Ratings Takeaways

March 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part One

March 2022 PPM Data – Information for the March 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 March 2022 sweep covered March 3 – March 30

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 February 2022 – March 2022 (6+).

NEW YORK

News/Talk: Red Apple Media’s WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 2.9 – 3.8, +.9, #13 to #8

iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 2.9 – 2.6, -.3, #13 to #16

News: Audacy’s WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 4.0 – 4.1, +.1, repeats in seventh-place and co-owned WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” 2.6 – 2.4, -.2, #16 to #18

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Brooklyn Nets) 2.6 – 3.1, +.5, #16 to #12

Public Radio News/Talk: WNYC Broadcasting Foundation’s WNYC-FM 3.6 – 3.4, -.2, eighth to tenth

Number One 6+: Emmis urban AC WBLS, third consecutive month, 5.9 – 6.5, +.6

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase: news/talk WABC (+.9)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: classical WQXR (-.5)

LOS ANGELES

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KFI “AM 640” 4.0 – 4.7, +.7, seventh to fifth

News: Audacy-owned KNX-FM “News 97.1” 3.3 – 3.9, +.6, #11 to #7

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Pasadena Area Community College’s KPCC 2.5 – 2.4, -.1, #14 to #16

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KOST, ninth successive month, 5.8 – 5.5, -.3

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase: news/talk KFI (+.7)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: Spanish adult hits KRCD (-.7)

CHICAGO

News/Talk: Nexstar Media Group’s WGN “Radio 720” (Blackhawks) 4.6 – 3.5, -1.1, fifth to seventh

News: Audacy-owned WBBM-AM & WCFS “News Radio 780 AM & 105.9 FM” 5.1 – 5.5, +.4, third to second

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Chicago Public Media-owned WBEZ 5.7 – 5.4, -.3, first to third

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia urban AC WVAZ, third consecutive month, 5.7 – 5.8, +.1

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase (Tie): triple A WXRT and classical WFMT (+.7)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: news/talk WGN (-1.1)

SAN FRANCISCO

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KSFO “Talk Radio 560” 1.9 – 2.4, +.5, #18 to #14

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 7.3 – 7.0, -.3, continues in second-place

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” 2.2 – 2.1, -.1, repeats at #15

Public Radio News/Talk: KQED, Inc.’s KQED 7.9 – 9.0, +1.1, first

Number One 6+: public radio news/talk KQED, third straight month, 7.9 – 9.0, +1.1

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase (Tie): public radio news/talk KQED and country KRTY (+1.1)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary KOIT-FM (-.8)

DALLAS

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned WBAP “News Talk 820 AM & 99.5 HD2 FM” 2.9 – 3.2, +.3, #14 to #12

News – Talk: Audacy’s KRLD-AM “News Radio 1080” 2.5 – 2.7, +.2, #18 to #15

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KTCK “Sports Radio The Ticket” (Stars) 3.4 – 3.5, +.1, #11 to #10

Audacy’s KRLD-FM “105.3 The Fan” 1.6 – 2.2, +.6, #23 to #18

Public Radio News/Talk: North Texas Public Broadcasting-owned KERA 3.6 – 3.8, +.2, steady in ninth-place

Number One 6+: Univision regional Mexican KLNO, second month in a row, 7.2 – 6.8, -.4

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase: adult hits KJKK (+1.1)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KZZA (-.7)

HOUSTON

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KTRH “AM 740 News Radio” 4.8 – 4.3, -.5, flat at #7

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Houston-owned KUHF 2.8 – 2.7, -.1, repeats at #18

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KODA, twelfth consecutive month, 8.1 – 7.5, -.6

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase: classic rock KGLK (+.9)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: CHR KRBE (-1.0)

ATLANTA

News/Talk: Cox Media Group-owned WSB-AM & WSBB “Atlanta’s News & Talk” 7.4 – 6.9, -.5, second to third

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WZGC “92.9 The Game” (Hawks) 1.6 – 2.0, +.4, #18 to #17

Dickey Broadcasting-owned WCNN “The Fan” 1.5 – 1.7, +.2, #20 to #17

Public Radio News/Talk: Atlanta Public Schools-owned WABE 3.1 – 3.5, +.4, #13 to #8

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies WSRV, third successive month, 8.8 – 8.1, -.7

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase: urban AC WALR (+.8)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: contemporary Christian WFSH (-1.2)

PHILADELPHIA

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

News: Audacy-owned KYW & WPHI “News Radio 1060 AM & 103.9 FM” 4.9 – 4.7, -.2, sixth to seventh

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WIP “Sports Radio 94” 3.7 – 3.9, +.2, locked in ninth-place

Beasley Media Group-owned WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic” (76ers and Flyers) 3.6 – 2.5, -1.1, #10 to #13

WIP’s internet stream, 2.0 – 1.9, -.1, #15 to #16

Public Radio News/Talk: WHYY-owned WHYY 6.1 – 6.9, +.8, fourth to third

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia urban AC WDAS-FM, second successive month, 8.0 – 8.2, +.2

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase: urban contemporary WUSL (+1.2)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: Spanish contemporary WUMR (-1.7)

Note: Eight days into the March 2022 sweep (3/11), adult contemporary WISX became Spanish contemporary WUMR.

LONG ISLAND

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 4.1 – 3.7, -.4, sixth to seventh

Red Apple Media-owned WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 1.9 – 2.7, +.8, #18 to #13

News: Audacy’s WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 2.8 – 3.0, +.2, #12 to #11 and cluster-mate WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” 2.5 – 2.7, +.2, #14 to #13

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Brooklyn Nets) 2.4 – 2.6, +.2, #16 to #15

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia classic rock WAXQ, first month, 6.1 – 6.8, +.7

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase: news/talk WABC-AM & WLIR-FM (+.8)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WCBS-FM (-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 .4, #20 to #19

Pasadena Area Community College’s KPCC .3 – .2, -.1, #21 to #20

Number One 6+: Anaheim Broadcasting classic hits-oldies KOLA, third consecutive month, 9.5 – 7.5, -2.0

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase: rock KCAL-FM (+.9)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies KOLA (-2.0)*

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

SAN JOSE

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KSFO “Talk Radio 560” 1.3 – 1.8, +.5, #22 to #13 and cluster-mate KGO “810 AM” 1.8 – 1.7, -.1, repeats at #14

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 5.0 – 4.4, -.6, fifth to fourth

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Empire country KRTY second straight month 7.5 – 10.9, +3.4

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase: country KRTY (+3.4)**

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease (Tie): Spanish adult hits KBRG and classic rock KUFX (-1.0)

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

MIDDLESEX

News/Talk: Townsquare Media-owned WKXW “New Jersey 101.5” 6.3 – 6.8, +.5, first

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” 2.1 – 1.6, -.5, #14 to #18 and cluster-mate WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 1.3 – 1.2, -.1, repeats at #20

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Brooklyn Nets) 2.5 – 3.0, +.5, #13 to #9

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: news/talk WKXW, second month in succession, 6.3 – 6.8, +.5

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Increase (Tie): news/talk WKXW; classic hits-oldies WCBS-FM; contemporary Christian WAWZ; sports talk WFAN; and the internet stream of Spanish tropical WSKQ (+.5)

Largest 6+ February 2022 – March 2022 Decrease: CHR WHTZ (-1.1)

Up next: March 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

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Geraldo Rivera to End WTAM, Cleveland Radio Show. The daily, local program that Geraldo Rivera hosted for iHeartMedia on Cleveland news/talk WTAM will ends after the April 1 program. Rivera has been hosting the one-hour show from 9:00 am to 10:00 am but will end the program due to his busy schedule. WTAM says, “Geraldo is a once-in-a-generation broadcaster, storied journalist, and tireless philanthropist. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that after his 50-plus years of broadcasting, the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning Rivera refuses to slow down. Unfortunately, with an increased travel schedule for the FOX News Network and additional production projects, Geraldo has decided that after nearly four years, the final episode of ‘Geraldo in Cleveland’ will air on Friday, April 1, 2022 from 9:00 am until 10:00 am on Newsradio WTAM 1100. Even though the WTAM chapter of his career is closing, Geraldo will continue to live in his adopted hometown of Shaker Heights, Ohio with his wife Erica and daughter Sol. We will always consider Geraldo to be a treasured member of the WTAM family and are honored to have had a front row seat to his storied career.”

 

 

WPHT, Philadelphia Raises $65,000 for Veterans Organization. Pictured above is the staff of Audacy’s news/talk WPHT, Philadelphia at the fifth annual “Talk Radio 1210 WPHT Travis Manion Foundation Radiothon” during which it raised more than $65,000 in support of veterans in partnership with the Travis Manion Foundation. The Travis Manion Foundation is led by veterans and families of the fallen that develops, unites and strengthens communities by training, developing, and highlighting the role models that lead them. The radiothon was broadcast live from Audacy corporate headquarters in Philadelphia on March 25 and was hosted by station talent, including  Rich Zeoli, Dom Giordano, Dawn Stensland and special guest Ryan Manion, Gold Star Sister and president of the Travis Manion Foundation, along with the team at the organization.

 

Beasley Names Tim Jorgenson Integrated Sales Manager for Detroit. Sales pro Tim Jorgenson is promoted to integrated sales manager for Beasley Media Group’s Detroit operations. He was most recently the company’s national digital automotive specialist. In his new role, he’ll lead the digital sales efforts of the company’s Motor City stations that include sports talk WCSX-HD2/W228CJ “Motor City Sports Talk – The ROAR” and four music brands. Beasley Media Group director of sales Patti Taylor says, “We are beyond excited to have Tim move into the position as integrated sales manager for Detroit. Tim’s depth of knowledge in the automotive industry, coupled with his skill and passion for digital, will drive Beasley Detroit’s efforts to the next level. Tim’s approach is thoughtful and smart – and our team is so excited to be working with him.”

 

TALKERS News Notes. Pictured here is all-news WINS-AM, New York “1010 WINS” brand manager Ben Mevorach (left) accepting the 2022 World Radio Day Award, presented by the American Academy of Radio. The theme of this year’s award is citizens’ trust in radio. The award was established in 2018 as part of the worldwide UNESCO celebration of radio and its value in the lives of people across the world. Mevorach says of the Audacy station, “No station personifies the city of New York quite like 1010 WINS. We are thrilled to be recognized for our relentless dedication to our guiding principles of fairness, trust, inclusion, and information so that, together with our listeners, we improve the communities we serve.” Pictured with him are American Academy of Radio jurors Deborah Parenti, president, Streamline Publishing (center), and Heather Cohen, EVP, The Weiss Agency (right)…..A collaboration between iHeartMedia and European podcast studio Novel is producing the new program, “The Superhero Complex.” Hosted by David Weinberg, the series captures the rise and fall of Phoenix Jones, Seattle’s real-life, crime-fighting vigilante who infamously ascended from local icon and leader of The Rain City Superhero Movement, to a dejected and humiliated figure waiting for a verdict on a charge of selling MDMA to undercover cops. By day, Phoenix is a semi-pro MMA fighter — but by night, he slinks through the streets of Rain City, patrolling Seattle for crime amongst a motley crew of former soldiers, ex-cops, recovered addicts, and reformed criminals. As remarkable a group and a mission as The Rain City Superhero Movement was, ultimately, the truth behind the myth is far more complicated. Told with a balance of in-depth reportage and empathetic character study, “The Superhero Complex” reveals the betrayals, crumbling marriage, and career-ending drug charge that underscored the legacy of Phoenix Jones — confronting our society’s fascination with superheroes and figures beyond the law in the process…..C13Originals, the Peabody Award-nominated documentary division of podcast studio Cadence13, an Audacy company, announces the launch of “Origins: HBO: Present, Past, and Future,” the seventh chapter of the podcast series written and hosted by award-winning journalist and bestselling author James Andrew Miller, featuring new interviews with the most important figures who shaped HBO’s half-century drive to fundamentally change television. In his recent, critically acclaimed book Tinderbox: HBO’s Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers, Miller told the explosive and uninhibited true story of HBO and how it burst onto the American scene and screen to detonate a revolution and transform our relationship with television forever. Now, in “Origins: HBO: Present, Past, and Future,” Miller offers new material and interviews with top executives, programming chiefs, and executive producers for a deep dive on the business side of the blockbuster media company that has revolutionized the industry time and again.

 

Russia-Ukraine War, Recession Fears/Soaring Consumer Prices, Biden Budget/Tax Hike, Florida ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law, Hunter Biden Investigation, COVID-19, January 6 Probe, Will Smith-Chris Rock Incident Aftermath, and Big Tech Antitrust Legislation Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/29). Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine and its effects on the rest of the world; financial experts fear a recession is imminent and Americans bemoan high gas and food prices; President Joe Biden unveils his fiscal 2023 budget that includes a new tax on the wealthiest Americans; the controversy over Florida’s law that prohibits schools from discussing sexuality in grades K-3; the ongoing Justice Department investigation into Hunter Biden’s foreign business activities; concerns about the Omicron BA.2 variant that’s sweeping the UK and parts of Asia; the investigation into the January 6 Capitol assault and a judge’s ruling that Donald Trump “more likely than not” intended to obstruct the election certification; the aftermath of Will Smith’s assault on Chris Rock at the Oscars; and the Department of Justice endorses antitrust proposals designed to prevent big tech from giving preferential treatment to their own products 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, March 24, 2022

Casey Daniels Named Co-Host of WIBC-FM, Indianapolis’ Late Morning Show. Radio and television pro Casey Daniels is joining Emmis Communications to co-host the late morning daypart on news/talk WIBC-FM, Indianapolis alongside Rob Kendall. Daniels was most recently program director of Grand Rapids’ classic hits WFGR. Prior to that, she spent six years hosting and producing a daytime talk show for WSBT-TV, South Bend. Emmis Indy VP of programming David Wood says, “Casey is a storyteller with great curiosity and creativity. Pairing her with Rob Kendall and his deep knowledge of how local and state government works (or doesn’t work) will create a very entertaining and informative show.” The new “Kendall and Casey Show” will begin on April 4. Daniels says, “I’m so thrilled to be back home again in Indiana at legendary 93 WIBC. I want to thank Taja Graham, David Wood, Matt Hibbeln and Rob Kendall. I’m grateful for this amazing opportunity and what’s next. I’ll see you on the circle!”

 

Jon Johnson New Overnight Host on Sports Talk WIP, Philadelphia. According to a report at Crossing Broad, Jon Johnson is assuming the role of overnight sports talk host at WIP, Philadelphia. Johnson tweeted: “Some professional news: I will be taking over for my good friend Big Daddy Graham & becoming the full-time host of the @SportsRadioWIP overnight show, starting tonight. In addition, I will still be part of @WIPMorningShow, & back at WFC, CBP covering big games again.” About Johnson’s recent role with the station, Crossing Broad’s Kevin Kinkead writes, “This is interesting. Jon has been a Swiss army knife for WIP for a long time now, filling a variety of shifts and roles. He covers for Angelo [Cataldi] in the mornings, works night and weekend shifts, and goes down to Citizens Bank Park and The Wells Fargo Center for games.” Big Daddy Graham passed away last September after a series of health issues.

 

Round Three of February PPMs Released. The third of four rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio’s February 2022 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including: Portland, Charlotte, San Antonio, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Columbus. Nielsen’s February 2022 sweep covered February 3 – March 2. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Portland, Alpha Media’s news/talk KXL-FM tacks on one-tenth for a 7.7 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) and remains ranked #4, while iHeartMedia’s crosstown news/talk KEX-AM rises three-tenths to a 3.1 share good for the #14 rank. iHeartMedia’s KFBK-AM/FM, Sacramento falls six-tenths to finish with a 6.5 share but remains ranked #3. In Salt Lake City, iHeartMedia’s news/talk KNRS-AM/FM claims the #1 rank after climbing eight-tenths to an 8.4 share, while Bonneville’s crosstown news/talk KSL-AM/FM loses half a share to finish with a 6.0 share good for the #4 rank. Audacy’s KMBZ-FM, Kansas City adds six-tenths for a 7.8 share finish that boosts it to the #1 rank in the market. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well as the first two rounds) here.

 

Edison Research’s Infinite Dial 2022: Online Audio Consumption Jumps. The 2022 edition of Edison Research’s The Infinite Dial study was unveiled yesterday (3/23) at the Podcast Movement: Evolutions conference in Los Angeles. The big takeaway is that online audio consumption in the U.S. showed significant gains year-over-year. According to the data, 73% of the U.S. 12+ population (an estimated 209 million people) have listened to online audio in the last month, up from 68% in 2021. This jump was primarily driven by listeners age 35+, as the number of those age 35+ who listen to online audio monthly increased by 13% year-over-year. Weekly online audio listening also rose to 67% of the U.S. 12+ population, up from 62% in 2021. The report goes on to conclude that podcasting’s reach is wider than ever but listening behaviors have shifted a bit as Americans return to pre-pandemic routines. Sixty-two percent of those age 12+ in the U.S. (an estimated 177 million people) have ever listened to a podcast, up from 57% last year. Podcast listening – which skyrocketed during the beginning of the pandemic – has tailed off. Edison’s Tom Webster says, “Clearly, Americans went back to work and back to school last year, which brought podcasting numbers back in line with pre-pandemic figures. However, the trend line continues to go up, particularly with 35-54 year olds.”

 

‘On Being’ Host Krista Tippett Leaving Public Radio System. The executive producer and host of the award-winning public radio show and podcast “On Being” announces she will leave the public radio system effective this June. The national weekly show, which began as “Speaking of Faith” in July 2003, and was renamed “On Being” in 2010, will continue this fall as a seasonally produced podcast. Krista Tippett says, “The front edge of growth of the organization I founded in 2013, The On Being Project, is at the intersection of media and long-term social healing. It’s time for us to live more fully into that mission, and for me to be differently present to this moment in the life of the world. For me personally, this is an energizing and necessary transition. After hosting 52 weeks of programming a year for close to 20 years, I’m ready to move to a more sustainable rhythm and to open space and time for writing, public engagement, and new extensions of our content in the world that is emerging.” “On Being” is distributed by WNYC/New York Public Radio and has more than 650,000 weekly radio listeners on public radio stations around the country. The podcast has had over 375 million total plays and downloads.

 

Veritonic: Audio Logo Index Ranks Top Audio Logos. The results of Veritonic’s annual Audio Logo Index reveal the top in-market audio logos for overall effectiveness. An audio logo is the spoken or sung portion of an audio ad that identifies the product or service. The company says that effectiveness is measured by logo recall, creative resonance (i.e. uniqueness, trustworthiness, and innovation), and correct association to the brand and industry. Each logo is compared to Veritonic audio logo benchmarks developed and trained by 6-plus years of audio and human response data. This report was compiled based on responses from more than 2,800 panelists that represent the general U.S. population. The best audio logos score highly in 1) creative resonance because the most effective executions elicit resonant and positive feelings towards a brand; 2) in recall as memorability of a brand is paramount for winning future sales; and 3) in association because an audio logo is only effective if the brand is continuously and consistently associated with it (and not one of your competitors). The top audio logos in the 2022 study were: #1 Folgers, #2 State Farm, #3 Liberty Mutual, and #4 Farmers Insurance. You can see more about the study results and hear audio logo samples here.

 

KFAN’s Dan Barreiro Inducted into Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Twin Cities sports talk host Dan Barreiro was recently inducted into the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Barreiro is host of the afternoon drive “Bumper to Bumper with Dan Barreiro” program at iHeartMedia’s KFXN-FM, Minneapolis “KFAN 100.3” as well as the “Sunday Sermons with Dan Barreiro” weekend show. Barreiro was a sports columnist at the Star Tribune for 17 years. He joined KFAN in 1992. He also co-hosts the Fox 9 television program “Enough Said” on Friday nights. iHeartMedia market president Greg Alexander says, “Dan epitomizes the make-up of a tremendous talk show in the Twin Cities. He puts together compelling interviews and has the ability to break down any and every topic to entertain our listeners. He is a true talent.” SVP of programming Gregg Swedberg adds, “There isn’t a radio personality who has had the kind of ratings success over the last three decades than Dan Barreiro. He has done it by hosting intelligent, entertaining, and compelling radio. He’s more than the ‘Big Ticket,’ he is the blueprint.”

 

KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno Celebrates 100 Years of Service. Fresno news/talk KMJ celebrated its 100th birthday on March 23. Cumulus Media kicked off the station’s year-long Centennial celebration that will include a concert to be announced and a documentary film. KMJ began broadcasting on March 23, 1922 and is the 38th oldest licensed and continually operating radio station in America. It was originally owned by the San Joaquin Light and Power Corporation, was later acquired by the McClatchy Newspaper Company in 1925 and has seen a handful of owners in the past century. Cumulus Fresno VP and market manager Patty Hixson says, “I started listening to KMJ in my 20s. Over the past 33-plus years, I have had the great honor and privilege to have worked with some of the greatest talent in the business, both on air and in sales. I am truly grateful and humbled by the fact that I have been so blessed to serve our valued listeners – this is my home! The KMJ brand will continue to serve our community and central California through continued focus on relevant content, philanthropy, and ethical business practices. Every day we aspire to be great and it’s the men and women that work here every day, and have done so for the past 100 years, who deserve all the credit for achieving such a wonderful milestone.” Station program director Blake Taylor says, “It’s been an amazing run, and it’s far from over. KMJ has covered everything from the Harding administration to the Biden White House. Terrible tragedies to inspirational triumphs and everything in between. The service to the public of Fresno and the entire Central Valley of California will continue to be our sole focus for the next 100 years.”

 

TALKERS News Notes. Washington, DC sports talk outlet WTEM “The Team 980” will no longer serve as the flagship station for play-by-play of the NFL’s Washington Commanders. The station – formerly owned by Commanders team owner Dan Snyder – is now owned by Audacy and the station issued a statement on its website that host Kevin Sheehan made on air. It reads: “The organization and the company ‘disagreed on the value of the broadcasts [and] it is also very important for us as a sports talk station, even as a long-time flagship station for the team, it was important for us to continue to be able to provide honest, objective information and analysis about the [Commanders] on our talk shows.” The station obviously believed it could not report objectively while in a financial relationship with the team…..One of radio’s hardest-working talk hosts is adding some fill-in work to his schedule. WHO, Des Moines afternoon drive personality Simon Conway who is simulcast to WMT, Cedar Rapids and WOC, Quad Cities – is filling in on iHeartMedia sister station WFLF, Orlando “WFLA” for “Good Morning Orlando” host Bud Hedinger, who is set to undergo heart bypass surgery. In addition, Conway will also be hosting the Premiere Networks nationally syndicated “The Weekend” show on Saturday (3/26)…..G Accelerate Networks announces it has signed a long-term agreement with the “Lou Dobbs Financial Reports” for exclusive advertising sales, affiliate sales, and distribution. The feature – delivered three times daily Monday through Friday, will launch April 18…..SiriusXM enters into a multi-platform agreement with Crooked Media, the independent progressive media company that produces “Pod Save America,” “Lovett or Leave It,” and “Pod Save the World,” through the 2024 election cycle and beyond. The agreement gives SXM Media, the advertising sales arm of Sirius XM Holdings Inc., exclusive global ad sales rights to Crooked Media’s extensive lineup of podcasts beginning in May. SXM Media also gains sales and sponsorship rights to digital video, social media, and live events produced by Crooked Media.

 

Russia-Ukraine War, Biden Europe Trip, Jackson Confirmation Hearings, Gas Prices/Inflation, COVID-19, Idaho Abortion Law, and Madeleine Albright Dies Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/23). The ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Vladimir Putin’s threats to the West, and the economic effects of the disruption in Europe; President Joe Biden travels to Europe to rally support against Russia; day three of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson; still-soaring gas prices in the U.S. and the high consumer retail prices; concerns about the Omicron BA.2 variant and the airlines ask Biden to let mask mandates expire next month; Idaho Governor Brad Little signs new, restrictive abortion policy into law; and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright dies at 84 among top news/talk stories yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Ratings Takeaways

February 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part One

February 2022 PPM Data – Information for the February 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 February 2022 sweep covered February 3 – March 2

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 January 2022 – February 2022 (6+).

NEW YORK

News/Talk: Red Apple Media’s WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 3.0 – 2.9, -.1, #12 to #13

iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 2.8 – 2.9, +.1, repeats at #13

News: Audacy’s WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 4.3 – 4.0, -.3, flat at #7 and co-owned WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” 2.8 – 2.6, -.2, #13 to #16

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Brooklyn Nets) 3.8 – 2.6, -1.2, #8 to #16

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

Number One 6+: Emmis urban AC WBLS, second consecutive month, 6.6 – 5.9, -.7

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: urban contemporary WWPR (+.7)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: sports talk WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM (-1.2)

LOS ANGELES

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KFI “AM 640” 3.7 – 4.0, +.3, steady in seventh-place

News: Audacy-owned KNX-FM “News 97.1” 3.1 – 3.3, +.2, #10 to #11

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Pasadena Area Community College’s KPCC 2.4 – 2.5, +.1, #15 to #14

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KOST, eighth successive month, 6.3 – 5.8, -.5

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: smooth AC KTWV (+.5)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary KOST (-.5)

CHICAGO

News/Talk: Nexstar Media Group’s WGN “Radio 720” (Blackhawks) 5.2 – 4.6, -.6, fourth to fifth

News: Audacy-owned WBBM-AM & WCFS “News Radio 780 AM & 105.9 FM” 5.7 – 5.1, -.6, first to third

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: Chicago Public Media-owned WBEZ 5.4 – 5.7, +.3, third to first

Number One 6+ (Tie): iHeartMedia urban AC WVAZ, second consecutive month, flat at 5.7 and public radio news/talk WBEZ, first month, 5.4 – 5.7, +.3

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WRME (+.7)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease (Tie): news WBBM-AM & WCFS and news/talk WGN (-.6)

SAN FRANCISCO

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KSFO “Talk Radio 560” 1.8 – 1.9, +.1, #17 to #18

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 7.1 – 7.3, +.2, unchanged in second-place

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” 4.6 – 2.2, -2.4, #4 to #15

Public Radio News/Talk: KQED, Inc.’s KQED 8.5 – 7.9, -.6, first

Number One 6+: public radio news/talk KQED, second straight month, 8.5 – 7.9, -.6,

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KOIT-FM (+.7)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: sports talk KNBR (-2.4)*

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

DALLAS

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned WBAP “News Talk 820 AM & 99.5 HD2 FM” 3.1 – 2.9, -.2, anchored at #14

News – Talk: Audacy’s KRLD-AM “News Radio 1080” 2.1 – 2.5, +.4, #19 to #18

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media’s KTCK “Sports Radio The Ticket” (Stars) 3.7 – 3.4, -.3, #7 to #11

Public Radio News/Talk: North Texas Public Broadcasting’s KERA 3.5 – 3.6, +.1, #12 to #9

Number One 6+: Univision regional Mexican KLNO, first month, 5.2 – 7.2, +2.0

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: regional Mexican KLNO (+2.0)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: sports talk KRLD-FM (-1.0)

HOUSTON

News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KTRH “AM 740 News Radio” 4.7 – 4.8, +.1, sixth to seventh

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: None in the top twenty

Public Radio News/Talk: University of Houston-owned KUHF 2.2 – 2.8, +.6, #19 to #18

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KODA, eleventh consecutive month, 7.4 – 8.1, +.7

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KODA (+.7)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: CHR KRBE (-.9)

ATLANTA

News/Talk: Cox Media Group-owned WSB-AM & WSBB “Atlanta’s News & Talk” 6.9 – 7.4, +.5, third to second

News: None in the top twenty

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WZGC “92.9 The Game” (Hawks) 2.4 – 1.6, -.8, #15 to #18

Dickey Broadcasting-owned WCNN “The Fan” 1.9 – 1.5, -.4, #17 to #20

Public Radio News/Talk: Atlanta Public Schools-owned WABE 2.8 – 3.1, +.3, #12 to #13

Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies WSRV, second successive month, 7.1 – 8.8, +1.7

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies WSRV (+1.7)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: gospel WPZE (-1.0)

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” 5.2 – 4.9, -.3, locked on #6

Sports Talk: Audacy’s WIP “Sports Radio 94” 3.9 – 3.7, -.2, flat at #9

Beasley Media Group-owned WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic” (76ers and Flyers) 3.1 – 3.6, +.5, #11 to #10

WIP’s internet stream, 1.9 – 2.0, +.1, repeats at #15

Public Radio News/Talk: WHYY-owned WHYY 7.4 – 6.1, -1.3, second to fourth

Number One 6+: iHeartMedia urban AC WDAS-FM, first month, 7.3 – 8.0, +.7

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: classic rock WMGK (+.9)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: public radio news/talk WHYY (-1.3)

LONG ISLAND

News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WOR “710 – The Voice of New York” 4.3 – 4.1, -.2, sixth

Red Apple Media-owned WABC-AM & WLIR-FM “77 Talk Radio” 1.8 – 1.9, +.1, #15 to #18

News: Audacy’s WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 3.5 – 2.8, -.7, #5 to #12 and cluster-mate WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” 3.0 – 2.5, -.5, #8 to #14

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Brooklyn Nets) 3.5 – 2.4, -1.1, #5 to #16

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Audacy classic hits-oldies WCBS-FM, second straight month, 7.4 – 6.5, -.9

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: classic rock WBAB (+1.0)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: CHR WHTZ (-1.4)

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, #15 to #20

Number One 6+: Anaheim Broadcasting classic hits-oldies KOLA, second consecutive month, 8.4 – 9.5, +1.1

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies KOLA (+1.1)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: regional Mexican KSCA (-.8)

SAN JOSE

News/Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KGO “810 AM” 2.0 – 1.8, -.2, #11 to #14

News: Audacy’s KCBS-AM & KFRC “All News 740 AM & 106.9 FM” 5.4 – 5.0, -.4, fourth to fifth

Sports Talk: Cumulus Media-owned KNBR “The Sports Leader” 3.5 – 1.7, -1.8, #8 to #15

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+: Empire country KRTY first month 5.4 – 7.5, +2.1

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: country KRTY (+2.1)**

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease sports talk KNBR (-1.8)

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

MIDDLESEX

News/Talk: Townsquare Media-owned WKXW “New Jersey 101.5” 5.9 – 6.3, +.4, second to first

News: Audacy’s WCBS-AM “News Radio 880” 1.9 – 2.1, +.2, #12 to #14 and cluster-mate WINS “1010 – All News/All The Time” 1.1 – 1.3, +.2, #16 to #20

Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM “Sports Radio 101.9 FM & 66 AM” (Brooklyn Nets) 2.9 – 2.5, -.4, #10 to #13

Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty

Number One 6+ (Tie): Spanish Broadcasting System Spanish tropical WSKQ, second straight month, 6.0 – 6.3, +.3 and news/talk WKXW, first month, 5.9 – 6.3, +.4

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: the internet stream of Spanish tropical WSKQ (+1.0)

Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: CHR WHTZ (-1.9)

Up next: February 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, March 21, 2022

Monday Memo: Weekend Warriors, Renegotiate. Weekend ask-the-expert shows exploit the most proven concept in marketing: free samples. Common example: The lawyer is in, the meter is off. Done well, these shows can grow all sorts of service businesses. In this week’s column consultant Holland Cooke describes “an EXTERMINATOR who’s a rock star!” But HC observes that, “too often these shows are well-kept secrets because stations don’t promote them properly.” And in this week’s column he shares “two magic words” and other deal points for hosts who broker Saturday/Sunday airtime. Read it here.

 

Pending Business: Reimagining How News/Talk is Sold. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa writes in today’s column in TALKERS that “chances are you are still pitching the news/talk format the same way you did when podcasting was still a rumor. Is anyone still wondering why podcast ad sales are exploding, while news/talk radio is proud to be hitting 2019 levels?” He suggests sales teams reimagine how news/talk radio is sold. Read more here.

 

Exclusive ‘Kim Komando Show’ to Air on WLS-AM, Chicago on Friday Nights. A new deal between Cumulus Media’s Chicago news/talk WLS-AM and WestStar TalkRadio Network is bringing Kim Komando to the station’s listeners for a one-hour, Friday night program produced exclusively for WLS. The 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm show debuts this Friday (3/25) and “will showcase the latest news and insights in digital-lifestyle and technology that helps improve the daily lives of Chicagoland listeners.” Komando’s award-winning, nationally syndicated three-hour weekend show is also heard on WLS-AM 890 every Saturday and Sunday night from 9:00 pm to 12:00 midnight. WLS-AM program director Stephanie Tichenor says, “We are thrilled to have more of Radio Hall of Famer Kim Komando on the ‘Big 89.’ For over 25 years, Kim has been part of the WLS-AM family, providing our listeners with the latest tech news. Now she brings that experience to Friday nights at WLS, where listeners will learn more about why tech matters.” Komando comments, “People have different interests — politics, cars, cooking — you name it. But there is one thing that affects us all and that’s tech. It’s hard to navigate Big Tech taking our privacy along with the hackers, scammers and stalkers. You can Google anything. You can’t Google trusted advice and that’s why I am honored to be our nation’s premier digital expert. I’m thrilled that WLS sees my show worthy for the Friday schedule. Tech isn’t a hobby. It’s our lives.”

 

Christopher Layfield Named OM for Cumulus Indianapolis. Radio programming pro Christopher “Boomer” Layfield is promoted to operations manager for Cumulus Media’s Indianapolis station group that includes sports talk WXNT-AM and five music brands. Layfield joined Cumulus Indianapolis in April 2018 and served as one of two operations managers for the cluster until January, and as program director for country WFMS-FM. He will continue to program WFMS-FM and adult contemporary WNTR-FM. Layfield comments, “It truly is a thrill for me to be able to work with such a gifted group of radio pros at these iconic broadcasting brands here in Indianapolis. Being given the chance to continue to lead these teams at this level is something that I look forward to making the most of, working together for the benefit of our listeners and advertisers… and having fun doing it! I’d like to thank Chuck Fredrick, Doug Hamand and Dave Milner for this amazing opportunity.”

Adam ‘The Bull’ Gerstenhaber to Exit Cleveland’s ‘92.3 The Fan’ on April 1. According to a report in TheFocusAdam “The Bull” Gerstenhaber told his listeners that he will leave Audacy’s sports talk WKRK, Cleveland “92.3 The Fan” on April 1. Gerstenhaber, who co-hosts the afternoon drive “Bull & Fox” with Dustin Fox, has been with the station for almost 11 years. Gerstenhaber is not saying what his plans are for his  post-Fan career but tweeted: “In case you missed it, I am leaving @923TheFan. The last @BullandFox show will be April 1st (No, this is not an April fools joke). I leave with nothing but love for everyone…especially @DustinFox37 and @KeithBritton86!!”

 

NFL Insider and KIRO-AM Personality John Clayton Remembered. After last week’s passing of longtime sports media figure and NFL insider John Clayton, Bonneville International’s Seattle staff are remembering him with tributes. Clayton was a personality on the company’s KIRO-AM “Seattle Sports” for the past 14 years. Bonneville Seattle SVP and market manager Cathy Cangiano says, “John was a treasured member of our team. John was a legend in our industry and a true Hall-of-Famer. He was a consistent advocate for the game of football. His connections, friendships and relationships throughout the sports world were simply unmatched. His love of football was only surpassed by his love, loyalty and dedication to his wife Pat. John will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Pat and his family and friends.” KIRO-AM program director Kyle Brown adds, “John was an amazing journalist, colleague and friend. A Hall-of-Famer both personally and professionally, John was one of the most loyal people you’d ever meet. While his loyalty extended to friends and co-workers, it was never stronger than in his commitment to his beloved wife Pat, who he cherished every moment of his life. Our ‘Seattle Sports’ family will miss John dearly and keep his family in our hearts.”

 

TALKERS News Notes. The air talent at Salem Radio Network – including Larry Elder, Sebastian Gorka and others – have been appealing for donations to the non-profit Food for the Poor, which provides food, water and medical supplies to 17 Caribbean and Latin American countries has no “footprint” in Eastern Europe. SRN announces that Food for the Poor has reached an alliance with Feed My Starving Children, which has had staff on the ground in Ukraine for the past eight years, and so effective today (3/21), SRN hosts will generate donations to rush food, clean water and other relief supplies to over 3 million Ukrainian refugees. SRN host Mike Gallagher says, “It took some diplomatic maneuvering between these two awesome charities to combine forces in order to rush emergency relief to the children and families of war-torn Ukraine. All of us at SRN are proud to play a role in this unique campaign, and we’ll be urging our listeners to open their hearts – and their wallets – in the exciting days ahead.”…..The Newsmax-syndicated “Rob Carson Show” announces the addition of new affiliate stations. Launched last fall, the show adds WJFP-AM, Philadelphia; KMZQ-AM, Las Vegas; KSCO-AM, Santa Cruz, California; and WJFP-FM, Trenton, New Jersey. The “Rob Carson Show” airs in the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET daypart, the same time slot that Rush Limbaugh occupied. Newsmax notes that Carson wrote comedy for Limbaugh for over 20 years.

 

Russia-Ukraine War/Biden Europe Trip, Gas Prices/Inflation, Midterms/Trump & the GOP, COVID-19, Jackson Confirmation Hearings, and Kanye Cut from Grammys Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the weekend attacks on Kyiv, plus President Joe Biden’s planned trip to Europe; soaring gas prices in the U.S. and the still rising price of consumer retail goods; the battle for control of Congress in November’s mid-term elections, the Republican prospects for president in 2024 and Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP; the rising rate of the Omicron variant BA.2 cases in some parts of the world and the U.S.; this week’s start of the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson; and Kanye West is ousted from performance at Grammy Awards for his “concerning online behavior” 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

Friday, March 18, 2022

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, “Madness in March,” looks back at this past week of 3/14 to 3/18. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERSDom Giordano, talk show host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Mark Simone, talk show host, WOR, New York; Richard Neer, talk show host, WFAN, New York; Jonty McCollyer, talk show host, “China Watch Radio,” KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; Dr. Daliah Wachs, physician, Las Vegas/talk show host, Genesis Communications Network; and John DePetro, talk show host, WNRI, Woonsocket, RI.  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; KQSP, Minneapolis; 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 NetworkCRN Digital Talk Radio NetworkPodcast Radio UK and many more. To listen to this week’s episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS magazine 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.

 

Triton Digital Releases February 2022 Podcast Report. The latest podcast ranking report from Triton Digital is published for the period of January 31 to February 27 and is based on Average Weekly Downloads. The report’s rank of the top 20 podcast networks again has Stitcher Media at #1 with 59.1 million Average Weekly Downloads. The Audacy Podcast Network was #2 with 36.1 million AWD, and NPR came in at #3 with 33.5 million AWD. Ranking individual podcasts, NPR’s “NPR News Now” was #1, audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” was #2 and Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Ben Shapiro Show” was #3. Other podcasts with a radio connection that are ranked in the report include: Cumulus’ “The Dan Bongino Show” at #8, Salem Podcast Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” at #13, and Cumulus’ “Mark Levin Podcast” at #17. See the complete report here.

 

Katie Reid to Lead Bonneville Denver. Radio sales and management pro Katie Reid joins Bonneville International as SVP and market manager for the company’s Denver cluster that includes sports talk duo KKFN-FM “104.3 The Fan” and KEPN-AM “ESPN 1600” and two music brands. Reid, who was most recently VP/GM for Cox Media Group’s Jacksonville operations, takes over for Bob Call, who recently retired. Bonneville president Darrell Brown states, “Katie is a dynamic leader who knows how to focus on priorities and grow business. I believe her experience will position our stations for long-term success in Denver.” Reid comments, “I am honored to be joining the Bonneville team and work with these legendary brands. The Denver team continues to deliver excellent results and I am excited for this next chapter.”

 

TALKERS News Notes. Longtime talk media personality Michael Savage celebrates his 80th birthday today (3/18). Savage, who produces a daily podcast after years of syndication in talk radio, is interviewed by Steve Travers for a piece in Newsmax that you can read here…..Beasley Media Group announces that Cole Croshaw is been named director of traffic operations for the company. He begins the newly created position on March 28. Croshaw was most recently with Marketron serving as the NXT product specialist. Beasley CFO Marie Tedesco says, “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Cole to the Beasley Media Group family. His leadership and vast experience made him the perfect choice to take our company’s traffic operations to the next level and beyond.”

 

The Russia-Ukraine War Top News/Talk Story for Week of March 14-18. Russia’s now-four-week-old invasion of Ukraine and the attendant political issues surrounding it came together as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was U.S. diplomatic relations with China and Russia with the Ukraine war as the backdrop, followed by the state of the U.S. economy, soaring gas prices and still-rising prices of consumer retail good at #3. The Talkers TenTM 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

Tuesday, March 2, 2022

Radio One Swaps Frequencies in Charlotte; Sports Talk WFNZ Gets Full Market FM Signal. Charlotte sports talk WFNZ-AM is getting a full-market FM signal as Radio One swaps FM frequencies between WFNZ and hip hop/R&B “92.7 The Block.” WFNZ is now heard on WFNZ-FM at 92.7 (in addition to WFNZ-AM at 610) and “The Block” airs on FM translator W273DA at 102.5. Radio One Charlotte/Richmond regional VP Marsha Landess says, “Charlotte has continued to grow as a great sports city and Sports Radio WFNZ will continue to grow with it! Now on a more powerful FM signal, with continued live and local talent, we will be able to superserve more of our listeners and clients with broader market coverage on the FM dial.”

 

Audacy Unveils New Audacy Digital Audience Network. In an effort to present advertisers with a “high-performing audience solution,” Audacy launches the Audacy Digital Audience Network, “an addressable aggregate of over 60 million listeners that other audio platforms and streaming platforms do not reach.” Audacy says that each month, it connects with 200 million fans across its broadcast and digital assets. Over 60 million of these listeners can be found on ADAN across its streaming content, on the Audacy app and on its podcasts. Through this, ADAN can target precise audiences at scale and deliver high-performing digital audio media strategies for Audacy’s advertising partners.” The company says it “continues to provide exclusive content across news, sports, talk, music and podcasts that its listeners seek and trust as a daily habit. ADAN audiences skew more affluent, are more likely to be college educated and are more diverse – collectively bringing the highest value consumers to advertisers. ADAN provides an unduplicated reach to listeners that other audio platforms do not deliver.” Components of the Audience Network include over 230 of Audacy’s broadcast brands and thousands of podcasts. Exclusive stations, curated music stations from Audacy brands, talent and influencers and digital streams of MLB play-by-play broadcasts via flagship partnerships are also included in ADAN.

 

WWO Blog: AM/FM Radio, Print, and Podcast Ads Lead in Attentiveness. The Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group releases a new Media Attentiveness and Ad Skipping Report that incorporates several new studies that examine consumer attentiveness and concentration levels when using various media platforms, ad-skipping tendencies, and the reasons why listeners choose to use various audio platforms. Cumulus EVP of marketing and Westwood One president Suzanne Grimes says, “Our new Media Attentiveness and Ad Skipping Report demonstrates that AM/FM radio leads all media in advertising attentiveness with the lowest levels of ad skipping. Consumers also devote very high levels of concentration to podcasts since listeners actively seek them out to learn something new, which justifies premium CPMs for podcasts.” Some of the highlights of the report include: 1) Attention grows in importance among marketers and agencies: Nearly half of advertisers have discussed consumer attentiveness as a metric. Two out of three say it is important for measuring media investments; 2) Traditional media ads have greater engagement compared to digital ads: AM/FM radio, print, and podcast ads lead in attentiveness. Consumers skip social and digital ads the most; 3) Social media disconnect: Agencies/marketers overestimate consumer concentration of social media. Two consumer studies reveal social media has the lowest attentiveness of media platforms; 4) AM/FM radio CPMs should be a premium to Pandora and Spotify: Pandora/Spotify audio impressions are not the same as AM/FM radio impressions. The greater proportion of spoken word content on AM/FM radio generates much higher levels of concentration and attentiveness. The information and personalities of AM/FM radio satisfy consumer needs for information and connection. See the full blog post here.

 

KLIF-AM, Dallas Adds ‘Markley, van Camp & Robbins’ Show. The Compass Media Networks nationally syndicated news/talk program “Markley, van Camp and Robbins” is added to the program lineup at Cumulus Media’s KLIF-AM, Dallas in the 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm slot. KLIF-AM program director Bruce Collins says, “These guys were just what we were looking for to add to KLIF’s lineup, news and information and a whole lot of laughs and fun. They understand entertaining radio.” The program stars Jamie Markley, David van Camp, and Scott Robbins. Van Camp says, I’m excited and honored to be on the legendary KLIF. Having spent several years in the Metroplex, being on that station means a lot to me. Many thanks to Bruce Collins, who’s been a great partner and supporter of the show from the beginning.”

 

Todd Starnes Speaks at CPAC 2022. Nationally syndicated talk radio host and best-selling author Todd Starnes was a featured speaker at last weekend’s CPAC 2022 in Orlando. In addition to appearing on the conference’s agenda, Starnes broadcast his national radio show from the CPAC radio row during which he interviewed former President Donald Trump and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (pictured here with Starnes).

 

 

KYW, Philadelphia Honors 2022 GameChangers. Pictured above are the recipients of the 2022 GameChangers honors from Audacy’s all-news KYW, Philadelphia. The annual GameChangers recognize people making a difference in communities of color around the Philadelphia region. This year’s honorees were recognized at a ceremony at Audacy’s Philadelphia headquarters on February 27. KYW Newsradio community impact reporter Racquel Williams, who has been highlighting the GameChangers honorees throughout February, hosted the ceremony. The 2022 recipients were nominated by members of the audience and selected by a panel of previous honorees. Audacy Philadelphia SVP and market manager David Yadgaroff says, “KYW Newsradio shines light on the stories of people from all backgrounds doing amazing things in our communities who might not otherwise get the recognition they deserve. That’s part of our mission 365 days a year, and we’re proud to award these meaningful honors to these outstanding community leaders during Black History Month.”

 

Cumulus Media’s WJR, Detroit Helps Raise $1.74 million for Salvation Army. Detroit news/talk WJR-AM helped raise more than $1.74 million for The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit during a 27-hour radio fundraiser that took place on February 24 and 25. The Cumulus Media station presented the 35th Annual Bed & Bread Club Radiothon as station personalities including Paul W. Smith (pictured here), Sean Baligian, Kevin Dietz, Lloyd Jackson, Chris Renwick, Mitch Albom, Ken Brown, Steve Courtney, Kevin O’Neill and Guy Gordon broadcast from The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Divisional Headquarters in Southfield, Michigan.

 

Norm Lewis to Perform at BFoA’s Golden Mike Award Dinner and Ceremony. The Broadcasters Foundation of America announces that this year’s entertainment for the Golden Mike Award Gala will be Broadway, film, and TV star Norm Lewis. Following a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the BFOA Golden Mike Award Dinner and Ceremony returns this year on Monday, March 14 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The annual event is the biggest fundraiser for the Broadcasters Foundation, whose sole mission is to provide financial aid to broadcasters in acute need from critical illness, accident, or serious misfortune. This year’s BFOA Golden Mike Award honoree will be Hilton Howell, Jr., chairman of the board and CEO of Gray Television and Atlantic American Corporation. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors a broadcaster who has made invaluable contributions to the television and radio industries. This year, it will be presented to renowned sportscaster Lesley Visser.

 

TALKERS News Notes. A new podcast starring Dennis Prager and Julie Hartman is joining the Salem Podcast Network. After reading Prager’s book, Still the Best Hope, Hartman – a senior at Harvard University – realized she actually held many conservative beliefs. She reached out to Prager, who was so impressed with her that he invited her on to his national talk show. Not long after, she sat in for him for all three hours of the show. Now, the two are launching a weekly podcast titled, “Dennis and Julie.” She says, “Finding Dennis’ work changed my life. I discovered the historic significance of the American value system and just how much our society today has come to be guided by the wrong principles. I hope that Dennis and I can make the world more understandable to our audience and impart to our listeners — especially those my age — how important it is to resist the far-left push that comes at them every day. I’m honored to work with Dennis and I’m grateful to Salem for trusting me with this opportunity.”…..CNN debuts three new podcasts. “Breaking News Alerts” – previously only available to smart speaker listeners – this audio version of CNN’s breaking news alerts offer podcast listeners a more contextualized understanding of breaking news. “Tug of War” takes listeners to the most volatile corners of the world to document some of the greatest power struggles of our time – a mission that now feels more relevant than ever – and offers historical, political, and social context for the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “Diversifying” – hosted by Delyanne Barros – presents insightful discussions about how the financial system can work for us, instead of against us. It creates a space for people who have traditionally been left out of conversations around personal finance, and who are often faced with the challenge of balancing cultural expectations against their own financial needs…..ESPN Audio says that the 2021 Share of Ear from Edison Research finds that ESPN Audio accounts for over half of all sports listening, at 53%, marking a nine percentage point increase in the same category from 2020. ESPN Audio was also shown to account for 63% of the digital sports listening space and 47% of the terrestrial sports audio space, both up a significant 8% points from 2020, respectively…..SiriusXM announces that Hope Solo, the World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist goalkeeper, will launch a new and original SiriusXM podcast, “Hope Solo Speaks,” that debuts across all podcast platforms March 2. Solo will discuss a variety of topics on her mind, including her relentless fight for women’s rights and gender equality, motherhood and family, changing trends in sports and much more. Solo will be joined on episodes of the podcast by guests from various walks of life including world-class athletes, artists, and influencers for candid conversations on their experiences, passions and topics of the day.

 

Russia’s Attack on Ukraine, COVID-19, State of the Union, Midterms/Trump & the GOP, UN Climate Report, and Sacramento Murder-Suicide Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (2/28). Russia’s continued attacks on the Ukraine and the rest of the world’s response; the rate of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and relaxing mask mandates; tonight’s State of the Union address by President Joe Biden; the battle for control of Congress in the November midterm elections and Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP; the dire warning on the effects of climate change from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; and the murder of three children and their chaperone by the children’s father in a Sacramento church 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, February 4, 2022

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 magazine, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Off to the Races,” looks back at this past week of 1/31 to 2/4. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS magazine; Ricard Neer, talk show host, WFAN, New York; Grace Curley, talk show host, WRKO Boston; Tom Shattuck, talk show host, WTIC, Hartford; Steven Ebert, commentator, AM 970 The Answer, New York/attorney, Cassin & Cassin LLP; and Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company. 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; WVLY, Wheeling, WV; WTRW-FM, Scranton/Wilkes Barre, PA; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; KBKW, Aberdeen, WA; 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 NetworkCRN Digital Talk Radio NetworkPodcast Radio, UK and many more. To listen to this week’s episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS magazine 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.

Andrew Wilkow’s Program Moves to Salem News Channel. Conservative media personality Andrew Wilkow is joining Salem Media Group’s OTT platform Salem News Channel (SalemNewsChannel.com) effective February 15. The “Wilkow!” program – billed as “a combination of breaking news from the day, and what to make of it from the host’s perspective” – will air weekdays from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET.  Wilkow has hosted a regular program on The Blaze TV for the past seven years. This move to Salem News Channel ends that relationship. Wilkow also hosts “Wilkow Majority” on SiriusXM and that show will continue. Wilkow says, “I cannot wait to move ‘Wilkow!’ onto the Salem News Channel. The 5:00 pm hour is the starting point of the evening news cycle. Our plan is to give the viewer an hour of live TV that combines perfectly executed political analysis and whatever breaking stories are happening. This is not going to be a clone program. Starting February 15, we are going to bring passion and fire to the 5:00 pm hour every day.” Salem says the program will originate out of Salem’s New York City studio in Lower Manhattan and will be the first of many TV-only hours being produced by SNC. The Salem News Channel is also home to video simulcasts of Salem Radio Network’s shows including: Hugh Hewitt, Mike Gallagher, Dennis Prager, Sebastian Gorka, and Larry Elder. Salem SVP of spoken word formats Phil Boyce adds, “Andrew is a perfect fit for SNC and all of the hosts already there. Andrew has carved out a name for himself on the Sirius Patriot Channel. His many followers will have a great time watching him on our new TV network.”

KYW Newsradio Names Kevin McCorry News Director. Radio news pro Kevin McCorry joins Audacy’s all-news KYW-AM/WPHI-FM, Philadelphia as news director, effective February 28. In this role, McCorry will oversee editorial coverage across the station’s broadcast, digital, and podcasting departments and will be responsible for planning and executing in-depth original multiplatform reporting projects. McCorry was most recently managing editor at crosstown public media outlet WHYY. Audacy Philadelphia SVP and market manager David Yadgaroff says, “KYW Newsradio’s influence and legacy is unmatched in Philadelphia, and its community-focused journalism has only grown stronger over the years. We’re happy to welcome Kevin and so excited to see and hear his impact on the continuing evolution of our modern multimedia newsroom.” McCorry comments, “I’m thrilled to lead KYW’s news team as it starts a new chapter and grows its capacity for ambitious, original, multimedia journalism. As a Philly native, I know that KYW Newsradio holds a special place in the hearts and habits of many people in our region, and the talent in this newsroom is immense. The bottom line for any news operation is trust, and I’m beyond excited to continue to build KYW’s trust among more of our region’s listeners and readers by bringing my passion for smart, fair, in-depth news and storytelling to this esteemed organization.”

iHeartMedia Presents Fourth Annual ‘iHeartRadio Podcast Awards.’ Last night, the fourth annual iHeartRadio Podcast Awards took place virtually. The program was exclusively video streamed on iHeartRadio’s YouTube channel and Facebook page and broadcast across iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app. Pop star Dua Lipa presented the Podcast of the Year award to Sarah Marshall and Michael Hobbes for their “You’re Wrong About” podcast. (Podcast of the Year was determined by popular vote via Twitter. The rest of the categories were determined by a panel of judges.) Other winners of note include: “The Daily” from The New York Times in the Best News Podcast category; “The Bill Simmons Podcast” from The Ringer/Bill Simmons in the Best Sports Podcast category; and “Pod Save America” from Crooked Media in the Best Political Podcast category. You can see all the winners here.

Edison Research and Ad Results Media to Present 3rd Annual Podcast Super Listeners Study Results. On February 16, Edison Research and Ad Results Media will present the results of the third annual “Super Listeners” study. “Super Listeners” are defined as consumers who listen to five or more hours of podcasts weekly and are the people most likely to hear podcasting ads, and to have an opinion about them. During the webinar, Ad Results Media partner and CEO Marshall Williams and Edison Research WVP Tom Webster will walk attendees through an exclusive look at those who spend the most time listening to podcasts including: how Super Listeners feel about the number of ads in podcasts and the length of ad breaks; their attitudes about host-read ads versus pre-recorded ads versus sponsorships; how podcast advertising affects intent to purchase and other brand fit measures; plus more. You can register for the webinar here.

TALKERS News Notes. Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that Good Karma Brands’ sports talk WMVP-AM “ESPN 1000” is putting Chicago sportscasters Peggy Kusinski and Dionne Miller together to host a new, weekly program that will air on the station on Saturdays from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. WMVP director of content Danny Zederman says, “We are really excited to have Peggy and Dionne on our team and know the fans will enjoy this duo. I think it’s going to be great.”…..Tomorrow (2/5), FOX Sports Radio personality Joy Taylor, co-host of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” and host of “The Joy Taylor Show” weekend program, is teaming up with Dr. Jen Welter, the first female coach in the NFL and the Semi-Pro Football San Diego Rebellion, to give female youth in Los Angeles the opportunity to learn the game of flag football. The program is being presented by The Joy Taylor Foundation and Dr. Welter’s Grrridiron Girls organization, the free flag football camp will be held at St. Frances X. Cabrini Catholic School in Los Angeles for girls ages 8-18. Dr. Welter, who has hosted over 30 Grrridiron Girls football camps to date, will lead on-the-field training, teaching the fundamentals of flag football while inspiring self-confidence, sisterhood and empowerment. In addition, Taylor will host “The Joy Taylor Show” live from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm PT at the camp. All participants will have the opportunity to hear from Taylor and ask her questions about her career in sports…..iHeartMedia unveils a new podcast hosted by pop star Dua Lipa titled, “Dua Lipa: At Your Service,” which was conceived and produced by Studio 2054 Productions. The weekly interview-style podcast will feature a special guest alongside Dua Lipa for “refreshing and thought-provoking conversations brimming with tools, tips, recommendations and inspiring stories.” The first episode will be available February 11 in English on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. The podcast will also be available to listeners in Spanish, Portuguese and French. Upcoming guests will include Elton John, Megan Thee Stallion, Russell Brand, Bowen Yang as well as South Korean rapper CL, author Lisa Taddeo, British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, novelist Hanya Yanagihara, Iraqi human rights activist Nadia Murad, and more.

Museum of Innovation and Science Hosts WGY-AM Exhibit. The Museum of Innovation and Science in Schenectady, New York is presenting an exhibit of the history of WGY-AM from its birth in 1922 to 1980 to coincide with the station’s 100th anniversary. A story by Northeast Public Radio’s WAMC, Albany details the exhibit. The station was put on the air by Schenectady-based General Electric. The museum’s Chris Hunter, VP of collections and exhibitions, says, “So, it was about 10th commercial station licensed in 1922. And because it was formed by GE’s publicity department, and not so much the engineers that formed a lot of the other early radio stations, they really placed a premium on entertainment and, kind of, the development of broadcasting.” The exhibit, called WGY: Radio’s Laboratory Celebrates Its Centennial, will be at the museum through May 8. It contains about 50 photos from its first 58 years, including the one above showing FDR doing one of his fireside chats. Hunter says, “So this one of Roosevelt’s early fireside chats. They became really famous once he became president and he gave these personal talks every weekend, kind of comforting people through the Great Depression and World War II, but he kind of perfected the format while New York State Governor here on WGY.” Photo: miSci

COVID-19 Mandates, Masks, Vaccines & Politics Top News/Talk Story for Week of January 31 to February 4. The combination of COVID-19 mandates, mask & vaccine policies and the politics surrounding the pandemic came together as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the state of the U.S. economy, including the financial markets activity, soaring retail and oil prices, and the national debt, followed by rising violent crime in U.S. cities and the spate of police officers being killed at #3. The Talkers TenTM 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

Friday, January 28, 2022

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 magazine, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Back in the USSR,” looks back at this past week of 1/24 to 1/28. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, TALKERS executive editor, John Batchelor, talk show host, CBS RadioHarry Hurley, talk show host, WPG, Atlantic City; Victoria Jones, executive director/commentator, DC Radio CompanyJosh Hammer, opinion editor/podcaster, Newsweek; and Nanette Holt, reporter, The Epoch Times. 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; WVLY, Wheeling, WV; WTRW-FM, Scranton/Wilkes Barre, PA; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; KBKW, Aberdeen, WA; 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 NetworkCRN Digital Talk Radio NetworkPodcast Radio, UK and many more. To listen to this week’s episode, please click here.  To view the latest TALKERS magazine 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.

Bonneville Names Sean Thompson PD for ‘Arizona Sports.’ Sports radio pro Sean Thompson is named program director for Bonneville’s Phoenix sports talk properties, KMVP-FM “98.7 FM Arizona Sports” and KTAR-AM “ESPN 620 Phoenix.” Thompson comes to Bonneville from his most recent position as assistant brand manager for Audacy’s WZGC-FM, Atlanta “92.9 FM The Game.” Thompson comments, “It was going to need to be the ultimate opportunity for me to leave ‘The Game’ and I’ve found it. With the talented talk shows, flagship relationships with all the local teams and full commitment to digital content, the potential for the ‘Arizona Sports’ super brand is limitless.” Bonneville Phoenix SVP and market manager Ryan Hatch adds, “Sean is the perfect person to lead ‘Arizona’s Sports Station’ to new heights. He is strategic, creative, collaborative and we can’t wait to see what he will do to continue to grow the ‘Arizona Sports’ brand on all channels.” Thompson takes over for Rod Lakin, who assumed the brand manager post with Audacy’s sports talk WIP, Philadelphia in October.

KFI-AM Launches Weekly Show with LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Los Angeles news/talk KFI-AM announces the return of the weekly radio program, “Live and Unscripted with LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.” The iHeartMedia station will air the program on Sundays from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm from its studios in Burbank. The station says, “The new weekly program is back by popular demand and is hosted by Alex Villanueva, who runs the country’s largest sheriff’s department. Every Sunday, listeners can join the show to hear the hottest topics on the mind of LA County residents: homelessness, crime, corruption and politics. Villanueva will also feature guests who will explain the inner workings of the various bureaus in his department.” Station program director Robin Bertolucci says, “Sheriff Alex Villanueva is a straight talker and KFI has always welcomed bold talk.”

Round Three of Holiday PPMs Released. The third of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s Holiday 2021 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including: Portland, Charlotte, San Antonio, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Columbus. Nielsen’s Holiday 2021 sweep covered December 9 – January 5. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. Radio listening patterns change during this period due to the seasonal implementation of Christmas music but some spoken-word stations were able to buck that trend. Audacy’s news/talk KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh tacked on seven-tenths for a 4.4 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) and rose to the #8 rank. iHeartMedia’s news/talk WTAM, Cleveland was up four-tenths for a 4.4 share and climbed to the #7 rank. In Kansas City, Audacy’s KMBZ-FM rose four-tenths for a 5.0 share finish good for the #5 rank in the market. You can see Mike Kinosian’s complete Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets (as well and the first two rounds) here.

Audacy Partners with Podchaser for Podcasting Insight. A new partnership between Audacy and Podchaser will allow Audacy to use Podchaser’s metadata and podcast technology capabilities to gain insight into the performance and influence of podcasts across the entire industry, enhancing Audacy’s value proposition for agencies and clients. Audacy EVP of digital sales Ken Lagana says, “As Audacy continues to build out our industry leading, measurement and attribution suite, we are excited to partner with Podchaser to help our client and agency partners continue to make smart decisions routed in data when placing their podcast buys with Audacy.”

WABC, New York Honors Memory of Fallen NYPD Officer Jason Rivera. New York City news/talk “77 WABC Radio” is honoring fallen New York City Police Officer Jason Rivera today (1/28), the day of his funeral. The station is asking its listeners to recognize Rivera’s service. “On behalf of John Catsimatidis, chairman and chief executive officer of The Red Apple Group and subsidiary Red Apple Media and the entire staff of 77 WABC, we encourage you to join us and support a hometown hero at the NYPD by ‘standing with us’ on Friday, January 28 at 9:00 am EST to honor the life of Jason Rivera. 77 WABC will pause the airwaves and take a moment of silence to show support and ask ALL of New York City and America to STAND, outside your home, inside your home, place of work or school. All of our communities are deeply saddened and affected, and we are asking to show your support.” 77 WABC and One Times Square have collaborated to display the image of Jason Rivera on the side of their building at 8:58 am, 9:15 am, 9:30 am, 9:45 am. The station is also distributing free “Back The Blue” pins to wear to show support for police officers via its website.

TALKERS News Notes. Seattle’s all-news KOMO-AM/FM “KOMO News” is losing its heritage call letters and the “KOMO News” slogan as part of the deal that transferred the station from Sinclair Broadcast Group to Lotus Broadcasting. The Seattle Times reports that since the deal allows Sinclair to keep the KOMO calls off the stations, it will take up the new calls KNWN for “Northwest News.” Station PD and afternoon personality Rick Van Cise tells the paper, “There won’t be any difference in the sound of the radio station. The personalities, the reporters are all staying the same.”…..Austin public radio outlet KUT-FM names Jerry Quijano permanent host of the “All Things Considered” host seat at the NPR member station. Quijano began his career with KUT in 2017 as a weekend local host. After graduating from Texas A&M University-San Antonio and participating in NPR’s Next-Generation Radio project, he started full-time the following year…..“Radiolab” founder Jad Abumrad announces he’s leaving the podcast he founded almost 20 years ago and to honor and celebrate him, WNYC is releasing the very first episode of the show that was broadcast only once on WNYC’s AM station in 2002 and then locked away in the vault. WNYC says it had to literally digitize the show from several CDs to get it on air. Speaking about his departure, Abumrad says, “For the last few years – since 2016 really – I’ve told myself that there’d come a point when the team would be ‘ready’ for me to leave. When they might even need me to. I wasn’t sure when that would be or how I’d know, but I made a pact with myself to stay watchful, to create space rather than filling it, and to listen rather than talk. We’re at that point.”

COVID-19 Vaccines, Masks & Mandates Top News/Talk Story for Week of January 24-28. Controversy surrounding COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates and the rate of infection from the Omicron variant in the U.S. and around the world came together as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the global tensions over the Russian military build-up at the Ukraine border, tied with relations between the U.S. and China. Coming in at #3 this week was the announced retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and speculation about President Joe Biden’s potential nominee. The Talkers TenTM 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

Monday, January 17, 2022

Talk Radio Legend Michael Jackson Passes at 87. Talk radio host Michael Jackson, who achieved legendary status during his career in Los Angeles, died on Sunday (1/16) at his home in L.A. at the age of 87. Jackson, who retired from radio in 2007, had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease for the past 10 years. He is best remembered for his iconic work at KABC, Los Angeles that lasted from 1966 to 1998. TALKERS founder Michael Harrison (who served as a talk show host on rocker KMET in Los Angeles between 1975 and 1986) issued the following statement: “Michael Jackson was one of the all-time greats – a founding father – of talk radio. During his 32-year run at KABC, his very presence gave the station prestige and national stature as one of – if not THE – first very rare commercial outlets fully committed to the spoken-word format. Michael Jackson and KABC were synonymous with the phrase ‘talk radio.’ It should also be pointed out that his heyday in the format began prior to the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 which, in my opinion, marked the beginning of the modern era of talk radio.  That made him the member of an exclusive club of radio performers whose historical relevance and influence on things to come in the broadcasting industry are incalculable.” Jackson’s longtime producer Lyle Gregory remembers Jackson in a piece you can read here.

Monday Memo: Podcasting ‘Will Continue to Explode.’ In a marketing piece to the advertising community, iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman sees “no signs of growth abating.” In this week’s column, consultant Holland Cooke outlines opportunities at the station level. Read it here.

 

Pending Business: Early Warning. According to the “sales calendar,” January is over, and the first quarter is headed toward spring. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa says it’s time for an early review of your sales game plan. “Like any other performance skill, practice, evaluation and repetition makes for improvement. The skills required for success in today’s sales environment may be different from the last few years.” Read about Lapa’s six questions you can ask yourself here.

Chicago Sports Personality Les Grobstein Dead at 69. Windy City sports media personality and WSCR “The Score” overnight talk host Les Grobstein was found dead at his home in suburban Elk Grove Village on Sunday, according to a report from Chicago media writer Robert Feder. He reports that WSCR operations director Mitch Rosen said Grobstein had been away from his show since last Wednesday due to illness. During his career, Grobstein was sports director at WLS-AM, Chicago for 10 years. He served at sports talk WMVP from 1991 to 1997. He began his overnight stint with WSCR in 2009.

Pioneering Talk Host Susan Bray Dies at 79. A number of news outlets are reporting that former talk host Susan Bray (pictured here on C-SPAN) died in her native Australia last week at age 79. The Des Moines Register has a nice story written by her longtime friend Julie Gammack, who would replace her on WHO-AM. During her career, Bray worked at such outlets as WHO-AM, Des Moines and WWDB-FM, Philadelphia. She earned the nickname the “Saucy Aussie” because of her ribald sense of humor. After a long talk radio career in the U.S., Bray, who had married American Ed DeLong, returned to her hometown of Mudgee, Australia where she and DeLong ran a bed and breakfast.

Maine Station Fires Sportscasters After Body Shaming Incident. The owner of Houlton, Maine radio station WHOU-FM has fired two sportscasters who were caught on a hot mic body-shaming female basketball players during a game between two high school teams. Jim Carter and Steve Shaw were calling the game while watching it on a livestream and made comments about the weight of some of the teenage girls. Carter is a former coach from another school and Shaw had been the athletic director at one of the schools playing in the contest that night. Carter told the Portland Press-Herald that he has apologized to the superintendent of one of the schools, adding, “I don’t even know what to say. Hopefully everybody can get through this and be OK.” Northern Maine Media owner Fred Grant posted a notice of the pair’s dismissal on the station website saying, in part, “Our mission has been to highlight the best of our communities, our schools, the programs we love, and most importantly – our students.  Last night, two broadcasters made comments that were not only inappropriate, they were also blatantly wrong.  Those broadcasters were terminated… We’ve heard from many of you, and many have shared clips of the event in question. While it’s wrong that it happened, I’m going to ask each of you to help us shift the focus back on the excellence we see every day in our students. If you’ve shared the video post, I’m hoping you will take it down, not to downplay the incident, but to better help all of our students move on to the important work and events in their lives.”

MIW Names Three to Board of Directors. Three new members are joining the board of directors for Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio. Haley Jones of MRC Data, Melissa Mitchell of Bonneville International, and Brittney Jackson of Urban One/Radio One are joining the board of the organization that “consists of top-level female radio professionals who use their experience, influence, and resources to help other women in radio develop management and leadership skills.” Jackson currently serves as the general and digital sales manager for Urban One/Radio One in Richmond where she is responsible for recruiting and developing new talent, leading multi-platform sales efforts, and increasing annual revenue. Jones serves as head of independents for MRC Data where she oversees independent labels, small radio groups, and managers with music intelligence for today. Mitchell is Bonneville International’s director of finance, corporate controller and is based in their Denver market. MIW board president Ruth Presslaff says, “We are extremely fortunate to have not one, but three powerhouses join our board. Their success speaks for itself; it’s their willingness to pay it forward for the good of women and our industry that makes each so special and appreciated. I’d be remiss in not thanking the three members leaving our board as their terms end: Kay Olin, principal of Olin & Associates, and past MIW spokeswoman, whose constant leadership, dedication, and long term participation profoundly impacted MIW and me personally; Valerie Blackburn, principal at VKB Consulting, whose financial expertise led MIW through the arduous process of establishing a formal 501(c)(3) status; and Beth Neuhoff, president & CEO Neuhoff Media who provided invigorating energy and challenging ideas that MIW will push ever forward.”

Cowboys Great Chad Hennings Takes Part in SRN News Series. Pictured here is Salem Radio Network VP of news Tom Tradup (left) with three-time Dallas Cowboys Superbowl champion Chad Hennings. Hennings is in the SRN studios working with Tradup on a special, week-long series on SRN News aimed at getting men involved in Christian ministries. The five-part series titled, “Get Off the Bench,” begins airing today (1/17)

Tuscaloosa Sports Talker Jay Barker Arrested on Assault Charges. Former University of Alabama star quarterback Jay Barker was arrested in Nashville and charged with aggravated assault after allegedly trying to ram the car his estranged wife was riding in. Barker hosts the midday show on Townsquare Media’s sports talk WTUG-HD2/W256CG, Tuscaloosa “Tide 100.9” and is married to country artist Sara Evans. She filed for divorce from Barker in August.

COVID-19, Midterm Elections/Trump & the GOP, Texas Synagogue Assault, Djokovic Booted from Australia, NFL Playoffs, Winter Weather, and Martin Luther King, Jr Day Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The high rate of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and the Supreme Court’s rejection of the Joe Biden vaccine mandate; the battle for control of Congress in November midterm elections and Donald Trump’s influence in the GOP; the Texas synagogue hostage incident; Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic is kicked out of Australia ahead of the Australian Open after violating the country’s COVID protocols; the NFL’s Wild Card weekend; intense winter weather hitting the Eastern U.S.; and the Martin Luther King, Jr weekend and holiday were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

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Friday, January 14, 2022

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 magazine, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Mandate Shmandate,” looks back at this past week of 1/10 to 1/14. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERSDan Mandis, talk show host/PD, Supertalk 99.7 WTN, Nashville; Derek Hunter, talk show host, WCBM, Baltimore/USA Radio NetworkLynn Woolley, talk show host, KJCE, Austin; Dom Giordano, talk show host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Frank Morano, talk show host, WABC, New York; and Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company. The show airs each weekend 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; WVLY, Wheeling, WV; WTRW-FM, Scranton/Wilkes Barre, PA; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; KBKW, Aberdeen, WA; 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 NetworkCRN Digital Talk Radio NetworkPodcast Radio, UK and many more. To listen to this week’s episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS magazine 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.

Glenn Beck Battling Second COVID-19 Infection. During an appearance on Mark Levin’s Westwood One syndicated radio show, Premiere Networks talk radio star Glenn Beck revealed he has COVID-19 for the second time. Numerous news outlets picked up on the story, including Newsweek. Beck told Levin that his whole family had COVID in December of 2020 so they didn’t get vaccinated. He said he’s taking ivermectin and despite his second infection, feels great. “I am great, Mark. I am great…despite having COVID and seeing the destruction of our country, I’m great. I mean, I’ve been doing my show…It’s a lighter case but it’s now starting to go into my lungs today, a little disturbing. But I’m on all the medications and treatments and everything else, so we’ll see.” He also said he’s not taking monoclonal antibodies because they don’t “seem to be working for the new strain. But I’m on ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine—what is it, Fluvoxin? I’m on a bunch of different…I mean, my doctors are hitting it really hard.” He told Levin that he’s been battling COVID for about a week but is not concerned about the virus reaching his lungs. “Everybody’s getting sick because it’s very contagious but it’s not nearly as deadly. I’m a fatty fat fatso, so you know, that’s probably not the best thing…And I’ve got some other issues, but that’s just the way it is. We have got to move on with our lives.”

2021 Social Impact Report Reveals ‘Audacy Serves’ Achievements. The company releases its 2021 Social Impact Report that spotlights key achievements from its ongoing companywide Audacy Serves initiative. The report encompasses Audacy’s commitment to several pillars of impact: diversity, equity and inclusion, mental health, civic education, the environment, children’s health, and veterans and service members. Some of the achievements the company highlights include, in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category, the arrival of eight new fellows – recent graduates from historically underrepresented communities within the industry have joined the team in a variety of sales, marketing and content roles. Yearlong fellowship experiences include curated on-the-job learning and growth opportunities; in the Mental Health category the company produced its 5th annual “I’m Listening” broadcast with influential names like Doja Cat, Luke Combs and Demi Lovato, who shared their personal struggles with mental health. The event helped Audacy connect with more than 200 million people and raise more than $800,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; in the Civic Education category, Audacy’s “Engaged Impressions” study found that 71% of weekly radio listeners tune in because they feel the content is relevant to their community. Audacy says research like this indicates that listeners continue to trust local media. Audacy further invested in its news business, adding over 50 journalists in eight of its newsrooms across the country in an effort to meet that demand for trusted quality content. Audacy VP of social impact Sarah Harris comments, “This report reflects our unwavering commitment to putting our values in action and our passion to use our collective voice for good within each of our pillars of impact. We are thrilled to share these significant results and moving stories of real human connection unfolding in our communities across the country.” You can see the complete report here.

Three New Shows Added to BetQL Network. Beginning this Sunday (1/16), three new shows will debut across Audacy’s BetQL Network. “BetQL 5 Star Weekend,” (8:00 am – 10:00 am ET) is hosted by KDKA-FM, Pittsburgh host Chris Mack and CBS Sports Radio’s Damon Amendolara and uses BetQL’s star rating system to preview all of the best bets for the day and the week ahead. “Sunday’s Bets,” (12:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET) is hosted by WTEM-AM, Washington morning show host Travis Thomas and BetQL Network hosts Quinton Mayo and Michael Jenkins and keeps listeners up to date with all of the best action from a busy day in sports. “BetNation,” (4:00 pm – 8:00 pm ET) is hosted by CBS Sports Radio’s Shaun Morash and Audacy’s alternative national evening host Kevan Kenney as they take the pulse of the nation from a sports betting perspective. Audacy VP of sports Matt Volk comments, “As football season turns the corner for the home stretch, we’re pleased to introduce three dynamic Sunday shows to help bettors get ready for all the action across the sports world. These three programs will continue to put fans in position to win on Sundays, no matter the season.” Announced at the same time is news that BetQL writer Lucy Burdge will join “Back to the Futures” and co-host alongside Brandon Sprague, Sunday nights from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm ET.

TALKERS News Notes. The Little Rock stations owned by Cumulus Media report that their December 10 “Festival of Stars Toy and Donation Drive and Radiothon” raised $363,249 for Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Arkansas Children’s Northwest, the state’s local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The stations, including news/talk KARN-FM “News Radio 1029,” broadcast for 12 hours to encourage donations. The annual event has raised more than $3.6 million over the past 17 years…..The pro football playoffs begin this weekend and Cumulus Media’s Westwood One is presenting play-by-play coverage from all six games of the NFL Super Wild Card Playoffs. Scott Graham will host the pregame/halftime/postgame shows for the Saturday and Sunday games. Rich Eisen will be the studio host for the Monday night playoff game…..Beginning this Monday (1/17), Field of 68’s nightly college basketball show, “The Field of 68 AFTER DARK,” will air on SiriusXM’s ESPNU Radio channel. The show, currently broadcast on the network’s YouTube and social channels, is broadcast live nightly from 11:00 pm until 12:00 midnight ET and features a rotating cast of prominent sports figures. The lineup of rotating voices will include stadium insider Jeff Goodman, former college stars Robbie Hummel, Randolph Childress, Ashton Gibbs and Terrence Oglesby, as well as veteran coaches Sean Miller, Archie Miller and Steve Prohm. Field of 68 founder Rob Dauster says, “There’s a major void right now in this space with regard to college basketball. This will give diehard college basketball fans somewhere to go each night from the start of the season through the national title game to not only be informed, but also entertained.”…..iHeartRadio announces the launch of “Welcome to Our Show,” a “New Girl” rewatch podcast hosted by show stars Zooey Deschanel, Hannah Simone, and Lamorne Morris. Together, the trio will rewatch the Emmy-nominated series to reveal never-before-told stories, their favorite memories from creating the show, and divulge moments and scenes left on the cutting room floor. The first episode of “Welcome to Our Show” drops on January 24.

COVID-19 Omicron Variant, Vaccines, Masks, Mandates and School Closings Top News/Talk Story for Week of January 10-14. The fast-spreading Omicron variant, vaccine and mask mandates and battles over school policies combined as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the economy, soaring inflation and the ongoing supply chain and labor shortage issues, followed by the January 6 Investigation and the 2022 midterm elections tied at #3. The Talkers TenTM 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.