TALKERS magazine - "The Bible of Talk Radio &the New Talk Media" : TALKERS magazine

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

| December 14, 2022

Jack Heath is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. Longtime New England broadcaster Jack Heath is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Heath is host of the popular 9:00 am – 12:00 noon midday news/talk radio show, “Good Morning New Hampshire” heard daily on a statewide network of stations owned by regional independent giant Binnie Media called “The Pulse of NH.” The show features discussion of the topics that are important for the citizens of the Granite State in news, business, politics, and finance. Heath is a former news director and VP of WMUR-TV in Manchester and a former TV reporter in Boston and Maine. Harrison and Heath talk about the political and social nuances of New England; New Hampshire’s traditional impact on the presidential election cycle; how increasingly defensive campaigns connect (and don’t connect) with talk radio; the differences in broadcasting news/talk programs on radio and TV; and what it’s like working for an independent, privately held regional broadcasting company. Lots of takeaways! To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

 

Angelo Cataldi Reflects on His Career at Sports Talk WIP-FM, Philadelphia. In a piece by Dave Uram published at KYW-AM/FM’s website, retiring WIP-FM morning drive personality Angelo Cataldi looks back at his 33-year career at the Audacy sports talk station. Cataldi is leaving WIP after more than three decades of great ratings. But, as Uram writes, that success didn’t come easily. “The success of his show was a testament to him and his teammates placing themselves in the shoes of the listeners – his fellow sports fans – by figuring out what was important to them. It took work ethic and dedication every day.” That dedication didn’t make Cataldi an easy person to work with or for, and Cataldi knows it. He says, “I’m demanding. I have an enormously high standard that I aspire to every day. And I hold the people that work with me to that standard, to the point where I can’t imagine some days what they’re saying after I walk out.” Cataldi confesses that when he became the lead host, his obsession with perfection took over his life and that did some damage. “Three years in, I was in a bad spot … I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do it. And I ended up getting some help. I was off for three weeks when I was in a clinical depression because I couldn’t deal with the pressure of doing a show.” Uram writes that Cataldi needed therapy and antidepressants. “I really had to deal with it. And my marriage didn’t survive. It was too much pressure. It was too much stress, and I had a period there of transition … The people around me understood that I was probably paying more attention to that job than I was to anything else. And that has been the way it’s been. It hasn’t been perfect in my life because I’ve given so much of it over the job.” Cataldi will sign off after the Eagles’ season ends and midday personalities Joe DeCarmara and Jon Ritchie will take over the morning drive program.

 

Mike Mutnansky Next WEEI, Boston Personality to Exit. After 12 years with Audacy’s sports talk WEEI, Boston, Mike Mutnansky will exit the station when his contract ends on December 22. Mutnansky hosted in several dayparts on WEEI – currently he’s the evening host – but he also has worked in afternoons and in morning drive. Mutnansky’s announcement comes a week after PM drive personality Lou Merloni revealed he’s exiting the station after his contract with WEEI was not renewed. MassLive reports that while addressing his situation, Mutnansky says he expects his next opportunity will be in the sports betting industry as Massachusetts prepares to legalize sports betting.

RTDNA Announces Call for Entries for 2023 Edward R. Murrow Awards. Yesterday (12/13) was the first day that entries are being accepted for the Radio Television Digital News Association’s 2023 Edward R. Murrow Awards. RTDNA says, “Among the most prestigious in news, the Murrow Awards recognize local and national news stories that uphold the RTDNA Code of Ethics, demonstrate technical expertise, and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community. Murrow Award winning work demonstrates the excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession.” The Murrow Awards are organized into four divisions: 1) Local TV and Radio; 2) Network, Syndication Service, Program Service TV and Radio; 3) Digital News Organizations; and 4) Student Awards. The entry period closes on February 7, 2023. The Regional Winners will be announced in the spring, the National Winners will be announced in the summer, and the Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala will be held on October 9, 2023. Get more information and register here.

 

Country Star Granger Smith Visits Salem Radio Network in Dallas. Award-winning country artist Granger Smith was in Dallas on December 13 for the red-carpet premiere of his new PureFlix film, Moonrise.  Smith (right) dropped by the Salem Radio Network studios to lend his support to Mike Gallagher’s annual Angel Tree campaign for the non-profit Prison Fellowship. He also chatted with SRN’s VP of news & talk programming Tom Tradup (left).

Former WGN Television and Radio Personality Floyd Brown Dies at 92. The Chicago Tribune reports that Floyd Brown, who broke color barriers by being one of the first Blacks hired by a national radio network, died on Friday (12/9) at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, Illinois at age 92. His obituary says, “Over the course of Brown’s 50-plus-years career, he worked as an engineer, program manager, newscaster, sportscaster and associate news editor and hosted several radio and television shows, including a jazz program, ‘The Floyd Brown Show’ that aired on Sunday nights on WGN radio.” He first worked as an engineer at WRMN in Elgin, but when a staff announcer was late one day, Brown went on the air. “He achieved national recognition in the mid-1960s when he was hired by NBC-owned WMAQ in Chicago, becoming the first Black to be hired by a major network. It was such an achievement that he was featured on the cover of NBC’s company magazine with Bill Cosby, who was then starring in the NBC television show ‘I Spy.’ He would work at WMAQ radio from 1965 to 1970 before moving to WGN radio and television, where he remained from 1971 until his retirement in 1999.”

The Economy/Fed Interest Rate Hike, McCarthy’s Speakership Campaign, Border Security, Respect for Marriage Act, Trump Legal Battles, TikTok Legislation, Elon Musk & Twitter, Tripledemic/China’s COVID Problem, FTX Collapse, Russia-Ukraine War Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/13). The slowing rate of inflation, high mortgage rates, and the Fed’s expected interest rate hike; U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s battle to be the new Speaker of the House; the recent influx of migrants in El Paso and the broader issue of U.S.-Mexico border security; President Joe Biden signs the Respect for Marriage Act; former President Donald Trump’s legal battles; lawmakers introduce legislation to ban TikTok in the U.S.; Elon Musk’s ongoing overhaul of Twitter; the influenza, COVID and RSV cases filling emergency rooms in the U.S. and China’s COVID outbreak; U.S. regulators investigate the collapse of crypto exchange FTX; and Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing  research from TALKERS magazine.

 

The Radio Sales Arena is Changing and We Are On the Leading Edge. The key to sales growth in radio going forward is multi-platform digital marketing. In the coming decade, “radio” will simply be the engine driving an increasingly complex and sophisticated array of digitally powered platforms creating endless packages and options for the advertiser. The keys to success will be in branding that cuts through the noise and surgical targeting that delivers optimum efficiency for agencies that know exactly what they want. The Salem Media Group is leading the way and the opportunities for our sales team are endless. But, right now, we need that special individual who has the tools, the vision and the ambition to get it done. That one special person who truly “gets it.” Jerry Crowley, the longest-running GM in the nation’s largest market, says, “We want one outstanding seller who can take it to the moon! Compensation will reflect potential and performance – salary will range from 50k- 85k plus substantial bonuses and generous commissions.” Candidates should send cover letter and resume to Jerry Crowley, VP/GM, Salem Media Group, NY (WMCA 570am The Mission/WNYM 970am The Answer) at Jcrowley@nycradio.com.

Salem Media New York Seeks Production Director. News/talk “AM 970 The Answer” WNYM and Christian Teach & Talk “AM 570 & 102.3 FM The Mission” WMCA is seeking its next full-time production director. Candidates must be experienced and willing to work in our studios in Lower Manhattan, NYC. Interested candidates can apply directly on our corporate website here.

Monday, December 12, 2022

| December 12, 2022

Monday Memo: The Podcast Interview. “Conversation can seduce the listener,” and in this week’s column consultant Holland Cooke has collected technique tips from “interviewers whose work we’ve leaned-into all our lives.” Read it here.

 

 

Pending Business. AM Radio Is Dead… Again… Maybe. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa responds to the recent news reports about electric vehicle manufacturers planning to leave AM radios out of their products due to the interference inherent in the vehicles’ operation. He says it’s important to remember that EVs make up 3% of auto sales right now. “Let’s see if you and I can slow the spin cycle and sell through the ‘sky-is-falling’ banter that seems to be occupying the headlines. Let’s start by staying focused on now and what matters today. After all, most of your local advertisers are concerned with Q4 and 2023.’” Read his column here.

New York Times:  In a Future Filled with Electric Cars AM Radio May Be Left Behind. The New York Times published an article this past weekend (12/10) by reporter Michael Levenson outlining the dangers presented by the growing number of electric cars on the road to AM radio.  The article states, “Carmakers say electromagnetic interference causes static and noise on AM transmissions, annoying customers. Broadcasters say they could lose a connection to their core listeners, who rely on the radio for emergencies….An increasing number of electric models have dropped AM radio in what broadcasters call a worrisome shift that could spell trouble for the stations and deprive drivers of a crucial source of news in emergencies.”  To read the entire piece, please click here.

‘Bob & Tom Show Cast Member Ron Sexton Victim of Gun Attack. WTHR-TV, Indianapolis is reporting that Ron Sexton, a comic and voice actor on the nationally syndicated “Bob & Tom Show” was shot at while driving a rental car in Indianapolis. Sexton, who says he counted nine bullet holes in his vehicle (some of which can be seen in the photo here), was not hit by any of the shots. The police report indicates the shooting took place at 2:00 am on the north side of Indianapolis. Sexton says he believes he knows who the shooter is and that he was targeted. He comments, “Last night, it came to a head with me all of a sudden pulling up to a red light and seeing him in my blind spot on my driver’s side, and he pulled a weapon. In ‘Sopranos,’ they say you don’t hear it, you’re right, you don’t hear it. I didn’t hear anything. I felt glass. I felt glass on my face, on my ears, everything.” Sexton adds that as the shooter has not yet been apprehended, he’s concerned for his life and for the lives of his parents. Sexton is a stand-up comic in the Indianapolis area and voices the character Donnie Baker on the “Bob & Tom Show.”

Talent Shuffle at WEEI, Boston Leaves PM Drive Host Lou Merloni Out. According to a piece at the Boston Globe, afternoon drive personality Lou Merloni’s contract with Audacy sports talk outlet WEEI, Boston will not be renewed and he will exit his regular show duties with the station after 11 years. Right now, it’s not clear what Audacy has in mind for afternoons as it’s also been revealed that Merloni’s co-host Christian Fauria will move to the midday show alongside Andy Gresh. Current midday co-host Rich Keefe’s situation is unclear but it’s reported he is expected to remain with the station, possibly in evenings. It also appears that afternoon drive personality Meghan Ottolini, who joined the PM drive show last May, will continue in afternoons. The Globe piece notes that “‘Merloni, Fauria, and Mego’ show finished third in afternoon drive in the summer Nielsen Audio ratings in Boston – the most recent full ratings book — among listeners ages 25-54 with a 6.0 share. That was a good distance behind the 19.6 share rival station 98.5 The Sports Hub got for its ‘Felger and Mazz’ program, a ratings juggernaut for more than a decade.” Merloni – a former Red Sox infielder who played 15 years in pro baseball – first joined the station as a part-time co-host on the Glenn Ordway-hosted “The Big Show” PM drive show back in 2008. He became full time in 2011.

KBOI-AM/FM, Boise Breaks Record with ‘Idaho’s Largest Toy Drive.’ Boise news/talk outlet KBOI-AM/FM – working with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve – broke the record for their annual holiday “Idaho’s Largest Toy Drive” that benefits Toys for Tots in Boise and children in Idaho, Eastern Oregon, and Northern Nevada. Over the course of the 12-day event, KBOI collected four and a half 53-foot semi-trailers of toys holding over 15,000 donated toys and raised more than $45,000 in cash donations. Pictured above (from l-r) are: U.S. Marine Captain Johnson, KBOI program director Nate Shelman, and Staff Sargent Paala. Shelman comments, “In a year marked by inflation, seeing the Boise community come through to take care of the kids so they can experience joy this Christmas is very heartwarming. KBOI Radio considers it an honor to help the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve accomplish their mission with Toys For Tots in Boise.”

Talkers Books Title Tops Amazon Charts. The recently-released autobiography by Murray Sabrin titled From Immigrant to Public Intellectual: An American Story (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMZ9WP1F) published by Talkers Books (a TALKERS company) ranks this week by Amazon in the #1 chart positions in both the categories of “Biographies of Political Leaders” and “Political Freedom.” The new autobiographical book with a foreword by Michael Harrison is described as a truly American story about an immigrant child’s rise from humble beginnings in a family of Jewish Holocaust survivors from post-WWII Germany to forge a stellar career as an educator, author, political candidate, and influential “public intellectual.” Murray Sabrin explains libertarianism in plain language using his own life story set against a half-century backdrop of changing times. In 1997, Dr. Sabrin made New Jersey political history as the nominee of the Libertarian Party in the state’s gubernatorial election by being the first third-party candidate to gather enough support to meet the requirements for receiving matching funds and a place on the stage at all three debates with the two major party standard bearers. Murray Sabrin, Ph.D. is professor emeritus of finance, Ramapo College of New Jersey. He is considered a “public intellectual” for writing essays about the economy in scholarly and popular publications in addition to his numerous appearances during the past three decades as a talk media guest commenting on political and social issues. He is the author of Tax Free 2000, Why the Federal Reserve Sucks; Universal Medical Care: From Conception to End-of-Life; Navigating the Boom/Bust Cycle; and most recently, The Finance of Health Care: Wellness and Innovative Approaches to Employee Medical Insurance. His commentaries can be followed at murraysabrin.substack.com. TALKERS founder Michael Harrison says, “All of us at TALKERS are so proud of Dr. Sabrin for this stunning accomplishment and delighted that our boutique book publishing arm is able to make an impact on this level in the noisy media world.” Other recent Talkers Books titles include Yappy Days: Behind the Scenes with Newsers, Schmoozers, Boozers and Losers by Bernadette Duncan and The Tall Skinny Jewish Kid with Eyeglasses from Bridgeport: A Radio Guy’s Chance Encounters with the Colorful and Famous by the late Al Herskovitz. To arrange an interview with Dr. Murray Sabrin to discuss anything from his days as a student growing up in the Bronx during the JFK/LBJ era to his groundbreaking gubernatorial campaign to his present-day status as one of the leading libertarian thinkers and spokespersons in America with insights into inflation, crime, health care and U.S. involvement in foreign affairs – contact Victoria Jones at DC Radio Company. 917-865-3991 or victoria@dcradiocompany.com.

Benztown News Library Service to Talk Radio Passes Decade Mark. Burbank, CA-based radio production and imaging giant, Benztown (established in 2008), is marking over a decade of service to talk radio with its two high-quality news libraries, “Benztown News” and “Ambush,” which continue to gather rave reviews and count as loyal affiliates scores of legendary news/talk stations including: WTOP, KNX, KLIF, WLS, and KABC among others. Both news libraries are available on a market exclusive basis and contain all unique elements – they do not share content across libraries. Each one provides a comprehensive collection of imaging/production elements, from produced imaging shells to individual work-parts including music beds, loops, FX, actualities, bumpers, rejoiners, sound design and more. Materials are all housed on Benztown’s industry-leading platform. These Benztown resources play a strong role in helping news/talk and news stations of all genres achieve the standout, competitive sound so necessary for success in today’s noisy media marketplace. Programmers should check it out. For more information and to hear a sample of the Benztown news/talk services please click here.

Griner Prisoner Exchange, Elections Challenges, Trump in ‘24/Legal Battles, The Economy/Holiday Spending, Tripledemic/China COVID Policy, Iran Executions, Russia-Ukraine War, World Cup/Grant Wahl Dies Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. Criticism of the Biden administration’s prisoner swap of WNBA star Brittney Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout; the challenges to 2022 election results taking place in several states; former President Donald Trump’s bid for the White House in 2024 and his numerous legal battles; inflation, threats of a recession and forecasts of Americans’ holiday spending; the tripledemic of influenza, RSV, and COVID filling emergency rooms across the U.S.; the second execution of a protestor in Iran; Ukraine’s strikes against Russian troops in Melitopol; the World Cup quarterfinals and the sudden death of soccer journalist Grant Wahl were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Friday, December 9, 2022

| December 9, 2022

WCBS-FM Morning Co-Host Patty Steele Is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. The longtime on-air partner to legendary WCBS-FM, New York morning personality Scott Shannon – the abundantly talented Patty Steele – is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series “The Michael Harrison Interview.” For almost nine years, she has served with Shannon on his successful WCBS-FM, New York morning show. Before that she worked with Shannon on ground-breaking stints at WPLJ and Z-100 in the Big Apple. Shannon recently announced his retirement from the show, thus ending its dynamic run. Their last show together will be December 16 live from the Blythedale Children’s Hospital, after which Steele will devote more time to her award-winning podcast, “The Deep 6,” which she co-hosts with Steve Cochran of WLS, Chicago. Steele has co-hosted shows with such icons as Elvis Duran and John Lander on dominant stations in addition to having anchored news for WCBS Newsradio 880, 1010WINS and WOR in New York City. This year, she was honored with a Gracie Award for her “Deep 6” podcast and was named one of Radio Ink’s “Most Influential Women” in radio. She also received the Airblazer Award from Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio. An eight-year breast cancer survivor, this deeply caring wife and mother regularly speaks at fundraisers in the fight against the disease for Susan G. Komen and the TJ Martell Foundation, which honored her in 2018. In 2017, she was the keynote speaker for the Breast Cancer Alliance in Westchester, NY and Greenwich, CT which raised a record $1.7 million and was the featured speaker in 2019 for National Cancer Survivors Day at the Danbury Medical Center. Additionally, she has spoken publicly for children’s causes as well as the fight against addiction. Harrison and Steele discuss her extraordinary radio career, health challenges, the industry in general, and her son’s successful struggle with heroin. Michael Harrison states, “Patty Steele is an extraordinary radio broadcaster and human being. I am gratified that we were able to scratch the surface of her deep well of magic in this conversation.” To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

Premiere Networks Promotes Annie Zidarevich to SVP of West Coast Operations. Twenty-two-year Premiere Networks staffer Annie Zidarevich is promoted to senior vice president, West Coast operations for the company, effective immediately. Los Angeles-based Zidarevich previously served as VP of West Coast operations. In her new role, she’ll continue to oversee all programming operations for the West Coast. As part of her role, Zidarevich manages Premiere’s team of broadcast engineers, not only at her home base in Los Angeles, but also in various cities across the country. She also oversees all aspects of the company’s Network Operations Center and staff for the 24/7 operation. Additionally, she manages Premiere’s Los Angeles-based technical producers and associate producers. Prior to assuming her VP role in 2016, Zidarevich served as vice president, network operations for the FOX Sports Radio Network. Zidarevich first joined Premiere in 2000 as an integral member of the team that launched FSR. Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott says, “Annie is a valued member of our operations team, providing insightful leadership, solutions-oriented planning and logistical support for many of our live programs. A veteran of our Los Angeles team, we couldn’t be happier to recognize her with this promotion.” Zidarevich comments, “I love our radio properties, and being a part of their growth and development across multiple platforms continues to motivate me. It’s an honor to work with the best in the business every day and I continue to be inspired by the incredible team around me. I look forward to this next chapter together!”

Dan Dakich and ‘107.5 The Fan’ Part Ways in Indy. According to Awful Announcing’s story, Radio One sports talk station WFNI-AM/WIBC-HD2/W298BB “107.5 The Fan” operations manager David Wood tweeted on Thursday (12/8) that it was Dan Dakich’s last day with the company and “We wish him well in their future endeavors.” Dakich soon followed with his own tweet that said, “Earlier today, I did my last show for Radio One. I want to thank Radio One, Jeff Smulyan and the whole team at Emmis for a great 14 years. Given the success of my show Don’t @ Me on Outkick and the busy holiday season, this is the perfect time to focus on one show and to make it the best I can possibly make it. I can’t thank all the listeners enough for 14 years of unbelievable fun and controversy. I’m not going anywhere. Catch me every day from 9-11 on Outkick on Don’t @ Me.” In Awful Announcing’s coverage, Brandon Contes writes about Dakich’s controversial history. “Among the ‘controversy’ cited by Dakich in his announcement was a five-day suspension in 2019 from Emmis, which previously owned ‘The Fan.’ Emmis cited ‘a failure (in 2018) on Dan’s part to adhere to the journalistic principles valued by Emmis,’ when they handed Dakich the suspension. He garnered controversy again in 2020 when he called a high school basketball player a ‘meth head’ and threatened to ‘beat the hell out of every school board member.’ In 2021, ESPN investigated a Twitter feud between Dakich and a college professor who accused him of misogynistic comments and doxing her. Dakich parted ways with ESPN later that year.”

TALKERS News Notes. Talk host, station owner, author and highly visible conservative media figure Todd Starnes is elected to the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters board of directors. Starnes, who owns news/talk KWAM-AM, Memphis “The Mighty 990,” will represent West Tennessee…..On Tuesday of this week (12/6), FOX Sports Radio’s LaVar Arrington – co-host of the network’s weekday morning program “Two Pros and a Cup of Joe” with Brady Quinn and Jonas Knox, and co-host of the nationally-syndicated weekend program/podcast “Up On Game” with TJ Houshmandzadeh and Plaxico Burress – was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Below is a photo of Arrington with fellow College Football Hall of Fame inductees (from l-r) Mark Messner, Mike Doss, Arrington, and Moe Gardner being honored at the 2022 Big Ten Football Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, December 3.

The Georgia Runoff Election, the Challenges to Election Results, and Leadership in the New Congress Come Together as the Top News/Talk Story for the Week of December 5-9. The runoff election for Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker, the Republicans still challenging the results of the November elections, and Kevin McCarthy’s battle to be named House Speaker in the new congress combined as the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was former President Donald Trump’s bid for the White House in 2024 and his numerous legal battles, followed by the Supreme Court’s hearing of arguments in the case of North Carolina’s redistricting being scuttled by its state Supreme Court at #3. 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. 

Thursday, December 8, 2022

| December 8, 2022

Saga Communications Reveals It Has Rejected Unsolicited Bid for Acquisition. The board of directors of Saga Communications announces that it “received and ultimately rejected a confidential, unsolicited, and non-binding conditional indication of interest to acquire the company under two potential transaction structures.” Saga does not name the company making the offer but it’s being widely reported that Connoisseur Media‘s Jeffrey Warshaw was the party involved. Saga goes on to say, “The first structure was a cash buyout offer in the range of $30 to $33 per share for all outstanding shares of Saga common stock on a fully diluted basis. The second structure was a merger with the offeror providing the indication of interest in which Saga shareholders would receive $12.47 per share in cash at closing and would own 83.1% of the new combined entity, which would then assume the offeror’s existing debt. In the board’s judgment, the offeror did not provide sufficient evidence of ability to obtain the required financing under either structure. In either case, based on the structure and highly conditional nature of the offer, the result would have been a takeover of the company by a smaller broadcaster, to be soon followed by a significant leveraging of the company’s (or its successor’s) cash and other assets to finance the transaction through borrowing and issuing preferred equity.” The Saga board of directors says it “did not believe this indication of interest was acceptable given the board’s view of the fundamental value of the company and its assets, the assumptions and significant financial contingencies underlying the offer, the longstanding mission of the company to develop and operate broadcast properties, and the board’s confidence that the company can ultimately create more value for shareholders in comparison to the highly conditional offer. In conjunction with the company’s consultants and legal and financial advisors, the board will continue to formally review and evaluate all opportunities to enhance shareholder value, including through the new variable dividend policy as well as future acquisitions of additional broadcast properties.”

Saga Declares Cash Dividends. At the same time as it revealed the acquisition offers noted in the story above, Saga Communications says it is declaring a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share and a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share on its Class A common stock. The dividend will be paid on January 13, 2023, to shareholders of record on December 21, 2022. The aggregate amount of the payment to be made in connection with the combined quarterly and special dividends will be approximately $13.6 million. The quarterly and special cash dividends will be funded by cash on the company’s balance sheet. Including this dividend, the company will have paid over $106.6 million in dividends to shareholders since the first special dividend was paid in 2012. In addition, the board of directors adopted a new variable dividend policy for the allocation of cash flows aligned with the company’s goals of maintaining a strong balance sheet, increasing cash returns to shareholders, and continuing to grow the Company through strategic acquisitions. Under the new policy, in addition to any quarterly and special dividends paid, the company will declare an additional dividend in the second quarter of each year of 70% of the preceding year’s annual free cash flow, as reported in the company’s fourth quarter earnings release, net of acquisitions, special and quarterly dividends, debt paydowns and debt issuance costs, and stock buybacks. Saga president and CEO Christopher Forgy comments, “We are very pleased that our strong capital position and operating performance allowed us to declare another regular quarterly cash dividend and a special cash dividend. We are excited to continue our commitment to provide a meaningful cash return to our shareholders through the declarations of these dividends. In addition, we have made tremendous progress during what has been a period of transition for our board of directors and executive management team. Our sustained financial strength has put us in a position to meet operational goals and to support efforts to return value to our shareholders. The cash dividends announced today, along with the new variable dividend policy, express the confidence of our board of directors and executive management team in Saga’s future.”

Texas Talk Radio Host Lynn Woolley Publishes New Fiction Book. Texas talk host Lynn Woolley – co-host of the “Cardle & Woolley” show on Audacy’s news/talk KJCE, Austin “Talk 1370” and host of the “Planet Logic” podcast – announces the publication of Darker Secrets (Planet Logic Press, 2022). Woolley says, “The book is the second in a series of three books that will contain all the stories in my own personal canon. Some date back to 1967 when I was a mere 17 years old, to several tales written specifically for Darker Secrets. The book is available as a paperback and as an eBook for Kindle or Nook. If you read the prior book, The Clock Tower and Other Stories, you’ll notice some familiar characters returning in Darker Secrets.  But even so, this collection has its own eerie identity. While The Clock Tower was mostly fantasy and science fiction, this book adds the element of mystery with eight stories that focus on detection. The fantasy element is back as well with a century-spanning vampire story leading off the book, followed by a pair of supernatural themed tales.  Two stories have an element of science fiction, and one crosses over into the superhero genre.” You can reach out to Lynn Woolley at: lwoolley9189@gmail.com.

TALKERS News Notes — On New Year’s Eve, the program “100 Years of WGN Radio: A Retrospective” will air on WGN-TV, Chicago at 4:00 pm. This encore presentation of the special that first aired on the Nexstar Media Group station’s 100th anniversary on May 19 caps WGN-AM’s year-long celebration. The 45-minute documentary produced by WGN Radio presents an overview of highlights from a century of broadcasting, from its founding in 1922 by two Chicagoans to present-day. Viewers will see the faces of familiar voices including Bob Sirott, John Williams, Lou Manfredini, Dave Eanet, Mary Van De Velde, Dave Plier, Steve King and Johnnie Putman, and others reflect upon their own experiences and share memorable moments…..Audio analytics and research platform Veritonic announces that it has been approved as an attribution partner by independent podcast company Acast. Veritonic says that with this, the more than 2,400 advertisers and 88,000 podcasters that use the Acast platform to distribute their podcast content can elect to use Veritonic’s robust attribution capabilities to optimize and further increase the ROI of their audio campaigns. Veritonic CEO Scott Simonelli states, “We are pleased to partner with Acast to support brands, agencies, and publishers with the holistic data and analytics they need to increase their reach and ROI with audio. The powerful combination of our attribution and brand lift technology provides unparalleled and comprehensive measurement of audio campaigns from top to bottom in one unified and intuitive platform.”…..SiriusXM announces new programming initiatives focused on mental health, including the launch of a full-time streaming channel, Mental Health Radio, in conjunction with NYU Langone Health. In addition, SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio channel is more than doubling its mental health programming, with the channel now airing live daily shows. On Mental Health Radio, listeners will hear the week’s top mental health programming from Doctor Radio, which will include calls and questions from listeners, as well as searchable highlights from the channel’s vast archives. Along with the new streaming channel, Doctor Radio is expanding “The Psychiatry Show” to now air Mondays through Wednesdays, and “About Our Kids” to air Thursdays and Fridays. SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein says, “Since its launch in 2008, Doctor Radio, with advice from NYU Langone’s top doctors and experts has been a tremendous asset for those needing medical advice.”

Trump in ‘24/Legal Battles, Arizona Governor’s Race, Georgia Senate Race/New Congress, The Economy/Crypto Woes, SCOTUS Voting Case, Hunter Biden-Twitter Case, Respect for Marriage Act, Russia-Ukraine War, China-Saudi Arabia Meeting, and Iran Execution Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/7). Former President Donald Trump’s bid for the White House in 2024, his place as leader of the Republican Party, and his numerous legal battles; the challenge to Arizona’s election results led by gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake; Raphael Warnock’s victory in the Georgia runoff election and U.S. House leadership in the new congress; inflation, predictions for a recession, and the state of crypto currency; the Supreme Court hears arguments in the North Carolina redistricting case; Republicans’ plans to investigate Twitters suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop files; the Respect for Marriage Act that would protect gay and interracial marriages; Vladimir Putin admits Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is taking longer than planned; China and Saudi Arabia meet for new petroleum deal; and Iran executes protestor were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Wednesday, December 7, 2023

| December 7, 2022

Edison Research: SXM Media Reclaims Top Podcast Network By Reach Title. According to data from Edison Research for the third quarter of 2022, SXM Media has regained the #1 spot on its chart of the Top Podcast Networks in the U.S. based on total network reach from Edison Podcast Metrics. Runners up are Spotify at #2 and iHeartRadio at #3. The rest of the top 10 podcast networks for Q3 are: #4 Audioboom, #5 NPR, #6 Wondery/Audible/Amazon Music, #7 The New York Times, #8 Audacy, #9 Cumulus Podcast Network, and #10 Kast Media. Edison says, “This ranker measures reach as a percentage of the weekly podcasting audience. Rankings are compiled by measuring the total unduplicated reach of all the shows represented by a given network. Listening is credited to the producer and/or the network that represents the advertising for the show, not the platform or app that the listener uses to access the podcast.”

Kari Lake to Guest Host on Salem Radio Network. Former Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake will serve as guest host on Salem Radio Network today (12/7) on “America First with Dr. Sebastian Gorka” from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET (Gorka is in Israel wrapping up his “Stand With Israel” tour with 500 listeners). Salem Radio Network VP of news & talk programming Tom Tradup comments, “Kari Lake is one of America’s most dynamic and electrifying communicators. We are excited to hear Kari conduct a national town hall on SRN focusing on everything from last night’s defeat of Herschel Walker in Georgia to the future of conservatives in America.”

Sherman Winfield Named Chief Judge for 2023 Radio Mercury Awards. The Radio Mercury Awards announces that Sherman Winfield, executive creative director at VMLY&R, is named he 2023 chief judge for the 32nd annual Radio Mercury Awards competition. In his role as VMLY&R’s executive creative director, Winfield oversees creative efforts for clients including The Coca-Cola Company, YMCA of Metro Atlanta and Sam’s Club, among others. Winfield’s work has been recognized and awarded by the Radio Mercury Awards as well as internationally by Cannes, D&AD, One Club, London International Awards and more. Winfield says, “The Radio Mercury Awards continue to deliver on awarding radio and audio that will ‘set the frequency’ for the future of the medium, and I am honored that I get to serve as chief judge for the 2023 competition. I am excited to get a roster of final round judges together to hear the work that showcases the growth in radio and audio.” RAB president & CEO and chair of the Radio Creative Fund Erica Farber says, “We are excited to have Sherman as this year’s chief judge. He has been a great partner as a final round judge and winner in past years. The Radio Mercury Awards team is looking forward to hearing the amazing work that will be entered and to have Sherman at the helm of this year’s awards event.” Awards categories for the 2023 Radio Mercury Awards will be announced in early January along with Call for Entry guidelines and deadlines.

WMAL-FM, Washington Raises More Than $405,000 for Fisher House. Last week’s “WMAL Operation Fisher House Radiothon” – held on Thursday and Friday (12/1-2) raised more than $405,000. This 20th annual WMAL charity radiothon featured popular WMAL hosts’ interviews with families of injured veterans that have benefited from the donations made in past WMAL Operation Fisher House Radiothons. WMAL listeners have donated nearly $8.5 million dollars over the last 20 years to support the efforts of the Fisher House Foundation, which provides housing to families of injured military members and veterans who are undergoing treatment. Group homes at Bethesda, Walter Reed, the VA, Dover AFB, and at military and VA medical centers around the world offer a comfortable place for loved ones to live while remaining close to their injured family members. Fisher Houses feature up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation chairman and CEO Ken Fisher comments, “Our partnership with WMAL has stood the test of time and is one we are forever grateful for. Over the years, the dedication and contributions of WMAL to military and veteran families has been profound. We are so thankful to their generous listeners who have given so much for the past 20 years.” Cumulus Media vice president, news/talk and WMAL program director Bill Hess adds, “Year after year, our listeners step up with support for injured veterans and their families. As the Fisher House Foundation approaches its 100th house worldwide, it’s rewarding to know our listeners play such a large role in the organization’s ability to serve the families of our wounded servicemen and women.” For more information or to donate to the Fisher House Foundation, visit: https://www.wmal.com/fisherhouse/.

KFI, Los Angeles’ 12th Annual PastaThon Raises Record-Breaking Amount of Food and Cash. This year’s annual “KFI PastaThon” raised a record-breaking $1,173,803 and 27,159 pounds of pasta and sauce to help children and families in the local community. The 12th annual charity event hosted by the iHeartMedia news/talk station encouraged listeners to donate money, pasta, and sauce to benefit Caterina’s Club, a local charity founded by award-winning Chef Bruno Serato of the Anaheim White House, which provides more than 25,000 nutritious meals every week to children in need across Southern California. In addition, the charity helps to break the cycle of poverty by helping families return to stable home environments and teaches teens the skills they need to work in the hospitality industry. Since 2010, KFI-AM 640 listeners have raised over $5,700,000 and 727,000 pounds of pasta and sauce for this amazing cause. KFI program director Robin Bertolucci says, “The ‘KFI PastaThon’ is a full station and community effort, and the biggest heroes are our listeners and partners. With the economic struggles of many over the past two years, we are thrilled that every year we reach new highs. Our listeners’ and partners’ donations have resulted in more meals and help to families in need, to break the cycle of poverty permanently. On behalf of the entire KFI team, we thank the community for their remarkable generosity.” 

TALKERS News Notes. On February 15, 2023, audio analytics and research platform Veritonic will host the 2023 Audio Intelligence Summit – a half-day, in-person event taking place at Second Floor in New York City. Veritonic says, “The summit gathers a wide range of brands, agencies, and platforms that leverage audio and podcasts including SXM, NPR, Tostitos, Wise, Audacy, Havas, Morning Brew, The New York Times, Visa, QCODE, Magnite, the IAB, Acast, and more for discussion and demonstrations of successful audio strategies as well as the data, insights, and technology that are powering those strategies.” Themes for 2023 include: The power of audio and podcast creative testing; Holistic campaign measurement: podcast attribution and brand lift; Elevating brand awareness & increasing ROI with audio, and more…..The Society of Broadcast Engineers, the association for broadcast and multimedia technology professionals, announces that next spring it will expand the SBE Ennes Workshop to a two-day event on April 14 and 15, beginning the day before the 2023 NAB Show exhibit floor opens. The SBE Ennes Workshop at the 2023 NAB Show will be held at the Westgate Resort and Casino. Registration for the workshop will be separate from the NAB Show convention registration, and will be available on the SBE website, sbe.org. The $199 registration fee will include access to the two days of instruction in either the RF 101 or NextGen Broadcast track, and continental breakfast and a midday refreshment on both days. Online registration will open in January…..iHeartPodcasts and the NBA are debuting the new thrice-weekly podcast “NBA Pulse with Sarah Kustok.” On this new program, the Emmy-Award winning sports analyst will meet with a rotating group of the most respected NBA App writers to discuss recent articles and feature stories and hear their perspectives on big news around the league. Kustok serves as YES Network’s Brooklyn Nets game analyst and recently became the first female to win a New York Emmy as an analyst, doing so in back-to-back years…..The public affairs radio program “INFOTRAK” recently achieved the significant milestone of 850 affiliates with the signing of Beasley Media Group’s WRIF and WCFX Detroit. The program is hosted by veteran broadcaster Chris Witting, along with a team of experienced reporters and announcer Charlie Van Dyke. The show is produced by Chicago-based Syndication Networks Corp with ad sales by Compass Media Networks. The company says each “INFOTRAK” program presents a balanced look at issues of importance, with no corporate, political, or religious agenda…..Remote News Service announces that it is adding new affiliate stations KELO-AM, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; simulcast “Mountain Gospel Radio” – WMTC, Vancleve & WBFC, Stanton, Kentucky; and WGTK-FM, Greenville, South Caroliona “94.5 The Answer” to its roster.

Warnock-Walker Runoff, Trump Org Verdict/Trump in ’24, SCOTUS Voting Case, AZ Election Results, January 6 Criminal Referrals, The Economy, Russia-Ukraine War, and China COVID Policy Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/6). The runoff between Georgia U.S. Senate candidates Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker; a New York jury finds the Trump Org guilty of tax fraud and former President Donald Trump’s bid for the White House in 2024; the Supreme Courts hears arguments about North Carolina’s Supreme Court blocking redistricting; gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake continues her campaign to challenge Arizona’s election results; the U.S. House’s January 6 Committee says it will present criminal referrals to the Department of Justice; a number of Wall Street forecasters predict the economy will stall in 2023; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine; and the protests over China’s COVID policy and its announcement it will relax them to some degree were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

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