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Friday, April 8, 2022
NOW POSTED: This Weekend’s Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The latest installment of the 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, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Atrocities,” looks back at this past week of 4/4 to 4/8. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Derek Hunter, talk show host, WCBM, Baltimore; Jim Bohannon, talk show host, Westwood One; Walter Sterling, talk show host, “Sterling on Sunday”; Arthur Aidala, criminal trial lawyer/talk show host, AM 970 The Answer, New York and Matthew B. Harrison, associate publisher, TALKERS/law professor, Western New England University School of Law. The show airs weekends on WONK-FM, Washington, DC; WTIC, Hartford; KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; KDFD, Denver; KFNX, Phoenix; KTLK-FM, St. Louis; WPG, Atlantic City, NJ; SuperTalk 99.7 WTN, Nashville; KMZQ, Las Vegas; WTPL, Manchester, NH; WEMJ, Laconia, NH; WTSN, Dover-Portsmouth, NH; WVLY, Wheeling, WV; WTRW-FM, Scranton/Wilkes Barre, PA; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; WGDJ, Albany, NY; WJFN-FM, Richmond, VA; WZFG, Fargo; KTGO, Tioga, ND; KWAM, Memphis; K-NEWS, San Luis Obispo; WGMD, Rehoboth Beach, DE; WCHM, Clarkesville, GA; WPHM, Port Huron, MI; KSYL, Alexandria, LA; KTOE, Mankato, MN; WCED, DuBois, PA; K-NEWS 101.3, Owensboro, KY; WWTK, Sebring, FL; WSAR-AM/FM, Fall River, MA; WIZM-AM/FM, La Crosse, WI; WMVA, Martinsville, VA; KQEN, Roseburg, OR; the Virginia Talk Radio Network; CRN Digital Talk Radio Network; Podcast Radio UK and many more. To listen to this week’s episode, please click here. To view the latest TALKERS 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.
KVI, Seattle to Add Rita Cosby Show to Program Lineup. Programming changes will take place at Lotus Communications’ talk outlet KVI-AM, Seattle “Talk Radio 570” on Monday (4/11). The station will move the Radio America syndicated “The Dana Show” starring Dana Loesch to the 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm daypart and will add “The Rita Cosby Show” in the 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm slot. Lotus says, “Cosby is one of the most recognized and respected broadcasters in America who has attained an extraordinary level of success in multiple arenas that few in the media landscape have achieved. Cosby was named Radio Ink’s 2018 Most
Influential Woman Legend of the Year and has won six Gracie Awards in radio, including for Outstanding Host and Outstanding Talk Show. She is also a renowned Emmy-winning TV host, who anchored highly rated primetime shows on both FOX News Channel and MSNBC.” KVI program director Rick Van Cise adds, “Dana Loesch has proven to be a great addition to KVI’s nighttime lineup – so much so that we are expanding her show and moving it to an earlier timeslot. We are also thrilled to announce the addition of Rita Cosby who will help KVI listeners wrap up their evening with a deep-dive into the latest news along with powerful and compelling interviews.”
Former Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr to Host Afternoon Show on KWTO-AM, Springfield. Beginning Monday (4/11), former Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr will host the 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm show on Zimmer Midwest Communications’ news/talk KWTO-AM/K227AO, Springfield, Missouri. The station says that Haahr graduated with honors from the law school at the
University of Missouri and practiced law before serving eight years in the Missouri General Assembly, including as Speaker of the House from 2018-21. The station employs another former House Speaker in morning host Tim Jones. Zimmer-Springfield operations manager Tom Ladd says Haahr was a “no-brainer for a station that’s quickly becoming known as the ‘Speaker’s House.’ Elijah brings so much passion for radio and a connection with listeners. His show will be informative, bit it will also be a lot of fun.”
Good Karma Brands Announces New Digital Program ‘Good Karma Wrestling.’ Last night (4/7), Good Karma Brands debuted its new digital content venture, “Good Karma Wrestling (GKW),” across its social and digital platforms. The weekly show, hosted by ESPN Chicago’s Jonathan Hood, ESPN Milwaukee’s Gabe Neitzel, and ESPN West Palm’s Brian Rowitz, now streams every Thursday at 7:00 pm ET. Good Karma Brands VP of content Evan Cohen says, “We are extremely excited to launch our first coast-to-coast show with Good Karma Wrestling. Jonathan, Gabe and Brian will bring a fresh insight and fun energy to the show, and nothing speaks to sports and entertainment quite like wrestling.” GKB adds that every “Good Karma Wrestling” show will be viewable to watch back and linked on GKB’s platforms.
‘Island Time in the Desert with TMac & Noah’ Joins Up On Game Presents Podcast Lineup. A new podcast joins the Up on Game Podcast Network led by FOX Sports Radio’s LaVar Arrington. The new show, “Island Time in the Desert with TMac & Noah,” featuring University of Arizona freshman football players Tetairoa “TMac” McMillan and Noah Fifita to the Up On Game Presents podcast lineup. The podcast gives “listeners a front row seat as two student athletes navigate the rigors of college life in the classroom and on the field. The duo will share their thoughts and opinions on the week’s trials and victories, as well as interviews with guests along their journey.” Arrington says, “I’m excited to welcome these young men, who I watched grow up in front of my eyes, to the Up on Game Presents feed. Noah and TMac changed the whole landscape of high school football in the Trinity League – arguably the toughest league in the country. They played a vital role in making Servite High School football relevant again and I believe they will do the same for Arizona. Powerful, impactful, young voices are needed and essential for our youth in this day and age, and I’m proud and honored to welcome Noah and TMac to the Up On Game Presents family.”
The Russia-Ukraine War/U.S. Foreign Policy Top News/Talk Story for Week of April 4-8. The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, allegations of war crimes against Russian soldiers, and the U.S. foreign policy combined as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the economy, including still-high gas prices, the high cost of food, and the supply chain, followed by the actions of the January 6 Committee 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.
Monday Memo: We’re Late
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — Like those network spots for “The Ben Ferguson Podcast” that air on many talk stations, TV networks are using their affiliates’ air to divert viewing to their own digital platforms. Some network-produced shows being promoted are only available on streams. “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” is shown on Peacock before it airs on NBC at 11:35 pm.
It gets worse. The extended Dish Network/Tegna stand-off over lucrative retransmission fees stations charge cable and satellite providers blacked-out CBS stations I tried to tune-into in hotel rooms in Washington and Texas in the last two weeks, in the middle of football season.
Monday, August 24, 2020
Pending Business: Competitors Aren’t Dumb. You can learn a lot about your own business by analyzing your competitors, says sales and marketing consultant Steve Lapa, president of Lapcom Communications. He says it pays to “look beyond commercial radio. Audio, video, even old school direct mail is gaining ground with advertisers. How does your competitor present their platform?” Read more here.
Monday Memo: Make Your Work Count Twice. Or three or four times. In this week’s column, consultant Holland Cooke explains why – and how – broadcasters need to reiterate on digital platforms, and podcasters’ metadata is key. Read it here.
WTAM, Cleveland News Anchor Fired for Referring to Kamala Harris as ‘Colored.’ A report in the Cleveland Plain Dealer indicates that iHeartMedia fired news anchor Kyle Cornell after he referred to Kamala Harris as “colored” in a news promo. It was broadcast on the company’s news/talk WTAM, Cleveland during last Wednesday evening’s Cleveland Indians game. Cornell wrote the news teaser that said, in part, that Harris is the country’s “first colored vice-presidential candidate.” After intense social media backlash, the station let Cornell go and issued the following statement attributed to program director Ray Davis: “We are aware of the reference made on WTAM by Kyle Cornell. We take this matter very seriously and addressed it immediately. The term used is extremely offensive and does not align with our station’s core values and commitment to the communities we serve. He is no longer with WTAM.”
Entercom Reorganizes Regional Structure. An internal memo from Entercom chief operating officer Susan Larkin outlines the company’s new regional president structure. Larkin continues to provide regional oversight for the New York markets. The following is the new management structure based on geographical markets: Doug Abernethy – Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver, Greensboro, Greenville-Spartanburg, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Norfolk, Phoenix, Portland, Richmond, Sacramento, St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, Wichita; Jeff Federman – Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego; Mark Hannon – Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Hartford, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rochester, Springfield, Washington D.C., Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; Claudia Menegus – Gainesville, Memphis, Miami, Orlando; Brian Purdy – Austin, Chattanooga, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans; and Rachel Williamson – Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis. Claudia Menegus is promoted from her position as market manager for Orlando. Mark Hannon will continue to oversee the Boston market while the company searches for a market manager for the Boston operations. Larkin says of the changes, “The streamlined model of, in most cases, geographically connected markets will allow our local markets to benefit from their shared leadership, increased collaboration, combined resources, and amplified opportunities for advertisers. We will unlock tremendous potential to leverage our scale, become increasingly competitive and nimble, and super serve our communities in ways that were not before possible.”
SRN News Providing Coverage of RNC. This week’s 2020 Republican National Convention is being covered by Salem Radio Network News and TOWNHALL News, beginning today (8/24) and culminating with President Trump’s acceptance speech Thursday night live from The White House. Salem says U.S. Senate correspondent Bob
Agnew will report live from Charlotte during top and bottom of the hour newscasts; SRN News will provide a live, unanchored “floor feed” from 9:00 pm ET until 11:00 pm (or close) each evening. This evening (8/24), White House correspondent Greg Clugston will anchor live, 1-minute special reports at 8:20, 9:20, 10:20 and 11:20 pm ET SNN left while the live “floor feed” continues uninterrupted on SNN right. Thursday night (8/27), on both SNN Right and Westwood XDS SRN will provide a live feed. At exactly 10:00 pm, Greg Clugston will kick off coverage of President Trump’s acceptance speech. He’ll will be joined by Bob Agnew live from Charlotte and — for analysis and commentary — former Arizona congressman J.D. Hayworth. After the president’s remarks conclude, Clugston and his panel will provide a wrap-up and and obvious signoff.
TALKERS News Notes. The Courier-Post of Cherry Hill, New Jersey reports that former WFAN, New York morning host Craig Carton is filing for bankruptcy protection. Citing debt obligations of $9.4 million and assets of just under $1 million, Carton says his monthly expenses are almost $36,000. Carton has four children with his ex-wife. He was ordered to pay $4.5 million in restitution to victims of his fraudulent concert tickets scheme for which he was sentenced to 42 months. He is under house arrest until June of 2021. He’s currently receiving about $4,300 per month from Street Smart Video, the firm producing a soon-to-be-released documentary about his life…..iHeartMedia and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s Gingrich 360 are expanding their relationship in which Gingrich 360 will co-produce several new podcast series. The iHeartPodcast Network has been hosting the “Newt’s World” podcast. The first podcast to launch through the new partnership is “Rob Smith Is Problematic,” a weekly podcast available now featuring the gay, Black, conservative veteran. In September, the slate will also debut “Outloud With Gianno Caldwell.”…..Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that radio news pro Steve Ruxton is returning to Nexstar Media Group’s WGN-AM as an anchor/reporter for the third time. Ruxton was most recently with Cumulus Media’s crosstown news/talk WLS-AM. He is a correspondent for the syndicated financial news program, “Business First TV,” a position he’ll continue…..The USA Radio Networks-syndicated Dan Sileo show adds new affiliate stations KBDT-AM, Dallas; WNMA-AM, Miami; KQSP-AM, Minneapolis; KNNR-AM, Reno; KNNT-AM, Battle Mountain, Nevada; KELY-AM, Ely, Nevada; KAVB-AM, Hawthorne, Nevada; and KPKK-AM, Amargosa Valley, Nevada.
NAB Leadership Foundation Announces 2020 ‘Service to America’ Winners. The NAB Leadership Foundation held its “Celebration of Service to America Awards” on Saturday (8/22) to honor exceptional community service exhibited by local radio and television stations across the U.S. Radio winners this year were: Service to Community Award for Radio – Ownership Group: Zimmer Radio of Mid-Missouri, “Miracles for Kids Radiothon.” Service to Community Award for Radio – Major Market: KIRO-AM Seattle, Wash., “710 ESPN Seattle and Coaching Boys Into Men.” Service to Community Award for Radio – Medium Market: WSGW Saginaw, Mich., “WSGW’s Sharing Hope Radiothon.” Service to Community Award for Radio – Small Market: WKXW-FM Trenton, N.J., “New Jersey Judges.”
Presidential Election/Republican National Convention, Kellyanne Conway to Leave White House, Trump Sister Recordings, Portland/Milwaukee Protests, COVID-19 Stats & Projections, School Opening Debate/College Flareups, Kim Jong Un Status, and California Wildfires/Looming Tropical Storms Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The November presidential election and this week’s Republican National Convention; former Trump campaign manager and White House adviser Kellyanne Conway will leave her White House post to focus on family as 15-year-old daughter Claudia seeks emancipation; the recordings of Donald Trump’s sister Maryanne Trump Barry criticizing her brother; the violent racial protests in Portland and Milwaukee; the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and projections for future cases; the debate over fall school openings and the flareups of COVID-19 cases at several college campuses; questions about the health status of Korean dictator Kim Jong Un as some reports say he’s in a coma; and the California wildfires and two tropical storms heading for the U.S. were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Monday Memo: Make Your Work Count Twice
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
Roland Martin Joins iHeartMedia’s Black Information Network. Journalist Roland Martin is becoming part of iHeartMedia’s BIN – Black Information Network – programming initiative as a commentator. His podcast “#RolandMartinUnfiltered” is also being made available on the iHeartPodcast Network. BIN: Black Information Network is iHeartMedia’s recently launched “24/7 comprehensive national audio

news service dedicated to providing an objective, accurate, and trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective.” In his role with BIN, Martin will exclusively curate custom commentary segments for BIN to be broadcast daily throughout the network’s 24-hour news feed. His commentary will be available on more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices, as well as on local AM/FM broadcast radio stations in numerous U.S. cities. Director of news operations Tanita Myers says, 

“When we launched BIN: Black Information Network, we knew how extremely important it was to provide a forum for trusted voices within the Black community and there’s perhaps no one more trusted and reliable in Black media today than Roland Martin. He has built a legacy that has paved the way for other Black journalists and continues to use his platform to bring a much needed perspective on topics that matter to both Black Americans and the nation in general.” Martin comments, “I am excited to provide daily commentaries to BIN. We are living in a time where we need more coverage about the issues facing African Americans. In addition, I am really thrilled to partner with the iHeartPodcast Network to distribute and market the ‘#RolandMartinUnfiltered’ audio podcast. We have seen tremendous growth with the daily video show, and we can’t wait to do the same with the audio podcast.”
TALKERS Magazine to Publish 2020 Heavy Hundred on Thursday (7/16). This Thursday (7/16), the editors of TALKERS magazine will publish the 2020 edition of the 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America – what has become

known over the years as the Heavy Hundred. This year’s Heavy Hundred is compiled by the editors of TALKERS magazine using such factors as: ratings, revenue, courage, effort, impact, longevity, potential, recognition, service, talent, and uniqueness. We acknowledge that it is as much art as science and that the results are arguable. The editors would like to acknowledge that the publication of this year’s list was delayed by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the radio industry. However, it’s also important to note that it is times like these that talk radio personalities have the opportunity to become an even more important part of their listeners’ lives by delivering the information they need and providing the opportunity to hear debate about and take part in discussions concerning the events affecting their lives. Those who do that well are usually rewarded with success. We look forward to Thursday’s publication of the 2020 Heavy Hundred in which we salute those hosts our editors believe are serving their listeners and advertisers in ways that put them among the “most important.”
Edison: COVID-19 Affects Morning Show Listening. According to data from Edison Research’s Share of Ear study, U.S. radio listeners 13 and older began their morning listening 75 minutes later that before the coronavirus pandemic hit the

country. Edison says that “pre-COVID-19, the point in the day when 50% of those in the U.S. age 13+ recorded their first entry of their audio day was around 7:15 am. During Q2 fielding of Share of Ear, it was not until 8:30 am that half of respondents had recorded any audio usage.” Edison Research director Laura Ivey says, “This finding challenges our thinking about how those in the U.S. listen to audio during traditional drive times. With many people staying at home or working from home during Q2, they did not engage with audio as early as they did pre-COVID. This data shows that if Americans continue current work patterns, audio strategies may need to be adjusted.”
Westwood One: Direct-To-Consumer Retail Sales Continues to Surge. The data comes from the second annual Direct-To-Consumer Media Attribution and Awareness study in which Westwood One with LeadsRx and MARU Matchbox is seeking to understand the marketing effectiveness of direct-to-consumer firms and the state of their brand equity. Noting that even before the coronavirus pandemic,

e-commerce was surging (e-commerce represented 11.8% of total U.S. retail sales up from 6.9% in the first quarter of 2015) the study sought to examine direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands who sell online and the marketing practices that lead to success. Cumulus Media|Westwood One chief insights officer Pierre Bouvard says, “Direct-to-consumer brands are entering their second act now, seeking to grow through market penetration and attract the masses via TV and AM/FM radio. This study validates the brand-building sales effect of broadcast media as TV and radio drive seven times the search and site traffic lift of Google and Facebook.” Another finding from the study is that AM/FM radio is a catalyst for increased effectiveness of Google and Facebook ads during the pandemic. During 2019, Facebook and Google ads saw a 15% increase in performance due to AM/FM radio advertising. During the pandemic in Q2 2020 radio’s impact on Google/Facebook performance surged to 20%. See more here.
IAB: COVID-19 Cuts Projected U.S. Podcast Revenue in Half. The U.S. Podcast Advertising Revenue Study from IAB includes results from 2019, projections for 2020 and beyond, and a detailed industry analysis. The key revenue takeaway is that IAB had projected podcast revenue to rise 29.6% in 2020, but after the

coronavirus pandemic struck, that figure has been revised to an increase of 14.7%. The positive news is that projections indicate the third and fourth quarters of 2020 should improve. That said, U.S. podcast revenue is nearing the $1 billion mark. Looking back, the study finds the total market year-over-year revenue estimate increased 48% to $708.1 million in 2019, from FY 2018’s total market estimate of $479.1 million. Another finding relevant to news and news/talk radio pros is that the calculation of 2019 podcast advertising revenues based on genre indicates that news podcasts grabbed 22% of the podcast revenue, leading the pack (comedy was in second place with 17% of the podcast revenue). See more here.
TALKERS News Notes. In Boston, Beasley Media Group is teaming up with RCN Business to award a total of $200,000 in marketing support to assist the Small

Business Association Grant Program. The companies say they have created a customized program designed to help local businesses get back up and running, without having to worry about marketing budgets. The program is offering designated small businesses the opportunity to be considered for a $10,000 media schedule to use on one of five Beasley Media Boston radio stations – including sports talk WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub.”. A total of 20 small businesses will be selected to receive a grant to 

help advertise…..Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that conservative talk host Joe Walsh’s new program on suburban WCGO-AM, Evanston and the affiliated GAB Radio Network is moving from a delay broadcast slot to the live 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm time slot. Walsh, a former U.S. Representative from Chicago and a former WIND-AM talk host, has been back on the radio for about seven weeks. WCGO general manager Chuck Duncan says, “I think this will probably come as welcome news for his Chicago listeners as they can now interact with him live versus having to listen via stream in order to participate. His call volume has been off the charts, with major activity from New York, Philly, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas and Miami, and his streaming audio numbers are the highest we’ve ever seen from any show on the station — averaging about 2,700 unique instances a day.”…..FOX

Sports Radio is touting its success on digital platforms in the absence of live sports. Premiere Networks says June 2020 was FSR’s second-best month ever in terms of podcast listens. “Year over year, the network’s total podcast audience grew 88%, bringing the monthly total to more than 16.5 million for the FOX Sports Radio Podcast Network. On the streaming front, FSR’s audience grew 70% from April 2020 to May 2020. The following month, May 2020 to June 2020, FSR’s streaming audience grew an additional 13%. Year over year, FSR’s streaming was up 55%, marking the network’s second-best streaming month of all time.”
Radio Pros Paul Vandenburgh and Mimi Griswold Among 2020 Inductees in NY Broadcasters Hall of Fame. The board of directors of the New York State Broadcasters Association announces the Hall of Fame Class of 2020. This year’s

class includes WGDJ-AM, Albany owner, general manager, and talk host Paul Vandenburgh; Galaxy Media Partners VP of programming Mimi 

Griswold; WNBC-TV, New York anchor David Ushery; and WVVH-TV, Hamptons owners Greg and Ernie Schimizzi. NYSBA president David Donovan says, “The Class of 2020 represents the best in the broadcasting profession. While the inductees represent a cross section of broadcasters from across the state, they share one key characteristic. They have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serve their local communities. We are honored to have them join the ranks of the legendary broadcasters from New York.”
COVID-19 Statistics & Projections, Trump vs Fauci, Schools Opening Debate/Foreign Students Lawsuit, Presidential Race, Portland Unrest, U.S.-China Tensions, Washington Redskins Name Change Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/13). The soaring number of new COVID-19 cases in numerous U.S. states and projections for future cases; President Trump’s divergence from Dr. Tony Fauci on the seriousness of the pandemic; the debate over opening U.S. schools in the fall and 18 attorneys general sue the White House over the foreign students ban; the November presidential election; the protests and clashes with police in Portland, Oregon; the U.S. challenges China’s claim to territory in the South China Sea; and the NFL’s Washington Redskins agree to change the name of the team were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.