiative is on advertising agencies and businesses that purchase advertising. Audacy New York market president and chairman of the New York City Radio Committee Chris Oliviero says, “Radio has been and continues to be a critical and valued part of millions of New Yorkers’ daily lives. These iconic brands, from music to news to sports, provide the soundtrack of the city. This campaign offers a fresh, fun and innovative approach to highlighting the efficacy of radio for media planners and advertisers. The collaboration of the city’s major broadcasters shows a clear commitment to our belief that local radio, consumed on FM or AM or streaming or in podcasts, is an essential tool in any overall marketing strategy in the media capital of the world.”…..iHeartMedia extends the contract of Michael McGuinness through June 1, 2027 and changes his title from EVP – finance and deputy chief financial officer to EVP, deputy chief financial officer of the company and chief financial officer – multiplatform and digital segments…..FOX News Channel names Trace Gallagher anchor of “FOX News @ Night.” Gallagher takes over for Shannon Bream, who was recently promoted to anchor of “FOX News Sunday.” FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott says, “When it comes to breaking news coverage, Trace Gallagher is one of the best in the business and having a seasoned journalist at the helm of this hour ensures our viewers unrivaled 24/7 news coverage.”…..“The Todd Starnes Show” adds new affiliate KHTS, Santa Clarita, California to its roster of stations.

Inflation/Interest Rate Hike, NY Sues Trump Org, Trump Documents Case, Immigration/Migrant Transportation, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Zelenskyy UN Speech, Iran Protests, and Hurricane Fiona Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/21). Inflation, the rising price of gasoline, and the Fed’s interest rate hike; New York Attorney General Letitia James files a civil fraud suit against Donald Trump, his children, and Trump Org officers; an Appeals Court rules DOJ can resume criminal probe of Donald Trump documents case; the immigration troubles at the U.S.-Mexico border and the transporting of migrants from Southern states to Northern cities; the November midterm elections and speculation about the nominees for president in 2024; Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the UN General Assembly pressing for punishment for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the protests in Iran over the death of a woman in custody of the country’s “morality police”; and the destruction caused by Hurricane Fiona 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, September 13, 2022

By Editor | September 13, 2022 by Editor

Sales vs Customer Service. Longtime radio sales professional Kathy Carr, president of the Howie Carr Radio Network, writes today in an exclusive piece for TALKERS magazine that in radio’s halcyon days of the 1990s, a salesperson could make a good living filling agency avails. “Those were the days of sitting in front of that huge desktop computer and typing out a schedule in Tapscan to make the cost per point. But was that really sales or was it mere customer service?” Carr says real salespeople will always be able to find a job and reveals five questions she asks a prospective seller to determine if they are really a salesperson. Read it here.

Salem Media Group To Boost Power. In a promotion that takes effect at the beginning of next year, Salem Media Group senior vice president Allen Power will be elevated to president/broadcast media. Chief executive officer David Santrella comments, “Allen Power and I have worked and collaborated closely for 18 of my 21 years with Salem. His keen operational experience, combined with his strong hand of leadership, provides a perfect combination to build a better future for the broadcast division.” Power notes, “My years with Salem have been the most rewarding of my career. Our dual focus on doing well – while doing good – provides a culture unique in media. I’m grateful for the leadership of our founders, Edward Atsinger and Stuart Epperson, and to Dave Santrella for the opportunity to play this role as our company continues to grow as a multimedia platform.” In other SMG news, senior vice president of operations Linnae Young is upped to executive vice president of operations & revenue development. “Linnae has been my go-to person every time we’ve had an opportunity to sell multiple marketing elements from several divisions to new clients,” Santrela states. “Her work in our industry on Salem’s behalf with many clients made this an easy decision for me. Linnae brings out the very best from those she works with; I look forward to seeing her touch across the entire division.” Meanwhile, Salem’s Chicago general manager/regional vice president Jeff Reisman is upped to senior vice president/operations, where he will oversee the company’s stations in eastern markets. According to Santrella, “Allen [Power] and I have worked closely with Jeff for many years. His track record in Chicago speaks for itself. He was the first building block to what is now our digital marketing agency, Salem Surround. These three promotions [of Power, Young, and Reisman] are all from within our Salem team, which is further proof that Salem appreciates/believes in our employees and rewards hard work and success.”

Remembering Lowry Mays. The founder and chief executive officer of what is now iHeartRadio, Lowry Mays, died yesterday (Monday, 9/12) at the age of 87. Mays co-founded San Antonio Broadcasting Company with Red McCombs 50 years ago (1972). They purchased their first radio station, San Antonio’s KEEZ-FM; three years later (1975), they bought a second San Antonio outlet (currently iHeartMedia news/talk) WOAI. The company became Clear Channel Communications then iHeartRadio. Born in Harris County Texas on July 24, 1935, Mays graduated with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University in 1957 and enlisted in the United States Air Force. Upon his discharge, Mays earned an MBA from Harvard University and became an investment banker. Mays continued his affiliation with Texas A&M by serving two non-consecutive terms (1985 -1991 and 2001- 2007) on the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, including as chair from 2003 – 2005. In 2002, the school renamed its business school after Mays. Texas A&M University System chancellor John Sharp comments, “A really big tree fell in the Aggie forest. We will never forget what he did for Aggieland.” Texas A&M’s school of business was endowed by Mays in 1996 with a $15 million gift and was renamed the Lowry Mays College & Graduate School of Business. The university renamed the school once more in 2002 to Mays Business School. In 2017, the Mays Family Foundation gifted an additional $25 million, the largest single commitment in the business school’s history. Both gifts were part of an overall lifetime giving of $47 million. A 1999 Texas Business Hall of Fame inductee, Mays served as chair of the United Way of San Antonio and was a member of the associates board at Harvard Business School. In 2003, Mays testified before the Senate that the deregulation of the telecommunications industry had not hurt the public. In an interview that same year with Fortune Magazine, however, he remarked, “We’re not in the business of providing news and information. We’re not in the business of providing well-researched music. We’re simply in the business of selling our customers products.” Mays was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2004, but suffered a stroke the following year. He stepped down as Clear Channel’s chief executive officer and was succeeded by his son, Mark.

Bloomberg Media Chief Mayers Is Retiring. Having joined the company in 2001 as Bloomberg Radio’s station manager, Bloomberg Media global head of radio and television Al Mayers is retiring from the company. Announcing the news in a staff memo, Bloomberg Media chief executive officer M. Scott Havens and Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwait write, “Al has been a tireless leader at Bloomberg for over two decades, first in radio and now in his wider broadcast role. During COVID, it often seemed as if Al was single-handedly keeping us on the air. His retirement is a prompt for us to redesign the editorial side of Bloomberg Media – both in line with that philosophy and the broader changes in journalism and the media world. The lines between audio, video, print and live events have become ever harder to distinguish, especially as our audience decides when they want to watch, read or listen to our content. We need a unified approach not just to fit this world, but also to reflect the fact that Bloomberg Media is now an integrated global business, which surged almost 50% last year and has just realized another 24% increase in the first six months of 2022. So after Al leaves this month, David Merritt will become head of a new position, Bloomberg Media Editorial. [He] will oversee the editorial side of all of our media platforms – the website, all our audio and video, including BTV, radio, Quicktake, podcasts, events and our magazines. We are forever grateful for what Al has done for this company and wish him all the best in his next chapter on Cape Cod.” Mayers previously was general manager of Bloomberg Radio, overseeing the station’s programming, syndication and business operations. Michael Bloomberg named Mayers chief of Bloomberg’s global TV division in 2015.

Omnipresent air talent/media executive Nick Cannon will host next month’s (10/19) Marconi Radio Awards dinner during the NAB Show in New York. The ceremony returns in-person after a (COVID-caused) two-year hiatus. NAB executive vice president/industry affairs April Carty-Sipp comments, “NAB is excited to be joined by the talented Nick Cannon to honor the on-air voices and local stations that have shined brightest over the past year. We look forward to welcoming the broadcast community to this crowd-pleasing and lively celebration of the best in radio.” Ryan Seacrest will be presented with the NAB “Distinguished Service Award”; Paul and Fred Jacobs will receive the “National Radio Award.” Established in 1989 and named after inventor/Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, the NAB Marconi Radio Awards are given to radio stations and outstanding on-air personalities to recognize excellence in radio. Nominees for “News/Talk Station of the Year” include: KNX, Los Angeles; KRMG, Tulsa; KTMY, Minneapolis; WKXW, Trenton (New Jersey); and WLW, Cincinnati. “Sports (Talk) Station of the Year” nominees include: KNBR, San Francisco; WBZ-FM, Boston; WIP, Philadelphia; WMFS, Memphis; and WXYT-FM, Detroit. Finalists for this year’s awards in all categories can be found here.

TALKERS News Notes. “Game Time With Boomer Esiason,” the syndicated TV interview show done by Audacy New York sports talk WFAN’s morning co-host, now has a podcast version. Introduced via Audacy’s 2400 Sports podcast studio, the standalone product will feature material not included in the broadcast version. Esiason remarks, “I’m really excited about the opportunity to expand our in-depth conversations with some of the biggest stars in sports through the launch of this new podcast. This show will enable us to dig deeper into what makes these icons tick and will deliver can’t-miss content for listeners across the country.” … Co-host of the podcast “For Colored Nerds,” Brittany Luse, succeeds Sam Sanders as host of NPR’s “It’s Been A Minute.” Vice president of programming & new content development Yolanda Sangweni notes, “Brittany is one of the most exciting and essential voices in pop culture podcasting. She brings deep curiosity, empathy, and joy to the mic and to her storytelling. We are beyond thrilled to be re-imagining ‘It’s Been A Minute’ with Brittany at the helm.” Luse states, “I’ve spent the entirety of my eight-year hosting career helping audiences to connect the dots between culture and current events. I look forward to continuing and expanding that work at my new home.” Formerly host of podcasts “The Nod” and “Sampler,” Luse will begin her new duties next month (10/7). … Following four months of being interim local host for New Hampshire Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” Julia Furukawa has the job permanently. New Hampshire Public Radio president/chief executive officer Jim Schachter notes, “In Julia, we have a serious journalist in the ‘All Things Considered’ anchor chair. [She] connects with listeners across a broad, diverse spectrum; loves exploring New Hampshire; and understands that reporting the news is both a joy and a responsibility. Everyone at our studios knows she’s fun to be around, and now ‘ATC’ users can hear that.” Furukawa adds, “I came to NHPR [two years ago] thinking I’d mostly be behind the scenes, not behind the microphone. The team here has given me the chance to grow into a role I’ve always dreamt of being in; I couldn’t be more grateful and excited for what’s to come.” … Best known for her many reports from the front lines of world events, NPR international correspondent Anne Garrels has died at the age of 71. When Garrels arrived at NPR in 1988, she already had ten years of experience in television news at ABC, where she was bureau chief in both Moscow and Central America. Her NPR backdrops included the Soviet Union, Tiananmen Square, Bosnia, Chechnya, the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan. … VSiN launches three-hour (7:00 pm – 10:00 pm) weeknight sports betting content on iHeartMedia Providence news/talk WHJJ “News Radio 920.” In addition, Brent Musburger’s “Action Updates” will air twice a day. Meanwhile in Kansas City, Cumulus Media’s KCMO-AM “Talk Radio 710 AM” is airing short-form VSiN-produced betting features throughout the weekend. VSiN’s betting analysts will breakdown betting lines for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, the AFC West and other big games on that week’s slate. Elsewhere, Salem Media Group Honolulu sports talk KGU & K236CR “Hawaii Sports Radio Network AM 760 & 95.1 FM” airs VSiN’s “Final Countdown with Stormy Buonantony & Matt Brown” at 11:00 am. … For the second year in a row – and fifth time overall – Syndicated Solutions’ “RMWorldTravel with Robert & Mary Carey and Rudy Maxa” earns the SATW Foundation’s Lowell Thomas Award in the “Travel Audio – Radio” category. The hosts comment, “Week after week, [our team] helps us create the most diverse and engaging network radio program. Collectively, we love the world of travel and all that it encompasses; we’re truly thankful to the wonderful sponsors who are aligned with us. We look forward to continuing to keep engaging, enticing, entertaining and empowering travelers to go explore the world. When that happens, it has such a positive impact on travelers, the travel industry and our society in general. The powerful megaphone we have to successfully impact travel is a blessing that we don’t take for granted.” The program is heard on 495 affiliates.

Nine To Be Inducted Into The Massachusetts Broadcasters Association HOF. Among those to be honored are Eric Jackson from Boston public radio news/talk WGBH; former Boston Red Sox television play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough, most recently doing a select number of games on the Red Sox Radio Network; and one-time Boston Celtics Broadcasting president Gerald Walsh, who helped create Boston sports talk (and Red Sox radio flagship) WEEI. Massachusetts Broadcasters Association chair/Beasley Media Group Boston vice president and market manager Mary Menna remarks, “The Massachusetts Broadcasters Association is thrilled to be able to gather in person to celebrate these individuals’ lifelong achievements and contributions to our broadcasting community and to welcome them into the Hall of Fame.” Other inductees include Mike Baxendale and John O’Brien (“Bax & O’Brien”), who partnered together for over twenty years in Springfield on WAQY “Rock 102”; Laura Carlo, who did mornings for more than 25 years on Boston classical WCRB; Nancy Quill, a 38-year veteran on Boston adult contemporary WMJX “Magic 106.7”; WCVB-TV, Boston journalist Jorge Quiroga; and broadcast executive Paul Kelley, the recipient of the 2022 “Pioneer Award.” Hall of Fame committee chair Peter Brown explains that award is given “to an individual who has distinguished himself/herself over decades for lasting contributions made to the broadcast industry and through a leadership role in his or her particular craft. The award was established to recognize individuals who do not appear on-air, but their role helped influence and inspire the Massachusetts broadcast community to reach a pinnacle of excellence.” The Hall of Fame ceremony will be held next Thursday (9/22) at the Boston Marriott Quincy Hotel.

Front Page News Industry News

Monday, September 12, 2022

By Editor | September 12, 2022 by Editor

Monday Memo: “Like Sands Through the Hourglass…” Beginning today, a TV milestone. “Or is this ‘the canary in the coal mine?’” consultant Holland Cooke asks. Beginning today, after 57 years and 58 Emmy Awards on broadcast television, “The Days of Our Lives” will now be seen exclusively on NBC’s streaming platform Peacock. In this week’s column, HC notes how this trend is playing-out, and what it means to radio. Read it here.

Pending Business: Coupons. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa writes in today’s column about the renewed interest in clipping coupons thanks to the current high prices of food and other consumer goods. Coupons were, and still can be a barometer for return on investment by marketers who use them; and they’ve been a thorn in the side of radio sellers from time to time, as well. Lapa has some suggestions for radio sellers running into competition from coupon marketers. Read it here.

Round Four of August PPMs Released. The fourth of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s August 2022 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. Nielsen’s August 2022 sweep covered July 21 – August 17. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. Waterloo Media Group’s news/talk KLBJ-AM, Austin jumps a full share to finish the survey with a 4.2 share (weekly, 6+ AHQ share) that lifts it from the #11 rank to #7. Although rising by 1.4 shares for a 9.3 share finish, Radio One’s news/talk WIBC-FM, Indianapolis remains in the #2 rank. In Milwaukee, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WISN continues to hold down the #1 rank after adding four-tenths for a 10.3 share finish, while Good Karma Brands’ crosstown news/talk WTMJ falls seven-tenths for an 8.9 share that keeps it ranked #2. Cumulus Media’s news/talk WPRO-AM/WEAN-FM, Providence tacks on eight-tenths for a 4.8 share finish but remains ranked #7 as iHeartMedia’s crosstown news/talk WHJJ is up half a share for a 1.2 share that lifts it to the #15 rank. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well as the first three groups) here.

iHeartMedia Promotes Three to New Roles as Metro Presidents. The company announces the promotion of three current market presidents to the newly created roles of metro presidents. First, Columbus market president Kris Foley is now metro president for Columbus and Cleveland. Second, Charlotte market president Dave Carwile is now metro president for the Carolinas giving him oversight of Charlotte, Raleigh, Asheville, Greensboro, North Carolina and Greenville, South Carolina. And third, Cincinnati market president D.J. Hodge is now metro president for Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. All three executives report to Tom McConnell, division president for iHeartMedia Multi-Platform Group.

Audacy Names Terri Gunnell EVP of Advertising Technology, Products and Platforms. Advertising technology professional Terri Gunnell is named EVP of advertising technology, products and platforms for Audacy. She comes to the company from WarnerMedia where she was EVP, head of monetization and data platforms. In her new role with Audacy, she’ll lead the teams responsible for advertising technology, products and platforms for the company’s revenue organization, providing business-focused use cases and requirements for vendors and ad tech engineers to ensure that the platforms meet business needs. She’ll also lead the business transformation activities surrounding people, process and tech, partnering with peer leaders to ensure that organizational structure and business processes are optimized and successfully supported by the tech and data platforms. Audacy chief revenue officer Brian Benedik comments, “Terri’s extensive technical expertise, ability to administer and guide large budgets and staff, combined with her commitment to building collaborative teams, makes her a perfect candidate to take on this role. We look forward to her owning this rapidly growing portion of our business to help us best serve our clients, partners and consumers.”

iHeartMedia Promotes Uta Knablein to Chief Product Officer for iHeartRadio. The company promotes Uta Knablein from her executive vice president of iHeartRadio’s Flagship Products and User Experience role to chief product officer for iHeartRadio. iHeartMedia says of Knablein, “She brings a deep expertise in leading teams to create behavior-driven and data-informed products that drive audience growth, user engagement, increased loyalty and revenue.” iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group CEO Conal Byrne says, “At iHeartMedia, we’re committed to innovation and being on the forefront of this fast paced industry. Since joining the team, Uta has played a critical role in elevating the user experience through groundbreaking products and features. With her decades of experience and shared values, there is no doubt she is the right leader for our product team. As we look toward the future, we’re thrilled to have Uta’s depth of industry knowledge to keep us on the cutting edge.” Knablein steps into this role following former chief product officer Chris Williams’ 17-year tenure at iHeartMedia.

Legendary Talk Show Host Steve Kass Back in the Game. Retired talk radio personality Steve Kass has informed TALKERS that he is interested in getting back on the air as a fill-in host. Kass states, “There is so much going on right now in the nation and world, it is difficult to sit on the sidelines and not participate in what is clearly one of the most exciting and consequential chapters in news/talk broadcasting history. Today, with access to leading-edge remote technology, there is absolutely no reason not to get back in the game.” Kass is credited as having been one of the most successful voices heard on the airwaves in New England where he was a major player at both WPRO and WHJJ in Providence between 1984 and 2005 – many of those years as a dominant morning host. Kass hung up his headphones in 2005 to accept the position of communications director in the administration of Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri. During his last year on the air, Kass was named the Associated Press “Talk Show Host of the Year” and in 2010 he was inducted into the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame. Kass tells TALKERS, “No job is too big or too small” and that he can be available on very short notice. Steve Kass can be reached by phone at 401-663-9776 or emailed at stevegkass@gmail.com.

TALKERS News Notes. Former Salem Radio Network nationally syndicated talk host Larry Elder is considering a run for president, he tells The Daily Wire. In an interview, Elder says what brought him to run against California Governor Gavin Newsom in last year’s recall election. “[A] number of people approached me as you know, to encourage me to run for governor of California. And little by little I felt that I had a moral and spiritual and a patriotic obligation to do it.” He adds, “I didn’t think I would like politics. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I was surprised at how good I was at it. And in about seven and a half weeks which is when I got into the race, with only that much time left. I raised around $22 million — more than all of the major rivals combined.”…..Los Angeles talk radio station KBLA “Talk 1580” is presenting an election forum tonight (9/12) with incumbent Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and challenger and former Long Beach Chief of Police Robert Luna. This is the first in the station’s Public Safety Forum series of events. It’s being streamed on the station’s website, YouTube and Facebook and will be broadcast on KBLA later. It’s being moderated by station owner Tavis Smiley with radio hosts Dominique DiPrima, Angela Reddock-Wright and Nii Quartelai Quartey…..Good Karma Brands’ ESPN Wisconsin launches the Tundra Trio Radio Network, which is airing Green Bay Packers content across sports talk WKTI-FM, “94.5 ESPN” and news/talk WTMJ in Milwaukee and WTLX-FM, Madison “100.5 ESPN.” The newest Good Karma Brands radio network got its name from its Tundra Trio properties, two houses adjacent to Lambeau Field where private tailgates are hosted prior to each home game. Kicking off every Packers game day at the Tundra Trio houses are former Packer Gary Ellerson and WTMJ personality Greg Matzek. Following each game, host Gabe Neitzel and Steve “The Homer” True, alongside Packers Hall-of-Famer Mark Tauscher, will team up for the “Pack Attack Postgame.”

Trump vs DOJ, Ukraine Recaptures Territory, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, King Charles III Crowned, Fentanyl Crisis, NFL Season Opens, and Western Wildfires Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The legal battle between former President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice over documents Trump was keeping at his Mar-a-Lago residence; Ukraine forces recapture territory from Russia and concerns over the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant; the November midterms elections and speculation about the nominees in the 2024 presidential race; Charles III is crowned King of Great Britain; the growing rate of fentanyl being shipped across the U.S.-Mexico border; the NFL opens its 103^rd season; and the wildfires in the U.S. West were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

By Editor | September 7, 2022 by Editor

Cumulus Unfriends Podcast Movement After Ben Shapiro Incident. After an incident at Podcast Movement’s recent Dallas convention at which Westwood One talk host Ben Shapiro made an impromptu appearance that bothered an attendee, prompting them to complain to the organizers, and Podcast Movement actually issuing an apology, Cumulus Media announces it is severing its relationship with the organization. Shapiro has one of the most-listened-to podcasts in the U.S. based on numerous surveys. It is published by The Daily Wire and repped by Cumulus Podcast Network. Cumulus was a sponsor of the event based on its purchase of a booth and Shapiro says he stopped by while in town on other business. This, according to The Washington Examiner, caused one attendee to tweet: “Hey @PodcastMovement what the f***. As a trans person, as a queer person, as someone with a uterus, this does not make me feel welcome. This does not make me feel safe.” Podcast Movement then tweeted an apology. Both of those tweets have since been deleted. On Tuesday (9/6), Cumulus issued the following statement: “At Cumulus Media, our tenet is that Every Voice Matters and we support conferences and trade events where differing political viewpoints can be expressed and received with respect. As such, we were dismayed and disappointed by Podcast Movement’s handling of the reaction to our partner, top podcaster, and conservative talk leader Ben Shapiro’s mere presence at Podcast Movement. After giving the leaders of Podcast Movement sufficient time to appropriately address their misstep, we are disassociating from Podcast Movement, including canceling our 2023 sponsorship plans.” Meanwhile, The Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing states, “I’m glad to see our longtime partner Cumulus/Westwood One taking such a strong and public stand against Podcast Movement’s outright and abject bigotry. Though Podcast Movement quietly removed their bigoted tweet thread over the weekend, they still have yet to retract and publicly apologize for their hateful comments about Ben Shapiro and The Daily Wire. In an illiberal moment such as the one we’re currently living in, if we don’t stand up to this kind of bigoted behavior it’s only going to get worse. I certainly hope Cumulus’s strong response to Podcast Movement is the first of many others like it.”

Houston Sports Media Figure John McClain Takes on Senior Columnist Role at ‘Sports Radio 610.’ Longtime Houston sports columnist and KILT-AM contributor John McClain takes on the new title senior Texans columnist for “Sports Radio 610.” The Audacy station says that in this role, McClain will provide weekly postgame observations, team report cards and Texans-driven columns throughout the season. He’ll also continue to appear regularly on its programs “Payne and Pendergast,” “In the Loop with John Lopez and Landry Locker,” and “Clint Stoerner and The Show.” McClain will also co-host the Houtopia Football Podcast alongside “Sports Radio 610” morning show host Sean Pendergast. KILT-AM brand manager Parker Hillis says, “To officially bring a Houston legend in John McClain onto our team is incredible. John has always been one of our biggest proponents in the market and I’m thrilled that Texans fans will now be able to read his observations and opinions at SportsRadio610.com, on top of his weekly radio appearances.” McClain adds, “I’ve been doing sports talk on 610 for 23 years, and I’m fired up about the opportunity to write for the station’s website. I’m especially excited to work with Brandon Scott, one of my favorite reporters in Houston. I think Brandon does a terrific job covering Houston sports, and it’s an honor to cover the Texans with him.”

SummitMedia Appoints Justin Ragland Corporate VP of Events and Promotions. Promoted from his role managing SummitMedia LLC’s Birmingham market promotions department to the corporate position vice president of events and promotions is Justin Ragland. He’ll now oversee events and promotions at 46 stations in nine markets nationwide. SummitMedia chairman and CEO Carl Parmer says, “We are very pleased to have Justin leading our events and promotions efforts. He has done an outstanding job for us in Birmingham, and we are excited for him to bring his unique skillset to the entire company.” Ragland, who will remain based in Birmingham, comments, “My goal is to be an instrumental team member in every SummitMedia market to help grow each brand in both ratings and revenue. Joining the leadership team for this company is a privilege and one that I am excited about.”

Round One of August PPMs Released. The first of four rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio’s August 2022 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. Nielsen’s August 2022 sweep covered July 21 – August 17. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In New York, Red Apple Media Group’s news/talk WABC/WLIR-FM tacks on two-tenths for a 4.3 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) finish but drops back to the #8 rank. Meanwhile, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WOR adds one-tenth to wrap with a 2.0 share and remains ranked #18. iHeartMedia’s news/talk KFI, Los Angeles rises to the #4 rank after climbing three-tenths for a 4.8 share finish, while Audacy’s crosstown all-news KNX-AM/FM adds three-tenths for a 3.3 share that lifts it to the #10 rank. In Chicago, Nexstar Media’s news/talk WGN-AM is up three-tenths for a 3.3 share that pushes it up to the #8 rank, while Audacy’s crosstown all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM is steady with a 4.6 share that keeps it ranked #5. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets here.

Robin Sloan Named EVP of Audio Sales for AdLarge. Audio sales pro Robin Sloan joins AdLarge as executive vice president of audio sales. In this new role, Sloan will work directly with chief revenue officer Don Wachsmith on revenue strategy development and agency relationships. She will also focus on driving revenue with the audio sales team and managing the day to day activity. Most recently, Sloan was the director of national partnerships at Westwood One. AdLarge co-CEO Cathy Csukas comments, “I’m delighted to have Robin join our team. She’s a veteran recognized in the audio industry for bringing her exceptional relationships and in-depth experience in sales, management and sports to the AdLarge audio sales efforts. I could not find a more perfect person to fit this role and continue to help us grow our business.”

TALKERS News Notes. Revisions to its 2022 third quarter revenue estimates are being announced by Salem Media Group, Inc. The company says that taking into account the postponement of the forthcoming book, 2000 Mules by Dinesh D’Souza, until the fourth quarter, lower than expected revenue on SalemNOW, and the impact on advertising revenue due to the weakening economic environment, the company now expects third quarter 2022 total revenue to be between flat and an increase of 2% over third quarter 2021 total revenue of $66 million…..A new podcast by Bloomberg News and iHeartMedia that investigates a massive transfer of wealth a century ago, out of Osage hands and into White ones – facilitated by the United States government — and how the Osage Nation is fighting to reverse decades of land loss today is being produced. The podcast, called “In Trust,” is hosted by Bloomberg reporter Rachel Adams-Heard, who says, “A hundred and fifty years ago, the Osage Nation bought a stretch of prairie the size of Delaware, in what’s now Oklahoma. The Osage owned the land and everything beneath it. Today, much of present-day Osage County has left Osage hands. In some cases, appropriation was swift and brutal: Dozens of Osages were murdered for their share of lucrative mineral rights to this oil-rich land, a period often referred to as the Reign of Terror. But other transfers of wealth played out more subtly—dollar by dollar and acre by acre, over decades—helped along by policies created by the US government. ‘In Trust’ is the story of that system. A system that moved wealth from Native hands to White ones. One that three brothers learned to operate, laying the foundation for a modern American dynasty of land and influence that continues to this day.”…..iHeartMedia announces that chairman and CEO Bob Pittman and president, COO and CFO Rich Bressler will participate in a question and answer session during the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference on Tuesday September 13 at 1:45 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.

Special Master Ruling, Georgia Election Investigation, Midterms & 2024 Presidential Race, Russia-Ukraine War, Saskatchewan Stabbings Investigation, and Western Heatwave Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/6). Controversy over federal Judge Aileen Cannon’s ruling to appoint a Special Master to review the documents seized from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence; the investigation into Donald Trump’s and Lindsey Graham’s interactions with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the breach of that state’s voting system allegedly by fake Trump electors; Tuesday’s primary races for the November midterms and speculation about the nominees in the 2024 presidential race; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and concerns about the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant; the investigation into the deadly stabbings in Saskatchewan; and the brutal heatwave affecting the U.S. West were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Ratings Takeaways

August 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part One

By Editor | September 7, 2022 by Editor

August 2022 PPM Data – Information for the August 2022 ratings period has been released for 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.

Nielsen Audio’s August 2022 sweep covered July 21 – August 17.

TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.

Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.

All comparisons noted are July 2022 – August 2022 (6+).

NEW YORK

News/Talk: Red Apple Media’s WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 4.1 – 4.3, +.2, seventh to eighth

iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 1.9 – 2.0, +.1, repeats at #18

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets) 2.7 – 3.1, +.4, #14 to #11 and co-owned WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 3.2 – 2.8 -.4, #11 to #12

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees) 3.1 – 2.8, -.3, flat at #12

Public Radio News/Talk: WNYC Broadcasting Foundation’s unchanged at 3.6, ninth to tenth

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLTW, third month in a row, 6.0 – 5.9, -.1

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: hot AC WNEW-FM (+.4)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: Spanish contemporary WXNY (-.8)

LOS ANGELES

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KFI “AM 640” 4.5 – 4.8, +.3, fifth to fourth

News: Audacy-owned KNX-FM “News 97.1” 3.0 – 3.3, +.3, #11 to #10

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Pasadena Area Community College’s KPCC flat at 2.3, #16 to #18

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KOST, first month, steady at 5.4

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: regional Mexican KSCA (+.5)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease (Tie): urban contemporary KRRL and Spanish contemporary KXOL (-.4)

CHICAGO

News/Talk: Nexstar Media Group’s WGN “Radio 720” 3.3 – 3.6, +.3, tenth to eighth

News: Audacy-owned WBBM-AM & WCFS “News Radio 780 AM & 105.9 FM” steady at 4.6, repeats in fifth-place

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WSCR “670 The Score” (Cubs) 2.4 – 2.7, +.3, #17 to #14

Public Radio News/Talk: Chicago Public Media-owned WBEZ 5.1 – 4.8, -.3, flat at #3

Number One 6+ (Tie): Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV, fourth month in a row, 6.1 – 5.5, -.6 and iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLIT, first month, 5.4 – 5.5, +.1

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: regional Mexican WOJO (+.8)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary WRME-LP (-.7)

SAN FRANCISCO

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KSFO “Talk Radio 560” 1.9 – 2.0, +.1, repeats at #17

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 6.3 – 6.2, -.1, remains in the runner-up slot

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” (Giants) 3.3 – 4.0, +.7, sixth to fifth

Public Radio News/Talk: KQED, Inc.-owned KQED 8.1 – 8.5, +.5, first

Number One 6+: public radio news/talk KQED second month in a row, 8.1 – 8.5, +.5

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: sports talk KNBR (+.7)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KSOL (-.5)

Note: Prior to the release of San Francisco’s August 2022 sweep, Nielsen Audio made a number of revisions contained in its July 2022 report. All comparisons above reflect the updated information.

DALLAS

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned WBAP “News Talk 820 AM & 99.5 HD2 FM” flat at 4.5, continues in fourth-place

News – Talk: Audacy’s KRLD-AM “News Radio 1080” 2.4 – 2.2, -.2, #17 to #19

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KTCK “Sports Radio The Ticket” 3.7 – 4.3, +.6, eighth to sixth

Public Radio News/Talk: North Texas Public Broadcasting-owned KERA 3.2 – 2.8, -.4, #12 to #14

Number One 6+: Univision regional Mexican KLNO, seventh month in a row, 5.9 – 5.5, -.4

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: CHR KHKS (+1.3)*

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary KDGE (-.7)

*Represents a tie for the largest July 2022 – August 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

HOUSTON

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KTRH “AM 740 News Radio” (Astros) 4.2 – 3.9, -.3, eighth to tenth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Houston-owned KUHF 2.3 – 1.7, -.6, #18 to #19

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KODA, seventeenth consecutive month, 8.0 – 9.0, +1.0

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KODA (+1.0)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease (Tie): regional Mexican KQQK and public radio news/talk KUHF (-.6)

ATLANTA

News/Talk: Cox Media Group-owned WSB-AM & WSBB “Atlanta’s News & Talk” 5.7 – 5.5, -.2, fourth to fifth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Dickey Broadcasting-owned WCNN “The Fan” (Braves) 2.3 – 3.3, +1.0, #16 to #11

Audacy’s WZGC “92.9 The Game” 1.4 – 1.8, +.4, #20 to #17

Public Radio News/Talk: Atlanta Public Schools-owned WABE 3.8 – 5.1, +1.3, eighth to sixth

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies WSRV, eighth successive month, 11.0 – 9.0, -2.0

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: public radio news/talk WABE (+1.3)*

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WSRV (-2.0)

*Represents a tie for the largest July 2022 – August 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

PHILADELPHIA

News/Talk: Townsquare Media’s WKXW “New Jersey 101.5” flat at 1.3, repeats at #20

News: Audacy-owned KYW & WPHI “News Radio 1060 AM & 103.9 FM” 4.9 – 5.1, +.2, steady in sixth-place

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WIP “Sports Radio 94” (Phillies) 4.0 – 4.8, +.8, eighth to seventh and WIP’s internet stream, 1.2 – 2.5, +1.3, #21 to #13

Public Radio News/Talk: WHYY-owned WHYY 4.3- 4.6, +.3, seventh to eighth

Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group rock WMMR, first month, 8.4 – 8.0, -.4

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: sports talk WIP’s internet stream (+1.3)*

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease (Tie): urban AC WDAS-FM and country WUSL (-1.1)

*Represents a tie for the largest July 2022 – August 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

LONG ISLAND

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 2.4 – 2.6, +.2, #16 to #15

Red Apple Media-owned WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 3.0 – 2.5, -.5, #13 to #17

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets)” 3.2 – 3.6, +.4, #11 to #8 and cluster-mate WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 2.4 – 2.6, +.2, #16 to #15

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees) 3.4 – 3.7, +.3, ninth to seventh and WFAN’s internet stream .9 – 1.2, +.3, #25 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic rock WBAB, fourth month in succession, 6.3 – 6.2, -.1

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: hot AC WALK-FM (+.6)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: hot AC WNEW-FM (-1.0)

RIVERSIDE

News/Talk: None in the top twenty

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: San Bernardino Community College District’s KVCR, unchanged at .3, anchored at #19

Pasadena Area Community College’s KPCC .1 – .2, +.1, #21 to #20

Number One 6+: Anaheim Broadcasting classic hits-oldies KOLA, eighth consecutive month, 7.1 – 5.9, -1.2

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: rhythmic CHR KGGI (+.8)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: contemporary Christian KSGN (-2.1)**

**Represents the largest July 2022 – August 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

SAN JOSE

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KGO “810 AM” 2.2 – 2.6, +.4, #18 to #12

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 6.0 – 4.8, -1.2, repeats in third-place

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” (Giants) 2.6 – 3.4, +.8, #14 to #8

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Empire Audacy adult contemporary KOIT-FM, second straight month 7.5 – 6.6, -.9

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase (Tie): sports talk KNBR and rhythmic CHR KVVF (+.8)

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: news KCBS-AM & KFRC (-1.2)

Note: Prior to the release of San Jose’s August 2022 sweep, Nielsen Audio made a number of revisions contained in its July 2022 report. All comparisons above reflect the updated information.

MIDDLESEX

News/Talk: Townsquare Media-owned WKXW “New Jersey 101.5” 5.0 – 5.1, +.1, third to fourth

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets) 2.2 – 2.7, +.5, #15 to #12 and co-owned WINS 1.0 – 1.4, +.4, #20 to #18

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees) 3.1 – 2.8, -.3, #10 to #11

Good Karma’s WEPN-FM “98.7 ESPN New York” .8 – 1.3, +.5, #22 to #19

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLTW, second month in a row, 6.1 – 7.4, +1.3

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WLTW (+1.3)*

Largest 6+ July 2022 – August 2022 Decrease: hot AC WNEW-FM (-1.1)

*Represents a tie for the largest July 2022 – August 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

Up next: August 2022 overviews for: Washington, DC; Boston; Miami; Seattle; Detroit; Phoenix; Minneapolis; San Diego; Tampa; Denver; Baltimore; and St. Louis.

Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, August 25, 2022

By Editor | August 25, 2022 by Editor

WPHT, Philadelphia Midday Icon Dom Giordano is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. The dean of Philadelphia radio talk show hosts, Dom Giordano, heard daily 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm on WPHT, is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Giordano is a former public school teacher now nationally recognized as one of broadcasting’s leading experts on education and advocates for its improvement in America. He also hosts a popular podcast series titled, “Readin’ Writin’ and Reason,” that tackles the most challenging issues facing education today. Harrison and Giordano discuss the decline of attention spans and general literacy induced by digital technology, the political weaponization of basic historical concepts and traditions due to radical “wokeness,” and the shift from academic discipline to the “touchy feely coddling” of students by many of today’s public schools and institutions of higher learning. Harrison says, “The subject of education is on my mind with the release this week of the Gunhill Road music video ‘Idiots’ (www.idiotsvideo.com) and the growing negative impact ignorance and illiteracy are having on the healthy functioning of American democracy. I know of no one better to turn to in discussing these matters than our learning go-to guy – Dom Giordano.” To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

KIRO-AM, Seattle Brings Brock & Salk Back for Morning Drive. The sports talk duo of Brock Huard and Mike Salk is getting back together as Bonneville’s sports talk KIRO-AM, Seattle “Seattle Sports” announces the return of the “Brock & Salk” show to morning drive on September 6. “Brock & Salk” previously aired on “Seattle Sports” from April 2009 through September 2019 and transitioned to a weekly podcast shortly thereafter. Salk has been hosting the morning show solo. Huard says, “I am thrilled to come back on the air with Mike Salk, though I feel like I never left. My heart and passion are for the Pacific Northwest community, its teams, and its fans. On September 6, that daily connection begins again.” Station program director Kyle Brown comments, “At ‘Seattle Sports’ we aim to be the preeminent voice for sports fans in the region. The return of Brock Huard to an already strong weekday lineup helps cement our status as the go-to destination for sports coverage in the Pacific Northwest.”

KBLA, Los Angeles to Present Live Election Forums. Los Angeles talk station KBLA-AM “Talk 1580” announces it is presenting election coverage of heated races with its Public Safety Forum that it says is “designed to provide a place to discuss politics for Black voters.” The first live broadcast will feature incumbent Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva facing off against challenger, former Long Beach chief of police Robert Luna on September 12 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The forum will be moderated by KBLA owner and media personality Tavis Smiley, who will be joined by radio hosts Dominique DiPrima, Angela Reddock-Wright, and KBLA chief national political affairs analyst Nii-Quartelai Quartey. The forum will be livestreamed via KBLA1580.com, KBLA’s YouTube channel, and Facebook with an encore broadcast to air on KBLA Talk 1580. Smiley says, “We intend for KBLA Talk 1580 to be the election information station for our audience. We will be covering all of the local, state and national elections that matter to our listeners. This particular sheriff’s race is perhaps the most hotly contested in some time, and we are appreciative that the candidates have agreed to speak to our audience directly.”

TALKERS News Notes. This Labor Day weekend, news/talk ABC News Radio affiliates have two special programs available to them. “Impact: Climate & Sustainability” is hosted by correspondent Aaron Katersky and explores the recent surge in wildfires, the effort to bring alternative power to communities nationwide, the jobs created by the clean energy industry, and a look at why there is an increase in shark sightings on Long Island. “Your Voice, Your Vote 2022” is a one-hour preview of the upcoming midterm elections hosted by ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers and political director Rick Klein. They will be joined by reporters, analysts and experts to discuss what’s at stake in the election, voting rights and more…..Audacy and Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres announce an extension to their broadcast partnership agreement today that keeps KWFN-FM “97.3 The Fan” the flagship station for Padres baseball through 2027. The station has served as the radio home of the team since 2018. As part of the extended partnership, “97.3 The Fan” will continue to serve as the radio home of Padres baseball, broadcasting all of the team’s regular season and postseason games. Audacy San Diego SVP and market manager Michael Valenzuela says, “As one of the most exciting teams in Major League Baseball, the Padres have brought championship aspirations back to San Diego, and we’re delighted to deliver every minute of the action to our listeners for the foreseeable future.”…..SiriusXM kicks off the 2022 college football season with play-by-play of 95 live games from August 27 through September 5. The opening week schedule on SiriusXM features games from every team from the Associated Press Top 25 poll, including #1 Alabama vs. Utah State, the season’s first Top 5 matchup of #5 Notre Dame at #2 Ohio State and the Top 25 matchups of #11 Oregon at #3 Georgia and #23 Cincinnati at #19 Arkansas.

Biden’s Student Loan Relief, Abortion Bans, FBI Raid/Documents Investigation, Russia-Ukraine War, The Economy, Uvalde Police Chief Fired, and Vanessa Bryant Lawsuit Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/24). The student loan debt cancellation executive order announced by President Joe Biden; bans on abortion go into effect in three states; the aftermath of the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago and the documents investigation; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the deadly strike on a civilian train; the high price of food and consumer goods and concerns about a recession; the Uvalde, Texas school board fires police chief Pete Arredondo; and Kobe Bryant’s widow Vanessa wins a $16 million judgement against Los Angeles County 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 17, 2022

By Editor | August 17, 2022 by Editor

Guardian Angels Have Significant Presence as NYC Crime Deterrent as Curtis Sliwa Breaks New Ground on WABC. In the late 1970s, New York City was a modern-day equivalent of the Wild West. Murder and violent crime were the norm. A trip on the subway was an exercise in urban survival. Residents of the city resigned themselves to that unfortunate reality as the politicians and police seemed powerless. However, a young man from Brooklyn, a former Jesuit student, felt someone had to do something. Curtis Sliwa stepped forward. What started as a group of Sliwa and a dozen other dedicated volunteers riding the subways of New York to serve as protectors of everyday law-abiding citizens, grew into the “Guardian Angels” that residents of the Big Apple have come to know and love. With their distinctive red berets, they are as New York as Central Park or a potato knish. They operate under the motto “we dare to care” and have proved it over and over through the years, in some cases with their lives. These days, the Guardian Angels have chapters in 13 countries and over 100 cities and the terrible spike in street crime gripping the Big Apple has made them more relevant than ever. While the original hometown group of 13 has grown to thousands across the globe, the mission has not wavered as Sliwa puts it, “To make a positive change in the community by involving citizens to step forward and take an active role. While the classic street patrols are the lifeblood of the organization, we all know that reaching the youth in our neighborhoods, especially the most at risk, is crucial. Once again, the Guardian Angels is meeting the need.” The “Junior Angels” program, their youth outreach programs, and their Washington Heights Community Center, provides help for kids with everything from homework to nutrition while getting them actively involved in their community. Since his recent high-profile campaign for mayor of New York as the Republican standard bearer, Sliwa has returned to the airwaves of juggernaut talker WABC with a powerful midday 12:15 pm -1:00 pm program, “The Curtis Sliwa Show,” that TALKERS founder Michael Harrison describes as “extremely creative and truly ground breaking in its utilization of satire, hard-hitting commentary and subtle sarcasm that appeals to the listeners’ intelligence.” Sliwa tells TALKERS, “I will push into new realms that have not been approached with ‘theatre of the mind’ broadcasts during the height of the day. It will become the alternative to straight non-stop repetitive political talk. The satire and parodies that I am doing can win over whole new audiences.” Pictured above: noted former radio producer and Yappy Days author Bernadette Duncan riding the East Side E subway train with a couple of patrolling Guardian Angels this past Sunday (8/14).

Audacy Trimming Payroll with On-Air Staff Reductions. In the wake of Audacy’s second quarter financial report for 2022 in which company president and CEO David Field cited “declining macroeconomic conditions and ad market headwinds” as the reason for the company’s top line growth of just 5%, the company is reducing its payroll. Audacy, like its competitors, has been taking steps to build a multi-platform media company and, as a result of the economics Field referred to, is being forced to make cuts in areas where growth has been the most limited – over-the-air radio. Some of the cuts being reported include all of the local sports talk personalities at sports talk WSSP-AM, Milwaukee “The Fan,” including LeRoy Butler and Gary Ellerson (as reported by the Milwaukee Business Journal). WSSP’s website reveals its programming now consists solely of CBS Sports Radio shows. Last week, sports talk host Jerry Coleman revealed his exit from WJZ-FM, Baltimore “105.7 The Fan” in a tweet.

KFI, Los Angeles Reporter Corbin Carson Wins NABJ Honor for Documentary. KFI, Los Angeles news reporter Corbin Carson has been honored by the National Association of Black Journalists with its “Salute to Excellence Award” for Best Documentary for his work on “This Sand is My Sand: The Stolen Legacy of Bruce’s Beach.” iHeartMedia says the powerful two-hour documentary focuses on property in Manhattan Beach that was stolen from the Bruce family through eminent domain in the 1920s amid threats from the KKK. The feature includes exclusive interviews with historians, protestors, critics, and the Bruce family about racism, reparations, and a yearlong movement to return the $20 million-dollar-plus beachfront property. “This Sand is My Sand: The Stolen Legacy of Bruce’s Beach” culminated with California Governor Gavin Newsom signing a bill to return the property to descendants of the Bruce family. Hear the documentary here.

Salem Promotes Jon Latzer to VP/GM of Salem Surround. Rising from his position as digital sales director to vice president and general manager for Salem Media Group‘s Salem Surround is Jon Latzer. Latzer previously served with Alpha Media, CBS Radio and Katz. Latzer will report to Salem SVP of Broadcast Digital Jamie Cohen. He says, “Jon has been an active, hands-on leader in broadcast for years, but his last six years at Salem and Alpha Media prepared him well for the fast-paced digital world. In Jon, we have a strong, experienced general manager, who will help us take Salem Surround to the next level. Jon was ready for the next adventure in his career, and we are extremely fortunate to have him on the team.”

Cumulus Renews Deal with Benztown. This new deal extends the partnership between Cumulus Media’s Westwood One and imaging firm Benztown. The two companies first partnered in 2011, creating one of the radio industry’s largest collections of production and imaging libraries. With the new multi-year agreement, Benztown will continue to provide radio imaging, production, voiceover, programming, and jingles services for Cumulus Media-owned radio stations and Westwood One syndicated programming. Westwood One will continue to represent the barter inventory for Benztown Branding, Benztown Voice, and Hollywood Radio Networks. Cumulus EVP of marketing and president of Westwood One Suzanne Grimes says, “We are committed to partnering with companies that provide best-in-class services for our affiliates. By extending our partnership with Benztown, our affiliates will be able to create the radio magic that listeners remember and advertisers seek for many years to come.”

TALKERS News Notes. The latest Latino Podcast Listener Report 2022 from Edison Research is published and among its findings are that 59% of U.S. Latinos age 18+ have ever listened to a podcast, a high mark for the measure. Just over half (51%) of U.S. Latinos have ever listened to a podcast in English, and 33% have ever listened to a podcast in Spanish. The U.S. Latino Podcast Listener report was commissioned by Adonde Media, LWC Studios, Libsyn, PRX, and SXM Media. The study found that video podcasts are popular among the U.S. Latino population. Seventy-six percent of U.S. Latino monthly podcast listeners consume podcasts with video component where they actively watch the video while listening. Sixty-six percent consume podcasts with video where they play the video in the background or minimize the video on their device. Edison Research senior director of research Gabriel Soto states, “Latinos in the U.S. control an impressive $1.9 trillion in purchasing power, and today’s data demonstrate how advertisers who support Latino podcast content are benefitting, while those who don’t are missing out.”…..Gemini XIII announces its new partnership with Jane Green, author of 18 New York Times bestselling books and a global household name in commercial women’s fiction, to form Emerald Audio, a new premium podcast network creating connection and community through authentic female-led storytelling. The first podcast to be produced by Emerald Audio is Jane Green’s Rainbow Girl, the story of a crumbling rock star marriage mired in drugs, infidelities, and black magic, set in 1979 and based on the characters from Green’s newest book, Sister Stardust, which was released in April. Green comments, “In today’s world, there are so many more ways for people to tell their stories outside of traditional publishing. To be focused on female-driven stories in the podcast medium is the most exhilarating thing I have worked on in years. Fiction, particularly female-driven fiction, is at the very beginning of its growth in that area, and there are so many opportunities for strong, powerful stories aimed at women. I couldn’t be more honored, and excited to work with Spencer [Brown], Charles [Steinhauer] and the entire team at Gemini XIII.”…..iHeartMedia and Tenderfoot TV announce the newest addition to their popular “Monster” podcast franchise titled “Le Monstre.” The podcast recounts the story of real-life monster Marc Dutroux – a serial killer, pedophile, and kidnapper whose crimes brought terror to Belgium in the 1980s and 1990s…..The Independent Broadcasters Association extends the registration period for member stations to participate in the IBA Fall 2022 National Cash Contest to this Friday (8/19) to give all IBA member stations time to sign up for the promotion. The contest begins on-air September 19 and stations must be members of the IBA to participate.

Primaries/2024 Presidential Race, FBI Raid/Documents Issue, Georgia Election Probe, Inflation, Russia-Ukraine War, and U.S. Drought Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/16). Tuesday’s primary elections for the November midterms and speculation about the presidential nominees in 2024; the aftermath of the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago and the matter of top secret documents; Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani’s scheduled appearance in Atlanta for questioning in the 2020 election subversion investigation; the still-rising cost of food and the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine; and the drought affecting the U.S. and causing water emergencies in the West 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 16, 2022

By Editor | August 16, 2022 by Editor

iHeartMedia Launches Sports Talker in Tallahassee. The company flips classic hip hop WTLY-AM/W243EG to sports talk as “96.5 THE SPEAR – Tallahassee’s Sports Radio” using content from FOX Sports Radio. iHeartMedia says, “Tallahassee is home to a variety of elite sports programs, both high school and college, and iHeartMedia is giving Tallahassee what it is missing, ‘96.5 The SPEAR – Tallahassee’s Sports Radio.’ With the market’s already established partnerships with FSU and Learfield, ‘The Spear name symbolizes iHeartMedia Tallahassee’s commitment to the fans, alumni, athletes, coaches, and faculty of one of America’s best universities.” iHeartMedia Tallahassee market president Paul Rogers comments, “Tallahassee has been without a full-time sports radio station for over a year. The fans deserve a radio station that highlights the numerous elite athletic programs here, and ‘96.5 THE SPEAR’ is that station. We just staked our claim on the sport’s real estate here in Tallahassee, and now it’s time to build the stadium with the support of Tallahassee sports fans.”

Finding Your Next Great Salesperson. Longtime radio sales professional Kathy Carr, president of the Howie Carr Radio Network, writes today in an exclusive piece for TALKERS magazine about the most important quality to look for in your next great salesperson. She says, “Recently, I had lunch with some top executives from one of our major affiliates. Our discussion quickly turned to the subject of what makes a successful radio salesperson in 2022. Is it age, personality, good looks or experience, or some combination thereof? After a while, we all agreed that it was none of the above. The one trait that matters above all others is passion for the product.” Read more here.

KFI, Los Angeles Debuts Season Three of Unsolved with Steve Gregory.’ The third season of “Unsolved with Steve Gregory” is being launched by iHeartMedia Los Angeles news/talk station KFI-AM 640. The weekly true crime podcast series features cold cases, challenging cases, missing persons, and high-profile criminals. iHeartMedia says it is one of the most successful in Los Angeles radio, with more 59,000 podcast downloads in the first month. Listeners can hear season three of “Unsolved with Steve Gregory” beginning Saturday, August 20 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm on KFI as well as on iHeartRadio and all other platforms. The podcast is hosted and produced by the award-winning team of Steve Gregory (pictured at right) and Jacob Gonzalez. For more than 30 years, host Gregory has established a trusted working relationship with detectives, chiefs of police, and county sheriffs. In season one, Gregory explored cases like the unsolved murder of Mark Leonard, the father of NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard. In addition, Gregory also observed the 75th Anniversary of the Black Dahlia, the most notorious unsolved case in the history of the LAPD. The LAPD’s Tear Drop Rapist case remains one of the show’s most popular downloads. In the season three opener, Gregory will focus on the 2013 case of Bryce Laspisa, a missing student who was driving home from college to visit his family in Orange County. He was last seen in Kern County, but his overturned SUV was found in north Los Angeles County off Lake Hughes Road near Castaic Lake. The evidence inside the vehicle included blood stains which matched those of the college sophomore. The case remains one of the most unusual missing persons cases in Los Angeles County. Season three will also explore forensics, including a medical examiner, a cybercrimes detective, and the science of arson investigation. Gregory was invited to attend the US Forest Service’s Arson Investigation School – the first time a journalist has ever been allowed to do so. A case from the US Department of State’s Cyber Security division will also be featured. Several agencies have participated in the program including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the US Forest Service, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the Fontana Police Department, the Pomona Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the DEA, and the FBI. It is estimated there are more than 10,000 unsolved cases in Southern California.

iHeartMedia Promotes Taylor Walet to Area President for Nebraska-Iowa. Company executive Taylor Walet is promoted to area president for iHeartMedia’s Nebraska-Iowa area. Walet has been serving as market president for Omaha since 2007. In this new role, Walet will oversee more than 36 stations the Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport markets as well as the Sioux City, Omaha, and Ogallala markets. He will continue to report to Shosh Abromovich, division president for iHeartMedia. Abromovich says, “We have an exceptional team of talent and leaders throughout the states of Nebraska and Iowa. The synergy of this new area will help drive additional cohesion and shared success. Taylor’s leadership skills, focus on a collaborative and winning culture, along with attention to our local communities, will drive more success across these six markets.”

TALKERS News Notes. This week’s Westwood One Audio Group blog looks at Big Audio Datamine, an enormous AM/FM radio ad effectiveness report from UK radio industry group Colourtext and Radiocentre. The study of 1,002 campaigns finds that AM/FM radio can strongly impact the two jobs of marketing: Converting existing demand and creating future demand. The study concludes that AM/FM radio “consistently delivers significant uplifts for advertisers across a wide range of long- and short-term effectiveness outcomes”; AM/FM radio creates future demand by increasing awareness and building positive brand sentiment: The 1,002 studies reveal AM/FM radio campaigns generate significant lift in crucial top funnel metrics such as ad recall, brand relevance, and brand trust; and AM/FM radio converts existing demand by increasing purchase consideration and stimulating online response: Among those in the market to buy now, the 1,002 studies reveal AM/FM radio advertising drives significant lower funnel impact. See the blog here…..AdLarge announces the addition of the “Don’t Keep Your Day Job” podcast to the AdLarge Podcasting Network. Hosted and created by national best-selling author Cathy Heller, the “Don’t Keep Your Day Job” podcast is the “authentic shot of honesty and inspiration aimed directly at women to find true purpose in their life and get paid for doing what they love to do.” Weekly episodes include conversations with A-list celebrities and well-known entrepreneurs and game-changers, such as Matthew McConaughey, Rob Lowe, and Jenna Fischer, as well as authors Malcolm Gladwell and Seth Godin, and Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz. Heller says, “I’m so excited to work with the expert team at AdLarge. With their knowledge and industry acumen, we’ll be able to take my podcast to the next level. I often remind my audience that life is too short to be building someone else’s dream. This is just another example of building upon my true purpose and happiness.”

FBI Raid, Primaries/2024 Race, Giuliani Targeted, Biden Climate Change & Healthcare Bill, Gas & Food Prices, and U.S. Drought Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (8/15). The controversy over the FBI’s raid on former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago; today’s primary races for the November midterm elections and speculation about the 2024 presidential nominees; Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani is notified he’s a target in the probe into the attempt to change Georgia’s 2020 election outcome; the passage of President Joe Biden’s climate change & health care bill; the falling gasoline prices and the still-rising cost of groceries; and the drought affecting most of the U.S. were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Ratings Takeaways

July 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part One

By Editor | August 9, 2022 by Editor

July 2022 PPM Data – Information for the July 2022 ratings period has been released for 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.

Nielsen Audio’s July 2022 sweep covered June 23 – July 20.

TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.

Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.

All comparisons noted are June 2022 – July 2022 (6+).

NEW YORK

News/Talk: Red Apple Media’s WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 3.1 – 4.1, +1.0, #11 to #7

iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 2.0 – 1.9, -.1, flat at #18

News: Audacy’s WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 2.7 – 3.2 +.5, #14 to #11 and co-owned WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets) 2.4 – 2.7, +.3, #17 to #14

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees) 3.3 – 3.1, -.2, #10 to #12

Public Radio News/Talk: WNYC Broadcasting Foundation’s WNYC-FM 3.5 – 3.6, +.1, eighth to ninth

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLTW, second month in a row, 6.4 – 6.0, -.4

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: news/talk WABC-AM & WLIR-FM (+1.0)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: rhythmic CHR WKTU (-.5)

LOS ANGELES

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KFI “AM 640” 4.3 – 4.5, +.2, repeats in fifth-place

News: Audacy-owned KNX-FM “News 97.1” 3.1 – 3.0, -.1, flat at #11

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Pasadena Area Community College’s KPCC 2.6 – 2.3, -.3, #14 to #16

Number One 6+: Audacy classic hits-oldies KRTH, first month, unchanged at 5.5

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase (Tie): Spanish contemporary KLVE; alternative KROQ; classical KUSC; and jazz KKJZ (+.5)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary KOST (-.6)

Note: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KOST had been #1 the past twelve months

CHICAGO

News/Talk: Nexstar Media Group’s WGN “Radio 720” 2.6 – 3.3, +.7, #15 to #10

News: Audacy-owned WBBM-AM & WCFS “News Radio 780 AM & 105.9 FM” 5.0 – 4.6, -.4, second to fifth

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WSCR “670 The Score” (Cubs) 2.1 – 2.4, +.3, #22 to #17

Public Radio News/Talk: Chicago Public Media-owned WBEZ 4.6 – 5.1, +.5, fourth to third

Number One 6+: Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV, third month in a row, 6.8 – 6.1, -.7

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WLIT (+.8)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease (Tie): classic rock WDRV and classical WFMT (-.7)

SAN FRANCISCO

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KSFO “Talk Radio 560” steady at 1.9, #18 to #17

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 6.3 – 6.2, -.1, third to second

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” (Giants) 4.3 – 3.3, -1.0, fourth to sixth

Public Radio News/Talk: KQED, Inc.-owned KQED 6.4 – 8.0, +1.6, second to first

Number One 6+: public radio news/talk KQED first month, 6.4 – 8.0, +1.6

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: public radio news/talk KQED (+1.6)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease (Tie): sports talk KNBR and similarly-formatted KGMZ (-1.0)

DALLAS

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned WBAP “News Talk 820 AM & 99.5 HD2 FM” 4.0 – 4.5, +.5, sixth to fourth

News – Talk: Audacy’s KRLD-AM “News Radio 1080” 2.5 – 2.4, -.1, #18 to #17

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KTCK “Sports Radio The Ticket” 4.4 – 3.7, -.7, fourth to eighth

Public Radio News/Talk: North Texas Public Broadcasting-owned KERA steady at 3.2, #13 to #12

Number One 6+: Univision regional Mexican KLNO, sixth month in a row, 7.4 – 5.9, -1.5

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: regional Mexican KMVK (+.7)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KLNO (-1.5)

HOUSTON

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KTRH “AM 740 News Radio” (Astros) flat at 4.2, repeats in eighth-place

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Houston-owned KUHF 2.6 – 2.3, -.3, anchored at #18

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KODA, sixteenth consecutive month, 7.7 – 8.0, +.3

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: country KKBQ (+.6)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KLTN (-1.5)

ATLANTA

News/Talk: Cox Media Group-owned WSB-AM & WSBB “Atlanta’s News & Talk” unchanged at 5.7, continues at #4

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s Dickey Broadcasting-owned WCNN “The Fan” (Braves) steady at 2.3, #17 to #16

WZGC “92.9 The Game” 1.8 – 1.4, -.4, #18 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: Atlanta Public Schools-owned WABE 2.9 – 3.8, +.9, #11 to #8

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies WSRV, seventh successive month, 9.7 – 11.0, +1.3

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies WSRV (+1.3)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: contemporary Christian WVFJ (-1.1)

PHILADELPHIA

News/Talk: Townsquare Media’s WKXW “New Jersey 101.5” 1.0 – 1.3, +.3, #22 to #20

News: Audacy-owned KYW & WPHI “News Radio 1060 AM & 103.9 FM” 5.0 – 4.9, -.1, seventh to sixth

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WIP “Sports Radio 94” (Phillies) 4.6 – 4.0, -.6, continues in eighth-place

Beasley Media Group-owned WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic” 1.6 – 1.4, -.2, #19 to #18

Public Radio News/Talk: WHYY-owned WHYY 5.4- 4.3, -1.1, fifth to seventh

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia urban AC WDAS-FM, first month, 8.0 – 8.5, +.5

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: country WUSL (+.8)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: public radio news/talk WHYY (-1.1)

LONG ISLAND

News/Talk: Red Apple Media-owned WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 2.3 – 3.0, +.7, #18 to #13

iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 3.5 – 2.4, -1.1, #8 to #16

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets)” 3.1 – 3.2, +.1, #12 to #11 and cluster-mate WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 2.7 – 2.4, -.3, #15 to #16

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees) 3.2 – 3.4, +.2, #11 to #9

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic rock WBAB, third month in succession, 5.5 – 6.3, +.8

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: classic rock WBAB (+.8)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: adult standards WHLI (-1.3)

RIVERSIDE

News/Talk: None in the top twenty

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: San Bernardino Community College District’s KVCR, flat at .3, remains at #19

Number One 6+: Anaheim Broadcasting classic hits-oldies KOLA, seventh consecutive month, 7.5 – 7.1, -.4

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: contemporary Christian KSGN (+1.8)*

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: rhythmic CHR KGGI (-.9)

*Represents the largest June 2022 – July 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

SAN JOSE

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KGO “810 AM” 2.0 – 2.1, +.1, #16 to #18 and cluster-mate KSFO “Talk Radio 560” 2.0 – 1.9, -.1, #16 to #20

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 5.3 – 5.7, +.4, fourth to third

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” (Giants) 2.5 – 2.4, -.1, #12 to #14

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Empire Audacy adult contemporary KOIT-FM, first month 6.4 – 7.1, +.7

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: country KBAY (+1.3)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: contemporary Christian KLRK (-2.4)**

**Represents the largest June 2022 – July 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

MIDDLESEX

News/Talk: Townsquare Media-owned WKXW “New Jersey 101.5” 5.7 – 5.0, -.7, first to third

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets) 1.9 – 2.2, +.3, #16 to #15 and co-owned WINS 1.1 – 1.0, -.1, locked at #20

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees) flat at 3.1, continues in tenth-place

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLTW, first month, 4.8 – 6.1, +1.3

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WLTW (+1.3)

Largest 6+ June 2022 – July 2022 Decrease: urban contemporary WWPR (-.7)

Up next: July 2022 overviews for: Washington, DC; Boston; Miami; Seattle; Detroit; Phoenix; Minneapolis; San Diego; Tampa; Denver; Baltimore; and St. Louis.

Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.

Front Page News Industry News

Monday, August 1, 2022

By Editor | August 1, 2022 by Editor

Beasley Broadcast Group 2022 Q2 Net Revenue Rises 8.8%. The first radio-based audio firm to report 2022 second quarter financial data is Beasley Broadcast Group, which reveals net revenue of $64.8 million, an increase of 8.8% over the same period in 2021. The company also reports an operating loss of $5.4 million and a net loss of $14.5 million and explains the losses saying, “The operating loss in the second quarter of 2022 primarily reflects an $8.6 million non-cash impairment loss due to an increase in the discount rate used in the analyses to estimate the fair value of FCC licenses and goodwill in a rising interest rate environment. For the comparable three months ended June 30, 2021, the company recorded $1.5 million of other operating income, net from life insurance proceeds related to the death of George Beasley, the company’s former chairman. As a result of these factors, Beasley reported a net loss of $14.5 million, or a negative $0.48 per diluted share, in the three months ended June 30, 2022, compared to net income of $0.2 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, in the three months ended June 30, 2021.” Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley states, “Beasley delivered another period of strong top-line results in the second quarter, reflecting solid year-over-year growth across all of our revenue sources. Net revenue increased 8.8%, inclusive of a 4.3% rise in audio revenue and a 34.3% rise in digital revenue, with digital accounting for 16.5% of second quarter net revenue. Digital remains a central component of our revenue diversification strategy, and the momentum we are seeing in our digital business is further underpinned by our ability to grow digital revenue 37% on a quarterly sequential basis, while also improving our digital margin. Our new business performance was robust this quarter, as we recorded $7.8 million in new business revenue, representing a 60% increase from the first quarter of 2022 and 16% growth over the comparable prior year period. In addition, we acquired a small white label digital agency at the end of June, which will immediately contribute positive cash flow and synergies. We believe these results continue to demonstrate the inaccuracy of the perception that radio is more challenged than other segments of the technology, media, and telecom sectors… We are keeping a close eye on the declining economic environment and initiated cost reductions beginning in the second quarter. Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on controlling what we can control, maximizing our growth opportunities, managing our expenses and capital structure, serving our audiences and advertisers and delivering results for our stockholders.”

Monday Memo: Review Airchecks…Later. As “automation and syndication have made radio less-local,” consultant Holland Cooke calls talent coaching “a lost art”; and he uses this week’s column to offer tips “for hosts and DJs who feel neglected.” Read more here.

Pending Business: The One Thing Every Advertiser Should Know. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa says that any radio seller who wants to be successful has to answer the following question: “What is the one ‘thing’ every advertiser should know about my on-air talent?” In other words, what is the unique selling point that can be connected to your on-air talent and only the talent you represent. Read his column here.

Alex Silverman to Lead Programming at All-News KNX-AM/FM, Los Angeles. News radio programming pro Alex Silverman is moving to Audacy’s KNX-AM/FM, Los Angeles to serve as director of news and programming, effective September 19. He’s been serving with the company as brand manager for the company’s all-news KYW-AM/FM, Philadelphia since 2018. Prior to that, he was assistant director of news and programming at Audacy’s WCBS-AM, New York. In his new role at KNX, Silverman will “oversee the station’s editorial strategy and newsroom, including broadcast and digital operations, with an eye towards audience and revenue growth and engagement on all platforms.” Silverman states, “KNX News is iconic. I can’t wait to work with the amazing team to build the future of the brand and set the agenda for news coverage in Southern California. Thank you to Jeff Federman, Chris Ebbott, Jeff Sottolano and Bill Smee for their confidence in me and commitment to impactful local journalism.” Silverman is a graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. He serves on the board of directors of the Radio Television Digital News Association and has been an adjunct instructor at Fordham University, where he designed a course titled, “Social Media for Journalists.” Silverman takes over the role from Ken Charles, who did not renew his contract with the company.

Dwight Jaynes Joins Afternoon Show on ‘Rip City Sports Radio 620.’ Sports talk host Dwight Jaynes is joining Chad Doing at iHeartMedia’s KPOJ, Portland “Rip City Radio 620” as co-host of the “Rip City Drive” program that airs from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Jaynes, also known as “The Godfather,” spent 25 years as a sports columnist for the Oregon Journal and The Oregonian covering the NBA’s Trail Blazers and has co-written two books about the team. He also spent 11 years at NBC Sports Northwest, hosting “Talkin’ Ball” and “Posting Up.” Prior to that, Jaynes hosted the “Morning Sports Page” show alongside Doing on KXTG-FM, Portland. Doing says, “I am thrilled to be reunited with my former partner. Dwight is a Hall of Famer for good reason – no one has more experience covering Oregon sports. I look forward to making compelling radio with him every day. His sports knowledge and storytelling are unmatched.” Jaynes comments, “I am beyond excited to return to sports talk radio – especially with my old partner Chad Doing – who I believe to be one of the best in the country. The best part of our shows has always been our willingness to take on the tough issues – sports or otherwise – and find creative ways to shape discussion and opinion. At the same time, you never quite know what we’re going to do next… because we don’t!”

Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Interview Trump at LIV Golf Tourney in Bedminster, New Jersey. Pictured above with former President Donald Trump are Premiere Networks syndicated talk hosts Clay Travis (left) and Buck Sexton (right) at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the site of the LIV Golf tournament. Trump joined the duo live on their show discussing such topics as recession, China and Taiwan, and whether he’ll run for president in 2024, about which he said, “Very hard for me not to run to be honest. And also the polls indicate from the Republican standpoint it would be easy. And I think I was up 11 points on Biden the other day… I don’t know why 11… If you guys ran, you’d be up more than 11… In my mind, I’ve already made the decision.”

Stacey Thomas Named Director of Marketing for iHeartMedia Philly. Eighteen-year iHeartMedia Philadelphia staffer Stacey Thomas is promoted to director of marketing and promotions for the cluster that includes sports talk WDAS-AM “The Gambler” and WTEL “BIN: Black Information Network.” In this role, Thomas will oversee the Philadelphia brand portfolio and will be responsible for developing, planning, and directing all marketing and promotions efforts. She previously served the cluster as media integration director. iHeartMedia Philadelphia market president Jeff Moore says, “It has been remarkable working alongside Stacey and watching her persevere through numerous changes and challenges. A tireless worker who puts the needs of iHeart Philly above all else will now get the chance to put her stamp on the promotions department in a time when making deep and meaningful relationships with our audiences and partners couldn’t be more important.”

Ava Lynn LaRue Named Inaugural MIW Mentee in Minnesota. The Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc and the Minnesota Broadcasters Association announce that Ava Lynn LaRue is named the inaugural mentee for the “MIW Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Minnesota” program. This partnership between the two organizations is led by MBA president Wendy Paulson and is MIW’s newest mentoring opportunity and the start of its three-to-five year strategic plan to partner with state broadcast associations across the United States and assist in building in-house, ongoing programs devoted to coaching and guiding the next generation of radio professionals. LaRue is the station manager for Q-Media Group, LLC in Red Wing, Minnesota. MIW board president Ruth Presslaff says, “Lightning struck twice! Partnering with Wendy has been positive, productive, and way fun. And then to meet the powerhouse Ava LaRue and have the opportunity to work with her is what the MIWs are all about. Thanks MBA, Wendy, and Ava!” Paulson adds, “A huge ‘thank you’ to all of the incredible women who applied to participate in the 2022 ‘MIW Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Minnesota’ program! The judging committee was blown away by the depth of talented women that applied to be part of this pilot mentorship program!”

Biden’s Energy & Health Bill, Inflation Reduction Act, November Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, COVID-19/Biden Positive Again, Pelosi’s Asia Trip, Russia-Ukraine War/Global Food Crisis, Deadly Kentucky Floods/Western Wildfires, Monkeypox, and Nichelle Nichols & Bill Russell Die Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The fate of President Joe Biden’s energy & healthcare bill; debate over the Schumer–Manchin authored Inflation Reduction Act; November’s midterm elections and the 2024 presidential race; the rate of BA.5 subvariant infections in the U.S. and Biden’s testing positive again; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Asia and China’s threats if she visits Taiwan; the Russia-Ukraine war and its effects on the global food supply; the continuing threats of flooding in Eastern Kentucky and the Western wildfires; the growing monkeypox epidemic; and actress Nichelle Nichols and basketball legend Bill Russell pass away were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

By Editor | July 26, 2022 by Editor

WKNR Contest Puts $30,000 Ad Campaign Up For Grabs. This marks the third consecutive year that Good Karma Brands sports talk WKNR “850 ESPN Cleveland” will give away a $30,000 WKNR advertising schedule to one local business. To qualify for “Moving Business Forward,” the establishment must be owned by a veteran, minority member, or woman. The promotion runs through this Friday (7/29) and is open to Northeast Ohio businesses incorporated and active for at least two years with annual revenue under $15 million in fiscal year 2021. Entrants must submit an under 300-word statement saying why their business deserves to win. Judging criteria will be on passion for the business; innovation during – and response to – the COVID-19 pandemic; employee loyalty; impact on business’ neighborhood/community; and overall business culture. According to Good Karma Brands Cleveland vice president/market manager Amy Crossman, “We are excited to partner with Keybank and the Cleveland Cavaliers to continue this powerful program for the local business community. We look forward to connecting our passionate sports fans with these deserving Cleveland-based businesses to help them thrive in the future.” The winner will have use of a private suite for one Cavs game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. WKNR will buy $2,500 in gift cards, divided among veteran, minority, and women-owned businesses, to be given away throughout the year.

NAB Appoints Hall to Leadership Foundation Board. Talk host/journalist/producer/author Tamron Hall is appointed to the National Association of Broadcasters’ Leadership Foundation. In addition, Hall assumes the newly-created position of industry ambassador, where she will work with NABLF on campaigns and fundraising efforts. NAB Leadership Foundation president Michelle Duke comments, “Tamron Hall exemplifies the values of NABLF through her commitment to service, advocacy, and diversity. Her strong record of public service and leadership make her uniquely-qualified to serve as a champion for the Foundation and for broadcasting. We look forward to her partnership and working with her to make our industry better.” Hall adds, “I am so excited to help the NAB Leadership Foundation continue its mission of attracting and developing the next generation of innovative broadcast executives. More than ever, we need to ensure that the broadcast industry has a pipeline of future leaders that reflect our diverse audiences. It’s been an honor to work with the Foundation in the past; I look forward to furthering this work as a member of the Board.” As industry ambassador, Hall will help NABLF honor broadcast radio and television stations’ community service efforts through the Foundation’s annual Celebration of Service to America Awards, which she hosted two years ago.

KO’s “Countdown” Continues as an iHM Podcast. Beginning August 1, former longtime ESPN and MSNBC anchor; author; and three-time Edward R. Murrow Award winner Keith Olbermann will launch a daily iHeartMedia podcast series. “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” will include a news-driven mix featuring a “Special Comment” political analysis and his popular MSNBC “Worst Person In The World” segment. As part of the podcast, the one time sports anchor at Los Angeles all-news outlet KNX will do a regular sports bit, as well as a daily call to help a suffering dog. In a Wall Street Journal interview this week, Olbermann declares that podcasts have, “replaced radio and to a large part television. Why not present something that is there every day for people? My goal is that you’ll be able to listen and get everything that happened. It won’t be, ‘here we are reacting to last week’s news.’ I’m doing the work for the work. I stopped predicting my next career development around 1997.” Former “Today” anchor Katie Couric and Fox News host Megyn Kelly launched post-television audio broadcasting careers. Meanwhile, Conan O’Brien signed a deal with SiriusXM earlier this year to start a podcasting venture. Olbermann covered the 1980 Olympics “Miracle on Ice” and anchored the 2009 Super Bowl pre-game show.

Hobbs To Helm MundoNow’s Óyenos Audio. Multicultural podcasting veteran Stephen Hobbs is named chief audio officer of MundoNow’s Latino podcast network, Óyenos Audio. Hobbs will oversee the development of new original scripted series and audio entertainment concepts that will focus on topics including true crime and inspirational stories. MundoNow chief executive officer Rene Alegrias remarks, “Latinos expect smart, highly sophisticated podcasts that provide a culturally-accurate connection to their heritage. Óyenos will provide this and it will be driven by the renowned Stephen Hobbs. In the world of multicultural podcasting, Stephen’s caliber and experience is unmatched.” MundoNow chief revenue officer/partner Andrew Polsky notes, “I immediately recognized the impact this platform can make in expanding meaningful podcasting for the underserved bilingual/bicultural market. This impact will be maximized with the hiring of Stephen. I’ve worked with him before on multiple brand partnership executions. I’m excited to collaborate with him again to not only elevate Óyenos, but the offering of Latino streaming content as a whole.” Hobbs states that bilingual digital media company MundoNow, recently rebranded from Mundo Hispanico, is “exceptionally well-positioned to become a leader in multicultural podcasting. It has the audience, it has the growth strategy under superior leadership from Rene and Andrew, and it has the production capacity. My job is to create content that will have listeners on the edge of their seats, or perhaps making an emotional connection.” Hobbs co-founded reVolver Podcasts; was Univision’s vice president of podcasts and experiential; and during his three-year tenure at Spanish Broadcasting Systems launched AIRE Radio Network. MundoNow generates ten million unique visitors each month, along with 70+ million pageviews and more than a quarter-billion served ad impressions.

TALKERS News Notes. In a Facebook post, Sammy Simpson reveals, “I am going to be transitioning out of the brand/content manager role at Capitol Broadcasting [Raleigh]. The company has started the search for a new sports [talk] program director and I would encourage you to apply or help spread the word if interested in a truly great opportunity.” Simpson joined Capitol Broadcasting Raleigh two years ago to oversee sports talk WCMC “99.9 The Fan”; sports talk WCMC-HD2 “Buzz Sports Radio”; and sports talk WDNC “620 The Ticket.” The cluster also includes adult contemporary WRAL “Mix 101.5” and triple A WCLY “That Station.” … Meanwhile, in another sports talk-related Facebook post, we learn that Waterloo Media Austin flips Spanish contemporary KLZT-HD2 (1.2, #22, June 2022, 6+) to sports talk as “102.7 ESPN Austin.” In addition to ESPN programming, the on-air lineup will include: Jason Dick and CJ Morgan (from alternative cluster-mate KROX); Ed Clements (from co-owned news/talk KLBJ-AM); and Bryan Bymark (from rock cluster-mate KLBJ-FM). … Per USA Today‘s Mike Organ, Nashville media personality Mark Howard has died at the age of 65. In 2004, Howard became co-host of “The Wake Up Zone” on Nashville sports talk WGFX “The Zone 104.5”; he left the show in 2020. The Connecticut native most recently worked as a part-time host at cross-town Cromwell Group sports talk WPRT-FM “The Game 102.5.” Howard spent several years hosting a Tennessee Titans post-game show and co-hosted Nashville Predators pre-game and post-game programs. … The first five recipients of the Friends of Georgia Radio’s “Georgia Radio Legends” honors are: Media Ventures Partners founder (the late) Charles Giddens; Georgia Association of Broadcasters president/National Alliance of State Broadcasters Association president Bob Houghton; Cox Media Group Atlanta news/talk WSB-AM & WSBB legislative reporter Sandra Parrish; Atlanta Public Schools public radio news/talk WABE host Lois Reitzes; and University of Georgia radio studio host/WSB-AM & WSBB director of marketing & research Neal “Hondo” Williamson. They will be recognized at a Jeff Foxworthy-hosted event next month (8/27) in Alpharetta.

Podtrac Releases Weekly Podcast Data. Tracking data of podcasts for Podtrac-measured shows indicates that downloads are down 9% (July 18 – 24) over the previous week, but up 53% over the corresponding period last year. All categories are down week-to-week, with “History” and “Society & Culture” showing the most significant week-to-week decline (-12%). Meanwhile, “Health & Fitness” registers the strongest year-to-year growth, a robust +179%. Across all Podtrac-measured podcasts, download growth (July 19, 2021 – July 24, 2022) was up 53%, while week-over-week download growth (July 18 – 24, 2022) was off 9%. For the 52-week period (July 19, 2021 to July 24, 2022), “Health & Fitness” is +179%; “Comedy” is +100%; “Sports” is +64%; “True Crime” is +54%; “Science” is +52%; “Business” is +51%; “News” is +43%; “Society & Culture” is +39%; “History” is +32%; and “Arts” is flat. Week-over-week download dips (July 18 – 24, 2022) included: -12% (“History”); -12% (“Society & Culture”); -10% (“News”); -10% (“Sports”); -10% (“True Crime”); -9% (“Science”); -7% (“Business”); -7% (“Comedy”); -6% (“Arts”); and -6% (“Health & Fitness”).

SiriusXM, NFL Extend/Expand Their Broadcast Agreement. Under terms of the new five-year extension, SiriusXM becomes the exclusive third-party audio provider of every National Football League game across North America. NFL chief media and business officer Brian Rolapp remarks, “SiriusXM continues to be an important part of the NFL family. [It provides] fans access to live game audio, as well as all news and information around their favorite teams.” SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein notes, “The popularity of the NFL, and the passion of their fans, is extraordinary. Since 2004, the NFL has been an important component of SiriusXM’s programming lineup as we deliver those fans exceptional access to all their favorite teams. We couldn’t be more pleased to now be expanding our relationship with the league, ensuring our listeners will continue to get comprehensive access to the NFL.” Subscribers will continue getting access to every NFL game through Super Bowl LXI (2027) on SiriusXM radio and on the SXM App. The SXM App offers 32 NFL team channels, each dedicated to carrying the official radio broadcast for each NFL team. The satcaster will offer additional team-focused content, including coaches shows, and press conferences to subscribers.

America Amplified “Election 2022” Launches This Week. Funded by the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, the America Amplified “Election 2022” initiative helps public media stations in 25 states, including Michigan Radio, ensure that citizens are properly informed to participate in this fall’s local, state and congressional elections. Corporation For Public Broadcasting president/chief executive officer Pat Harrison comments, “Voting is the foundation of a democracy. We want to ensure that all eligible citizens have the information they need to exercise their right to vote. With more than 1,500 locally managed and operated stations, public media is ideally situated to engage all citizens. America Amplified’s listening-first approach will help build trust in the process.” Michigan Radio program director Matt Shafer Powell remarks, “Joining America Amplified gives Michigan Radio the chance to build on our long-standing commitment to engaging and informing our community. We are excited to bring additional resources to better understand what our communities need to know about election processes and election security.” Among the initiative’s community engagement activities is an online tool that allows the public to submit questions related to the election voting process. Questions will be answered using nonpartisan election information sources.

Front Page News Industry News

Monday, July 25, 2022

By Editor | July 25, 2022 by Editor

Monday Memo: Save Those Benjamins. Even with gas prices now inching down, almost everything else is “SO expensive that listeners (and we) are coping.” Wrapping-up his month-long series – “Inflation Hacks” – Holland Cooke presents 9 money-saving tips, “AND a fabulous radio prize!” Read it here.

Pending Business: The Great Resignation. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa says “The Great Resignation” is having an effect on the radio/audio sales business, too. He writes, “The Pew survey says the top three reasons for ‘The Great Resignation’ are: low pay, lack of advancement opportunity, and feeling disrespected at work. Does it sound like the grumbling before the Monday morning sales meeting? My marketing work puts me in direct contact with sales reps across the country and ‘The Great Resignation’ did extend into our radio/audio sales community. On the radio side more so in the larger market stations.” He offers some suggestions for navigating this era of economic uncertainty. Read it here.

Radio HOF Welcomes Nine Inductees. A voting participant panel comprised of more than 800 industry professionals honorees determined six honorees; the other three were voted on by the Radio Hall of Fame nominating committee. Radio Hall of Fame co-chair Kraig Kitchin comments, “Our forthcoming inductees have made a wonderful impact on the lives of their listeners and our industry. We’re thrilled to be able to celebrate their respective careers and honor them with an induction to the Radio Hall of Fame.” According to co-chair Dennis Green, “This was our highest voter participation ever. The radio industry picked an amazing, diverse class of broadcasters and executives that we are proud to call Hall of Famers. These individuals have made a lasting impact on this amazing industry, cementing their place as part of the legacy that makes radio special.” In alphabetical order, the nine inductees are: radio executive Marv Dyson; “Country USA” host Lon Helton; iHeartMedia Los Angeles adult contemporary KOST “Coast 103” morning personality Ellen K; Audacy New York classic hits-oldies WCBS-FM “New York’s Greatest Hits” afternoon drive talent Broadway Bill Lee; “Gospel Traxx” host Reverend Walt “Baby” Love; iHeartMedia New York classic rock WAXQ “Q 103.4” talent Carol Miller; Sirius XM sports talk host Chris “Mad Dog” Russo; Emmis Communications president/chief executive officer Jeff Smulyan; and New York Yankees Radio Network announcer Suzyn Waldman. The 2022 Radio Hall of Fame inductees will be honored in-person November 1 at Chicago’s Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988; The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations in 1991. This year’s confidential ballot was conducted by Votem.com and overseen by Miller Kaplan’s Andrew Rosen.

Radio Resources Unit Debuts Today. Tailored for medium to small market owners and operators, Radio Resources was launched today (Monday, 7/25) by parent company Gen Media Partners. Director of products and services Alex Quintero notes, “Until now, radio station owners and operators had to deal with multiple providers and retrofit the pieces together. The Radio Resources toolkit offers broadcasters one central point of contact and stewardship for a wide array of products and services, streamlined across critical departments to deliver a more efficient, productive, and seamless experience. We’re the only company that can aggregate such a broad range of radio products and services and provide this level of multi-resource support. Our independent standing gives us the freedom to seek out the best providers to service our radio clients.” Among other things the Radio Resources suite includes: Programming and Content; Workflow Solutions; IT and Cyber Security; 24/7 Formats; Sales Strategy; Imaging and Production; Research; Online and Digital Integrations; and Back-Office Operations. Radio Resources products and services are available for cash, barter or a combination of both.

Pickup Truck Slams Into Cumulus Media Indy Building. Two vehicles were involved in a crash last Thursday (7/21) at approximately 5:45 pm with one, a pickup truck (pictured above), striking the Cumulus Media Indianapolis building on North Shadeland Avenue. No one in that structure was hurt, although the building received extensive damage. According to a Facebook posting, Cumulus Indianapolis continued from its backup studio. The driver of one vehicle in the accident was taken to a hospital and is listed in serious condition. In addition to sports talk WXNT “CBS Sports 1430 AM,” Cumulus Indianapolis consists of WFMS “95.5 The Country Station”; classic hits-oldies WJJK “Classic Hits 104.5”; WNDX “93.9 X – Indy’s Rock Station”; hot AC WNTR “107.9 The Mix”; and CHR WZPL “99.5 ZPL.”

Windy City Readying For Rock Radio Revisited. Longtime “The Larry King Radio Show” executive producer Pat Piper is producing The Museum of Broadcast Communications’ “Rock Radio Revisited,” which will be held August 14 at 3:00 pm at The Des Plaines Theatre. Museum of Broadcast Communications board chair David Plier notes, “The heyday of rock radio in the 60’s and 70s’ was centered around the booming personalities of [Chicago on-air talents such as] Larry Lujack, John Records Landecker, Yvonne Daniels, Bob Sirott and Steve King. Every city had their favorite local radio station and the voices behind them. This will be an incredible celebration of the personalities and music that made that era of rock and roll so memorable.” Landecker, Tommy Edwards, Bob Stroud and Dyana Williams will reminisce about “the golden age of rock radio.” In addition, there will be vintage airchecks, as well as stories about the on-air personalities, fans, and gimmicks. Those making special appearances include: Gary Burbank; “Cousin Brucie” Morrow; Kris Erik Stevens; and Connie Szerszen. Among the “presenters” of the Wendy Snyder-hosted event is Nexstar Media Group Chicago news/talk WGN “Radio 720”; cross-town Cumulus Media-owned news/talk WLS-AM “890 AM” is one of the “sponsors.”

TALKERS News Notes. Most recently working as ABC Audio’s manager of digital audio, Josh Cohan is promoted to director of podcast programming for ABC News. His first venture into podcasting was as part of the team that launched “10% Happier with Dan Harris” in 2016. He also helped create ABC’s flagship daily news podcast, “Start Here,” which won the 2022 Webby Award for “Best News and Politics” podcast. Cohan joined ABC News Radio in 2007 as an intern and served as a producer and coordinating producer before transitioning to podcasting … As a result of signing a multi-year contract, WHPT “102.5 The Bone” 6:00 am – 10:00 am talent Mike Calta continues his role at the Cox Media Group Tampa news/talk outlet. Regional vice president/general manager Keith Lawless remarks, “Mike is arguably one of the most successful and talented broadcasters on the air in America today.” WHPT’s director of branding & programming, John Brennan, comments, “Mike Calta is simply the best radio talent in Tampa. I couldn’t be more excited that he will continue to call ‘102.5 The Bone’ home for many years to come.” Calta – who joined WHPT in 2007 – adds, “I’m grateful and proud to be continuing my radio career with CMG in my home of Tampa Bay. At 50 years old, my window to being a male dancer has surely closed, so this contract is extra special to me and my family.” … Two-year Max Media Norfolk vice president/operations and programming Eddie Haskell exits the five-station cluster, which includes sports talk WVSP “94.1 ESPN” and business talk WGH-AM “Money Talk 1310 and 100.9.” He formerly was senior vice president/programming for nine iHeartMedia stations in Ft. Collins (Colorado).

Salem Media Group Seeks Producers. Attention producers! Salem Media Group is looking for producers. Salem has great radio stations, the Salem Radio Network, the Salem Podcast Network, and the Salem News Channel, and we always need producers to help us create our great products. If you have experience producing radio or TV shows, please send your resume and keep ‘em coming to: Phil Boyce, Senior VP of Spoken Word Formats, Salem Media Group Philip.boyce@salemmedia.com. Salem is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Front Page News Industry News

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

By Editor | July 13, 2022 by Editor

Hannah Guile Named Executive Producer of Mark Kaye Show. WOKV-FM, Jacksonville air personality Hannah Guile is promoted to executive producer for Cox Media Group’s syndicated “Mark Kaye Show.” In her new role, Guile will handle affiliate relations for the program in addition to continuing her on-air role on the daily news/talk show. WOKV-FM director of branding and programming Jim Graci states, “I love the chemistry that comes through the speakers with Mark and Hannah. You can hear the passion and fun they have working together. I’m anxious to hear this next evolution of the ‘Mark Kaye Show.’” Guile has served with CMG Jacksonville since 2018, starting as a board operator and working her way to an on-air position as one of WOKV-FM’s traffic reporters. She joined the cast of the “Mark Kaye Show” in 2019. Guile comments, “I am overjoyed for this opportunity to expand my role on the ‘Mark Kaye Show.’ I’m super passionate about the show and its ingenious approach to talk radio.” Guile takes over for Josh McCarthy who moved to Orlando to assume the executive producer role for news/talk WDBO.

Round One of June PPMs Released. The first of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s June 2022 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 June 2022 sweep covered May 26 – June 22. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In New York City, Red Apple Media’s news/talk WABC slips from #10 to #11 after shedding two tenths for a 3.1 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) finish, while iHeartMedia’s crosstown news/talk WOR also loses two-tenths for a 2.0 share finish but rises to the #18 rank. iHeartMedia’s KFI, Los Angeles dips seven-tenths to wrap the survey with a 4.3 share and falls from #3 to #5. Across town, Audacy’s all-news KNX-AM/FM slips one-tenth to finish with a 3.1 share good for the #11 rank. In Chicago, Audacy’s all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM rises three-tenths for a 5.0 share finish that pushes it from the #5 rank to #2. Cumulus Media’s news/talk WBAP, Dallas rises from #10 to #6 after adding four-tenths for a 4.0 share finish, while Audacy’s crosstown all-news KRLD-AM tacks on four-tenths for a 2.5 share and rises to the #18 rank. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeways from this group of markets here.

Curiosity Audio Network to Debut. A partnership between factual media and entertainment company Curiosity Inc. and iHeartMedia launches the Curiosity Audio Network that will develop and release several podcast projects throughout the year. The companies say that Curiosity’s first foray into podcasting will feature original content as well as podcasts to complement programming from Curiosity’s library of documentary films, shows and series. iHeartPodcast Network COO Will Pearson states, “We are thrilled to join forces with Curiosity Inc. to develop premium podcasts for an audience who loves to learn. The Curiosity team has built such an incredible library of knowledge for curious minds and are adding to it all the time, and we can’t wait to bring it to our millions of listeners across the globe.” The first podcast series available is the “One Day University” podcast series, showcasing fascinating lectures delivered by the most beloved professors from some of the world’s top colleges and universities, with episode topics ranging from “Eight Books that Changed the World” to “Abraham Lincoln: Fact vs. Fiction.”

Salem Personality Amanda Carroll Signs with Life Audio Podcast Network. Joining Salem Media Group’s Life Audio Podcast Network is company air personality Amanda Carroll. She is heard on the company’s Sacramento Christian music station “The Fish” and in national syndication via Today’s Christian Music Network. She is founder of the “Get Your Brave On” podcast. The weekly podcast inspires “women to live a strong and courageous life while featuring guests like Joel Smallbone from King and Country, Tasha Layton, and Ben Fuller.” Carroll states, “I’m honored to partner with Salem to help inspire women going through plot twists in life to bounce back with the help of their faith. It’s exciting to see all the years of work growing the ‘Get Your Brave On’ digital platform recognized by Salem for its impact and potential.”

Brett Andrews Named SVP of Programming for iHeartMedia Milwaukee and Madison. Programming pro Brett Andrews is named SVP of programming for iHeartMedia’s Milwaukee and Madison markets. In addition to serving as program director for two of the music-formatted stations, Andrews will be in charge of more than 12 stations including news/talk WISN and sports talk WRNW-FM and WOKY-AM in Milwaukee and news/talk WIBA-AM in Madison. Andrews will report to Colleen Valkoun, market president for iHeartMedia Milwaukee and Jeff Tyler, area president for iHeartMedia Wisconsin.

The Economy, Biden in the Middle East, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Abortion Controversy, Twitter vs Musk, January 6 Hearings, Russia-Ukraine War, Uvalde Video Leaked, and Webb Telescope Images Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/12). The inflation causing high prices for gasoline & food, sinking tech stocks, and concerns about a recession; President Joe Biden embarks on a trip to the Middle East; the November midterm elections and speculation about who will be the nominees for president in 2024; the contentious battle over abortion rights in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade; the legal battle between Elon Musk and Twitter over his attempt to acquire the social media platform; the ongoing January 6 hearings; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its impact on the global economy; a leak of the video from the Uvalde school massacre reveals police taking no action against the gunman; and the images from the James Webb Space Telescope were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Ratings Takeaways

June 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part One

By Editor | July 13, 2022 by Editor

June 2022 PPM Data – Information for the June 2022 ratings period has been released for 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.

Nielsen Audio’s June 2022 sweep covered May 26 – June 22.

TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.

Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.

All comparisons noted are May 2022 – June 2022 (6+).

NEW YORK

News/Talk: Red Apple Media’s WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 3.3 – 3.1, -.2, #10 to #11

iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 2.2 – 2.0, -.2, #19 to #18

News: Audacy’s WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 3.1 – 2.7 -.4, #11 to #14 and co-owned WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets) 2.8 – 2.4, -.4, #14 to #17

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees) 3.8 – 3.3, -.5, eighth to tenth

Public Radio News/Talk: WNYC Broadcasting Foundation’s WNYC-FM 3.1 – 3.5, +.4, #11 to #8

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLTW, first month, 6.1 – 6.4, +.3

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: classic rock WAXQ (+.9)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WCBS-FM (-1.1)

LOS ANGELES

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KFI “AM 640” 5.0 – 4.3, -.7, third to fifth

News: Audacy-owned KNX-FM “News 97.1” 3.2 – 3.1, -.1, #10 to #11

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Pasadena Area Community College’s KPCC 2.4 – 2.6, +.2, repeats at #14

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KOST, twelfth successive month, 6.5 – 6.0, -.5

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: rock KLOS (+.8)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: news/talk KFI (-.7)

CHICAGO

News/Talk: Nexstar Media Group’s WGN “Radio 720” 3.0 – 2.6, -.4, #11 to #15

News: Audacy-owned WBBM-AM & WCFS “News Radio 780 AM & 105.9 FM” 4.7 – 5.0, +.3, fifth to second

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Chicago Public Media-owned WBEZ 4.8 – 4.6, -.2, remains in fourth-place

Number One 6+: Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV, second month in a row, 6.0 – 6.8, +.8

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: classic rock WDRV (+.8)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary WLIT (-.7)

SAN FRANCISCO

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KSFO “Talk Radio 560” 2.0 – 1.9, -.1, stays at #18

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 6.2 – 6.3, +.1, second to third

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” (Giants) 3.9 – 4.3, +.4, fifth to fourth

Audacy’s KGMZ “95.7 The Game” 2.2 – 2.3, +.1, #14 to #15

Public Radio News/Talk: KQED, Inc.-owned KQED 5.9 – 6.4, +.5, third to second

Number One 6+: Bonneville adult contemporary KOIT-FM, second consecutive month, 6.8 – 6.9, +.1

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: urban contemporary KMEL (+1.1)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: Spanish adult hits KBRG (-.5)

DALLAS

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned WBAP “News Talk 820 AM & 99.5 HD2 FM” 3.6 – 4.0, +.4, tenth to sixth

News – Talk: Audacy’s KRLD-AM “News Radio 1080” 2.1 – 2.5, +.4, #20 to #18

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KTCK “Sports Radio The Ticket” 4.9 – 4.4, -.5, third to fourth

Public Radio News/Talk: North Texas Public Broadcasting-owned KERA 3.3 – 3.2, -.1, #14 to #13

Number One 6+: Univision regional Mexican KLNO, fifth month in a row, 6.6 – 7.4, +.8

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: regional Mexican KLNO (+.8)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: adult hits KJKK (-.9)

HOUSTON

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KTRH “AM 740 News Radio” (Astros) 4.1 – 4.2, +.1, ninth to eighth

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Houston-owned KUHF 2.7 – 2.6, -.1, locked at #18

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KODA, fifteenth consecutive month, 7.1 – 7.7, +.6

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KODA (+.6)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: CHR KRBE (-.7)

ATLANTA

News/Talk: Cox Media Group-owned WSB-AM & WSBB “Atlanta’s News & Talk” 6.0 – 5.7, -.3, repeats in fourth-place

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s Dickey Broadcasting-owned WCNN “The Fan” (Braves) 2.0 – 2.3, +.3, #16 to #17

WZGC “92.9 The Game” 2.3 – 1.8, -.5, #15 to #18

Public Radio News/Talk: Atlanta Public Schools-owned WABE 3.5 – 2.9, -.6, continues at #11

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies WSRV, sixth successive month, 8.6 – 9.7, +1.1

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: contemporary Christian WVFJ (+1.2)*

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: CHR WWPW (-1.7)**

*Represents a tie for the largest May 2022 – June 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

**Represents a tie for the largest May 2022 – June 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

PHILADELPHIA

News/Talk: None in the top twenty

News: Audacy-owned KYW & WPHI “News Radio 1060 AM & 103.9 FM” 5.4 – 5.0, -.4, fifth to seventh

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WIP “Sports Radio 94” (Phillies) 5.1 – 4.6, -.5, stays in eighth-place

Beasley Media Group-owned WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic” 2.3 – 1.6, -.7, #13 to #19

WIP’s internet stream, 1.5 – 1.4, -.1, repeats at #20

Public Radio News/Talk: WHYY-owned WHYY 5.5 – 5.4, -.1, fourth to fifth

Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group rock WMMR, second straight month, 7.4 – 8.2, +.8

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: urban AC WDAS-FM (+1.2)*

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: sports talk WPEN-FM (-.7)

*Represents a tie for the largest May 2022 – June 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

LONG ISLAND

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 3.0 – 3.5, +.5, #12 to #8

Red Apple Media-owned WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 2.6 – 2.3, -.3, #15 to #18

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets)” 3.6 – 3.1, -.5, #7 to #12 and cluster-mate WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 2.6 – 2.7, +.1, remains at #15

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees) flat at 3.2, #10 to #11

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic rock WBAB, second month in succession, 5.7 – 5.5, -.2

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: CHR WHTZ (+1.0)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: hot AC WALK-FM (-1.1)

RIVERSIDE

News/Talk: None in the top twenty

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: San Bernardino Community College District’s KVCR, .4 – .3, -.1, locked at #19

Number One 6+: Anaheim Broadcasting classic hits-oldies KOLA, sixth consecutive month, 7.0 – 7.5, +.5

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: rhythmic CHR KGGI (+1.5)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KSCA (-1.1)

SAN JOSE

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KGO “810 AM” 1.7 – 2.0, +.3, #15 to #16 and cluster-mate KSFO “Talk Radio 560” 1.5 – 2.0, +.5, #21 to #16

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 5.4 – 5.3, -.1, third to fourth

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” (Giants) 2.8 – 2.5, -.3, #11 to #12

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Empire country KRTY fifth straight month 9.2 – 8.2, -1.0***

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: hot AC KIOI (+1.0)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: Spanish adult hits KBRG (-1.7)**

**Represents a tie for the largest May 2022 – June 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets

***Empire’s country format remained on KRTY until June 17, five days prior to the end of the June 2022 sweep. New owners Educational Media Foundation transitioned the station to contemporary Christian KLRK.

MIDDLESEX

News/Talk: Townsquare Media-owned WKXW “New Jersey 101.5” steady at 5.7, #1

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” (Mets) 2.2 – 1.9, -.3, locked at #16 and co-owned WINS 1.0 – 1.1, +.1, remains at #20

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Yankees) 3.3 – 3.1, -.2, repeats in tenth-place

Emmis’ WEPN-FM “98.7 ESPN New York” flat at 1.1, #19 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: news/talk WKXW, fifth month in succession, unchanged at 5.7

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Increase: Spanish tropical WSKQ’s internet stream (+1.1)

Largest 6+ May 2022 – June 2022 Decrease: alternative WNYL (-.6)

Up next: June 2022 overviews for: Washington, DC; Boston; Miami; Seattle; Detroit; Phoenix; Minneapolis; San Diego; Tampa; Denver; Baltimore; and St. Louis.

Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.

Front Page News Industry News

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

By Editor | July 12, 2022 by Editor

KBLA, Los Angeles Celebrates One-Year Anniversary; Scores High on Survey of Black Angelenos. The Los Angeles talk station that Tavis Smiley launched a little over a year ago calls itself “Unapologetically Progressive” and a recent study indicates that KBLA-AM “Talk 1580” is the “most trusted, credible and reliable source of information” for African Americans in Los Angeles. The study of 400 Blacks in the Los Angeles market was conducted by EVITARUS from June 4 to June 12 and concludes that KBLA “fills a void in providing relevant programming and content to the Black community” and emerged as “the station of choice” for the African American listener. Smiley says, “I am humbled by the response we have received from our target audience in this first year of operation. One never knows how the audience is going to receive a new concept, but I believed then as I do now that Black folk and progressives deserve better from talk radio. The amazing findings of this independent survey confirm our efforts and empower us to stay on the wall and keep building.”

Matt Pauley Joins KMOX, St. Louis for Sports Programs. Sports radio pro Matt Pauley joins Audacy’s news/talk KMOX, St. Louis as host of the station’s 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm “Sports Open Line” program as well as host of the St. Louis Cardinals Radio Network’s pregame and postgame coverage. Pauley joins Audacy from his most recent work with Good Karma Brands’ news/talk WTMJ and sports talk WKTI-FM “ESPN Milwaukee” covering the Brewers. Pauley succeeds Kevin Wheeler, who recently transitioned to host KMOX’s midday show alongside Amy Marxkors and Chris Rongey. Pauley says, “To say I am excited to join KMOX and the Cardinals Radio Network is beyond an understatement. To be able to come home to work for one of the most legendary stations in the country is a dream come true. There is no show in the country that can match ‘Sports Open Line’ when you look at the various people who have hosted it through the years and I am humbled to now be in that chair. I also can’t wait to talk to Cardinals fans across the country on a nightly basis. Their passion is unrivaled, and we will experience the highs and lows of the season every night together.”

WHP, Harrisburg to Debut Regionally Focused Travel Show. A new travel program titled, “Let’s Visit PA with Sandy Fenton,” is debuting on iHeartMedia news/talk WHP, Harrisburg. In collaboration with PA Tourism, the new syndicated travel show will broadcast Saturdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon and is heard on seven affiliate stations in addition to WHP. Fenton is a travel writer and broadcast veteran with over 40-years in the radio industry. She created and hosted a one-hour, weekly travel show called “Let’s Talk Travel with AAA” that aired from September 1993 to May 2022. Pennsylvania executive director of tourism Michael Chapaloney says, “We are thrilled to be partnering with iHeart and Sandy Fenton on this adventure which will spread the good word, the must-dos of travel to the masses in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Sandy is one of the state’s biggest megaphones for tourism in PA and we are excited with this syndication our reach is greater than ever before.”

‘Liberty Station’ Podcast Joins Salem Podcast Network. A new podcast joins the growing lineup at Salem Media Group’s Salem Podcast Network. “Liberty Station” – which launched in 2021 – is hosted by Rob McCoy (left) and Bryce Eddy (right) and includes commentary, analysis, and guest interviews on topics such as the Biblical foundations of American history, equipping pastors to become leaders in the culture, and understanding current events from a Christian worldview. Four episodes of the podcast will be released each week. Salem SVP of spoken word Phil Boyce says, “Rob and Bryce are culture warriors who are courageous and unafraid. They take on this battle with a biblical worldview. Think David versus Goliath, and we all know how that worked out for the giant. I am very excited to add their podcast to our platform.”

TALKERS News Notes. Tomorrow evening (7/13), Newsmax is presenting a live Arizona Republican Primary Debate at 7:00 pm at the Madison Center for the Arts, in Phoenix. John Bachman is serving as moderator for the debate between Jim Lamon, Blake Masters, and Mick McGuire. Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy says, “People across Arizona are hungry to learn about the Republican candidates as they make their choice in this critical primary. Newsmax is glad to be actively involved across the nation in a series of Debate and Town Hall events to further voter awareness.”…..Emmis Communications Corporation announces a tender offer to repurchase up to one million shares of its Class A common stock, at prices of not greater than $3.75 nor less than $2.75 per share. The tender offer is scheduled to expire, unless extended by the company, at 5:00 pm ET on August 5. The company says, “Emmis management and its board of directors have evaluated our operations, strategy and expectations for the future and believe that the tender is a prudent use of Emmis’ financial resources given its business profile and assets. With the cessation of public quotations on Emmis’ Class A common stock through the OTC Market due to the implementation of SEC rule 15c2-11, Emmis also believes that a tender offer may provide liquidity for those shareholders looking for liquidity. The company will fund the purchase of tendered shares primarily from cash on hand and borrowings under an existing $1.6 million line of credit…..The Independent Broadcasters Association is partnering with BSMG Broadcasters & Sportscasters Mentoring Group that uses a mentor-apprentice model for learning and pays stations to participate. BSMG students train in local radio stations where they live. A team member from those stations serves as the mentor-instructor, and the stations are paid for their expertise. Stations may use the payments as they see fit. BSMG handles all the administrative tasks, provides the educational materials, as well as program oversight.

Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, The Economy, January 6 Hearings, Musk vs Twitter, Russia-Ukraine War, COVID-19, and Webb Telescope Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/11). The November midterm elections and whether Democrats want Joe Biden to run for reelection in 2024; the high price of gas & food, the fall of tech stocks, and concerns about a recession; the ongoing January 6 hearings and expected testimony from former White House strategist Steve Bannon; Elon Musk’s attempt to end his Twitter acquisition; the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s arms deal with Iran; the spread of the coronavirus BA.5 subvariant and the arrival of new subvariant BA.2.75; and the first image from the Webb telescope is revealed 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, July 8, 2022

By Editor | July 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, “Soda, Pretzels and Fear,” looks back at this past week of 7/4 to 7/8. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Gary Sutton; talk show host, WSBA, York, PA; Daliah Wachs, M.D., talk show host, Genesis Communications Network; Holland Cooke, media consultant, Holland Cooke Media; Dom Giordano, talk show host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company; and Matthew B. Harrison, VP/associate publisher, TALKERS. 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; 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.

Nick Wilson Returns to 92.3 The Fan Cleveland in Afternoon Drive. Sports talk personality Nick Wilson is re-joining Audacy’s WKRK-FM, Cleveland “92.3 The Fan” alongside Dustin Fox on the afternoon drive program, effective July 18. Wilson previously served as one of the station’s evening hosts from 2015 to 2018. He most recently served with Urban One’s sports talk WFNZ-AM/FM, Charlotte. Audacy Cleveland SVP and market manager Tom Herschel comments, “Having Nick back in Cleveland to rejoin our lineup is a great moment for ‘The Fan,’ the radio home of the Browns and the most local sports talk in Cleveland.” Wilson says of his return, “Leaving Cleveland was an impossible decision four years ago. It’s an honor to be rejoining ‘92.3 The Fan.’ Afternoon drive in Cleveland is hallowed ground, and I can’t think of a better person to team up with than Dustin Fox. I can’t thank Tom Herschel, Andy Roth and the entire leadership group at Audacy Cleveland enough for making my dreams come true again.”

Jake Kaplan Rises to Corporate Role at Audacy. Imaging and creative director for Audacy’s Los Angeles station group is promoted to the newly created corporate position director of imaging & sound design. Jake Kaplan had been in his previous role with Audacy LA since December of 2019 and had served as imaging director for KCBS-FM, Los Angeles since 2005. In this new role, Kaplan will oversee national vendor relationships, create collaborative teams for brand imaging projects, oversee exclusive station imaging, build format imaging teams, oversee campaigns for national initiatives and events and more.

Campanario Promoted to SVP Post at AURN. Digital media pro John Campanario is promoted to SVP digital media & brand communications for American Urban Radio Networks. Campanario joined AURN in 2018 and launched the company’s digital platforms. Prior to that, he served with WWRL-AM, New York when it was a progressive talk format. He led the national launch of “The Ed Schultz Show.” AURN CEO Chesley Maddox-Dorsey states, “John has more than proven himself as a great leader with both a creative vision and his uniquely approachable management style. With the expansion of our digital media department, we are excited to have his leadership which affords us continued growth as we explore more emerging digital areas.”

Jim Bohannon Addresses Absence from Air to Listeners. Legendary Westwood One nighttime talk show icon, Jim Bohannon, has been noticeably absent from his show for the past couple of months while battling with and recovering from a health challenge. His show has begun airing the following message that he recorded for his listeners: “Hi. This is Jim Bohannon, and I hope it sounds like me. I’m sure many of you have noticed my on-air absence of late. I have some health issues which will keep me off a bit longer. In the meantime, thanks to guest hosts Dom Giordano, John Trout, and Rick Valdez for continuing to fill in and I hope to return to the Jim Bohannon Show in the not-too-distant future.” Bohannon also sends his thanks to the many attendees of TALKERS 2022 who signed a large get-well card for him at the convention.

TALKERS News Notes. Sports media figure Greg Papa and the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers have agreed to an extension of Papa’s deal to remain the radio play-by-play voice for the team through the 2028 season. Papa, who also hosts the midday show on Cumulus Media’s sports talk KNBR, San Francisco (the 49ers flagship station), joined the 49ers after 21 seasons as the voice of the Oakland Raiders until their move to Las Vegas. 49ers president Al Guido says, “Our team has experienced incredible games, plays and moments on the field in the past few seasons, a large portion of which have been accompanied by memorable calls by Greg Papa. His voice has become synonymous with our organization, and we are thrilled to welcome him back to our radio booth for years to come.”…..iHeartMedia Central Florida announces its 2nd Florida Jobs Now Career Expo, an onsite resource event connecting job seekers to companies. The July 14 event will provide job seekers with the opportunity to meet with companies throughout Central Florida offering hundreds of positions, as well as attend and interview on-site the day of. iHeartMedia area president for Orlando and Melbourne Barbara Latham comments, “We look forward to bringing our second of three recruiting events this year to Central Florida. As a business ourselves serving our local community in Central Florida, we continue to realize the need from our business partners to fill jobs and is a top priority. We feel uniquely poised to help connect these businesses with people living or moving to Central Florida as an essential part of our efforts in our local communities.”…..SiriusXM announces the release of a special installment of its audio documentary series, which will remember the late comedian Gilbert Gottfried. “Obsessive Comedy Disorder: Boomers – The Gilbert Gottfried Is Dead Special” features comedy legend Gilbert Gottfried’s interview with Dan Pasternack and Aristocrats director Paul Provenza, who talk about the ‘80s comedy boom, his life, career, and more. SiriusXM says, “In what is believed to be the last long-form interview done with the voice that became comedy gold, this hour and a half conversation is an expansive and hilarious deep dive into the mind and memories of one of comedy’s most brilliant and unique talents.”

Fourth of July Shooting and Gun Control Top News/Talk Story for Week of July 4-8. The shooting in suburban Chicago that took the lives of seven on the Fourth of July and the issue of gun control combined as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers Ten^TM. At #2 this week was testimony before the January 6 Committee, followed by partisan politics and the primary races for the November midterm elections 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.

Rare On-Air Opening at KOA, Denver. This opportunity hasn’t existed in 25-years! With the retirement of April Zesbaugh, we’re looking for our next morning voice to co-host “Colorado’s Morning News” on iHeartMedia’s KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM in Denver. You’ll work alongside a group of talented, award-winning journalists in one of the few 24/7 local radio newsrooms in America. Our facilities are top notch, with new studios, one of the best AM signals in the country and full-market FM coverage. Applicants must submit a hosting/anchoring demo as well news writing samples and a summary, with demo audio, of your commercial endorsement skills. See full details and apply here. iHeartMedia is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Radio News Opportunities. The Virtual News Center is looking for remote reporters who can gather, write, and produce daily news stories with audio from home. Ideal candidates will have calling capabilities to record interviews with newsmakers, or we can provide access to our VoIP system if needed. Knowledge of the business world would be a plus, as there are opportunities to produce specialized business pieces in addition to daily standard news stories. Please send an mp3 and resume to: jdearing@virtualnewscenter.com

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

Thursday, June 23, 2022

By Editor | June 23, 2022 by Editor

Complete Video of ‘Independent Radio Station and Small Group Operations’ Panel Posted. Today, TALKERS magazine posts the third video from the TALKERS 2022 convention held on June 10 at Hofstra University on Long Island. This session was moderated by KFNX-AM, Phoenix owner Bill Brady. He was introduced by Binnie Media director of brand operations Michael Czarnecki. Panelists included: Marc Beaven, general manager, WCBM, Baltimore; Paul Gleiser, owner/host, KTBB, Tyler, Texas; Todd Starnes, owner, KWAM, Memphis/host The Todd Starnes Show; Paul Vandenburgh, owner/host, WGDJ, Albany, New York; and Michael Zwerling, owner, KSCO, Santa Cruz, California. See the video here.

Industry Heavyweights Add Insight and Expertise to Introducer Role at TALKERS 2022. A number of talk media professionals served as introducers for panels and presentations at the recent TALKERS 2022 convention at Hofstra University. Though limited to brief speeches due to the jam-packed schedule, they provided informative and relevant introductions to the conference presentations. Pictured below is 1010 WINS, New York morning anchor Lee Harris serving as introducer to the “Maintaining Integrity in Times of Political and Cultural Polarization” panel discussion.

Pictured above is Amplifi Media CEO Steve Goldstein introducing the “Programming News/Talk Radio in the Digital Era” panel at TALKERS 2022.

Audacy Announces Debut of Web3-Focused Program. A new Sunday morning program and podcast from Audacy titled, “Inside Web3,” is being launched. Audacy says that show, hosted by Shira Lazar, will delve into “the latest in cryptocurrency, NFTs, the Metaverse and beyond.” It will air on stations including KNX, Los Angeles “News 97.1 FM”; KIFM-AM, Sacramento “ESPN 1320”; KWFN-FM, San Diego “97.3 The Fan”; and KCBS-AM, San Francisco. Audacy Southern California regional president Jeff Federman says, “We’re thrilled to jump right into this rapidly growing space with the launch of ‘Inside Web3’ and give our listeners a home for smart, informative content every week. Shira has a sharp perspective of the Web3 world, which we trust will resonate with listeners looking to learn more about everything blockchain technology related.” Shira Lazar is the founder and CEO of the Emmy-nominated digital media brand, What’s Trending. She is a Web3 advocate, collector, and advises as well as consults with companies in the space relating to cryptocurrency, NFTs and the metaverse.

Stan Lehr to Retire from WIBC-FM, Indianapolis. News anchor and reporter Stan Lehr will retire from news/talk WIBC-FM, Indianapolis on July 1, according to the Indianapolis Star. Lehr has served with the station for the past 28 years. He joined WIBC before Emmis Communications bought the station. Emmis recently announced that it is selling WIBC and its other Indianapolis stations to Urban One for $25 million. WIBC news director Chris Davis states in a memo to staffers that Lehr has always been known as a “stickler.” “When I say the word stickler, here is what I mean: Though Stan is gifted with a voice that could have taken him far on its own, he has never wanted recognition for that gift. Instead, he made it clear to all who work or have worked with him that strong writing, accuracy and excellence in delivery are the best ways to serve the listeners.”

Dom Giordano Day Celebrated in Wildwood, New Jersey. Pictured above is WPHT, Philadelphia midday talk show host Dom Giordano (left) accepting a gift clock from Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron (right) on Wednesday as June 22 was again declared Dom Giordano Day. Two years ago, Byron designated June 22 Dom Giordano Day for the City. This year, Giordano and his WPHT crew broadcast live from Mulligan’s Shore Bar and Grill.

FOX News Digital Tops in Multiplatform Minutes for May. According to data from Comscore, FOX News Digital finished May 2022 as the top-performing news organization in the competitive set in multiplatform minutes for the 15th consecutive month. FOX News Digital closed out the month reaching over 2.9 billion total multiplatform minutes compared to closest competitor CNN.com with 2.3 million total multiplatform minutes. FOX News Digital also topped CNN.com in multiplatform total views, 1.47 billion to 1.43 billion. However, in the category of multiplatform unique visitors, CNN.com dominated with 131.7 million to FOX News Digital’s 80 million.

47^th Annual Gracie Awards Luncheon Held in New York City. Yesterday (6/22), the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation presented the 47th Annual Gracie Awards Luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Host Hannah Storm, anchor of “ESPN SportsCenter,” led the program alongside presenters Paul “Cubby” Bryant, Co-Host “106.7 LiteFM Morning Show” with Christine Nagy; Linsey Davis, ABC News Live Prime anchor, Weekend “World News Tonight” anchor, and ABC News Correspondent; Larry O’Connor, Host, “O’Connor & Company on WMAL”; Kate Snow, “NBC Nightly News Sunday,” anchor and NBC News senior national correspondent; and Shelley Wade, Afternoon Host, New York City’s “94.7 The Block” and podcast host “All the Rage with Shelley Wade.” Pictured above is the board of the AWM Foundation with host Hannah Storm and entertainer Hannah Ellis. See the complete list of honorees here.

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TALKERS News Notes. Social media platform LinkedIn names Audacy one of its inaugural Top Companies 2022: Media and Entertainment. Through this list, LinkedIn ranks the 25 best companies to grow a career in the industry, aiming to provide a go-to resource for professionals at every stage of their career journeys. Audacy COO Susan Larkin comments, “At Audacy, we strive to not only help propel the audio industry forward but cultivate an organization full of team members who lead that charge. We’re honored to have been recognized by LinkedIn on their list spotlighting media and entertainment companies and sit alongside some of our industry’s best innovators, champions and influencers. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.”…..Sounds Profitable, in partnership with Edison Research, has put together a comprehensive study profiling podcast creators in America. Next Tuesday (6/28), the results of the study will be revealed during a 1:00 pm webinar. Sound Profitable and Edison Research say that “The Creators 2022” is the first iteration of a study that will track trends and changes in the podcast creator space annually. “Much of the research in the podcast space up to this point has been related to listening, so ‘The Creators’ will fill a gap in industry knowledge about those who create podcasts.”…..iHeartMedia announces the launch of “Prop Culture” – a first-of-its-kind podcast hosted by iHeartMedia’s very own Non-Fun Squad NFTs and voiced by top comedians and celebrities. The announcement was made at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity during a metaverse and innovation panel featuring Paris Hilton, the self-proclaimed “Queen of the Metaverse.” iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group president Conal Byrne states, “iHeartMedia continues to be on the cutting edge of the audio world. We’re excited to introduce ‘Prop Culture’ at Cannes, pioneering the first-ever podcast series voiced by NFTs. The metaverse is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the audio and podcasting space, and we’re thrilled to be on the forefront of this new frontier.”

The Economy, Gun Legislation, January 6 Hearings, Russia-Ukraine War, Supreme Court Term, COVID-19, and Uvalde Aftermath Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (6/22). High gas & food prices, sinking financial markets, and recession fears; the Senate’s compromise on a gun legislation bill; the ongoing January 6 hearings and the case the Committee is making against Donald Trump; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the toll it’s taking on the world’s economy; the end of the Supreme Court’s term and the expected overturning of Roe v Wade; the appearance of two new Omicron subvariants that are better at evading vaccines; and the investigation of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.