John Catsimatidis Set to Keynote 28th TALKERS Conference Heading Stellar Lineup of 60+ Speakers
WABC, New York / Red Apple Audio Networks owner John Catsimatidis has been named keynote speaker for TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter set for Friday, June 5 on the campus of Hofstra 
University on Long Island. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison states, “The selection of ‘Cats’ as keynoter is in keeping with one of the major themes of this year’s edition of the iconic industry event – radio, talk media, and entrepreneurism. John Catsimatidis is presently setting the greatest example of entrepreneurism at work in giving an injection of much needed energy, focus and life to the medium of radio.” Harrison will serve as facilitator of the presentation in a Q&A / interview style format – a role he has played before with the dynamic billionaire media, grocery, and energy mogul.
Catsimatidis will be joined by more than 60 speakers comprised of legendary industry figures as well as fresh faces and rising stars. A detailed agenda including speakers and schedule – a “who’s who” of industry luminaries – will be posted in TALKERS this coming Tuesday (4/28). See the link below for the names of all speakers booked to date.
The power-packed, one-day agenda is being organized and designed to address the field of talk media’s most pressing and existential issues. 
Harrison continues, “This important conference will illuminate the forward path of the expanding talk media universe, including all aspects of digital communications from AI and podcasting to streaming networks. As has been its tradition, this latest TALKERS conference will approach the onrushing future of the talk business from a radio perspective. This crucial gathering will cover the new undeniable realities of the radio business for those who not only want to survive but thrive as well. It will be about opportunities, networking, and entrepreneurism for individuals in talent, programming, sales, marketing, and management who are serious about staying in the game.”
Attendance at the conference is only open to members of the working media and directly associated industries as well as students enrolled in accredited learning institutions. All attendees will be required to register in advance on the phone payable by credit card. Because attendance will be limited to maintain intimacy, the conference is again expected to be an early sellout. The all-inclusive registration fee covering convention events, exhibits, food, and services for the day is $260. All registrations are non-refundable. This power-packed, one-day event is being presented in association with Hofstra’s multi-award-winning station, WRHU Radio, and the school’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication.
For more detailed agenda info please click here
Conference Registration and Hotel Information
To register for TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter or to obtain sponsorship information, call Barbara Kurland at 413-565-5413.
To book a hotel room at the nearby Long Island Marriott – Uniondale, please click here: www.TalkersRoomRate.com or call 516-794-3800 and mention TALKERS 2026. Act quickly because the number of rooms available at the hotel for this event are limited.
Louisville area president Kristy Beebee says, “Christopher brings an exceptional track record of leadership, creativity and strategic vision, and will be a tremendous asset to our teams and listeners. Louisville is a dynamic, growing market, and we’re excited to see the impact he’ll make as we continue to elevate and strengthen our brands, talent and community connections.” Layfield most recently served with Cumulus Media as SVP of programming for Indianapolis. 
responsibilities outside of Philadelphia, including the Upstate New York, Mid-Atlantic and New England areas. iHeartMedia EVP of programming Thea Mitchem says, “Jeff is a proven leader with a deep understanding of our brands, our audiences and the power of strong programming. His ability to strategically elevate stations while developing great teams makes him the right choice to lead programming in Philadelphia, and I’m confident he’ll continue to drive success in this important market.”
provocative podcasts, unexpected live experiences, and new research, tools and planning solutions, Bubbler is designed to get brands into the conversation in fresh ways.” As part of its launch, Bubbler announces a partnership with iHeartMedia to develop and distribute a slate of original business and marketing podcasts, with more than 10 original podcasts slated for this year. President of iHeartPodcasts Will Pearson says, “The iHeartPodcast Network has always been focused on the new genres and audiences we can reach through this incredible medium – and the ‘business-to-business’ space is a perfect example of that. Creating a slate in podcasting for marketing executives to have meaningful, deep conversations with each other about the world of business and advertising will have immense value for our listeners and brand partners alike.”
TALKERS magazine associate publisher) Matthew B. Harrison, a work designed for today’s news/talk media environment where audio, video, screenshots, and quotes are not just supporting elements – but serve as the actual content itself. This technique has become particularly prevalent on YouTube and even cable news/talk TV but increasingly appears in audio form as what used to be called “actualities” – sound from another source.
book explains the legal concept of fair use not as a permission structure, but as a legal defense raised after copying has already occurred – an uncomfortable but essential distinction that underpins the entire analysis.
Cumulus’s relationships with advertisers, goodwill, and market share, and push it towards financial collapse. The District Court accordingly enjoined Nielsen’s anticompetitive conduct. 
Nielsen’s brief attacks those findings as speculative, asserting that Cumulus never showed any real risk of bankruptcy or any other non-compensable harm, but one of those irreparable harms has now come to pass: After a motions panel stayed the injunction, Cumulus declared bankruptcy—citing “the Nielsen network tying policy” as a significant contributing cause. The other harms identified by the District Court remain today and have become increasingly urgent, as Cumulus will lose access to Nationwide this September.” TALKERS associate publisher and Harrison Media Law senior partner Matthew B. Harrison comments, “Cumulus has fundamentally shifted the posture of this case. What began as a forward-looking claim of irreparable harm is now being presented as a realized outcome, following its Chapter 11 filing. The appellate court is no longer being asked to prevent potential damage, but to assess whether the harm that has already occurred can be attributed to Nielsen’s challenged conduct — or to broader economic pressures facing the radio industry.”
My notes from a real useful session with Amazon’s Andy Slater, Audacy’s Michael Biemolt, and YouTube’s Neha Taleja, moderated by WTOP’S John Wardock.
government studies report most commutes are a solo affair. In the car, Honda drivers cannot be reached by social media, online video, or any digital platform while commuting to work. What are the audio habits of Honda drivers in all locations (home, work, vehicle, and some other place)? Edison examined audience shares among Honda drivers to ad-supported audio platforms at home, in the car, at work, and some other place. In all locations, Honda drivers devote 62% of all their ad-supported audio time spent to AM/FM radio.” 
ratio of the three measurement types and it’s notable that more than half of Joe Rogan’s consumption is audio. For comparison, the audience for Candace Owen’s “Candace” (#9) is mostly from video and video clips – split evenly between the two. “The Tucker Carlson Show” (#10) audience is predominantly from video clips, while The New York Times’ “The Daily” (#6) is almost exclusively consumed via audio. 
iHeart Audience Network’s “Stuff You Should Know” returns to the #1 spot. Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show” is steady at #3, while Salem Podcast Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” falls eight places to #14. 
radio industry and listeners. Voting for inductees begins Friday (4/24) and runs through May 8. The top six vote recipients will gain induction as part of the 2026 Radio Hall of Fame Induction class. The additional inductees that will make up the induction class will be selected by the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. Spoken-word nominees include: Boomer Esiason, Joey Reynolds, John & Ken, and Larry Elder. 
WRVA, Richmond afternoon drive host Jeff Katz (right) is pictured here with Richmond city council member Reva Trammel (left), while being recognized on the 10th anniversary of Katz’s Lieutenant Jan McTernan Blue Friday Honor Award. Katz, a former police officer, has been honoring Central Virginia law enforcement heroes on the final Friday of each month. The award is named in memory of Janice Ann McTernan a retired, longtime veteran of the Richmond Police Department.
a financial backer of the table tennis phenom played by Timothée Chalamet in the film. Safdie told Vanity Fair he liked Catsimatidis’ ‘larger-than-life regional businessman’ look, which he noticed when the mogul ran for New York City mayor in 2013.” Interestingly, a key focus in the piece is on Catsimatidis’ ownership of news/talker 77WABC. He writes, “Catsimatidis made millions from buying New York real estate on the cheap in the 1970s when the city was in deep economic trouble. So, he recognized a bargain when his Red Apple Media group bought WABC for $12 million from Cumulus Media.” 
newscast that some 700 stations respected enough to put on their air. Schwalb tells the Tribune, “Conversations have been going on since the announcement, and I think we get closer and closer to a decision every day. But we have to be very careful and be very diligent about making sure the product that we select is going to make sense from a listener perspective and a revenue perspective as well… CBS has been a great top-of-the-hour news piece for a long time, but it’s a very small percentage of what we do in a given hour between business, traffic and weather together on the eights, local news – the strongest local newsroom in Chicago radio.” 
contributing their time, expertise, and resources. Honorees are true champions of service, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to fostering growth and progress within the industry.” McVay was presented with the award by Erica Farber on April 20, at the MIW Lipstick & Lobster Dinner at Maggiano’s. MIW board president Sheila Kirby states, “Mike McVay has been a consistent and powerful advocate for both the radio industry and the advancement of women within it. His willingness to share his time, expertise, and influence has made a lasting impact on MIW and the broader community we serve. Mike doesn’t just support the mission, he actively helps move it forward, and that kind of leadership is exactly what the Erica Farber Impact Award represents.”
with the station across town anymore. It’s competing with 50,000 news brands, nearly half a million podcasts, and an infinite scroll of feeds that never sleep.
Ian Furness Show,” which moves to an earlier start by an hour. The Seattle Times notes that Bell has covered the Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune since 2014, and Kidd is an executive producer with KJR who co-hosts the “Seahawks Man 2 Man” podcast. Bell comments about working Kidd, saying, “We have great rapport. I value his input. He’s a Seattle kid, born and raised, and a Coug. He’s a little younger than I am, so that gives another perspective.” 
who most recently served with Audacy in Sacramento as SVP and market manager. Cox Media Group VP and market manager Jason Meder states, “Aaron’s experience, leadership, and passion for our radio make him a tremendous asset to our Tampa leadership team. We’re excited to welcome him back and look forward to the impact he will have on our sales organization, our clients, and our continued growth in the Tampa market.”
“truckers, shift-workers, travelers, insomniacs, shut-ins, and anyone else looking for a late-night community.” Cunningham tells TALKERS, “I grew unhappy with what was my usual dancing at Manhattan-area nightclubs on Saturday nights. Yet, I sought conversation and connection in an environment that didn’t involve crowds or virtual chats. My talk show was born.” In describing the show’s format, Cunningham continues, “There are no guests. It’s just me, various topics as I see them, and open lines. The formula is simple… and it’s a hit.” Before the show’s debut in January, Cunningham studied comparable news/talk stations in each of the top 75 radio markets explaining, “I could only find a handful of stations that offered live, late-night talk heading into overnights, particularly on Saturday nights. You can now add Hartford to that list.”
As a newly minted program director (remember them?), I found the 1980 “NAB Radio Programming Conference” downright enchanting. New-tech cart machines (remember them?) would FIND the splice! And after the cart played, a flashing light saved careless DJs from accidentally playing it again.
Griswold, the two launched The Bob & Tom Show in 1983 and the WFBQ, Indianapolis-based program took off, going into syndicated in 1995. The program, still led by Griswold, is heard on some 100 affiliate stations. Kevoian retired from the show in 2015. Kevoian went public with his cancer diagnosis in 2023 and launched “The Bob & Cancer Show” podcast with his wife Becky and Whit Grayson.
coverage of breaking news across the United States and around the globe. The 20/20 True Crime channel will launch in the coming weeks and will be a nonstop destination for in-depth storytelling from 20/20 and ABC News. The channel will feature award-winning narrative podcasts, full episodes of 20/20, installments of 20/20: The After Show, and curated cases from the 20/20 True Crime Vault. 
The Key Networks nationally syndicated “Tony Katz Today” program adds new affiliates as WFDF, Detroit “910 Superstation” and WHBO-AM/W233CV, Tampa add the program to their lineups. The program airs daily from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET from flagship WIBC-FM, Indianapolis.