Tag: "Newsmax TV"
Friday, January 22, 2021
NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment of the vibrant, 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, “An Now For Something Completely Different,” looks back at this past week of January 18-22, 2021. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS magazine; Steve Weisman, professor of law, Bentley University, Boston / founder Scamicide.com; Daliah Wachs, M.D., talk show host, Genesis Communications Network; Kevin McCullough, talk show host, AM 970 The Answer WNYM, New York; Larry Young, talk show host, WOLB, Baltimore; Dom Giordano, talk show host, WPHT, Philadelphia; and Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company. This acclaimed news/talk radio show airs each week on its flagship, WONK-FM, Washington, DC, Friday evenings at 6:00 pm ET. It also airs throughout the weekend on WTIC, Hartford; KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; KDFD (“Freedom 93.7”), Denver; KFNX, Phoenix; 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; WCHM, Clarkesville, GA; WPHM, Port Huron, MI; KSYL, Alexandria, LA; KTOE, Mankato, MN; WCED (“Connect FM”), DuBois, PA; K-NEWS 101.3, Owensboro, KY; WWTK, Sebring, FL; WIZM-AM/FM, La Crosse, WI; WMVA, Martinsville, VA; the Virginia Talk Radio Network; CRN Digital Talk Radio Network; Pioneer Valley Radio, Springfield, MA; Podcast 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.
2021 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards Held Last Night Virtually. Pictured above is Conan O’Brien being honored with Best Overall Host – Male award at last night’s third annual iHeartRadio Podcast Awards celebrating “the most entertaining and innovative podcasts of 2020.” The virtual awards event was recorded from multiple locations and exclusively video streamed on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages and broadcasted across iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio App. Also appearing on the virtual ceremony were Will Ferrell, Hillary Clinton, Gwen Stefani, Dan Patrick, Questlove, Charlamagne Tha God, and many others. You can see all the winners here.
Beasley Subsidiary Prices Offering of $300 Million in Senior Secured Notes. Originally, Beasley Broadcast Group subsidiary Beasley Mezzanine Holdings, LLC intended to price $280 million of 8.625% Senior Secured Notes but increased the size of the offering to $300 million. Beasley says the Notes were offered to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers. The Notes are expected to be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company and each of the Company’s existing domestic majority owned subsidiaries and certain future material domestic majority owned subsidiaries on a senior secured first-priority basis, subject to certain exceptions, limitations and permitted liens. Beasley expects to use the net proceeds of this offering to repay in full existing indebtedness under its senior secured credit facilities and certain other indebtedness, with remaining proceeds to be added to the company’s balance sheet and used for general corporate purposes. The Notes offering is expected to close on February 2, 2021, subject to customary conditions.
Brian Peterson Named SVP of Communications and Marketing for Newsmax TV. Media executive Brian Peterson is named SVP of communications and marketing for Newsmax Media, which broadcasts Newsmax TV. Newsmax says in a press release, “Peterson is an award-winning creator of innovative and strategic integrated communication and marketing plans in media, entertainment, and technology. He has worked at companies such as FOX Cable Networks, FOX Regional Sports Networks, NFL Properties, and Esri. Peterson says, “Newsmax is uniquely positioned to deliver news that matters to its viewers. Chris Ruddy has put together a team of top-tier media professionals and I am glad to be part of this exciting and game-changing channel as it continues its incredible growth.” Ruddy comments, “Brian is considered one of the smartest people in the industry and has a rock-solid track record to prove it. There’s no question Brian will help elevate the Newsmax brand to new heights and we’re thrilled he’s on board with us.”
Edison Research to Present Webinar on ‘What We Learned from the 2020 Election Exit Polls.’ On Thursday, January 28 at 2:00 pm ET, Edison Research will present its first webinar of 2021 titled, “What We Learned from the 2020 Election Exit Polls.” The company says EVP Joe Lenski and VP Randy Brown will give an overview of the process that it used to conduct the exit poll of record for the National Election Pool during a pandemic, and the challenges such an endeavor presented. They will also cover general findings from the exit polls. Additionally, host Tom Webster will lead a discussion on how the vote count was reported by NEP media clients and how it is possible for the vote count to change over the course of reporting. You can register here.
‘America’s Truckin’ Network’ Returns in One-Hour, Recorded Incarnation. According to WVXU.org reporter John Kiesewetter, the WLW, Cincinnati-based “America’s Truckin’ Network” program that was cancelled by iHeartMedia in early November is back in a truncated, recorded format featuring former “ATN” weekend personality Eric “Bubba Bo” Boulanger. Back in early November, iHeartMedia dismissed “ATN” host Steve Sommers and plugged in local host Dan Carroll to host the overnight daypart. But that show was cancelled after about seven weeks and the Westwood One program “Red Eye Radio” with Gary McNamara and Eric Harley now fills the overnight slot. Kiesewetter reports that Carroll’s program focused on supporting Donald Trump and the “Stop the Steal” campaign. Management never commented on the reason for Carroll’s departure. Now, the “America’s Truckin’ Network” one-hour edition airs from 12:00 midnight to 1:00 am between Gary Jeff Walker’s late-night show and “Red Eye Radio.”
TALKERS News Notes. The Joe Biden administration appoints Jessica Rosenworcel acting chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission. This comes after the resignation of former chairman Ajit Pai…..WNYC is launching a limited run, weekly call-in show titled, “America, Are We Ready for the First 100 Days?” The show is designed for “Americans to talk, debate, and find common ground during the first 100 days of the Biden–Harris administration.” The program is being hosted by Brian Lehrer and airs nationally Thursdays through April 29 from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm ET on WNYC and on more than 75 public radio stations across the country…..Cumulus Media’s Westwood One is presenting play-by-play for this Sunday’s NFL Conference Championship games. Doubleheader coverage begins with the pregame show at 2:00 pm ET on Sunday…..Cadence13, a podcast company that is part of Entercom’s Podcast Network, announces a partnership with Punchbowl News — the news community focused on power, people and politics in Washington founded by leading political journalists and bestselling authors Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer and co-founded by veteran Capitol Hill reporter John Bresnahan — for “The Daily Punch,” a podcast hosted by Sherman and Palmer. The program will “bring listeners inside Capitol Hill, the White House, and Washington for an unfiltered, non-partisan look at the key players and stakes of every major issue of the day and the news and events that move political markets.” It launches on February 1…..The Fishnet Syndication show “On The Right Side Radio” – hosted by Reid L. Rosenthal – adds KBTD, Dallas to its roster of affiliate stations.
The Biden Inauguration and Trump Impeachment Tie for Top News/Talk Stories This Week. The inauguration of President Joe Biden and the article of impeachment against Donald Trump tied for the most-talked-about stories for the week of January 18-22, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the U.S. and the rollout of vaccines. Coming in at #3 was race relations in the U.S., followed by Donald Trump’s pardons and commutations tied with Joe Biden’s cabinet picks at #4. 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.
Friday, December 18, 2020
NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment of the vibrant, 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, “The Good, The Bad, The Fake and The False,” looks back at this past week of December 14-18, 2020. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS magazine; Dr. Daliah Wachs, talk show host, Genesis Communications Network/medical doctor; Christopher Ruddy, CEO, Newsmax TV; Dom Giordano, talk show host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Steve Weisman, professor of law, Bentley University, Boston / founder Scamicide.com; and Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company. This acclaimed news/talk radio show airs each week on its flagship, WONK-FM, Washington, DC, Friday evenings at 6:00 pm ET. It also airs throughout the weekend on WTIC, Hartford; KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; KDFD, Denver “Freedom 93.7”; KFNX, Phoenix; 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; WCHM, Clarkesville, GA; WPHM, Port Huron, MI; KSYL, Alexandria, LA; KTOE, Mankato, MN; WCED (“Connect FM”), DuBois, PA; K-NEWS 101.3, Owensboro, KY; WWTK, Sebring, FL; the Virginia Talk Radio Network; CRN Digital Talk Radio Network; Pioneer Valley Radio, Springfield, MA; Podcast Radio, UK and many more. To listen to this week’s episode, please click
Report: Wynter and Massey Show to Get 90-Day Tryout on WSB. The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Rodney Ho reports that the weekend (and fill-in) show “Word on the Street” co-hosted by Shelley Wynter (right) and MalaniKai Massey (left) is getting a 90-day tryout in the nightly 10:00 pm to 12:00 midnight slot on Cox Media Group’s news/talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta that’s opening due to Clark Howard’s ending of his regular radio programs at WSB this month. The “Word on the Street” program launched in mid-2019 as a weekly show that became a Saturday and Sunday program. Wynter and Massey have also been filling in for other WSB shows. WSB program director Drew Anderssen tells the AJC, “As a result of the breakneck pace of news in 2020 the program has been on quite a bit, tackling tough issues while keeping audiences engaged.” “Word on the Street” has a conservative-versus-liberal aspect to it as Wynter is a Trump-supporting conservative versus Massey’s progressive demeanor, but it’s not too in-your-face. Wynter comments that he “wants the show to be a bit like friends hanging out at a bar.”
Detroit Lions Jump to Entercom’s WXYT-FM Starting Next Season. The NFL’s Detroit Lions have signed a multiyear deal with Entercom to make sports talk WXYT-FM “97.1 The Ticket” the flagship station for the team’s radio broadcasts beginning with the 2021 season. Under the current deal, Lions games are based at Cumulus Media’s WJR-AM, Detroit. Entercom Detroit SVP and market manager Debbie Kenyon says, “The Lions are synonymous with the city of Detroit and this is a great opportunity to leverage our position as the unrivaled leaders in sports radio and deliver dynamic Lions content, both on game days and throughout the year. This partnership now makes ‘97.1 The Ticket’ the flagship station for all four professional sports teams in the Motor City, giving fans a one-stop destination for all of their favorite local teams.” As part of the deal, Entercom will manage the Lions Radio Network – an extensive radio network with more than 30 stations across Michigan and in northern Ohio. All Lions Radio Network programming, including live game broadcasts, pre- and postgame shows, regular season weekly shows and additional offseason programming will air exclusively on “97.1 The Ticket.”
Steve Sommers Re-Launches Overnight Show as ‘The Steve Sommers Overnight Drive.’ After his “America’s Truckin’ Network” program was cancelled by iHeartMedia’s WLW-Cincinnati early last month, Steve Sommers will re-launch his overnight talk program as “The Steve Sommers Overnight Drive” in a partnership with motor vehicle products company Lubrication Specialties Inc and its subsidiary Hot Shot’s Secret. In January Sommers will debut a new, five-hour live stream talk show (12:00 midnight to 5:00 am ET) direct from the brand-new Hot Shot’s Secret studios in the Cincinnati area. A press release says, “The initial motivation is to get Steve back on air as soon as possible, with long-term plans of massive distribution. More details on when and where to find the new program are coming soon.” Hot Shot’s Secret founder and CEO Chris Gabrelcik says, “Hot Shot’s Secret would not be here today if it was not for the persistence of Steve to give me some airtime on his overnight show many years ago when I was first starting the company. The five hours I spent in his studio that very first visit resulted in an avalanche of orders for our product and we have never looked back ever since. Hot Shot’s Secret is now the fastest growing performance lubricant company in the U.S. and I will never forget those early days when Steve was there for us when we needed it the most.” Sommers says, alluding to this past summer’s corporate dictate not to talk politics on his show, “I am excited to get back on the air. What you heard before from my show will be the same – frank talk. Trucking is a tough business, and so is radio. I actually started working in radio when I was just 15 years old in Cincinnati. Many relocations and radio stations later I had the opportunity to return to Ohio in 1996 to produce the radio show that my father Dale “Truckin’ Bozo” Sommers started back in 1984. I then took over the show in 2004 and have enjoyed every moment with my overnight listeners. This is my life. And right now, I can see that one good turn deserves another as my friend Chris Gabrelcik is doing whatever it takes to make this show a reality.”
KDWN, Las Vegas’ Steve Sanchez Named a ‘Top 30 Influencer.’ KDWN, Las Vegas early evening host Steve Sanchez has been named one of the “Top 30 Influencers” in Las Vegas by Las Vegas Entrepreneurs Magazine. Sanchez, whose show airs from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on KDWN, was #25 on the list. He tells TALKERS magazine that earlier this year, his program was able to donate 1,000 30-day use facemasks to the Las Vegas Children’s Hospital. Sanchez, who spent that last three weeks battling COVID-19 and pneumonia, adds, “This was very much needed by them since we did this in May, right in the middle of this horrible pandemic.” Currently, Sanchez’s program is syndicated nationally by GCN, but he says he’s ending the syndication of his program next month to “concentrate on growing my show with KDWN, focus more on my social media and digital platforms, and entertain the TV offers coming to me.”
COVID-19 Stats, Vaccines, Prevention Top News/Talk Story for Week of December 14-18. The fast-rising number of COVID-19 cases, the rollout of vaccines, and policies for prevention 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, stimulus talks, and business & school closings. Coming in at #3 was Donald Trump’s denial of his election loss and the Joe Biden transition. 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.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Next month’s “iHeartRadio ALTer EGO Presented by Capital One” is taking place virtually due to the pandemic. iHeartMedia announces that the fourth annual alternative rock show set for January 28 will be hosted by Woody, host of the syndicated “Woody Show” and will feature all-new performances and stories from Billie Eilish and the Foo Fighters. In addition, it will include previous ALTer EGO performances from Beck, The Black Keys, blink-182, Cage The Elephant, Coldplay, The Killers, Mumford & Sons, Muse, twenty one pilots, and Weezer. It will livestream exclusively for free on LiveXLive.com, the LiveXLive mobile and OTT apps for iOS, Android, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV and broadcast live across more than 80 iHeartMedia alternative and rock stations at 9:00 pm ET…..Michael Baisden announces he’s leaving radio at the end of the year and will discontinue syndication of his daily show. He will be replaced by “The Jeff Foxx Show with Keke Brown and Nina” on the Sun Broadcast Group’s network lineup. Baisden says, “Sun Broadcast Group has been an incredible network partner and their team, along with Mike Love, have worked diligently to grow my show for the past two years. Unfortunately, due to the historic issues we faced with COVID-19 and the subsequent economic crisis, it’s been challenging to grow affiliation and revenue for the show. To that end, ‘The Michael Baisden Show’ will not be returning for 2021.”
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
LA Times: Post White House Talk Show Career for Trump? The Los Angeles Times published an article today (11/11) by entertainment/arts/media writer Stephen Battaglio speculating on industry chatter about the possibility of President Trump launching a talk media career after leaving the White House that would involve either starting his own television network or joining an existing operation such as FOX News Channel or Newsmax TV as the host of his own program. The article also touches upon Trump’s option of doing a daily talk show on radio – perhaps even replacing Rush Limbaugh if and when the superstar is forced to leave the airwaves due to his battle with lung cancer. TALKERS founder Michael Harrison states in the article he does not think that would be a likely prospect. “With all due respect for the president, he cannot hold a candle to Rush when it comes to the demands and expectations of doing a high-profile, daily three-hour talk show, which requires hours of prep per day, an original take on the issues and the ability to connect the complex dots of presenting a thesis and then setting about supporting it in a cogent manner,” Harrison said. “Trump is a showman, but what Rush listeners expect is a much more sophisticated and nuanced approach to creating a meaningful listening experience than what it takes to hold court and mug over a campaign rally before thousands of adoring followers.” To read the entire article, please click here.
Beasley Media Group Enters into Distribution Deal with RADIO.COM. A deal between Entercom’s RADIO.COM platform and Beasley Media Group puts live-stream channels for each of Beasley’s 64 stations across 15 markets on RADIO.COM, along with all of its premium on-demand audio and podcasts. Entercom VP of business development Corey Podolsky says, “We’re delighted to bring Beasley Media Group aboard the RADIO.COM platform and its incredible stations across news, entertainment, music and sports. This partnership will give Beasley’s 20 million weekly listeners a new destination to consume their favorite audio content, while providing our existing consumers more options to satisfy their listening habits.” Beasley chief content officer Justin Chase says, “Beasley is proud to partner with our friends at Entercom and RADIO.COM. Listeners are consuming our content in more places than ever and we are excited to expand the distribution for our amazing brands on this first-class audio platform.”
WABC, New York ‘Ties a Yellow Ribbon’ in Honor of Veterans Day. Pictured above are singer Tony Orlando (left) and Red Apple Media owner John Catsimatidis (right) along with U.S. Marines tying a yellow ribbon on a tree outside the WABC, New York studios as a symbol of support for veterans and the military. Orlando, who recorded the 1973 hit “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Ole Oak Tree,” recently joined 77 WABC as part of its Saturday night music lineup, hosting a two-hour show that airs at 10:00 pm. All day today (11/11), TALKRADIO 77 WABC is saluting the brave men and women who served in the military with special Veterans Day programming that includes interviews with America’s heroes and their families. The station has been promoting its Veterans Day programming on the air and social media for several days, and distributed hundreds of TALKRADIO 77 WABC Yellow Ribbons to listeners who want to show their support.
TALKERS News Notes. After the cancellation of the “America’s Trucking Network” program hosted by Steve Sommers, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WLW, Cincinnati has filled the overnight slot with a talk program hosted by Dan Carroll. The ouster of Sommers is part of an ongoing reduction in force of employees at iHeartMedia that, according to a tally by radio trade AllAccess, has put almost 80 on-air and programming staffers in the unemployment line. It’s unclear how many behind-the-scenes employees have been affected…..Former ESPN Radio morning drive personality Mike Golic is the host of a newly created college sports trivia program produced by Learfield IMG
College and Sidearm Sports called “The Fan Exam.” As reported by NJ.com, the free online program will air Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:00 pm ET on some 150 college athletics websites. Golic is quoted saying, “This sounds like fun. I’ve enjoyed calling the college [football] games. This opportunity came up and it reminded me of the ‘HQ Trivia’ game that was out for a while that I played all the time. So, this will be a lot of fun… Who doesn’t love to try to answer trivia questions? The beauty about this is you’re never eliminated through all the shows that we’re going to have. You can win for that week, there’s a cumulative score for the entire year. So even if you miss questions, it doesn’t matter. You still get to answer all twelve [questions]. Your score is logged — and you can win a bunch of different ways. It’s cool. You’re never out of it.”
Trump Refuses to Accept Election Results, COVID-19 Stats & Projections, Vaccine Quest, Trump Purges Pentagon, Georgia Runoff Elections, SCOTUS Hears Obamacare Arguments, and Tropical Storm Eta to Hit Florida Again Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/10). The challenges to the election results being put up by Donald Trump; the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and abroad and projections for winter cases; the race to produce an effective COVID vaccine and Pfizer’s statement its vaccine is 90% effective; President Trump fires numerous civilian Pentagon officials and installs loyalists in the posts; the January runoff elections in Georgia that will determine control of the U.S. Senate; the Supreme Court’s hearing of arguments in the Obamacare case; and Tropical Storm Eta on course to hit Florida again were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. In honor of Veterans Day, Cumulus Media’s classic rock KCFX-FM, Kansas “101 The Fox,” along with Price Chopper and Cars4Heroes, are giving 11 cars to 11 veterans. A special ceremony takes place at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City and legendary Chiefs player Deron Cherry will present the car keys to these 11 local heroes. Cherry will be accompanied by many other Chiefs legends to personally thank the veterans for their service and for protecting our freedom. For 26 years, Cars4Heroes has been helping people in the Kansas City area. Terry Franz, who is affectionately referred to as “Car Santa,” is the founder and president of Cars4Heroes. He says, “If somebody is down and out you can go hand them some cash and fix everything for today, but the money goes away. When we give someone a car, it is a tool that changes their life! We are proud to salute and honor these veterans here today.”…..iHeartMedia Boston’s country WBWL “101.7 The Bull,” in partnership with WBTS-TV “NBC10” presents “One Night Only,” a night of live music to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on Saturday, November 21 at 7:00 pm ET on NBC10 Boston and live on “101.7 The Bull.” Artists performing will include: Kane Brown, Old Dominion, Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Jon Pardi, Brett Eldredge, Jimmie Allen, Lauren Alaina, and special guest host Chrissy Metz of NBC’s “This Is Us.”…..Beasley Media Group’s classic rock WMGK-FM, in conjunction with City Team Philadelphia, is presenting the 19th Annual John DeBella Turkey Drop on Tuesday, November 24 at The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. Morning personality John DeBella will broadcast live from 6:00 am to 9:00 am and will accept monetary as well as turkey donations onsite. The John DeBella Turkey Drop is the largest, single day food gathering event in the City of Philadelphia. Last year’s collection raised over 11,000 turkeys.
Friday, September 25, 2020
NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment of the vibrant, 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, “The Mensch, the Bench and the Stench!” looks back at this past week of September 21 – September 25, 2020. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Harry Hurley, talk show host, WPG, Atlantic City; Scott Sands, talk show host, WSPD, Toledo/SVP Programming, North Ohio Area, iHeartMedia Communities Division; Heidi Harris, talk show host, KMZQ, Las Vegas; and Joe Thomas, talk show host/program director, WCHV, Charlottesville. This acclaimed news/talk radio show airs each week on its flagship, WONK-FM, Washington, DC, Friday evenings at 6:00 pm ET. It also airs throughout the weekend on WTIC, Hartford; KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; KDFD (“Freedom 93.7”), Denver; KFNX, Phoenix; 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; WCHM, Clarkesville, GA; WPHM, Port Huron, MI; KSYL, Alexandria, LA; KTOE, Mankato, MN; WCED (“Connect FM”), DuBois, PA; K-NEWS 101.3, Owensboro, KY; the Virginia Talk Radio Network; CRN Digital Talk Radio Network; Pioneer Valley Radio, Springfield, MA; Podcast 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.
Edison Research Releases The Infinite Dial Profiles Listeners of Popular U.S. Radio Formats. Yesterday (9/24), Edison Research presented its latest webinar titled, “Radio Format Profiles: An Infinite Dial Study” that revealed data about P1 listeners based on 11 individual radio formats. The study was conducted in January and February of this year, prior to listening habits being affected by the coronavirus pandemic. When it comes to P1 listeners of spoken-word radio such as news/talk and sports talk, there are stark differences in listening habits in a number of categories. For example, when it comes to online audio listening – listening to an AM/FM station online or a stream available only on the internet – sports talk P1s were tops among all radio format P1s with 82% (Persons 12+) saying they listened online in the last week. However, for news/talk P1s, just 51% had done the same, beating only classic hits P1s (39%). Listening to an AM/FM station online was again done most by sports talk P1s with 45% saying they had done so in the last week. News/talk P1s tied for third place, with 26% saying they had done so in the past week. Regarding podcast listening, news/talk P1 were in the bottom half of the 11 formats with 53% saying they had ever listened to a podcast and 32% saying they had listened to a podcast in the last week. Sports talk P1s were more into podcasts with 69% saying they had ever listened to a podcast and 40% (second only to alternative rock P1s) saying they had listened to a podcast in the last week.
Newsmax TV Debuts ‘The Benny Report.’ A new weekly program is premiering on Newsmax TV tomorrow evening (9/26) as Benny Johnson, conservative social media star and chief creative officer for Turning Point USA, debuts “The Benny Report” at 6:30 pm ET. Newsmax TV says, “If you’ve never experienced the world according to Benny, you’re in for a treat as this funny, quick-witted, viral storyteller shares his creative insights on the political world. Benny believes that entertaining tales told straight from the heart and without politically correct B.S. can win the culture war for conservative-thinking Americans… He has more than 1 million followers on his social media accounts and his viral political videos have racked up over 2 billion — that’s right, 2 billion — views on broadcast and online mediums.” Based in Washington, DC, Johnson previously served as viral politics editor at Independent Journal Review, BuzzFeed, TheBlaze, National Review and The Daily Caller.
The Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the Battle Over Filling Her Seat Top News/Talk Story for the Week of September 21-25. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death and the Republican-led Senate’s determination to fill her seat before the November election was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 was the presidential race and the debate over the reliability of mail-in voting. Coming in at #3 was race relations, police reform, and the protests over the lack of charges against the police involved in the death of Breonna Taylor, followed by the U.S. COVID-19 statistics and projections at #4. 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.
TALKERS News Notes. The first presidential debate will take place on Tuesday evening in Cleveland and FOX News Radio announces it is providing live coverage of it and the other three presidential and vice presidential debates. FNR says its coverage begins with an hour-long pre-show at 8:06 pm ET and will conclude at 11:29:50 pm ET. The debates themselves will be 90 minutes in length uninterrupted. Coverage will be led by FOX News Radio’s national correspondent Jared Halpern and FOX News Radio political analyst Josh Kraushaar…..According to a story in the St.
Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Public Radio has fired KWMU-FM, St. Louis general manager Tim Eby after an investigation into allegations of unfair treatment of staffers of color. The group St. Louis Public Radio Journalists of Color complained about what they said was inequity and racism at the public news/talk station. The University of Missouri St. Louis – owner of the station – investigated and announced yesterday (9/24) that Eby has exited and that public radio consultant Tom Livingston will serve as interim general manager while a search is conducted for a permanent GM…..SiriusXM announces it is exclusively premiering the long-lost comedy album from the legendary Lenny Bruce tonight at 8:00 pm ET on its Comedy Greats channel. The album is titled “Lenny Bruce Is Out Again” and is the unreleased album fully authorized by Bruce’s daughter, Kitty Bruce. She’ll speak with SiriusXM host Ron Bennington during a special hour-long interview that will air at 5:00 pm ET. Also joining the panel will be actor Luke Kirby, who won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of Bruce on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and comedian W. Kamaul Bell.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Special programming takes place tonight on SiriusXM Satellite Radio that celebrates the release of the remastered and expanded reissue of Prince’s “Sign O’ the Times” album and the new deluxe box set with a special new
docuseries on the Volume channel. Tonight’s program, “Prince Sign O’ the Times – The Audio Biography,” airs at 8:00 pm and is hosted by Alan Light. It tells the story of the iconic album’s recording sessions, the behind-the-scenes workings and relationships, and the period of time that sparked Prince’s unmatched creativity and features interviews with vocalist (and former fiancé) Susannah Melvoin, The Revolution’s Lisa Coleman and Matt Fink, saxophonist Eric Leeds, engineer Susan Rogers, and Prince historian Duane Tudahl.
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God Launch ‘The Black Effect Podcast Network.’ A new podcast network from iHeartMedia and nationally syndicated radio personality Charlamagne Tha God is in the works. iHeartMedia says, “The Black Effect Podcast Network is positioned to become the world’s largest podcast publisher dedicated to Black listeners, bringing together the most influential and trusted voices in black culture for stimulating conversations around social justice, pop culture, sports, mental health, news, comedy and more.” Charlamagne says, “Blackness has an immediate, culture shifting effect on everything. Blackness controls the cool. Blackness is the culture, but Black Voices are not monolithic. The only way to appreciate the diversity of thought and experiences in Black culture is to build a platform for those voices to be
heard. Unapologetically Black experiences, unapologetically Black thought, unapologetically Black ideas. Black, Black, Blackity Black, Black, Black, Black. Everything Black. Black Everything. The vision for The Black Effect is to amplify, elevate, and empower emerging and established talent. Our goal is to shift the narrative from Black creators signing transactional deals, to instead forming legacy partnerships that build generational wealth while allowing each creative to have an equitable stake in their future. As a longtime partner of iHeart, it’s an honor to make history with them.” The Black Effect Podcast Network creatives will include comedian/actress Jess Hilarious, social justice activist Tamika Mallory, American attorney and TV host Eboni K. Williams, and many more.
Fred Toucher Back on WBZ-FM, Boston. After seven weeks away from his role as co-host of the morning drive “Toucher and Rich” program on Beasley Media Group’s WBZ-FM, Boston “98.5 The Sports Hub,” Fred Toucher re-joins Rich Shertenlieb and the cast today (9/9). As reported by the Boston Globe, Toucher took leave of the show on July 22 to enter rehab for alcohol addiction. He tweeted on Tuesday, “I’m back baby! It’s been a crazy few weeks but I survived. I want to thank all of you for the tremendous support. I have read all your messages and they helped me more than you could imagine. I will tell my story starting tomorrow at 6am on Toucher and Rich 98.5 the sports hub.”
New Afternoon Show Debuts at Cumulus’ KTIK-FM, Boise. The new afternoon show at Cumulus Media’s sports talk KTIK-FM, Boise includes the station’s current afternoon personality Mike Prater and new station voice Johnny “The Ballgame” Mallory. The show is called “Idaho Sports Talk With Prater & The Ballgame” and airs from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Mallory is a former Boise radio personality who’s been hosting his own show in LaGrande, Oregon for the past four years. KTIK program director John Patrick says, “Johnny will bring tremendous energy that will be infectious to our listeners. We’ve put together a strong team that will carry the Idaho Sports Talk tradition of smart and entertaining conversation with a focus on Boise State athletics.” The station says that Boise State University athletics voice Bob Behler will continue his appearances on “Idaho Sports Talk With Prater & The Ballgame,” doing daily segments on teams, student-athletes, news and trending issues at Boise State. Behler also continues as the play-by-play voice of the football and men’s basketball teams.
Ramon Foster Joins Morning Show at WGFX-FM, Nashville. Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman and Tennessee Volunteers player Ramon Foster is joining Cumulus Media’s sports talk WGFX-FM, Nashville “104.5 The Zone” as co-host of the morning drive program alongside Jason Martin, effective today (9/9). Station program director Paul Mason says, “From the moment I met Ramon Foster, I knew he was the right person for this role. Not only is he a ‘Vol For Life’ with many years in the NFL, but he is also very likable, a great storyteller, and is just flat out interesting to listen to. I’m extremely excited and happy for our listeners!”
Rob Schmitt to Host Prime-Time Show on Newsmax TV. News pro Rob Schmitt is joining Newsmax TV to host a prime-time program. Newsmax says that beginning weeknights this fall, “Schmitt’s new prime-time hour will include fast-paced news, analysis, and commentary covering the topics most important to Americans.” Schmitt most recently anchored the “FOX & Friends First” morning show and was a co-anchor for “FOX Nation.” Newsmax Media CEO Christopher Ruddy says, “Rob has the kind of journalistic credentials and positive reputation we look for here at Newsmax and our viewers will be well served by his honest reporting.”
Presidential Election/Mail-In Voting, DOJ-E. Jean Carroll Case, COVID-19 Stats & Projections/Vaccine Trials, School Openings/College Outbreaks, California Wildfires, and Oscars Inclusion Standards Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/8). The November presidential election, the controversy over mail-in voting, and President Trump’s request that supporters act as “poll watchers”; the Department of Justice seeks to defend Trump in the E. Jean Carroll sexual assault allegation; the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and projections for future cases and the related quest for a vaccine; the challenges of opening U.S. schools to students and the COVID-19 outbreaks at numerous college campuses; the raging California wildfires; and the new inclusion standards for the Oscars were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
TALKERS News Notes. Little Rock talk show host Dave Elswick celebrated 20 years on the air in the market on Tuesday (9/8). Elswick, has been a personality at Salem Media Group’s KXDE, Little Rock “101.1 The Answer” for the past six years, previously handled afternoon drive at Cumulus Media’s crosstown news/talk KARN-AM/FM. He’s been in the radio business for 50 years…..FOX Sports Radio launches a new iHeartRadio original podcast titled, “I Want Your Flex,” distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network. The program is a fantasy football-themed podcast hosted by FSR personalities Mike Harmon and Dan Beyer. New episodes will drop on Tuesday and Friday mornings. Harmon has served as co-host of FSR’s “The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon.” He also hosts a two-hour Sunday morning show on FSR from 9:00 am to 11:00 am with LaVar Arrington. Beyer is FSR’s managing news editor, and can be heard weekdays on “The Doug Gottlieb Show.”…..Cumulus Media’s Westwood One and Imperative Entertainment premiere “TRUE,” a weekly podcast that “features often weird, but always true stories of strange events and unforgettable moments.” New episodes include topics such as: ‘Balloon Boy’ in which the Heene family claimed their six-year-old son was trapped in a homemade helium-filled gas balloon shaped to resemble a flying saucer, and ‘Pigeon King’ – the story of how Arlan Galbraith used pigeons to scam millions of dollars from small town farmers, mostly Mennonites, Amish and Hutterites, across Canada and the US…..Entercom is partnering with the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation to host the first annual Giving Week campaign in support of the foundation’s signature program, My Home Library. All this week,
Entercom’s Houston stations are working to raise $100,000 to provide more than 3,500 home libraries to economically disadvantaged Houston children…..Vuolo Video’s Art Vuolo is making audio from the morning of September 11, 2001 available to stations for use in recognizing the anniversary of the terror attacks this Friday. The “mini-documentary” runs about 13 minutes and includes radio sound and clips from WABC, WCBS-AM, WCBS-FM, WOR, WINS, and WHTZ featuring air personalities Scott Shannon, Elvis Duran, Curtis Sliwa, Sean Hannity, Lee Harris, Ed Walsh, John Gambling, Joe Bartlett, and Joey Reynolds. The link to the YouTube video is here.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. In New Orleans, Cumulus Media flips classic hits KKND-FM to hot AC as “106.7 The Krewe.” The station will feature core artists including: Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, and Maroon 5, among others. The weekday programming lineup includes “The Bert Show” 5:00 am to 9:00 am and “The Adam Bomb Show” from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm…..Cumulus Media alternative rock WKQX-FM, Chicago is presenting the history of the alternative rock genre via its “The History of Alternative,” an exclusive five-week radio series that began on Tuesday (9/8). The program will air nine hours a day, every day, on WKQX through October 9. WKQX program director and Cumulus VP, corporate programming/rock formats Troy Hanson comments, “For 25-plus years, WKQX has had the good fortune of being Chicago’s amplifier to all things alternative. This labor of love will showcase the music since the dawn of the genre, as well as the pop culture happenings surrounding the movement. A credit to our incredible listeners who have helped shape the face of alternative. We’ve got you covered. All 23 minutes of Kraftwerk ‘Autobahn’? Check. Guyliner tips from The Cure? Check. Flannel meets punk meets Lilith Fair? Check. Zoot suit chain wallets? Check. Backwards red baseball cap? Yeah….even that phase, plus a couple more surprises along the way.” “The History of Alternative” was produced by WKQX’s Troy Hanson, Jon Manley, and James Van Osdol. The series was narrated by Brian Philips and hosted by Lauren O’Neal and Tim Virgin.