Holiday 2022 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part Two
Holiday 2022 PPM Data – Information for the Holiday 2022 sweep has been released for Washington, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San Diego, Tampa, Denver, Baltimore, and St. Louis.
Nielsen Audio’s Holiday 2022 sweep covered December 8 (2022) – January 4 (2023).
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 December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 (6+).
WASHINGTON, DC
News/Talk: Cumulus Media’s WMAL “105.9 FM – Where Washington Comes To Talk” 3.5 – 3.4, -.1, eighth to seventh
News: Hubbard Broadcasting-owned WTOP & WTLP “Washington’s Top News” 8.6 – 7.8, -.8, repeats in third-place
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WJFK-FM “106.7 The Fan” (Capitals) 2.8 – 2.7, -.1, flat at #14 and WJFK-FM’s internet stream .7 – 1.0, +.3, #21 to #19
Public Radio News/Talk: American University-owned WAMU 11.5 – 11.3, -.2, #1
Number One 6+: public radio news/talk WAMU, 13th month in succession, 11.5 – 11.3, -.2
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WASH (+2.0)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease (Tie): country WMZQ and classic hits-oldies WIAD (-1.0)
BOSTON
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WRKO “AM 680 The Voice Of Boston” 2.7 – 2.8, +.1, #14 to #13
News – Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WBZ-AM “News Radio 1030” 4.7 – 4.8, +.1, fifth to sixth
Sports Talk: Beasley Media Group’s WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub” (Celtics, Bruins, and New England Patriots) 8.5 – 8.0, -.5, repeats in the runner-up slot
Audacy-owned WEEI-FM “93.7 Boston’s Sports Station” 4.7 – 4.6, -.1, fifth to seventh
Public Radio News/Talk: Boston University’s WBUR 4.2 – 4.6, +.4, eighth to seventh
WGBH Educational Foundation-owned WGBH 4.0 – 3.4, -.6, continues in ninth-place
Number One 6+: Audacy adult contemporary WMJX, second month in a row, 9.7 – 12.5, +2.8
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WMJX (+2.8)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease (Tie): classic hits-oldies WROR and CHR WXKS-FM (-.8)
MIAMI
News/Talk: None in the top twenty
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Dade County School Board-owned WLRN 2.9 – 3.1, +.2, #14 to #13
Number One 6+: Cox Media Group urban AC WHQT, first month, 8.0 – 8.9, +.9
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: urban AC WHQT (+.9)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary WFEZ (-1.2)
SEATTLE
News/Talk: Bonneville-owned KIRO-FM “97.3 FM” (Seahawks) 6.6 – 5.5, -1.1, second to third
News: Lotus Communications’ KNWN-AM & KNWN-FM “Northwest News Radio” 5.2 – 5.5, +.3, fifth to third
Sports Talk: Bonneville-owned KIRO-AM “710 AM ESPN Seattle” (Seahawks) 3.8 – 3.5, -.3, #11 to #10
Public Radio News/Talk: Northwest Public Radio’s KUOW 4.6 – 4.9, +.3, repeats in sixth-place
Number One 6+: Hubbard Broadcasting adult contemporary KRWM, second month in succession, 10.0 – 11.3, +1.3
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KSWD (+2.7)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: news/talk KIRO-FM (-1.1)
DETROIT
News/Talk: Cumulus Media’s WJR “News Talk 760 AM” 2.5 – 2.3, -.2, flat at #15
News: Audacy-owned WWJ News Radio 950” (Pistons) 4.6 – 4.5, -.1, repeats in seventh-place
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WXYT-FM “97.1 The Ticket” (Red Wings and Lions) 7.4 – 7.6, +.2, continues in the runner-up slot and WXYT-FM’s internet stream 2.0 – 2.2, +.2, #18 to #16
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Michigan-owned WUOM 2.4 – 2.2, -.2, #17 to #16
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary WNIC, second month in a row, 11.7 – 15.7, +4.0
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WNIC (+4.0)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: rock WRIF (-1.0)
PHOENIX
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KFYI “News Talk 550” 3.5 – 3.3, -.2, repeats in eighth-place
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Maricopa County Community College-owned KJZZ 7.8 – 8.1, +.3, continues in the runner-up slot
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KESZ, second consecutive month, 11.3 – 16.7, +5.4
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KESZ (+5.4)*
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: sports talk KMVP-FM (-1.1)
*Represents a tie for the largest December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
MINNEAPOLIS
News/Talk: Audacy’s WCCO “News Talk 830” (Minnesota Timberwolves) 4.0 – 3.7, -.3, anchored at #12
Hubbard Broadcasting-owned KTMY “My Talk 107.1” 2.9 – 3.1, +.2, steady at #14
iHeartMedia’s KTLK-AM “Twin Cities News Talk AM 1130” 2.7 – 2.0, -.7, flat at #17
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KFXN “FM 100.3 K-Fan” (Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Vikings) unchanged at 7.5, repeats in the runner-up slot
Public Radio News/Talk: Minnesota Public Radio’s KNOW 6.7 – 6.3, -.4, third to fourth
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia classic hits-oldies KQQL, second straight month, 11.4 – 15.0, +3.6
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies KQQL (+3.6)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: adult hits KZJK (-1.4)
SAN DIEGO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KOGO “News Radio 600” 4.6 – 5.4, +.8, sixth to fifth
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KGB-AM “San Diego Sports 760” .8 – 1.0, +.2, #21 to #20
Public Radio News/Talk: San Diego State University’s KPBS 6.5 – 5.5, -1.0, third to fourth
Number One 6+: Audacy adult contemporary KYXY, second month in a row, 8.3 – 13.6, +5.3
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KYXY (+5.3)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: adult hits KFBG (-2.2)
TAMPA
News/Talk: Cox Media Group’s WHPT “102.5 The Bone – Real, Raw, Radio” (Lightning) 4.8 – 3.7, -1.1, #7 to #12
iHeartMedia-owned WFLA “News Radio 970” steady at 2.2, #18 to #17
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WDAE “Tampa Bay’s Sports Radio” 1.9 – 1.5, -.4, anchored at #19
Public Radio News/Talk: University of South Florida’s WUSF unchanged at 2.6, #17 to #15
Number One 6+: Cox Media Group adult contemporary WDUV, 17th month in a row, 8.1 – 11.4, +3.3
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WDUV (+3.3)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: news/talk WHPT (-1.1)
DENVER
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KOA “News Radio 850” (Broncos) steady at 2.4, #17 to #16 and cluster-mate KHOW “Talk Radio 630” 1.8 – 1.5, -.3, #19 to #20
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Bonneville’s KKFN “104.3 The Fan” (Nuggets) 3.4 – 4.0, +.6, #11 to #7
Public Radio News/Talk: Colorado Public Radio-owned KCFR 4.0 – 3.6, -.4, #8 to #11
Number One 6+: Bonneville adult contemporary KOSI, third consecutive month, 9.8 – 14.4, +4.6
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KOSI (+4.6)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: hot AC KALC (-2.0)
BALTIMORE
News/Talk: Hearst Television’s WBAL “News Radio 1090 AM & 101.5 FM” (Ravens) 3.5 – 3.6, +.1, ninth to tenth
WCBM Maryland-owned WCBM “Talk Radio AM 680” steady at 1.6, locked at #17
Cumulus Media-owned WMAL “105.9 FM – Where Washington Comes To Talk” .4 – .6, +.2, #25 to #20
News: Audacy-owned business news WDCH “Bloomberg 99.1 FM”.7 – .6, -.1, flat at #20
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WJZ-FM “Baltimore Sports Radio 105.7 The Fan” 4.6 – 4.3, -.3, seventh to sixth
Public Radio News/Talk: Your Public Radio Corporation-owned WYPR 3.1 – 2.9, -.2, #11 to #12
Number One 6+: Audacy adult contemporary WLIF, fifth consecutive month, 11.8 – 14.5, +2.7
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WLIF (+2.7)
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: adult hits WQSR (-2.5)**
**Represents the largest December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
ST. LOUIS
News/Talk: Audacy’s KMOX “The Voice Of St. Louis” 4.0 – 4.4, +.4, #12 to #9 and cluster-mate KFTK “Talk 97.1 FM” 1.6 – 1.4, -.2, #16 to #17
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Hubbard Broadcasting’s WXOS “101 ESPN” (Blues) 4.2 – 3.7, -.5, flat at #11
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Missouri-owned KWMU 4.3 – 3.6, -.7, #10 to #13
Number One 6+: Audacy adult contemporary KEZK, first month, 9.4 – 14.8, +5.4
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Increase: adult contemporary KEZK (+5.4)*
Largest 6+ December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 Decrease: rock KSHE (-1.3)
*Represents a tie for the largest December 2022 – “Holiday” 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
Up next: “Holiday” 2022 overviews for Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus.
Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com
yesterday (TALKERS, Monday, 10/10) WCBS-AM news director/brand manager Tim Scheld indicated in a staff memo that he’d be exiting the all-news outlet before the end of the year. A new agreement with SAG-AFTRA will allow cross-utilization of anchors and reporters for WINS and WCBS-AM. Audacy New York market president Chris Oliviero comments, “At a time when quality journalism and local reporting is so critical, it was the ideal moment to make a strong investment in our news creation and distribution capabilities. Audacy New York’s news organization, anchored by both WINS and [WCBS-AM], is the premier audio news outlet in the city. Now more than ever, we remain committed to serving our audiences as we have done so for over the last 50 years.” Mevorach states, “We are standing at the edge of an exciting new era for news in New York for our team, advertisers, and – most importantly – our listeners. [WINS and WCBS-AM] will be in more places, covering more stories, creating more original content, expanding our digital footprint, and now offering listeners a crystal-clear FM audio experience. Both brands will retain their distinct identities but will now harness resources with the single mission of better serving our communities and reaching the next generation of news consumers.” Mevorach began his career in Boston as a magazine writer/editor for The Library Scene. Lee previously was operations manager at Talk America, which rebranded to Liberty Broadcasting; became WCBS-AM’s operations coordinator in 2004; WINS’ news editor in 2010; and was promoted to assistant news director in 2012. From November 1985 – December 2005, WXRK (now WNYL) was Howard Stern’s flagship station. The station flipped from CHR “Amp Radio” to alternative in February 2017. Recording its third consecutive down trend (1.6 – 1.5 – 1.3 – 1.2, 6+), WNYL ranks #21 in Nielsen Audio’s September 2022 sweep. WINS (3.0, 6+) and WCBS-AM (2.9, 6+) rank #11 and #13, respectively.
Round Four of August PPMs Released. The fourth round of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s September 2022 PPM survey has been released for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; and Providence. Nielsen Audio’s September 2022 sweep covered August 18 – September 14. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his “Ratings Takeaways” from this group of markets. News/talk is again #1 and #2 in Milwaukee – but – with a +1.1 from August (8.9 – 10.0, 6+), Good Karma Brands-owned WTMJ “Wisconsin’s Radio Station” advances from second to first, while iHeartMedia’s WISN “News Talk 1130” drops seven-tenths (10.3 – 9.6, 6+) and shifts from first to second. In Raleigh, iHeartMedia’s WTKK “106.1 FM Talk” notches a +1.5 (7.3 – 8.8, 6+), progressing from third to first. Simultaneously with Cumulus Media Providence’s WPRO-AM & WEAN “News Talk 630 AM & 99.7 FM” gaining seven-tenths (4.8 – 5.5, seventh to sixth, 6+), cross-town iHeartMedia-owned WHJJ “News Radio 920” dips eight-tenths (1.2 – .4, #15 to #16, 6+). Not only does Cumulus Media Nashville sports talk WGFX vault from #13 to #5, “104.5 The Zone” ties Columbus’ similarly-formatted WBNS-FM for the largest (6+) August 2022 – September 2022 increase of any station from the 42 PPM-markets analyzed thus far (3.5 – 6.1, +2.6). In Austin, Genuine Austin Radio sports talk KTXX “The Horn” posts a +1.1 from August (1.4 – 2.5, 6+), inching up from #19 to #16. See Mike Kinosian’s complete “Ratings Takeaways” from this group of markets (as well as the first three groups) 
Hockey League’s Florida Panthers is effective through the 2024 – 2025 season. As part of the deal, Florida Panthers games will be aired on sports gambling-formatted WBZT “Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler.” iHeartMedia market president Mark McCauley states, “We’re excited to partner with the Florida Panthers and provide listeners great play-by-play action on ‘1230 The Gambler.’” Meanwhile, Panthers chief revenue officer Shawn Thornton adds, “We’re excited for iHeartMedia West Palm Beach to join the Florida Panthers radio network. With the refresh of their sports radio station ‘1230 The Gambler’ this past summer, we look forward to working with the leading audio media company in America to broadcast Panthers games to our fans in Palm Beach County.” In addition to Panthers play-by-play coverage, WBZT will air a one-hour Florida Panthers weekend show. The eight-station iHeartMedia West Palm Beach cluster includes WBZT, news/talk WJNO “News Radio 1290,” and news/talk WZZR “92.1 Real Radio.”
Year” Joe Maddon and three-time “Sportswriter of the Year” Tom Verducci provide insight, commentary and discussion on the MLB postseason. According to Maddon, “We are here to tell you what we think, not what we’ve heard. No regurgitation and original thoughts are valued.” Maddon managed in the big leagues for 19 years. He famously led the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years and the Tampa Bay Rays to their first-ever World Series. Five-time Emmy Award winner Verducci is the lead baseball writer for Sports Illustrated; lead analyst/reporter for MLB Network and Fox Sports; and a member of the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame. He comments, “Like its namesake [forthcoming] book, the podcast will be full of surprises and insight. From game strategy to baseball history to leadership lessons – and maybe to some rock & roll and classic cars – we’ll cover more ground than a gold glove shortstop on the most illuminating and interesting podcast in baseball.” The podcast launched yesterday (Monday, 10/10) and will air through the World Series.
WBAL president/general manager Dan Joerres comments, “The production and broadcast of this debate on both WBAL ‘News Radio’ and WBAL-TV is an important part of our ‘Commitment 2022’ political coverage. Putting all of our broadcast and digital sources to work to bring voters across the state this gubernatorial debate is a major part of our continuing effort to help them make informed decisions on election day. The debate will be moderated by WBAL-TV anchor Jason Newton. … The first episode of ESPN’s “The CJ McCollum Show” was posted last Thursday (10/6). The guard of the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans had teammate Brandon Ingram as the inaugural guest on the podcast, which will post episodes each Thursday. McCollum formerly hosted Cadence 13’s “Pull Up With CJ McCollum.” … Elsewhere in NBA-themed podcasts, Jam Street Media introduces 15-year-old Sloane Weinstein hosting the bi-weekly “Sloane Knows.” She’ll interview some of the NBA’s biggest names, including the Boston Celtics’ newly-signed Blake Griffin; free agent Dwight Howard; and former NBA players Richard Jefferson and Baron Davis.
by San Francisco public radio news/talk KQED that paved the way for the release of videotapes from the 2009 – 2010 Prop 8 trial, leading to legalization of same-sex marriage in California. Proposition 8 passed in 2008 and banned same-sex marriage in the state. The subsequent trial, Perry v. Schwarzenegger, questioned whether Prop. 8 violated the U.S. Constitution. Judge Vaughn Walker ruled in favor of the right to same-sex marriage, but said at the time that videotapes of the trial would remain sealed for 10 years. KQED “Political Breakdown” podcast co-host Scott Shafer spearheaded the effort to make the tapes public. Shafer states, “As someone who sat through the entire Prop. 8 trial, I witnessed some very dramatic and moving testimony, as well as riveting cross-examinations. I’m glad others will now get to view this important part of the historical record.” KQED chief content officer Holly Kernan notes, “If our systems work behind closed doors, with no press or public access, we have no idea how decisions are made, nor what arguments are leading to these decisions. KQED wants more sunlight on our legal system, and we will fight on behalf of the public to get that access.”
WFAN And Yankees Extend Their Partnership. A multi-year extension is announced between Audacy New York sports talk WFAN-FM & WFAN-AM and MLB’s American League East New York Yankees. English-language broadcasts will continue to be heard on WFAN and streamed digitally on the Audacy app for those within the team’s 
broadcast territory. WFAN will also continue to produce the Spanish-language broadcasts for local radio affiliates, as well as for the Audacy app. Audacy New York market president Chris Oliviero declares, “The New York Yankees are the city’s premier sports franchise and WFAN is the city’s premier sports platform. Together, we form a potent combination for fans and client partners. [This – 2022] is our 21st consecutive season of broadcasting the ‘Bronx Bombers.’ We look forward to continuing to have the honor of being the soundtrack to more memorable and historic pinstripe moments.” New York Yankees chief operating officer Lonn Trost notes, “The Yankees are excited to extend our longstanding relationship with WFAN and Audacy. WFAN has been our flagship station for over two decades, and we look forward to fans continuing to enjoy Yankees baseball over its airways and on the Audacy app.” From 2002 to 2014, Yankees games were heard on WFAN’s sister station, all-news WCBS-AM (currently the flagship of the New York Mets); WFAN has served as the Yankees flagship since 2014. John Sterling, (class of 2022 Radio Hall of Fame inductee) Suzyn Waldman and Sweeny Murti are the English-language broadcasters, while Spanish-language broadcasts will be handled by Rickie Ricardo, Francisco Rivera and Rene Luna. As part of Audacy’s MLB partnership, WFAN and the Yankees will produce co-branded podcasts.
Newsmax, Verizon Sign Multi-Year Carriage Agreement. The deal between Newsmax and Verizon extends distribution of news channel in HD on Verizon Fios. Newsmax Media chief executive officer Christopher Ruddy remarks, “Verizon has carried Newsmax for many years. We are delighted to be extending our distribution through the Fios platform. We have found them to be outstanding partners who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the presentation of diverse, independent voices through their programming. We’re glad that we are continuing with this new agreement.” Newsmax will retain its broad distribution on the Verizon platform, which reaches approximately 3.5 million subscribers in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.
net income declined from $433 million to $292 million (11 to 7 cents/basic share, 10 to 7 cents/diluted share). Adjusted EBITDA was off 3% to $679 million. SiriusXM chief executive officer Jennifer Witz notes, “We are pleased with our results in the second quarter, and while we continue to navigate an uncertain economic environment, we delivered strong financial performance and continued to make strategic investments in our business that will set us up for an exciting new era. We remain committed to creating compelling experiences for our listeners by investing in innovative technologies to deliver best-in-class, curated, comprehensive audio entertainment. Most recently, [we expanded] our relationship with the NFL to deliver the most extensive sports lineup in audio entertainment; we will continue to enhance our platform to ensure broad appeal.” Executive vice president/chief financial officer Sean Sullivan adds, “[Our] churn was steady at approximately 1.5% in the quarter, underscoring the strength of our business, products, and loyalty of our customers. In the second quarter, we delivered focused expansion in key streaming offerings and maintained a strong balance sheet. This quarter, we returned over $300 million in capital to stockholders, comprising $217 million in common stock repurchases and $86 million in dividends, and ended the quarter with net debt to adjusted EBITDA of 3.6 times.” Self-pay subscribers increased by 23,000 and paid promotional subscribers increased by 54,000. Satellite and streaming division totaled 34 million subscribers at the end of the quarter; self-pay churn was flat at 1.5%. The division’s revenue rose 5% to $1.7 billion, and gross profit rose 6% to $1.1 billion.
Marketron Releases Political Advertising Toolbox. Per BIA Advisory Services, political advertising will raise $8.6 billion for local media companies. Marketron’s collection of online resources combines all the political advertising content the company has developed at a single location for companies interested in increasing their share of political advertising. Marketron senior vice president/client success Christian Kligora opines that, “Political advertising is an important category for local media. It’s much different than any other and that requires a unique approach. We’ve been developing content on the topic all year long with a focus on how to support media sellers. Bringing it together in one spot makes it easier to learn from and access.” Each resource will reportedly provide media salespeople with tips, strategies, and insights for political advertising. Included are specialized considerations such as the “overall trends in the advertising ecosystem; the need to reach different demographics; the objective of persuading people to vote; and the regulatory compliance requirements” for how media companies price/offer inventory to candidates.
Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski co-hosting weekend shows with Glenn Macnow. McDonald will partner with Macnow on Sundays (10:00 am – 1:00 pm), while Sielski joins Macnow in the same time slot each Saturday. According to Macnow, “I have a comfort level with Jody. He’s the guy I broke in with [and] the guy our listeners heard me with from 28 years ago. Working with Jody is like an old pair of shoes – it’s easy and I like it. The Saturday show will now be me and the best damn sports columnist in town, Mike Sielski.” … Former Baltimore Ravens defensive back Rod Woodson will join play-
by-play voice Gerry Sandusky this season on the NFL team’s broadcasts on Hearst Baltimore news/talk WBAL “News Radio 1090 AM & 101.5 FM.” According to Sandusky, “Rod brings the unique perspective of someone who has both played and coached at the highest level of the game. He does it in a down-to-earth way that is approachable, likable and just plain fun. It’s a privilege to work with a broadcast partner like Rod.” Woodson states that, “Being a part of the Ravens’ gameday broadcast team is a blessing. To be back with the team that I won my only Super Bowl with will be fun.” … After eleven years with Nashville’s WPRT-FM, midday co-host Darren McFarland departs the Cromwell Radio Group sports 
talk outlet. Program director Chase McCabe confirms to The Tennessean that “Sports Radio 102.5 The Game” decided to part ways with McFarland, who formerly worked at Cumulus Media’s cross-town/similarly-formatted WGFX “104.5 The Zone.” McCabe, Willy Daunic, and Derrick Mason continue in middays on “The Game.” … Effective August 22,
Cheddar News Washington bureau chief Megan Pratz will join NPR as political editor. In addition, NPR promotes congressional correspondent Sue Davis to political correspondent and interim congressional correspondent Dierdre Walsh gets to remove “interim” from the title. … Skyview Networks’ sports talk program “OutKick 360” picks up three Withers Broadcasting-owned affiliates: KYRK, Marble Hill, Missouri; WGKY, Wickliffe, Kentucky; and WFRX, West Frankfort, Illinois. Skyview Networks is the exclusive distributor, affiliate sales representative and network sales partner of Jonathan Hutton, Chad Withrow & Paul Kuharsky-hosted “OutKick 360.”