SiriusXM announces that it is shutting down the Stitcher audio platform on August 29 as it moves to integrate podcasts into its SiriusXM subscription business. SiriusXM acquired Stitcher in 2020 for $325 million. The
company says that it expects to continue podcast creation via the Stitcher Studios and Earwolf, but the availability of third party podcasts on the SiriusXM app will be determined by the creators/producers of those programs.
Heavy Hundred titan Joe Madison interviewed TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison Tuesday morning (6/20)
on his long-running “Urban View” channel program on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. The two legendary radio figures took a deep-dive into the subjects of podcasting, AM radios in cars, the role of boomers in today’s culture and the way in which the annual TALKERS Heavy Hundred list is compiled. Don’t miss this conversation! Listen to the audio here.
iHeartPodcasts and Imagine Entertainment, the global entertainment company founded by Ron Howard and Brian Glazer, unveil “Big Sugar,” a new investigative podcast about the multimillion-dollar sugar industry. iHeartPodcasts says, “‘Big Sugar’ is a true crime story unlike any other that centers on the epic legal battle pitting the multimillion-dollar sugar industry against the migrant laborers who harvest sugarcane, while revealing corporate malfeasance, human rights violations, DC lobbying, nutrition downfalls and the destruction of the environment.” The series is hosted by Celeste Headlee, an award-winning, internationally recognized journalist and author who has hosted shows for NPR, WNYC and PBS.
SiriusXM announces it is launching a special pop-up channel dedicated to the world-famous Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Principality of Monaco itself, one of the world’s most glamorous locales and home to one of auto racing’s most prestigious events. The special channel will be available on Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25. In a special SiriusXM broadcast event, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco sits down for a rare and wide-ranging one-on-one conversation in which he shares his insights into the Principality of Monaco, what makes Monaco’s Formula 1 Grand Prix so captivating for millions around the globe, Monaco’s future in F1, as well as some of the Prince’s other personal passions.
The nationally syndicated talk show “Free Talk Live” welcomes new weekend affiliate WNOS-AM, New Bern, North Carolina.
“You Better You Bet,” the flagship program of Audacy’s BetQL Network joins the program schedule at CRC Broadcasting’s KQFN-AM/K257CD, Phoenix in the 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm daypart.
Salem Media Group announces that the “Main Street Matters” podcast, produced by Job Creators Network, joins the Salem Podcast Network. The small business-focused program features inspirational real-life stories of the struggles and successes of small business owners. It is co-hosted by Alfredo Ortiz and Elaine Parker.
SiriusXM unveils the new Jeff Lewis Channel on the SiriusXM app. The channel featured content from the SiriusXM Radio Andy show, plus three new shows: the “Jeff Lewis Live After Show” with comedians Brandy Howard and Julie Goldman, “Flipping Out Friday,” as well as “Chumps Happy Hour,” featuring a rotating cast of hosts.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Tik-Tok is hot (largely among users too young to be heavy AM/FM listeners) and it’s in-the-news (about its possible ban). And, yes, Facebook remains T-Rex in the social media jungle. But people on Twitter seem to live there.
— Twitter is a useful right-now prompt, because Tweets stack-up, so there’s less value alerting Followers to what’s up much later today or tomorrow.
— Like any contact, there’s a quality/quantity trade-off. You will get a feel for how-much-is-too-much when you see your Followers number drop. So, think before you Tweet. You’ll never get un-Followed for something you didn’t Tweet.
— Best of all, like other social media, Twitter is…social. Conversations begin and spread. And any of your Followers can re-Tweet your message to all their Followers, and any of them could re-Tweet it too. Going-viral like that is powerful peer-to-peer endorsement, particularly if you’re a podcaster, because subscriptions are the ballgame.
REAL opportune: links and attachments.
— AM/FM transmitters are audio-only and only in real-time. But you can Tweet-out a photo or video or a link to online content. Research demonstrates that third-party content you share gets re-Tweeted more than content about yourself.
— Possibly the most-useful Tweets about your radio work are “snack-size” single-topic aircheck clips. Especially opportune: guest interview excerpts that enable listeners. “Car Coach Lauren Fix has three tips BEFORE your summer road trip.” Why expose that useful programming content only to those who happened to be listening live?
— Tweeting in that fashion not only conforms to listeners’ on-demand media preference, it puts your audio back in the pocket, where radio used to be.
Twitter does double-duty BEFORE your show.
— Note how SiriusXM/CNN host Michael Smerconish tees-up topics with quick videos and polls. People like being-asked. A real estate agent whose weekend show I coach uses Twitter “to ask an opinion on a light fixture, a paint color, an appliance.” She notes that “on HGTV’s website, they have a section called ‘Rate My Remodel.’ Regular folks send in pictures of a recent remodel that they did, and others comment. People love this stuff.” So, start a conversation that takes wings. When you read posted comments on-air, you sound accessible and popular.
— And Twitter’s characters-limit is a useful discipline. You’re pre-scripting your concise, inviting show open.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books; and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke
The Seattle Seahawks announced today a multi-year extension with Bonneville Seattle Media Group to continue with “Seattle Sports 710 AM” and “KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM” as the official flagship radio broadcast partners of the Seahawks. Bonneville Seattle SVP and market manager Cathy Cangiano says, “For nearly 50 years, the Seahawks and KIRO have shared a unique partnership and today we are honored and excited to once again extend our commitment to broadcast the Seahawks throughout the Pacific Northwest. Working together for so many years makes collaboration and innovation a natural part of what we do together. That spirit is present in the broadcast booth, in our respective front offices and especially in our community, where we seek to entertain and serve the 12s. Once again, we look forward to broadcasting the excitement of Seahawks football.”
Kaleidoscope and iHeartPodcasts, in collaboration with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), announces the launch of a new eight-part series, “Silenced,” that re-examines the murders of radio broadcasters in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood in the early 1990s. The murders were never solved, leaving a wound in Little Haiti that is still open to this day. iHeartPodcasts president Will Pearson says, “We are proud to collaborate with Kaleidoscope on their impressive slate of scripted podcasts. Listeners everywhere have been drawn to these real-life stories of wild chocolate hunters, unsuspected astrologists and Russian cosmonauts, and we know ‘Silenced’ will do the same – hopefully leading to some answers as to who was behind these unsolved murders.”
Edison Research will present its annual “Moms and Media” study from The Research Moms in a webinar on Thursday, May 11 at 2:00 pm ET. Edison VP (and Research Mom) Melissa DeCesare will present the latest findings as well as emerging trends from the last few years. In addition to data from The Infinite Dial study from Edison Research, and sponsored by Amazon Music, Wondery, and ART19, this year’s research also incorporates results from a new, national online study.
NASCAR and SiriusXM announce a multi-year renewal of their broadcasting agreement. SiriusXM will continue to deliver 24/7 NASCAR content to its subscribers, including live broadcasts of every race, plus daily NASCAR talk and interviews with voices across the industry through its exclusive SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel.
SiriusXM announces that Howard Stern will bring his program to Miami to officially open SiriusXM’s newest
state-of-the-art broadcast complex that will operate from the heart of South Beach. Stern will broadcast live May 1-3 from Miami in what SiriusXM calls “a star-studded week of programming live from SiriusXM Miami.” Stern will be joined live in the studio by special music and celebrity guests. The new SiriusXM Miami studios features a 50-seat performance space and several artist-first radio and recording studios, in addition to office space.
Townsquare Media, Inc announces that it will release first quarter 2023 financial results before the market opens on Wednesday, May 10. The company will host a conference call to discuss certain first quarter 2023 financial results that same day at 8:00 am Eastern Time.
SiriusXM announces its coverage of the 2023 NFL Draft, which will feature live announcements of every selection from every round and in-depth analysis on the SiriusXM NFL Radio channel. The broadcast team will be anchored by Jason Horowitz. SiriusXM’s expert analysts all three days will be former NFL scout, coach and front-office executive Pat Kirwan, former NFL quarterback Jim Miller and former coach Rick Neuheisel.
The 2023 winners of the New York Festivals Radio Awards were announced yesterday, and the BBC was named Broadcaster of the Year, while HarperCollins Publishers was honored as Radio Production Company of the Year. NY Festivals says, “Creative audio entries from storytellers around the globe captivated listeners and were recognized by the 2023 Radio Award Grand Jury. Winning entries include podcasts and audiobooks, masterful dramas, and documentaries, up-to-the-minute news coverage, entertainment, and music specials all
created by world renowned storytellers.” New York Festivals Storyteller’s Gala honored “The Kalb Report” with the 13th annual New York Festivals Lifetime Achievement Award. For nearly 30 years “The Kalb Report,” moderated by eminent journalist Marvin Kalb, has provided a forum for prominent newsmakers and journalists to discuss the news media’s impact on American democracy. “Start Here” by ABC News in the News Podcast category earned the inaugural National Press Club Award. The new award launched in 2023, in partnership with the National Press Club, goes to the highest scoring entry in the following news program categories: Best Coverage of Breaking News Story, Best Coverage of Ongoing News Story, Best Nonfiction Series, and News Podcast. Other U.S.-based audio companies winning gold awards in this year’s competition include: ESPN in three podcast categories, iHeartMedia/Katie Couric Media in the Narrative/Documentary Podcast category, and SiriusXM for Best Editing. See the complete winners gallery here.
Emmis Communications CEO Jeff Smulyan will be interviewed by Skyview Networks CEO Steve Jones on Wednesday (4/12) at 7:00 pm ET as part of the “Great Minds, Great Conversations” series sponsored by Adelphi University. The live, one-hour free webinar will cover Smulyan’s expansive career as an entrepreneur who launched WFAN, New York – radio’s first all-sports talk station – joined the exclusive MLB owners’ circle by acquiring the Seattle Mariners, and built a TV station portfolio. He will reveal hard lessons learned that can benefit today’s entrepreneurs. You can register here.
SiriusXM’s says its bipartisan political and news channel tweaks its program schedule. It says, “With the 2024 presidential race already underway, host Laura Coates will now kick-off coverage of the day’s breaking news from SiriusXM’s Washington, D.C. studios, with host Julie Mason returning to afternoons on the newly rebranded ‘The Julie Mason Show.’ Coates, who also serves as CNN’s senior legal analyst and host of ‘CNN Tonight,’ will continue to use her prosecutorial skills to analyze the top stories from a legal perspective.” Sirius XM says Mason is a veteran Washington journalist in her 12th year with the company. It adds, “Mason’s program will feature interviews with a compelling mix of journalists, strategists, and other politicos, as well as politicians from both sides of the political aisle. Mason will also host regular Town Hall events from SiriusXM’s Washington studios, as well as other locations.”
Dr. Laura Schlessinger – via her company Take On The Day, LLC – is launching a new podcast called, “Dr. Laura’s Deep Dive,” in which she “guides listeners through a 360-degree review of a single subject such as marriage, family dynamics, dating and parenting. In the first episode, Dr. Laura deals with the growing crisis of
dysfunctional families in America and how they are tearing our country apart.” SXM Media, the combined advertising sales group from SiriusXM Holdings Inc., has exclusive global ad sales rights for “Dr. Laura’s Deep Dive.” Dr. Laura says, “I’m excited to go deep into topics that are so important to the everyday life of my listeners. Focusing on one topic per episode gives me time and space to analyze the challenges, demonstrate real world examples, and share solutions on how to navigate out of the muck and mud of bad decisions and wrong-headed analysis and achieve a fulfilling life.” Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s “Dr. Laura Program” is in its 13th year on the SiriusXM platform.
— FOX Sports Radio’s Rob Parker, host of the nationally syndicated program “The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard & Rob Parker” – and founder/editor-in-chief of MLBbro.com, announces the launch of “The MLBbro Show Podcast – The Mixtape.” The new podcast is an extension of MLBbro.com, a website produced in partnership with Major League Baseball to chronicle the paths of Black and brown professional baseball players from the past and present. The show is hosted by MLBbro.com’s vice president of operations JR Gamble, who has covered Major League Baseball for more than two decades. Parker, along with MLBbro.com editors and writers David Grubb, Mark Gray, Christian Crittenden and Justin Petrille, will also contribute to the podcast.
— SiriusXM announces its extensive broadcast plans for Masters week (April 1-9) as exclusive audio broadcaster for the PGA golf tournament. SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein says, “We are honored and excited to again deliver our subscribers comprehensive coverage of one of the best weeks in all of sports. Our excellent broadcast team will bring listeners inside the ropes from the first tee shot on Thursday through the final putt on Sunday. Throughout the week we’ll celebrate the great history and traditions of the Masters, and fans will get great insight into today’s competitors, as well as the legendary players from Masters past.”
— SiriusXM and sports talk personality Adam Schein agree to a new, four-year contract that keeps Schein hosting his daily late morning show “Schein on Sports” on the Mad Dog Sports Radio channel. Schein will also continue to host his newly rebranded SiriusXM podcast, now titled “Rise and Schein,” which features compelling long-form interviews with athletes and celebrities.
— Hillsdale College’s WRFH “Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM” in Hillsdale, Michigan takes home the top honors at the 2023 Michigan Student Broadcast Awards, hosted by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters. The station was named the “2023 College Audio Station of the Year” and received nine individual awards. Station general manager Scot Bertram comments, “Our student broadcasters and journalists are committed to producing high-quality content that keeps listeners engaged. We’re honored to have that work recognized by such a prestigious organization.”
— ESPN and SiriusXM are teamed up to give listeners nationwide access to ESPN’s live audio coverage of select UFC events on SiriusXM’s Fight Nation channel. Subscribers will hear the live call from the UFC audio on ESPN networks. ESPN vice president Matt Kenny states, “We are constantly looking for new ways to give fans more access to our content. SiriusXM’s expansive reach will help us bring the excitement of UFC to a broader audience and provide additional ways for these very passionate fans to stay connected to the action.”
— iHeartMedia announces that new episodes of the program “Navigating Narcissism with Dr. Ramani” are available on its iHeartPodcasts platform. The podcast is hosted by clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula and focuses on narcissism and its impact on relationships. iHeartmedia says, “Through powerful conversations with survivors and experts, Dr. Ramani breaks down classic patterns of narcissistic abuse including love bombing, gaslighting, control and manipulation to help millions who are suffering. Each eye-opening episode demystifies feelings of betrayal, shame, confusion and pain for a tremendously transformative and healing experience.”
SiriusXM extends its relationship with comic Kevin Hart and his entertainment company Hartbeat via new multi-year deal. Under the agreement, Hartbeat will continue to curate content at the intersection of comedy and culture for Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Radio channel. Hart will also continue to host his popular podcast,
“Gold Minds with Kevin Hart,” which debuts its new season featuring Hart in conversation with Ryan Coogler. In addition, Hartbeat will produce a slate of new, talent-led programs, including “Love Thang with Punkie Johnson” and “One Song with Diallo and LUXXURY,” hosted by Diallo Riddle and Blake “LUXXURY” Robin. SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein comments, “Over the last five years, Kevin has become a cornerstone of SiriusXM’s comedy programming, and we’re absolutely thrilled to deepen our relationship with Kevin and the whole Hartbeat team. As they’ve proven time and again, they have their finger on the pulse of the new, exciting, diverse voices in comedy, and our audience has clearly responded. We’re excited to remain Kevin’s audio home as he continues to expand his comedy brand and listenership.”
— SiriusXM is presenting live broadcasts of every game of this week’s World Baseball Classic being played in Miami through March 21. SiriusXM is producing the national radio broadcasts for every Team USA game and 15 World Baseball Classic games in total including every game from Pool C in Phoenix, as well as the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games played in Miami.
— iHeartMedia’s iHeartPodcasts and Frolic Media announce the debut of “Exit Interview,” a new dating experiment podcast. The 12-episode season is hosted and executive produced by Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu, known for their long-running podcast “Dateable.” “Exit Interview” features a deep dive into the experience of a featured dater, along with recorded feedback from their exes, friends and others in their life willing to offer insight into what might be going wrong in their dating life.
News of satellite radio firm SiriusXM cutting 8% of its staff – about 475 jobs – is being widely reported after CEO Jennifer Witz sent a companywide email revealing the company’s plans. In her comments regarding the company’s 2022 fourth quarter and full-year operating results, Witz called 2022 a “strong year,” but added, “In 2023, we expect SiriusXM to deliver strong operating performance and generate significant cash, even as we face a challenging economic environment and continue to make material investments in our technology
infrastructure.” Witz adds, “Over the past five years, our business has grown and expanded with the addition of new acquisitions, business lines, and revenue streams. Now, we have completed an assessment of our departments and functions to determine where we can improve collaboration, consolidate teams to achieve greater efficiencies, and ultimately, design an organization structure that is best positioned to achieve our priorities. As a result, nearly every department across SiriusXM will be impacted. We believe the new operational design will allow us to move faster and more effectively as we take on new challenges across our business.” While numerous companies report net losses each quarter, SiriusXM has been reporting net income for some time. The company reported net income of $1.2 billion for 2022, but that was a decline of $100 million from the $1.3 billion in net income it reported for 2021.
— Jacksonville’s WJCT Public Media and The Florida Theatre announce the debut of their latest partnership, “Untold Stories,” a live oral storytelling series. “Untold Stories” is produced live on stage by The Florida Theatre, and the radio show and podcast is produced by WJCT Public Media and The Florida Theatre. “Untold Stories” offers a platform for Northeast Florida residents to share their unique and inspiring experiences with the world. The radio program airs every Sunday this month at 7:00 pm.
— SiriusXM announces that six-time PGA TOUR winner Rocco Mediate is joining the roster of hosts on its SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio channel. Mediate will have his own show, “The Rocco Hour,” which he will host exclusively for every Tuesday at 6:00 pm ET beginning March 7. “I have 38 years of PGA TOUR experience. I see and remember everything! I have so much to say and I’m excited to have my own show on SiriusXM where I can share it with our listeners.”
— PodcastOne announces that it has secured renewals for several tentpole programs that keep top performing and fan favorite podcasts with the network for the foreseeable future. The podcasts include: “The Adam Carolla Podcast,” “The Jordan Harbinger Show,” “LADYGANG,” “Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe,” and “Court Junkies.” PodcastOne president Kit Gray says, “The secret to our success as a network is the strength and longevity of our relationships with our partners in podcasting. In the exciting landscape of digital audio entertainment, being able to continue those relationships with six of our top performing and most beloved programs is a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication.”
— SiriusXM announced a new show inspired by The Last Mile (TLM), a unique in-prison program that’s changing lives through technology-based education by preparing currently incarcerated students for careers upon their release. “The Last Mile Radio,” hosted by the program’s co-founder, Chris Redlitz, and formerly incarcerated musician and audio producer, Eric Abercrombie (known as Maserati-E), premieres on Saturday (3/4). Every week “The Last Mile Radio” will amplify the voices of influencers who are helping evolve the U.S. Justice System as we know it.
— iHeartMedia and the NBA unveil a new slate of team-specific shows coming to the iHeart/NBA Podcast Network. The lineup includes original podcasts from six NBA teams – the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs. iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group CEO Conal Byrne says, “We are proud to leverage iHeart’s unmatched scale, reach and digital platform to continue to deliver compelling NBA content to fans. Together with the NBA and its teams, we look forward to bringing even more one-of-a-kind stories and cultural experiences to fans across the country.”
— Software firm vCreative and radio creative service Yamanair Creative announce a deal in which vCreative’s vPro will be the primary operational platform for all of Yamanair’s services. vCreative CEO Mary DelGrande says, “Yamanair is a force in radio creative and we are thrilled that they have chosen our new vPro platform. This partnership will streamline operations for our mutual customers who will see immediate and impactful efficiencies in their creative process.”
— FOX News Audio is expanding its true crime content with a new weekly podcast as well as a True Crime Minute for smart speakers. “Outnumbered” co-host Emily Compagno will debut “The FOX True Crime Podcast with Emily Compagno” today (2/28) with new episodes dropping Tuesdays and Thursdays every week. Compagno will be joined each week by a team of FOX News Digital true crime reporters, legal and law enforcement experts and the FOX News Investigative Team. The first episode of the podcast will examine the Murdaugh trial, while the second will analyze an Alabama hostage situation from 2013 involving the murder of a bus driver and the kidnapping of a kindergartener in Midland City.
— SiriusXM NFL Radio is providing listeners nationwide with coverage of the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis today (2/28) through Saturday (3/4). SiriusXM NFL Radio hosts in Indianapolis will include former NFL front office executive Pat Kirwan, former NFL coach Charlie Weis, former NFL players Charles Davis, Jim Miller, Kirk Morrison and Solomon Wilcots, and Bruce Murray.
— Saga Communications, Inc. will release its fourth quarter and year end 2022 financial results at 9:00 am ET on Thursday, March 9. The company will also hold a conference call on the same day at 11:00 am ET.
— SiriusXM renews the weekly program “Let’s Go!” that stars Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray. It will air each week on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio and SiriusXM NFL Radio channels. Following those airings, the full-length podcast versions of Gray’s extended conversations with Brady and Fitzgerald will be available in the SXM App.
— Audacy’s Cadence13 and Parallel are producing a 15-part podcast series “This Little Light,” created and hosted by Red Hot Chili Peppers founding member Flea. The series is about falling in love with music, music education, and finding beauty in the chaos of the creative process. Flea, co-founder of the nonprofit Silverlake Conservatory of Music, invites musical guests from all genres to talk about how they fell in love with music, including the teachers that guided them, the influences that inspired them, and how the lessons they learned as young musicians have shaped their creativity, resilience, and careers. Guests range from legends to rising stars, and include Rick Rubin, Patti Smith, Thundercat, Margo Price and Cynthia Erivo.
— iHeartMedia and the NBA announce the new podcast, “Maxey On The Mic,” hosted by Philadelphia 76ers guard and 23-year-old Texas native Tyrese Maxey. Maxey says, “I’m thrilled to tip off my new podcast and can’t wait to tap in with my lineup of amazing guests. I’ve always wanted to do something like this and I’m grateful to the NBA and iHeartMedia for giving me this amazing platform.”
— iHeartMedia’s news/talk WIOD, Miami reports that Florida Republican State Senator Blaise Ingoglia wants to designate a stretch of Cortez Boulevard between U.S. 41 and State Road 50 in Brooksville, Florida as “Rush Limbaugh Way.” He’s filed a name change bill for the regular legislative session that would take effect in July if passed.
— Audacy, Inc. will report its 2022 fourth quarter financial results on Wednesday, March 15 before markets open. It will host a conference call and webcast at 10:00 am ET that morning to review the results and recent progress against its strategic initiatives.
— Townsquare Media, Inc. will release fourth quarter 2022 financial results before the markets open on Thursday, March 9. It will host a conference call to discuss certain fourth quarter 2022 financial results at 8:00 am ET on that day.
— SiriusXM announces its annual MLB Network Radio Spring Training Tour begins today (2/23) and run through March 11. SiriusXM says, “MLB Network Radio’s experts and insiders visit each MLB team camp, and Team USA as they prepare for the World Baseball Classic, to give listeners a comprehensive preview of every club. The MLB Network Radio Spring Training Tour will consist of one-hour shows, each dedicated to a single team. SiriusXM’s hosts – many of whom are former general managers or players – will interview players, managers and executives on location at various spring training ballparks and share an inside view of each club in preparation for the upcoming season.”
SiriusXM promotes Gail Berger to SVP and general manager of automotive partnerships, taking over for the retiring Rodney Pickett. SiriusXM chief commercial officer Joe Verbrugge says, “Gail is a proven leader with extensive relationships and experience in the automotive community and whose programs have delivered
significant, positive results for our organization. We are excited for Gail to lead our automotive teams and to continue to drive growth of SiriusXM’s dominant in-car presence.” Berger comments, “SiriusXM’s strong and deep relationships with every major automaker and tens of thousands of dealers and remarketing organizations across the United States are a testament to our team’s talent and capability. I am excited to step into this leadership position and continue to grow our business and deliver the best customer experiences in the vehicle.”
iHeartMedia, Inc. announces that it will report its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2022 and the full year on February 28. The company will also conduct a conference call at 4:30 pm to discuss its financial results and business outlook. A live audio webcast of the call will be available on the Investors homepage of iHeartMedia’s website.
FOX Sports Radio unveils its plans for its 23rd annual Super Week coverage that begins Monday (2/6). Its sports talk programming will emanate from Arizona during the week, with “The Dan Patrick Show” originating from Scottsdale Stadium, “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” live from State Farm Stadium (2/9-10), and the rest of its lineup broadcasting from Radio Row at the Phoenix Convention Center.
SiriusXM is also broadcasting from Arizona during Super Week and will also broadcast the game itself, with subscribers able to hear the Kansas City Chiefs team broadcast, the Philadelphia Eagles team broadcast, the Westwood One national radio broadcast and a Spanish-language broadcast. SiriusXM NFL Radio hosts will broadcast during the week from Radio Row at the Phoenix Convention Center.
Cumulus Media Inc. will report its fourth quarter 2022 and full-year operating results at 8:00 am ET on February 23. It will host a conference call at 8:30 am ET that day.
The nationally syndicated “America Tonight with Kate Delaney” adds Alpha Media’s WJNT-AM/W245AH, Jackson, Mississippi to its program schedule in the 1:00 pm to 12:00 midnight slot; and Ingstad Brothers Broadcasting’s KNUJ-AM/K247CU, New Ulm, Minnesota delayed to the 5:00 – 5:30 am slot.
SiriusXM adds “The Business Briefing” program hosted by Janet Alvarez to the program schedule on the Business Radio channel airing weekdays live at 9:00 am ET. Alvarez is the executive editor at WiseBread, and is a CNBC and Telemundo contributor.
The satellite service announces that it is adding three new weekend programs to the schedule on its Urban View channel. Political consultant, writer, and commentator Shermichael Singleton hosts the Saturday 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm show. He’s a former contributing host of Vox Media’s “Consider It” and the host of
“ScreenShare” on MSNBC’s Peacock. The program features diverse guests and conversations that “tackle the biggest issues in culture, entertainment, media, and politics.” Best-selling author, advocate, speaker, and strategist Reecie Colbert hosts the Saturday 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm program that addresses politics, culture, current events, entertainment, and lifestyle topics. And broadcaster, news analyst, business executive, college dean, university professor, lecturer, entrepreneur, and advocate Dr. Rashad Richey is host of the Sunday 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm hour that SiriusXM calls “your one-hour Sunday ‘all things’ political, social, and economic empowerment show!”
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo is not interested in the potential afternoon drive opening at WEPN-FM “ESPN Radio New York.” James Kratch sums up Russo’s feelings about the idea at Elite Sports New York, writing, “The WFAN legend told Newsday he is happy at SiriusXM and speculation he could return to terrestrial radio to replace Michael Kay is ‘probably not realistic.’ ‘I’m not going to leave Sirius, let’s put it that way,’ Russo told sports media columnist Neil Best. ‘I love Sirius so much. They’ve been good to me. … I’m going to do that as long as they’ll have me, to make a long story short.’” ESPN Radio New York PM drive host Michael Kay’s contract is up and, after 23 years there, it’s expected he may move on.
At SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio, this week is the annual “Players Week” in which several current major league players and top prospects join SiriusXM hosts for special extended feature segments. During this special programming, players have a “national platform, an hour of airtime, and the freedom to guide the conversation and discuss the teams and topics both on and off the field that most interest them.”
Chris Haynes, senior NBA Insider for TNT and Bleacher Report, and Marc Stein, veteran NBA reporter and publisher of The Stein Line on Substack, announce they’ve partnered for the new iHeartPodcast program, “#thisleague UNCUT.” The two insiders “break down the latest hot topics with candor and bold opinions” twice per week.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
In last week’s column, we outlined the playbook for selling radio’s 2023 baseball season. This week, how smart stations leverage the franchise to build Time Spent Listening.
Plan now to OWN the games
They’re also on SiriusXM, where you can decide which team’s feed you want to hear. And “The MLB is back on TuneIn, and this year TuneIn Premium is the destination for all things baseball. With a Premium plan, listeners get access to live play-by-play of every single game — with no blackouts.” Here in New England the NESN 360 app, “in partnership with the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Bruins and Major League Baseball,” $30 per month, “with a first-month promotional price of $1.”
So – post-exclusivity – what’s an AM/FM affiliate to do?
— Goal: Be KNOWN FOR having the games, by embracing the team. Waving the flag conspicuously, regardless of where fans hear it, can score you diary credit. Don’t quote me.
— During Spring Training, I’m wary of airing games Mon-Fri 6A-7P. But nights and weekends, why not? It’s conspicuous, also useful in diary markets, where ratings measure what’s NOTICED. And, hey, in March, every team is in first place.
— Can you go to Arizona or Florida? Admittedly not-inexpensive but ask your team network about Spring Training packages and arrangements. Some stations bring advertisers who commit early, hosted by the rep who sold the most.
— As Opening Day approaches, count-it-down in your on-hour ID. Then…
Avoid the banana syndrome
Use baseball to recycle audience in and out of games.
— Dumbest-thing-I-hear-most-often on baseball stations: During the game, when the network calls for a station ID, the station announces that it’s “your [name-of-team] station. Ugh. It’s like printing the word “banana” on the yellow peel.
— Your station’s on-hour ID – in any hour – is beachfront property. It’s where you sign your name, where you explain yourself to listeners you’ve trained to “check-in for a quick FOX News update, every hour, throughout your busy day.” Games invite listeners who might not otherwise cume your station, so use those 10 seconds to tell them why/when to come back for something else useful.
— “CATCH-up when you WAKE-up, with a quick morning update and your AccuWeather forecast, on your ONLY local news radio, [dial positions, call letters, city of license].” Opportune, since the game might be the last thing they near at night.
— Then in NON-game hours, use top-of-hour to wave the flag. Plug team-and-time of the next game you’ll air.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books; and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke
Audacy’s Cadence13 podcast studio launches, “WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp,” a multi-platform, investigative podcast series hosted by investigative filmmaker Jeremy Corbell and award-winning investigative journalist George Knapp in which they “pull back the veil on the world of the known to explore the world of the unexplained. They break news and share never-before-seen footage, previously suppressed documents, original recordings, and hard evidence related to UFOs, the paranormal, cutting-edge science, cover-ups, conspiracies, and big-time crimes.”
The nationally syndicated travel show “RMWorldTravel” starring Robert and Mary Carey officially surpasses the 500-station mark and is now heard on 510 affiliate stations across the U.S.
The Weather Channel and Skyview Networks announce the expansion of their partnership with the inclusion of SnoCountry Ski Reports. With this expansion, The Weather Channel and SnoCountry will utilize Skyview Networks’ network audio sales platforms and regionalization capabilities to provide winter ski reports to unique geographic audiences, giving listeners valuable ski resort conditions through the winter season.
SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio is broadcasting from this year’s PGA Show in Orlando today (1/24) through Friday (1/27). The PGA Show is not open to the public and SiriusXM’s hosts will share with their audience insight into the latest in golf instruction, equipment, apparel and more. Listeners will also hear one-on-one interviews with many of the PGA Professionals in attendance at the event.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Why? Done right, it makes you special. Because new-tech audio competitors don’t do local news, and with most broadcast radio hours now robotic.
“Why waste your time with AM/FM radio?”
Responding to that recent SiriusXM Marketing campaign, NAB president & CEO Curtis LeGeyt:
These are not “normal” times
It’s easier to add Occasions than Duration-per
Translation: There’s little we can do to keep someone sitting in a parked car with the key on Accessories. And AM/FM has never had more competition. So, to keep ‘em coming back, keep telling them something they can’t hear elsewhere, and make it sound different than last hour.
And TELL THEM that’s what you do:
Be known for knowing. And tell them when and how you’ll tell them, on various devices.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books; and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke
Digital content platform LiveOne announces that “as part of its focus on generating cash from operations on a consolidated basis, (it) is implementing additional cost and expense reductions from both operations and corporate overhead, which is anticipated to increase the previously implemented annual cost savings to a total of over $30 million in its fiscal year ending March 31, 2023. 
On December 29, 2022, the company revealed that Courtside Group, Inc. (dba PodcastOne) has filed an S-1 with the SEC for its planned spin-out and special dividend to LiveOne’s stockholders of record on January 16, 2023. The company says that PodcastOne is expected to record revenue of $25 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2023 ending December 31, 2022.
LiveOne adds, “PodcastOne’s proprietary internal Content Management System allows creators and producers to track metrics about shows on an episode-by-episode basis. 
CMS is the platform where podcast episodes are uploaded, RSS feeds are created and distributed to listening platforms, and the listening data is analyzed and displayed in a dashboard for the creators/producers to see. This fully owned and operated enterprise CMS rivals other paid platforms such as Megaphone (Spotify-owned), Art19 (Amazon-owned) and SimpleCast (SiriusXM/Pandora-owned). The CMS’ day-to-day operation and maintenance is managed by a vendor we contract with and is constantly being updated to be a best-in-class system. LiveOne remains committed to spinning-out PodcastOne as a separate public company to be listed on a national exchange. In connection with such spin-out, LiveOne has moved the record date to Jan. 16, 2023 for PodcastOne’s special dividend to LiveOne’s stockholders of record. In addition, LiveOne intends to explore spinning-out SlackerOne as a separate public company during its 2024 fiscal year.”
Steve Wexler Steps Down from Daily Management Duties at Good Karma Brands Milwaukee. Radio management pro Steve Wexler – vice president and market manager for Good Karma Brands Milwaukee – will wrap up his 35-year career and transition into a coaching and development role at the company. The announcement was made today (11/15) by GKB founder and CEO Craig Karmazin, who says, “We are appreciative and grateful Steve “Wex” joined Good Karma to lead the Milwaukee team
through a time of significant growth and transition. His passion for local news and his community-focused approach to broadcasting and media led the team through a pandemic, the launch of a new station, and award-winning coverage of so many significant moments of the past several years. We’re looking forward to continuing to learn from his knowledge and leadership expertise as he moves into a coaching role within the GKB home office.” The company says that EVP Emily Dillinger will assume the role of interim 
market manager for GKB’s three Milwaukee stations talk WGKB-AM/W269DL “101.7 The Truth,” sports talk WKTI-FM, “ESPN Milwaukee,” and news/talk WTMJ “Newsradio 620.” Wexler comments, “I’m looking forward to tapping into my experiences and many lessons learned to help our content, sales and management teammates continue to grow their skills and knowledge. I’m very grateful to Craig for the opportunity to do what I do best and what I enjoy most which is spending time coaching and developing our team.” Wexler led the sale of the 36-station, 8-market Scripps Radio Group in late 2018 to several broadcast companies, including GKB in Milwaukee, where he assumed the role of market manager in 2019. He began his broadcast career at WTMJ in Milwaukee as an intern and has been an on-air personality, program manager, and radio and television general manager before running the radio division for Journal Communications, which merged with Scripps in 2018.
Cox Media Group Names Market Leaders for Houston and Orlando. The company announces the appointment of new VP/market managers for its Houston and Orlando clusters. In Orlando, where Cox Media Group operates news/talk WDBO-AM/FM and five music brands, JC Campese assumes the leadership role. CMG operates three music
brands in Houston where Stephanie Callihan is named to the top position. She has served with several radio groups, including Audacy where she was most recently an SVP and market manager. Campese launched his career with CMG in 2000 and rose to director of sales for the Orlando cluster prior to this promotion. CMG executive vice president Rob Babin says, “We are excited to tap into our amazing internal CMG leadership talent and announce the promotions of JC and Stephanie. JC and Stephanie have a fantastic range of experiences and talents that will make a positive impact on CMG and our talented teams in Orlando and Houston. I look forward to the difference they’ll make as CMG continues to evolve to meet the needs of our listeners, clients, and our communities.”
AWM Presents Gracies Leadership Awards. The Alliance for Women in Media hosted the Gracies Leadership Awards luncheon yesterday (11/14) at the Tribeca 360° in New York City. Soledad O’Brien served as keynote speaker stating that the group of honorees represent “stories not just of grit, vision, and opportunity, but of women helping women and celebrating women and the story of how those women didn’t forget that they got into media to elevate people and issues and struggles that were not in the spotlight.” The seven female leaders honored (and pictured above) were: Valerie Blackburn; Nancy Daniels, chief of content, NTets, Discovery, Animal Planet &Science Channel; Marie Donoghue, vice president, global sports video, Amazon; Kim Godwin, president, ABC News; Wendy Goldberg, chief communications officer, iHeartMedia, Inc; Chelsey Maddox-Dorsey, CEO, A wonder Media Company; Debra O’Connell, president, networks, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution; and Dawn Porter, founder, Trilogy Films. AWM Foundation chair Heather Cohen states, “This is a pivotal event for us because it covers all three of our pillars- it’s recognition, it’s education, and it’s connection. We shine a light on exceptional women in media- those who have shattered glass ceilings and proven their leadership and notable today, what an honor to have Soledad O’Brien, one of the greatest storytellers of our time as our keynote.”
TALKERS News Notes. Audio research and analytics firm Veritonic announces the second annual Audio Intelligence Summit is scheduled for February 15 at Second Floor in New York City. Veritonic says, “The summit will once again gather industry-leading
brands, agencies, and publishers to dive deep into the data and analytics that are driving today’s successful audio and podcasting strategies. We look forward to coming together with fellow publishers, platforms, brands and agencies to collectively improve upon and consider the data and analytics that are making audio’s ever-expanding influence increasingly efficient and impactful.” Find details about the summit by visiting https://audiointelligencesummit.com…..Benztown + McVay Media Podcast Networks announce the launch today of the quirky new comedic podcast, “The Neurotic Vaccine,” 
created and hosted by Andy Cowan, award-winning writer for “Seinfeld,” “Cheers,” and “3rd Rock from the Sun.” In “The Neurotic Vaccine,” Cowan invites fellow neurotics to share his mini-therapy sessions with co-host, clinical and forensic psychologist, Dr. Scott Kopoian. Together with their guests – including inaugural guests Jay Leno and Cathy creator, Cathy Guisewite – Cowan and Kopoian work toward the daunting goal of immunity to neurosis. “The Neurotic Vaccine” podcast includes celebrity guests, post-session postscripts, comedy featurettes and more. Future sessions of “The Neurotic Vaccine” will feature stars including Leave It To Beaver’s Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow (in his final interview), “Curb Your Enthusiasm” guest star comedian Elon Gold, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, CNN host Michael Smerconish, and actress Marilu Henner…..Quu Inc., announces radio veteran Laura Gonzo joins the company as senior director of
affiliate services. In this role, Gonzo will work with stations and sales teams to ensure the successful implementation of Quu’s advertising products. Gonzo served as affiliate director for “The Bob & Tom Show” from 1997 through 2008. She says, “Quu’s powerful technology is truly a game-changer for radio. Beyond elevating the station’s visual appeal, Quu offers a huge opportunity to increase sales and drive stronger returns for clients. I’m thrilled to join the team of passionate experts at Quu and to help stations make the most of these transformative products.”…..SiriusXM announces that Andy Cohen has 
signed a three-year contract extension and that his exclusive SiriusXM channel Radio Andy “will now serve as the audio subscription service’s definitive home for pop culture with “Andy Cohen Live” and “Smith Sisters Live” expanding to daily shows.” Cohen says, “SiriusXM allows me to dig deeply into two of my passions – pop culture on Radio Andy and music on the Kiki Lounge. I’m so proud of what we’ve developed over the last seven years on Radio Andy. I’ve loved programming the channel, and my longform interviews with celebrities and authors feed my soul. Programming the Kiki Lounge brought me incredible joy during the pandemic and listening to it is a romp through my expansive music vocabulary.”
Midterms Aftermath, Trump in ’24, Biden-Xi Meeting, The Economy, Crypto-Crash, G-20/Russia-Ukraine War, and UVA Killings Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/14). The results of last week’s midterm elections that leave the Democrats in control of the U.S. Senate and the Republicans likely to assume control of the U.S. House; former President Donald Trump’s expected announcement he’ll run for president in 2024; Monday’s meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping; inflation and fears of a recession; the fall of cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the 75% decline of crypto value over the last 12 months; the G-20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia and the pressure on attending nations to officially condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and the fatal shooting of three University of Virginia football players were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.