By Jessica Crotty
CEO
C. Crane
Radio has always been about connection, the feeling of belonging to something larger than yourself, of being drawn into a story told by a voice you trust. Perhaps, that’s why you tune in as well. There is little that is more rewarding for us than finding a way to connect you to what you want to hear, whether that’s your favorite jazz station, a particular show, or your former alma mater’s student-run station. It’s why we do what we do, and why we show up for the people who keep those stories alive.
If you’ve ever wondered where the people who make talk radio gather – the hosts, station owners, program directors, engineers, the visionaries behind the scenes and in front of the mic – look no further than TALKERS. TALKERS magazine’s annual conference is one of the industry’s premier meeting grounds, where talk radio and the evolving world of spoken-word media get taken seriously as a craft, a business, and a cultural force. Talk radio: The original influencer.
Michael Harrison has spent decades as one of radio’s most honest champions. He has consistently pushed the industry to think harder, challenge the status quo, and defend the freedom of speech that gives every great story room to breathe.
Crane was part of that world very early on, when we attended our first TALKERS conference in New York. We’ve been back many times since as attendees and sponsors, and Michael and the TALKERS crew have always been genuinely good to us. We make the radios people use to listen to radio, and being welcomed into the room where those stories get made is something we don’t take for granted.
Over the years, those rooms have introduced us to some extraordinary people. Gene Burns was a favorite long before seeing him at TALKERS. C. Crane had advertised with him on KGO, and his gift for drawing you in came through in everything he did. He hosted many shows over his career; “Dining Around with Gene Burns” was a personal favorite, and Gene and his producer Joel Riddell could point you to the best restaurant in almost any city and just nail it. The speech Gene gave on freedom of speech was one of the best I’ve ever heard, a fierce and passionate defense that stayed with you long after it ended. I also remember the head engineer ar WOR (at the time), Thomas Ray, taking the time to walk me through the mechanics of radio towers while I was manning our booth. That kind of generous, unguarded knowledge sharing is something you don’t forget.
We’ll be back in New York again this year for TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter. The landscape continues to change, but what hasn’t changed is the seriousness with which the people in that room take their craft, and their commitment to the stories only radio tells. We’re proud to be part of it. Thank you, TALKERS. Thank you to everyone in that room, past and present, who continues to show up for this event and for radio. We certainly wouldn’t be the company we are without you.
Jessica Crotty is the CEO of C. Crane, a major manufacturer and distributor of radios and radio-oriented devices. She can be reached via email at jcrotty@ccrane.com. Meet her at TALKERS 2026 on June 5 at Hofstra University.
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Pictured at left: Moderator, Jeff Katz, host, WRVA, Richmond, VA.
