Tag: "Coast to Coast AM"
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
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TALKERS 2021 Conference Video Posted – Generating Talk Radio Revenue in a Noisy Digital World. The second video, under the direction of Art Vuolo, from the TALKERS 2021 Conference that took place at Hofstra University on June 11 is posted. This panel – in addition to featuring a brief video from consultant Holland Cooke – was moderated by Westwood One talk host Jim Bohannon and included panelists: Marc Beaven, general manager, WCBM, Baltimore; Kathy Carr, president, Howie Carr Radio Network; Paul Gleiser, president/owner, KTBB, Tyler, Texas; Erik Hellum, COO, Townsquare Media, New York, RAB; Christine Travaglini, president, Katz Radio Group, New York, RAB; and Paul Vandenburgh, owner/morning host, WGDJ, Albany, New York.
Remotes: An Oldie But a Goodie. Radio sales pro Kathy Carr writes today in a piece for TALKERS magazine about the need to keep talk show hosts in front of their audiences. She says the recent trend away from remote broadcasts misses some great opportunities to promote and sell. “Isn’t the mission of a local – or in our case regional – show to cover a certain geographical area? And covering an area includes being on the ground. Just this spring and summer alone, our network will visit 10 different parts of the region to get in front of the listeners via remote broadcasts – at restaurants including 110 Grill and Evviva Trattoria, auto dealerships, seaside inns, and even an arcade. Listeners drive long distances to watch the shows live. Some have come from as far as Ohio.” Read her column here.
WHO, Des Moines’ Simon Conway Raises $100,000-plus for Service Dog Charity. Pictured above is WHO, Des Moines afternoon drive host Simon Conway (standing) at a live event to raise funds for his Puppy Jake Foundation – a charity that helps fund service dogs for U.S. service persons wounded in combat. Joining him were U.S. Navy SEALS Rob O’Neill (center) – whose shot took down Osama bin Laden during Operation Neptune Spear – and Will Chesney (left), who served as the SEALS dog handler on that mission. Conway says, “I am so honored that these true national heroes came to Iowa to support this charity.” Conway’s program – which helped raise more than $102,000 for the Puppy Jake Foundation – is also heard on iHeartMedia stations WMT, Cedar Rapids and WOC, Davenport.
Massachusetts Broadcasters Association to Induct Nine into Hall of Fame. This fall,
the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association will induct nine broadcasters into its Hall of Fame, including WAQY, Springfield morning duo “Bax & O’Brien” – Mike “Bax” Baxendale (left) and John O’Brien (right). Other inductees are: WCRB, Boston morning host Laura Carlo; WGBH, Boston jazz show host Eric Jackson; broadcast executive Paul Kelley; former Boston Red Sox play-by-play commentator Sean McDonough; former longtime WMJX, Boston personality Nancy Quill; WCVB-TV, Boston journalist Jorge Quiroga; and former Boston television executive Gerald Walsh.
iHeartMedia Atlanta Commits to Launching 10,000 Black-Owned Businesses. The company is announcing that on the heels of its multi-year commitment to Atlanta-based Operation HOPE revealed back in April, it plans to help 10,000 aspiring Black
entrepreneurs in the Atlanta metro area launch their businesses. This is part of the 1 Million Black Business Initiative that aims to create one million new Black businesses by 2030. iHeartMedia says this initiative will continue to amplify the work of aspiring Black entrepreneurs, providing them with top-of-the-line coaching and educational resources and a 120-day free trial, courtesy of Shopify. iHeartMedia Atlanta will also provide social media support and advertising to a select group of entrepreneurs in the future, with additional activations to come. iHeartMedia Atlanta president Drew Lauter says, “We are excited to partner with Operation HOPE to grow Black business ownership here in Atlanta. Our city is the epicenter for entrepreneurial energy, and we are proud to use iHeart’s considerable resources to help owners of Black businesses achieve their dreams.”
George Noory Signs Multi-Year Contract Extension with Premiere Networks. Late night talk radio star George Noory and syndicator Premiere Networks agree to an exclusive, long-term agreement to renew and extend their relationship. Noory will continue to host the “Coast to Coast AM” program that’s heard on more than 640
affiliate stations. Noory comments, “I can’t express how delighted I am that we have extended our agreement well into this decade. As I enter my 18th year as host of this incredible show, ‘Coast to Coast AM,’ I look forwarded to the future. We’re experiencing incredible times and we’ll be there nightly, bringing the best stories and guests to our audience who has made us the #1 rated nighttime talk show in the country.” Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott adds, “‘Coast to Coast AM’ continues to be an overnight powerhouse for our partners, and it’s a credit to George’s dedication to the program and his audience. For the past 18 years, he has brought passion and enthusiasm to the program every night, and we couldn’t be happier to extend our successful partnership.”
TALKERS News Notes. On today’s edition of Premiere Networks’ syndicated “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show,” former President Donald J. Trump will appear as a guest during the second hour of the show…..SiriusXM announces the launch of “Top of the World: Lessons from Rebuilding the World Trade Center,” an 11-part series featuring the people at the heart of the historic rebuilding of the new World Trade Center. The special programming premieres July 6 on Business Radio channel 132 and will broadcast for 11 consecutive weeks in the lead-up to the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Among the major figures featured throughout the series are World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein; former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; WTC master planner Daniel Libeskind; National 9/11 Memorial architect Michael Arad; and more…..Audacy and Notre Dame Global Partnerships announce a multi-year radio broadcast agreement for Notre Dame Football. As part of the relationship, all-news WBBM-AM, Chicago will air all Fighting Irish football games on the Notre Dame Radio Network beginning with the team’s season opener on September 5 against Florida State. During Notre Dame football broadcasts on WBBM-AM, non-stop news coverage will continue on WCFS-FM…..C13Originals, the Peabody Award-nominated documentary studio division of Audacy’s Cadence13 announces the second season of “Hope, Through History.” This limited-run documentary podcast series is directed and produced by C13Originals and written and narrated by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and bestselling author Jon Meacham and explores pivotal moments of crisis in American history and how they shaped the nation. Season two explores “FDR, Churchill, and America’s Slow Walk to War”; The Battle of Gettysburg”; “George W. Bush and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief” and more.
Facebook Anti-Trust Suit Tossed, COVID-19, Condo Collapse Case, Trump Rally/Trump Org Legal Situation, Big City Gun Violence Spike, House January 6 Investigation, Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, Western Heatwave and Gwen Berry Anthem Flap Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (6/28). A U.S. District Court judge throws out the Federal Trade Commission’s anti-trust suit against Facebook; the concern about the COVID-19 Delta variant and the flagging vaccination rate in the U.S.; the search for residents of the collapsed Florida condominium and the building’s safety history; former President Donald Trump’s Ohio rally and the legal issues facing the Trump Organization; the spike in deadly gun violence in America’s large cities; the U.S. House legislation to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol; President Joe Biden’s push for the bipartisan infrastructure deal; the record-setting heatwave affecting the Pacific Northwest; and reaction to U.S. Olympic athlete Gwen Berry’s National Anthem slight were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Ramsey Network to Host ‘Message of Hope’ Live Stream. Tonight’s free, live stream is being produced by Ramsey Solutions and is being call “A Message of
Hope.” Ramsey Solutions says, “There’s a lot of fear in our country right now. Ramsey Network hosts Dave Ramsey, Ken Coleman, and Rachel Cruze will share practical money and career advice to spread hope in the middle of national uncertainty through the Message of Hope livestream at 8:00 pm EST. No matter what’s happening on Wall Street or in the White House, you need to focus on what’s happening in YOUR house. In a time of great unknowns, we are here to help.” The program is being made available for free on Daveramsey.com, on The Dave Ramsey Show YouTube page, or Dave’s Facebook page. It will also be broadcast live on SiriusXM ch. 111 and ch. 132 and AM/FM radio stations across the country. It will also be made available as a podcast.
Noory and Listeners to Engage the Power of Prayer on ‘Coast to Coast AM.’ Overnight talk radio star George Noory will focus his show’s regular Friday Night Prayer this week on the COVID-19 pandemic. For more than a decade on Premiere
Networks’ “Coast to Coast AM,” the show has featured the special segment where listeners submit their names or those of their loved ones to the show and the audience collectively prays for them. During the first segment of Friday’s show (1:00 am EST), Noory is inviting people worldwide to join in prayer to help end the spread of COVID-19. Participants will also be encouraged to dedicate their prayers to healing those who have been affected, easing the pain and sorrow of those who have lost loved ones, and supporting the medical care professionals on the front lines. Noory says, “I have always believed in the power of prayer and the existence of a higher power. For years now, I have witnessed the positive effect of our Friday Night Prayer on ‘Coast to Coast AM’ and I’m therefore asking that on March 27, people across the globe take a few moments to pray for the eradication of this deadly coronavirus.”
Bonneville and Hubbard Enter Unusual News Partnership in Seattle. In a rare move brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, Bonneville Seattle’s news/talk KIRO-FM and Hubbard Radio Seattle’s CHR KQMV 92.5 FM “Movin’,” adult contemporary KRWM “Warm,” and country KNUC “The Bull” are announcing a partnership in which the three music stations will broadcast hourly local news
updates from the KIRO Radio newsroom in order to give their listeners the latest information on COVID-19. In return, KIRO Radio will encourage listeners to pause from the news and listen to the music stations as a source of encouragement and relaxation in this extraordinary time. The collaboration begins tomorrow (3/27). Bonneville Seattle director of programming Mike Salk says, “We are thrilled to partner with the Hubbard stations. To have KIRO Radio news played on three excellent music stations is an opportunity for us to help our community stay informed in this unique time. And we can understand the need to take a break and listen to music to avoid feeling overwhelmed.” Hubbard Radio Seattle market manager Scott Mahalick adds, “Music is a mood elevator and a source of inspiration for people when times are tough. We’re proud to partner with Bonneville’s news, talk, and sports radio stations in Seattle. Combined, we are able to offer the perfect balance of information and entertainment.”
PPM Analysis: Public Radio News/Talk. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s February 2020 PPM survey, today focusing on public radio news/talk. KNOW, Minneapolis; KUT, Austin; and WAMU, Washington led the 39% of stations that gained weekly, 6+ AQH share from the January to February surveys. KNOW also was the leader comparing year-over-year data, adding 2.7 shares and jumping from #10 to #3 in the market rank. Close behind is WHYY, Philadelphia, which posted a 1.9 share gain good for a climb from #13 to #7. WAMU, Washington and KUT, Austin were the only public radio news/talk stations to rank #1 in their respective markets in February. See Mike Kinosian’s entire report here.
The Status of COVID-19 in the U.S., Death Tolls Across the Globe, Senate Approves Relief Package, Financial Markets Activity, Presidential Race/‘Draft Cuomo’ Movement, and Prince Charles Tests Positive for Coronavirus Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/25). The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the death toll across the U.S.; authorities in Spain and Italy report overwhelming conditions at hospitals there; the U.S. Senate passes the $2 trillion relief package and sends it to the House; the world’s financial markets react to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic; the presidential race and the cries for “drafting” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic nomination; and Britain’s Prince Charles tests positive for the coronavirus were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Ron Ananian ‘The Car Doctor’ to Celebrate 1,500th Episode. This Saturday (3/28), Ron Ananian will host the 1,500thedition of “The Car Doctor Radio Show.” The program began in January of 1991 on WFAS, White Plains, New York and aired there through 1997. It moved to WOR, New York in 1998 and went into syndication
via the WOR Radio Network in September of 1999. The program is currently syndicated by Talk Media Network. Ananian draws upon his 45 years of repair experience to help listeners with their car issues. Talk Media Network CEO Josh Leng says, “If you’ve ever met him… you know that God broke the mold when he made Ron Ananian. No, it’s not just the Jersey in him, it’s his witty personality combined with his unending commitment to doing the right things right, every time… whether he’s in his shop, working with advertisers, or assisting his listeners and fans with their car care questions, radio is a profoundly better place with Ron Ananian The Car Doctor behind the microphone. Ron’s dedication to his craft and his show is one that is nearly three decades in the making. Take a victory lap Ron Ananian, you most certainly deserve it.” The program is heard on almost 100 affiliate stations across the country and airs live from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET on Saturdays.
TALKERS News Notes. There are two programs being offered to stations from CBS News Radio this weekend focused on the COVID-19 pandemic: “Coronavirus: Changed Forever,” features interviews with experts from various fields hosted by Gil Gross; and “CBS Weekend Roundup Special Report on the Coronavirus” is hosted by correspondent Allison Keyes with reports and discussions from CBS reporters, correspondents, and newsmakers across the country and around the globe…..The Hill reports that Seattle public radio station KUOW is not going to air President Trump’s coronavirus press conferences live because of
what it calls “a pattern of false or misleading information provided that cannot be fact checked in real time.” The station made the announcement via Twitter and added, “KUOW is monitoring White House briefings for the latest news on the coronavirus – and we will continue to share all news relevant to 
Washington State with our listeners.”.….MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell revealed that his company – whose ads are practically ubiquitous on talk media – is going to be helping in the effort to supply America’s health professionals with surgical masks by manufacturing them. Lindell made the announcement on Salem Radio Network’s Mike Gallagher program. The N95 respirator mask is the most sought-after though it’s unclear which type of mask MyPillow will be making…..NRG Media’s news/talk KXEL, Cedar Rapids, Iowa is ending the “On Press Row” sports show hosted by Gary Rima for the past 14 years as of tomorrow (3/28). The Courier reports that Rima was told in late February of management’s decision and, although he’s upset the show is ending, he holds no grudge against the station or the company…..TransMedia Group is collaborating with Anita Finley, president and publisher of Boomer Times & Senior Life, to produce “Boomer Times Radio” with Finley as host. The program is now airing Sundays from 6:00 am to 9:00 am on Beasley Media Group’s financial talk WWNN, Pompano Beach, Florida “South Florida’s Money Talk Network.”…..Condolences to the family and friends of Michigan broadcasting legend Bob Allison, who passed away at age 87. “Radio’s Best Friend” Art Vuolo tips
TALKERS to Allison’s passing and writes: “Bob lasted nearly 60 years on radio and TV in Detroit. A lot of people don’t last 60 days, and a few have flamed out in less than 60 minutes! Many radio fans surely know who he was and have loved his caring disposition on the ‘Ask Your Neighbor’ program. Even those who hadn’t heard him lately on WNZK, Detroit, ALL remember him for those legendary ‘Bowling for Dollars’ shows on Channel 4. He was an iconic member of the broadcasting fraternity and in August of 2018 was inducted into the Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He was still on the air regularly on WNZK until about three weeks ago. He began on WWJ, Detroit back in 1962 with ‘Ask Your Neighbor.’ He worked at a number of Detroit area stations including: WIID, WEXL, WLQV and even WJR.”
Australian Radio Legend Trevor Smith Is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. One of the leading content providers in Australian radio and the legendary former PD of such stations as Triple-M in Sydney, Trevor Smith, is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Harrison caught up with Smith via Skype at his home/studio in the beautiful coastal town of Byron Bay, located north of Sydney where, like so
many Americans, he is practicing social distancing. Smith discusses how the epidemic is being handled in the “land down under,” including the health, politics, economics, and social aspects of the crisis. It’s a fascinating look at just how truly small the world is revealed to be as it battles a common enemy that respects no borders, barriers, or distance. To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here or click on the player box marked “The Michael Harrison Interview” located in the right-hand column on every page of Talkers.com.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, iHeartMedia’s CHR KIIS-FM, Los Angeles is cancelling the June 6, 2020 edition of the Wango Tango concert. The station issued the following statement: “Due to the uncertainty regarding COVID-19 and for the health and safety of our guests, employees, artists and partners, we have decided to cancel this year’s iHeartRadio Wango Tango. Refunds are being issued to ticketed guests. If you purchased your tickets via AXS online, a refund will automatically be issued to the credit card you used to purchase within 30 business days.”
Friday, March 6, 2020
NOW POSTED: New Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” 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 on the website of its flagship station, WONK-FM, Washington, DC. The new episode titled “This is No Gaffing Matter!” looks back at this past week of March 2-6, 2020 and features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Victoria Jones; executive director, DC Radio Company; Martha Zoller, talk show host, WDUN, Gainesville, Georgia; Thom Hartmann, talk show host, WYD Media; Joshua Philipp, senior investigative reporter, The Epoch Times; and Bali Samra, human resources consultant/commentator, Pioneer Valley Radio. This acclaimed news/talk radio show airs each week on WONK-FM, Washington, DC Friday evenings at 6:00 pm ET. It also airs throughout the weekend on WRKO, Boston; KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; KDFD “Freedom 93.7”, Denver; KFNX, Phoenix; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; KBKW, Aberdeen, WA; the Virginia Talk Radio Network and Pioneer Valley Radio in Springfield, MA. To listen to this week’s episode (and the program’s complete archives), 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.
FOX News Radio Names Jimmy Failla Host of ‘FOX Across America.’ The new, permanent host of FOX News Radio’s midday “FOX Across America” show is comedian Jimmy Failla, who takes over on Monday (3/9). “FOX Across America” has been airing in the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET daypart with a rotating cast of
hosts since Todd Starnes – host of “FOX News and Commentary” – exited FNR back in the fall of 2019. FNR says, “Based in FNR’s New York City studio, ‘FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla’ will feature guests from across the political spectrum for lively discussions on the day’s leading headlines. A standup comedian and former head writer for FOX Business Network’s “Kennedy” (weekdays 9:00 pm ET), Failla will also utilize his comedic talents to help navigate the partisan divide, providing an honest look at the important issues that affect every American.” In addition to airing weekdays on FNR, the show will also be available for download via FOX News Podcast Network, with full video recordings of each airing streaming exclusively on FOX Nation, FNC’s online subscription-based streaming service.
Denver’s ‘The Fan’ Celebrates 25th Anniversary. Denver sports talk outlet KKFN-FM “Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan” turns 25 today and the Bonneville station is launching a campaign that will culminate in a 25th anniversary celebration in June. As part of the celebration, ‘The Fan’ will welcome back influential figures from the
station’s history for a reunion broadcast that will allow Denver listeners to reconnect with talent from the past. Bonneville Denver SVP and market manager Bob Call says, “Twenty-five years ago, we launched Denver’s first 24-hour, all-sports radio station. Over the years, ‘The Fan’ has featured some of Denver’s most-loved personalities, starting with Doug Moe and Tom Green – who signed the station on the air – to legendary personalities like Irv Brown, Joe Williams, and Sandy Clough, who continues to entertain Denver sports fans today. Through the years, ‘The Fan’ has been built on great live and local talent. We are grateful for our many listeners and business partners who have been a part of this remarkable legacy.”
Westwood One to End NBC Sports Radio Distribution. Affiliates of the Westwood One-distributed NBC Sports Radio network are being notified that WWO will discontinue its distribution of the network at the end of this month.
Westwood One also handles distribution for the CBS Sports Radio network and affiliates are being offered the option to take that network’s programming. NBC Sports Radio had been offering 24/7 content but reduced that in January of last year but continued to offer sports talk shows such as “ProFootballTalk Live with Mike Florio” and “The Safety Blitz with Rodney Harrison and Dan Schwartzman.” Those shows will continue to be available on various digital platforms.
Lyndsay Keith Named Co-Host of ‘Spicer & Co.’ Pictured above on the set of the Newsmax TV show “Spicer & Co.” is co-host Lyndsay Keith (left) and host (former White House Press Secretary) Sean Spicer (right). “Spicer & Co.” debuted Tuesday (3/3) and airs weekdays at 6 pm ET. Prior to joining Newsmax, Keith worked at Google as a brand strategist. She has also served as deputy communications director for the Republican National Committee. She also served as an adviser to the Mitt Romney presidential campaign.
TALKERS News Notes. The 8th Annual Contact in the Desert event takes place at Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California May 29 through June 1 and one
of the participants will be Premiere Networks late-night host George Noory. The event is described as “an epic adventure weekend into the science of UFOs, communication with non-human intelligence, ancient astronauts, human origins, crop circles, military sightings, government disclosure, artificial intelligence, downed craft technology, the evolution of consciousness, forbidden archaeology, cosmic teachings, contact experiences, interplanetary living, and much more.” The host of “Coast to Coast AM” is one of 70 “experts, scientists, researchers, and military 
insiders.”…..iHeartMedia’s news/talk WOR, New York and LaborPress.org are presenting a panel discussion called “The Future of Healthcare” on March 19 at The Cutting Room in New York City. The 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm event will feature opening remarks by NYS Building & Construction Trades Council president James Cahill and is being moderated by filmmaker Joe Pantoliano (The Sopranos, The Matrix) who also produced and directed the documentary film that addresses mental illness titled, No Kidding! Me 2!!…..Comedian and talk host Dennis Miller begins hosting a
twice-weekly show on RT America called, “Dennis Miller +1.” The interview show airs live at 9:00 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. Miller says, “What do I like in an interview? I like it when the host asks a question and then listens to the guest’s answer and then reacts to that answer with an amplification through the next question. I promise you, I will not sit here finding myself overly precious and thinking only about my next query. I’m going to have a conversation!” Miller talks to actor and comedian Jeff Dunham on the first episode…..The Washington Examiner is 
launching a weekly podcast called, “Mag Men,” that offers analysis and commentary of the week’s news and what stories the editors are working on for the week ahead. It’s being hosted by executive editor Seth Mandel, managing editor Jay Caruso, Life and Arts editor Park MacDougal and deputy editor J. Grant Addison. The show is on the Ricochet platform that also hosts other Washington Examiner podcasts, including the “Hashing it Out,” a weekly podcast hosted by Siraj Hashmi, “The Byron York Show,” hosted by Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York, and “Examining Politics, “a daily podcast hosted by Cumulus Media and WMAL-FM, Washington talk-show host Larry O’Connor…..Happy 61st birthday to talk host Lars Larson, who also celebrates 45 years on the radio this month.
Larson, who hosts his daily KXL-FM, Portland-based Pacific Northwest show as well as his Compass Media Networks nationally syndicated show, says, “Forty-five years ago this month, I landed my first paid job in radio spinnin’ records and reading news from 10:00 pm to 12:00 midnight Monday thru Friday on the “Mighty 1590” KTIL from a cinderblock building in a cow pasture outside Tillamook, Oregon. Forty years ago next week, I came to work at KXL. This month, I mark 23 years of Radio Northwest Network syndication in Oregon, Washington and Idaho… I did my 20 years in the liberal gulag of TV news, but I never stopped doing radio. When a kind-hearted TV management informed me I had a ‘face for radio’ and demanded that I choose – TV or radio – it wasn’t hard at all. My first love, radio… God blessed me with Tina, my wonderful wife, who puts up with the weird hours and strange demands of this business. I have looked forward to each and every day I get to open a mic and talk with folks. My personal goal is to stay behind the mic as long as my hero Paul Harvey did.”
RTDNF Honors Journalists at 30th Annual First Amendment Awards. Last night (3/5), the Radio Television Digital News Foundation honored journalism professionals dedicated to defending the First Amendment and the public’s right to know at the 30th Annual First Amendment Awards in Washington, D.C. The
evening’s program began with RTDNA/RTDNF executive director Dan Shelley’s call to action, “Your viewers and listeners in the cities and towns you serve need the refreshing drink of water and the pleasant fragrance of a blossoming local news product that reflect an even stronger commitment to serving them – to empowering them to make positive changes in their communities… By joining forces, we can place America’s dust bowls of journalism into the dustbin of history.” This year’s honorees were: David Muir of ABC News; “60 Minutes” produced by CBS News; Robert Horner of NBC News; Barbara Maushard of Hearst Television; Lori Montenegro of Telemundo; Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT); and Steve Andrews of WFLA-TV, Tampa.
Presidential Race/Super Tuesday Top News/Talk Story for Week of March 2-6. The race for the Democratic nomination, the Super Tuesday elections, and the candidates who dropped out were the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio during the week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the coronavirus pandemic. Coming in at #3 was the financial markets activity and the Fed’s interest rate cut, followed by health care reform, climate change, and race relations tied 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.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Programmer John Candelaria is leaving his position with Beasley Media Group as PD of rhythmic AC WMGC “105.1 The Bounce” and urban AC WDMK “Kiss 105.9” in Detroit and national brand manager
for urban and rhythmic AC to relocate to his home town of Albuquerque…..“The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show” co-host J-Si Chavez and contributor Jenna Owens are launching their new podcast, “Fitish,” and the first episode reached the top 50 on the Apple Podcasts chart. Owens, who recently announced that she is taking a step back from day-to-day co-hosting at “The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show,” states, “I’m thrilled to be able to talk more openly about things I haven’t 
been able to discuss on the morning show and do it all with my favorite radio partner and occasionally our real-life partners as well!”…..Pictured at left is Premiere Networks senior director of rock programming and specials Sal Cirrincione (left) and rock legend Roger Daltrey (right) aboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas for the sold out Rock Legends Cruise VIII. Cirrincione helped entertain passengers by hosting Q&A sessions with three Daltrey, The Doors’ Robby Krieger and Heart’s Nancy Wilson. The annual cruise benefits the Native American Heritage Association, a charitable non-profit organization dedicated to helping Native American families in need who live on Reservations in South Dakota and Wyoming.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Townsquare Media Q3 Net Revenue Up 6.2%. Third quarter 2019 net revenue for Townsquare Media was $112.6 million, an increase of 6.2% over the same period in 2018. (Net revenue was up 7.9% excluding political revenue.) The company also is reporting year-to-date figures (the first three quarters of the year) and says that net revenue was up 6.7% over the same period in 2018. Net income was up $29 million during the first three quarters of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. Townsquare CEO Bill Wilson says in a statement,
“Townsquare’s third quarter results exceeded our expectations, with ex-political net revenue and Adjusted EBITDA increasing 7.9% and 12.9%, respectively, over the prior year. In addition to the continued strong results of our digital marketing subscription business, Townsquare Interactive, which increased net revenue by 26.0% over the prior year, our Advertising business grew net revenue a very impressive 7.3% excluding political revenue over the prior year. Both segments also achieved strong profit margins in excess of 30% in the third quarter and year to date periods, which as a result increased Adjusted EBITDA by a strong 11.5% in the first nine months of 2019. Continued momentum in our revenue growth, coupled with our disciplined expense management, allowed us to reduce net leverage to 4.7x as of September 30th, a reduction of 0.6x year over year and the lowest net leverage level in our history. The ongoing strong performance of Townsquare Interactive and Townsquare Ignite, our proprietary digital programmatic advertising platform, is contributing to digital revenue being 35% of our total net revenue and reinforces our belief that each of those digital divisions will generate $100 million in annual net revenue within the next two to four years. We believe that our strong financial performance, talented teams, broad product suite of high quality, locally focused multiplatform offerings, and the size and strength of our digital businesses, further prove that Townsquare is not a traditional radio broadcaster, and has evolved to be a premier local media and digital marketing solutions company.”
‘ESPN Tucson’ Adds New Morning Show. The new, two-hour morning drive show on Arizona Lotus Corp’s sports talk KFFN-AM/K285DL in Tucson is hosted by Jeff Dean. He’s a 20-plus year broadcast pro who has served as the
PA announcer for University of Arizona Wildcats football and men’s basketball for the past six years. Station operations manager Larry Mac says, “We are excited to have someone with the level of expertise that Jeff Dean will bring to the airwaves here in Tucson. His love of the Wildcats, and his passion for sports will help make ‘ESPN Tucson’ the destination for local morning sports talk radio in the Old Pueblo.” Dean, whose show will air Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 9:00 am, says, “It’s such an amazing feeling to be able to return home. I really hope to strengthen the relationship between the University of Arizona athletic department and the great sports fans of Tucson. It’s time for these fans to know the real U of A and I hope that I can help facilitate that.”
TALKERS News Notes. An 11-part series of reports in honor of the men and women who’ve served in the U.S. military is available from Cumulus Media’s
Westwood One. The Veterans Day report is approximately one minute long and features the men and women who make up the U.S. veteran population. They include perspectives from national leaders and veterans of varying ages about how veterans view their service and the day set aside to honor it. The series is reported and produced by Westwood One News reporter Chas Henry, himself a combat decorated veteran of the 1991 Gulf War…..A special episode of “The 
Adam Carolla Show” on PodcastOne was released yesterday (11/4) featuring Ford v Ferrari co-stars Matt Damon and Christian Bale. PodcastOne notes that “perhaps the most ‘candid’ moment came after they finished recording the podcast as Carolla and Damon were overheard talking about Carolla’s longtime friend and colleague, and Damon’s long-time public nemesis, Jimmy Kimmel.” Check it out here…..PBS is presenting a Christmas special that will air a number of times in this month and in December featuring some of the traditional
popular holiday music written by such composers as Johnny Marks, who wrote “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Serving as associate producer of the project is Chick Pallotta, who specializes in producing mini-radio programs for the holiday season using the voices of that era to introduce the recordings of their well-known compositions. Some 300 PBS stations will be airing the special…..SiriusXM announces host changes to its SiriusXM Progress channel leading up to the 2020 elections. First, “Signal Boost with Zerlina and Jess,” co-hosted by Zerlina Maxwell and Jess McIntosh will expand to two hours, airing from 7:00 am to 9:00 am ET. Wrapping up the day’s news will be SiriusXM’s John Fugelsang, who joins the Progress channel’s primetime schedule from 9:00 pm to 12:00 midnight ET. Fugelsang previously hosted a show on SiriusXM’s Insight channel. In addition to regular appearances as a political expert on MSNBC, CNN, and FOX News, Fugelsang recently co-hosted the nationally syndicated television entertainment program “Page Six TV.”
Celebrating Brian Kilmeade’s New Book. Crews from New York news/talkers WABC, WOR, and FOX News were at Del Frisco’s steakhouse in New York City to celebrate the publishing of FOX News Channel and FOX News Radio personality Brian Kilmeade’s new book, Sam Houston and the Alamo Avengers: The Texas Victory That Changed American History (2019, Penguin Publishing). Pictured above are (from l-r): FNC’s Bill Hemmer, WABC executive producer Jill Vitale, WOR host Mark Simone, famed defense attorney and fill-in radio host Arthur Aidala, FOX News Radio affiliate relations account manager Tamara Karcev, Kilmeade, WABC program director Dave LaBrozzi, and WABC APD Matt Dahl.
Premiere Networks Offers ‘Early Edition’ of ‘Coast to Coast AM.’ An additional three-hours of “Coast to Coast AM” is being offered by Premiere
Networks beginning this week. The company says that “Coast to Coast AM with George Noory – Early Edition” is a partial re-broadcast from the previous night that is available to existing affiliates to air from 10:00 pm to 1:00 am ET, Monday through Friday. In the same press release, Premiere reminds affiliate stations that “Coast to Coast AM” is continuing its long-standing tradition of providing live programming throughout the holidays, including music, special guest appearances, open lines and surprises on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Impeachment Process, Trump Tax Returns Ruling, Roger Stone Trial, 2020 Presidential Race, U.S. Withdraws from Paris Climate Deal, U.S.-China Trade Negotiations, and Popeye’s Chicken Stabbing Death Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/4). The impeachment process against President Trump and the speculation about who will testify; a federal appeals court rules President Trump must turn over 8 years of tax returns; longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone federal trial on obstructing a congressional investigation looking into Russian hacking during the 2016 campaign begins this week; the Democrats vying to challenge President Trump in 2020; the U.S. begins the final stage of exiting the Paris Climate Accord; the U.S.-China trade negotiations, and the death of a Maryland man as the result of an argument at a Popeye’s Chicken restaurant were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Hail to the… Chef! Pictured above is Salem Radio Network talk host Mike Gallagher as he broadcast his nationally syndicated program on Monday (11/4) from Famous Hamburger Joe’s restaurant in Surfside Beach, South Carolina to thank owner Tony Cherney for a large donation to Gallagher’s “Food For The Poor” campaign. Gallagher says it was “magical” to have a restaurant provide such a major donation to feed hungry children through “Food For The Poor.”
Alex Luke Appointed SVP of Digital Content for SiriusXM and Pandora. Music and media executive Alex Luke joins SiriusXM to take on the newly created position of senior vice president, digital content for SiriusXM and Pandora. In this role, Luke will lead programming for Pandora and editorial
content on the Pandora and SiriusXM digital platforms. Most recently, Luke was global head of programming and content strategy at Amazon Music. He’s also served with Napster and Apple. SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein says, “Alex is an expert in shaping the digital content experience for listeners, and we are excited to have him join us as we continue to advance and evolve how we create and present content for our listeners across our digital platforms. It is vital we ensure that the great content we produce today, as well as what we create in the future, is done in the most attractive and consumer-friendly manner so that it drives growth in usage across our digital platforms.”
Music Radio News and Career Moves. On-air pro Jack Shell exits the midday show at Cumulus Media’s country WFMS, Indianapolis after almost two years there. He moved north from the company’s adult contemporary WLYF, Miami “101.5 Lite FM” in December of
2017. In a Facebook post, Shell says, “Would like to thank those who listened to my show on 95.5 WFMS in Indianapolis, and I am proud to have accomplished quite a bit during my brief time here in terms of ratings and connecting with this audience. Thanks to Cumulus for getting me back into country music radio and giving me a great station on which to perform these last two years.”…..Also leaving a Cumulus Media country outlet is Nathan Fast. He leaves his morning gig at KPLX, Dallas “99.5 The Wolf” after a little more than a year there. He’d been co-hosting the morning program with Lisa Taylor, who remains on the air in AM drive…..Entercom announces that 2019 CMA Awards nominee Luke Combs is hosting its exclusive one-hour “CMA Red Carpet Countdown” immediately preceding the televised CMA Awards beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 13. The show will feature Luke Combs introducing additional content and a curated playlist from Nashville…..The lineup for night two of Entercom‘s RADIO.COM event “KROQ Absolut Almost Acoustic Christmas 2019,” taking place on Sunday, December 8 at the Honda Center in Anaheim is revealed. Taking the stage that evening will be: Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots, The 1975, The Raconteurs, Of Monsters and Men, The Interrupters, lovelytheband, Matt Mason, and DJ Jeremiah Red. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of tickets benefits Para Los Niños and the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center…..Pictured below is “NASH Nights Live” co-host Elaina Smith (left) with country star Miranda Lambert (right) after Lambert appeared as a guest on Smith’s podcast “Breaking Thru with Elaina.” The interview will also be heard as part of Smith’s “With Elaina,” the Westwood One syndicated two-hour weekend country program for pop culture junkies, entertainment fans and country music lovers!
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Dan Le Batard Off Air Again Today. According to a story in The Washington Post, ESPN sports personality Dan Le Batard is off his radio program, “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” and his cable TV show, “Highly Questionable,”
today (7/25) because he’s meeting in New York with ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro. Le Batard was off the air on Monday after he addressed the “Send her back!” chants directed toward Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar by Trump supporters at a recent Trump political rally. Le Batard was reminded by ESPN brass of the company’s mandate that politics are off limits on the sports network unless there’s a sports connection. Le Batard criticized that policy as well. He was, however, back on the air on Tuesday and Wednesday. FOX News coverage quotes former ESPN staffer and Le Batard friend Bill Simmons saying on his podcast that he doesn’t think Le Batard will remain with ESPN much longer. He calls him “a really proud guy, who I feel like at some point looked at it and said, ‘I have a platform, I’m on live radio right now and I’m just gonna use the platform for this and I know there is going to be repercussions.’”
PPM Analysis: Public Radio News/Talk.TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s June 2019 PPM survey, today focusing on public radio news/talk. Summer listening trends may be having an effect on public talk stations as 61% of those in PPM markets saw their weekly AQH share dip, led by KCFR, Denver and KUT, Austin – both declining 1.6 shares from the May survey to the June survey. Comparing June of 2018 to this year, just 38% of public radio news talkers are up – including KNPR, Las Vegas with an impressive 2.8 share gain – but 58% of stations see a ratings dip, including WBUR, Boston (-2.5), WFAE, Charlotte (-2.0), and KUT, Austin (-2.0). Just two public news/talk stations – KQED, San Francisco and KPBS, San Diego – ranked #1 (6+) in their respective markets during the June survey. See Mike Kinosian’s entire report here.
Talkers 2019: Telling the Story Videos Wraps Up Posting Today with the Panel Discussion, “Launching and Growing a Talent Career in 2019.” Today (7/25), TALKERS concludes the posting of videos of key speeches, presentations and sessions from the recent 22nd annual edition of the talk media industry’s
longest-running and most-important national convention – Talkers 2019: Telling the Story. This final post is the panel discussion, “Launching and Growing a Talent Career in 2019,” featuring panelists (in alphabetical order): Heather Cohen, EVP, The Weiss Agency; Dom Giordano, host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Danielle Lin, host, “The Art of Living & the Science of Life”; and Michael Riedel, host, WOR, New York. The panel was moderated by Andrew Kalb, then-executive director of programming, ABC News Radio and introduced by Dr. Daliah Wachs, host, Genesis Communications Network. This concludes the posting of all the key panels, speeches and presentations that took place at the annual event. All will remain posted for viewing/listening at Talkers.com for the rest of 2019. Thank you to Art Vuolo, president, Vuolo Video for the excellent job of capturing these historic recordings. To see the videos and convention video page, please click here.
Bert Baron Exits WCTC-AM, New Brunswick for Public Service Gig. Central New Jersey morning personality Bert Baron is exiting his position as host on
Beasley Media Group’s news/talk WCTC-AM, New Brunswick after tomorrow’s program to take a position outside of the radio business. In a press release, Mayor Jim Cahill says, “Bert is a well-known and admired member of our community. His vast experience in communications, messaging, social media, community engagement, advocacy, and community work and education initiatives will serve as key assets in his daily responsibilities as PIO. We are excited to welcome him to the team.”
Premiere’s George Noory Profiled in Boca Magazine. Nationally syndicated late-night radio star George Noory was recently profiled in the Florida
publication, Boca magazine. The host of “Coast to Coast AM” promoted his live stage show that’s taking place at the Miramar Cultural Center on Saturday (7/27), and discussed his 17-year tenure as host of the Premiere Networks radio program. Noory’s stage show will feature live interviews with Billy Carson, an expert in forbidden archaeology; James L. Paris, a motivational speaker and lecturer on the power of prayer; and Chip Coffey, a renowned psychic medium. Check out the Boca piece here.
Max Media Norfolk Back with Nielsen. Three years after deciding to do without Nielsen Audio’s PPM ratings service for its Norfolk, Virginia cluster that includes sports talk WVSP-FM “ESPN 94.1,” urban talk/music hybrid WGH-AM
and three music radio brands, Max Media signs a multi-year deal to use PPM data and a number of other services from Nielsen. Max Media VP and general manager Keith Barton says, “We are delighted to be working again with Nielsen. The comprehensive capabilities of Nielsen’s tools, including Nielsen Scarborough, Polk by IHS Markit, Nielsen Rhiza and Tapscan, are integral to our ability to facilitate success for the advertisers and agencies that we work with. We are now armed with the tools necessary to provide valuable marketing and advertising expertise to our clients and ultimately increase ROI.”
WWO: Smart Speaker Bringing AM/FM Back into the Home. The radio industry is hopeful that the rapid adoption of the smart speaker among American
households will heighten listening to AM/FM stations in the home. Westwood One presents some data to indicate the smart speaker is beginning to do just that. Some of the conclusions drawn from recent research are published in this week’s Westwood One blog post. They include: according to Nielsen, 28% of U.S. households own a smart speaker; 19% of streaming listening to AM/FM radio stations occurred via smart speaker at the start of this year, up from 9% in January 2018; streaming audiences skew female: 68% of the total music streaming audience is female, compared to 50% of the on-air audience to the same AM/FM radio stations; smart speaker AM/FM radio streamers listen to 7:55 hours and 6.3 sessions per month, higher than the average streaming listener; and a higher proportion of smart speaker streaming occurs on Saturdays and Sundays where smart speaker listening peaks between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm.
Mueller Testimony, Immigration/Asylum Policy, Epstein Injured in Jail, North Korea Missile Test, Puerto Rico Governor Resigns, and Boris Johnson Becomes Prime Minister Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/24). Wednesday’s testimony before the House judiciary and intelligence committees by special counsel Robert Mueller; the Trump administration’s immigration and asylum policies and the conditions at detention centers; accused sex traffickerJeffrey Epstein is found in jail cell injured; North Korea tests new short-range missile; Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello resigns over leaked chat message controversy; and Boris Johnson assumes the role as Great Britain’s prime minister 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. The rumored arrival of Jason Pullman as host of the new morning drive show on Entercom’s country WUSN-FM, Chicago “US99” is confirmed as the company announces the new show launches on August 8. Pullman was most recently morning
host at iHeartMedia’s country WUBL, Atlanta “94.9 The Bull.” Joining him on the air for the new morning show is Chicago native 
Katie Bright. She returns to WUSN after serving as national director of promotion for Warner Music Nashville. Prior to that, she’d worked with WUSN in the sales department. Also contributing to the show is current WUSN lead promotions coordinator Erin – known to WUSN listeners as the station’s “Batchelor” expert. Entercom Chicago president and market manager Jimmy de Castro says, “We are thrilled to welcome this talented team to ‘US99.’ The team will bring country music fans an entertaining and informative live, local show that is built for Chicagoland.”
