TALKERS 2026 to Present Discussion About Independent Radio Station Ownership
The spirit of entrepreneurship will be in the air at TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter. A panel of five of the industry’s most prominent independent radio station owner/operators will tackle existential questions about the business and its future.
Is there an opportunity to financially survive and even thrive in independent radio ownership? What are the challenges and advantages of owning and operating an independent station or group at this time? What can big time corporate radio learn from indie operators? Does community involvement and localness count for anything anymore? Where’s the revenue? How much expansion is healthy? What exactly IS radio? What’s the end game?
The morning panel will be moderated by John Caracciolo, CEO/founder, JVC Broadcasting and include Vince Benedetto, CEO/founder, Bold Gold Media Group; Paul Gleiser, owner, KTBB, Tyler, TX; Joe Thomas, co-owner, WTON, Staunton, VA; and Paul Vandenburgh, owner, Talk 1300/ 98.7 WGDJ, Albany, NY.
TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter will take place on Friday, June 5 on the beautiful campus of Hofstra University on Long Island. For the latest agenda, registration, and hotel information, please click here.
Lochridge entered the business in the sales department and by 1970 became the general manager of WRIF, Detroit. He was promoted by ABC to general manager for WPLJ, New York in 1973. He would serve at KAUM, Houston before returning to New York to serve with ABC Radio Networks. He later joined NBC’s The Source. In 1988 he and his wife purchased a small station in Wickenburg, Arizona.