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Monday, April 26, 2021

TALKERS | April 26, 2021

Monday Memo: Help Wanted, Local Host. “Radio’s best years were between network programming that ended at the end of the 1950s and syndicated longform that now dominates talk programming and robotic music formats that displaced local DJs.” And, in this week’s column, consultant Holland Cooke suggests how that same business model can restore the local programming “which will always be broadcasters’ silver bullet against digital competitors.” Read it here.

Pending Business: Pack Your Bags. Sales and marketing pro Steve Lapa says the demand for summer travel is very high and this category of advertiser is still adjusting to new protocols. “Consider the total packaging concept you can deliver. Many marketers in the travel industry look for strong inquiry and booking accountability. Be prepared with multiple options always considering easy access for your audience to respond. As categories regroup from pandemic business paralysis new opportunities will emerge. Adjust your thinking, planning and preparation now.” Read his column here.

KVI, Seattle Names Ari Hoffman Afternoon Drive Host. After joining Sinclair Broadcast Group’s news/talk KVI, Seattle earlier this year to fill in after Kirby Wilbur’s retirement, Ari Hoffman is officially named the permanent afternoon drive host, effective today (4/26). The station says Hoffman is a local businessman and civic activist who ran for Seattle city council in 2020 who has also appeared on FOX News, Newsmax, “The Dr. Drew Show,” “60 Minutes,” and the KOMO News documentary “Seattle is Dying.” He also reports regularly on Northwest issues in The Post Millennial. He says, “I am thrilled to be joining the amazing team at KVI. If I had known how much fun this gig would be, I would have started 20 years ago. I look forward to bringing common sense ideas and a fresh take on news, politics, and the culture wars to our listeners.” KVI program director Rick Van Cise says, “Our new afternoon host was right under our nose. What’s important to you is important to Ari. He has an engaging and entertaining perspective on local and world issues that’s enlightening and fun to hear!”

Rhode Island News/Talk Pro Ron St. Pierre Launches New Podcast. A story at RINewstoday.com highlights the new podcast being launched by Rhode Island talk radio pro Ron St. Pierre (right). The new program, “Ron and Jen’s Great Escape” – co-starring Jen Brien (left) – launches on May 3. St. Pierre was most recently hosting the morning drive show on iHeartMedia’s news/talk WHJJ, Providence until the company declined to renew his contract back in December and, in an effort to save money, put the WTAG-AM, Worcester, Massachusetts-based Jim Polito show in WHJJ’s morning drive slot. During his career, St. Pierre has also served with crosstown WPRO-AM and WABC, New York, among other media outlets. Of his new podcast, St. Pierre says, “Our goal is to provide an escape from the negativity that can overtake conversation about the day’s hot topics…an escape from the banal repetition all too often associated with talk radio. Our goal is a positive approach to news and lifestyle topics with an infusion of humor across the board.”

Westwood One’s Hoops Coverage Generates 19.2 Million Listeners. Citing an IPSOS national audience study conducted April 9-11, Cumulus Media’s Westwood One says its exclusive live coverage of the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship generated 19.2 million listeners to the play-by-play action from all 66 men’s basketball games, including eight first-round and second-round games, plus regional semifinals and finals. WWO president Suzanne Grimes comments, “We are thrilled that audio audiences for our NCAA March Madness audio coverage returned so strongly. College basketball fans were excited to experience NCAA Men’s basketball and listened across our streaming, smart speaker, and broadcast platforms.” The IPSOS study also found that listening audiences were equally distributed across demographics with 31% of listeners aged 18-34, 41% 35-64 and 27% over the age of 65. Additionally, the coverage attracted a highly educated audience that was 6% more likely than average to be college graduates and 46% more likely to have an advanced degree. 56% of the audience was employed and nearly half (47%) had household incomes of $75,000 or more.

TALKERS News Notes. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden will deliver his first speech to a Joint Session of Congress marking his 100th day in office. Salem Radio Network News is covering the speech for affiliate stations. SRN coverage will be anchored by SRN News U.S. Senate correspondent Bob Agnew and he’ll be joined by TOWNHALL News Capitol Hill correspondent Bernie Bennett…..Coverage of this year’s NFL Draft begins this week and ESPN“SportsCenter” anchors Elle Duncan and Kevin Negandhi are kicking off the network’s coverage on their “Get Up” morning show on April 29 and 30. They will also lead ESPN Radio’s NFL Draft broadcasts alongside NFL Front Office Insider Mike Tannenbaum, ESPN Radio’s Bart Scott and reporter Ian Fitzsimmons. ESPN Radio’s coverage will continue Saturday, May 1, with host Jason Fitz, NFL Draft analyst and Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy, Tannenbaum and Fitzsimmons…..C13Originals, a division of Audacy’s Cadence13, has signed on critically acclaimed bestselling author Shawn Levy for “Glitter and Might,” a documentary podcast franchise about power and influence originating from Hollywood. Season One will explore the relationship between legendary Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman, a young actor named Ronald Reagan, and notorious labor lawyer Sidney Korshak, and the story of how they came together, and rose to become, respectively, the most powerful executive in Hollywood, the most powerful man in the world, and the most powerful lawyer in the country, forever changing the entertainment industry and the country itself.….The Independent Broadcasters Association is supporting COVID Remembrance Day on May 25 as a day of honor and reflection for those who have been lost to the pandemic. A special IBA members-only webinar is set for 2:00 pm ET on Thursday, April 29 to provide how-to instructions and outline the tools and resources that will be available to participating radio stations. COVID Remembrance Day is being produced by Paige Nienaber and CPR Promotions, in conjunction with partners MannGroup Radio, Benztown and P1 Media Group. Nienaber, who will host the webinar, says, “On COVID Remembrance Day participating stations and their listeners can reflect on the events of the past year, honor and give tribute to the victims, heroes, and people in their communities who have stepped up and been a part of the response effort. We hope every radio station in America will join us.”

Free-Form Radio Pioneer Bob Fass Dies at 87. The New York Times has the obit for legendary free-form radio personality Bob Fass, who died on April 24 at his home in Monroe, North Carolina. Fass hosted the “Radio Unnameable” overnight program on WBAI, New York for more than 50 years. Fass’s program could include any program element – avant-garde music, political talk, calls from listeners, and drop-in guests. He would have guests such as Abbie Hoffman or a young, still-largely unknown Bob Dylan. He once told an interviewer, “I’d put anyone on, because the idea was if you didn’t like what I was doing, three minutes later I’d be doing something else.”

COVID-19, Biden’s First 100 Days, Chauvin Verdict Aftermath, Border Crisis, and Oscars Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The number of COVID cases in the U.S., the rollout of vaccines, and the severe outbreak in India; President Joe Biden’s administration approaches its 100-day mark; the aftermath of the Derek Chauvin guilty verdict and the larger issue of race relations in the U.S.; the crush of unaccompanied children at the U.S.-Mexico border and the Biden administration’s immigration policy; and Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Monday, January 11, 2021

TALKERS | January 11, 2021

Monday Memo: Own the Vaccine. Consultant Holland Cooke says in today’s column, “This pandemic tests the selflessness of our society, and tests the relevance of radio. Science – and the snail’s-pace inoculation launch – foretell a crisis as long as the three-plus years my dad was overseas during The War. So, get used to the mask.” He says stations that own the vaccine availability news going forward will benefit. Read his piece here.

Pending Business: Updating Your To-Do List. Sales and marketing pro, and Lapcom Communications Corp president, Steve Lapa says that as working remotely “is still the norm for many sellers and managers. The layers of interruption and disruption can and will hamper performance. Previous in-person interactions that have now shifted to online contact has led to more delays that start with ‘this time of year…’ The need to stay and keep organized has never been greater. If you are selling or managing, you are part of the income stream. Let’s look at updating how you develop your daily sales to-do list.” Read his column here.

Boyce: Talk Radio – America’s Last Best Hope Out of this Mess. You’re probably not going to find a lot of progressives who agree with this, but Salem Radio Network SVP of spoken word Phil Boyce believes it is. In a memo to his staff, he says, “There is one institution left standing that can potentially be the best hope to save America from utter collapse. Talk radio is that institution. Since the fairness doctrine was abandoned as a failure in 1987 under President Reagan, talk radio has become the barometer of what is right and wrong with America. In many ways, talk radio is the pressure valve on this giant pressure cooker that is set to blow at any moment. This pressure valve allows both sides to debate the issues without exploding. We don’t need the fairness doctrine, talk radio is the fairness doctrine.” Read the full memo here.

Washington Post Reports on Cumulus Mandate. Picking up on the piece written by Inside Music Radio by Jerry Del Colliano and reported on by TALKERS magazine last Friday (1/8), the Washington Post’s Paul Farhi covers the story in his Media beat column today (1/11). Del Colliano’s story highlights a companywide memo from Cumulus EVP of content Brian Philips warning hosts among other things, not to suggest “that the election has not ended.” Farhi writes, “The memo appears to reflect the reality that voters, presidential electors, courts and now Congress have accepted or certified that Biden won the election and is the president-elect. It may also be an attempt to cool down emotions that led to Wednesday’s invasion of the Capitol, and to mollify advertisers that are concerned about being associated with programs that could be inciting listeners to violence. But it also reveals some of the hidden corporate hand behind what is said and discussed on talk-radio programs. Rather than a medium of freethinking individuals expressing passionately held beliefs, the memo reminds that hosts are subject to corporate mandates and control.” Read his piece here.

KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno’s Ray Appleton Suspended for ‘Hanging’ Remarks. Longtime Fresno talk radio host Ray Appleton has been suspended by Cumulus Media for his comments aired on news/talk KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno. On Thursday (1/7), Appleton was complaining about the different ways he perceives news outlets cover protests and riots, implying that “progressive” causes get softer treatment than “conservative” causes, and said “certain news editors should be hanged, maybe.” Appleton said later during that show that he was joking but Cumulus Media said in a statement, “Cumulus Media operates from a clearly defined set of programming principles and there is no question that Ray Appleton’s comment is a direct violation of those principles. As a result, we have suspended him.” In a written apology, Appleton said, “I realize that my reckless choice of words was irresponsible, and I would never condone violence toward anyone. I want to specifically apologize to my colleagues at KMJ and all who serve in the media. After 50 years in broadcasting, I understand that my choice of words matters and I made a mistake that won’t happen again. I humbly ask for your forgiveness.” It’s not clear how long Appleton will be off the air.

Bill Michaels Exits WSSP-AM, Milwaukee; Butler, Ellerson, Fifer to Host Midday Show. OnMilwaukee’s Matt Mueller reports that longtime Milwaukee sports talk personality Bill Michaels is out at Entercom’s WSSP “1250 AM The Fan” where he hosted the 10:00 am to 2:00 pm show. Executive producer Joe Zenzola read the following, penned by Michaels, at the end of last Friday’s show: “There comes a time in your time when some stresses begin to drag you down. In doing so, your effort and attention is pulled in numerous directions, leaving you with the inability to focus on your sole task. At this time, I’m going to take a brief break from the airwaves. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Entercom as a company, and I thank them for helping me build a dream. I can’t thank my co-workers and friends enough for their support, energy, effort, and professionalism. You are all the best. I love radio and its ability to touch so many people informatively as well as passionately. That drives me every day and will continue to run deep in my soul. I believe that if you trim back the dead branches, ultimately, the tree grows stronger. I hope to do just that.” Michaels built a regional syndication network for his program that launched on WSSP in 2011. He’d served with crosstown news/talk WTMJ for 12 years prior to that. Entercom announces that the new midday program will be “The Wendy’s Big Show” co-hosted by former Green Bay Packers star LeRoy Butler, Gary Ellerson, and Steve Fifer.

Rush Limbaugh Deactivates His Twitter Account. BusinessInsider is reporting that Rush Limbaugh deactivated his Twitter account, in apparent solidarity with Donald Trump, whose account was permanently suspended by the company in the aftermath of last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. BusinessInsider reports that Twitter also suspended the accounts of former national security advisor Michael Flynn, pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, and Ron Watkins. Regarding the suspensions, Twitter states, “The accounts have been suspended in line with our policy on Coordinated Harmful Activity. We’ve been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behavior that has the potential to lead to offline harm, and given the renewed potential for violence surrounding this type of behavior in the coming days, we will permanently suspend accounts that are solely dedicated to sharing QAnon content.”

WJFK-FM, Washington ‘106.7 The Fan’ Promotes ‘Grant and Danny’ to Afternoon Drive. Midday sports talk hosts Grant Paulsen (left) and Danny Rouhier (right) have been moved to the afternoon drive daypart (2:00 pm to 6:30 pm) on Entercom’s Washington, DC sports talker WJFK-FM “106.7 The Fan.” This move comes several months after PM drive talk host Chad Dukes was fired for content on his podcast that the company deemed racist. With the “Grant and Danny” move, Entercom says air personality Pete Medhurst will host middays on an interim basis. Entercom Washington DC SVP and market manager Ivy Savoy-Smith says, “Grant and Danny mix the smartest and most credible sports opinion and information in Washington with their own unique personalities and humor. They’ve built an incredible community of listeners and we’re thrilled that they’ll be entertaining DC sports fans on their drives home for years to come.” Both personalities joined WJFK in 2009 and launched their show together in middays in January of 2014.

Kirby Wilbur Retiring from KVI, Seattle. Seattle talk radio legend Kirby Wilbur is retiring from Sinclair Broadcast Group’s news/talk KVI, Seattle after his January 27 program. Last week, Wilbur told listeners that he and family are moving to McKinney, Texas. The 67-year-old Wilbur did two stints at KVI, the first from 1993 to 2009 and the second from 2015 through the end of this month. Wilbur explained to listeners that his decision to re-locate to Texas was spurred by the chaos that took place in Seattle during the Black Lives Matter protest that turned a portion of the downtown into the so-called CHAZ (Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone).

TALKERS News Notes. Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago financial editor Len Walter is retiring from his position after 52 years with the Entercom all-news station. Walter tells Feder, “To be able to work as a journalist for the bulk of my career has been a blessing. It’s what I wanted to do since I was a youngster and was fortunate to be able to gear my education toward that end. In this era of world turmoil, it’s critical that listeners hear the unvarnished truth presented without bias. That is what they get at WBBM from an amazing staff of principled professionals.”…..Sports media personality Jason Whitlock is leaving his role with Clay Travis’ Outkick the Coverage after seven months. Whitlock – who once-upon-a-time filled in for Jim Rome on his old Premiere Networks syndicated show – wants to “carve his own career path,” according to Travis in a story posted at Outkick…..The GCN-syndicated Dr. Daliah Wachs show adds two new affiliate stations to her roster as Bethune-Cookman University’s WELE, Ormond Beach, Florida and WDOC, Prestonsburg, Kentucky add her program to their lineups.

Trump Impeachment/Invoke 25^th Amendment, Trump Cut Off from Social Media/Parler Threaten App Vendors, Biden Transition, COVID-19 Stats & Vaccines, WHO Investigators in China, and Deadly Indonesia Plane Crash Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is saying the House will proceed with impeachment proceedings if Vice President Mike Pence doesn’t invoke the 25^th Amendment to remove Donald Trump from office; Donald Trump is permanently banned from Twitter and temporarily off Facebook plus conservative platform Parler is booted from major app stores; the transition of the Joe Biden administration; the fast-rising number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and the rollout of vaccines; World Health Organization investigators to enter China to seek the origin of COVID-19; and the investigation into the deadly crash of a Boeing 737-500 after takeoff in Indonesia were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Friday, October 12, 2018

TALKERS | October 12, 2018

PPM Analysis: Sports Talk. Managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations based on 6+ data from Nielsen Audio’s September 2018 PPM survey, today focusing on sports talk radio. More than half (54%) of the sports talk stations on Kinosian’s panel saw their weekly AQH share go up from the August 2018 survey to the September 2018 survey, led by Cumulus Media’s WGFX-FM, Nashville “104.5 The Zone,” which enjoyed a 1.4 share increase. Comparing September 2017 to September 2018, some 55% of sports talkers improved. Interestingly, Cumulus’ KNBR enjoyed a 1.2 share increase year-over-year in the San Jose market but dipped a tenth in the adjacent San Francisco market. Entercom’s WFAN, New York “The Fan” ranked #1 (6+) in the September PPM survey in the Long Island market – the only sports talker to achieve a #1 ranking. See the entire report here.

Cumulus Makes Prepayment of Portion of Loan. This $50 million discounted prepayment means Cumulus Media has paid off a portion of its $1.3 billion senior secured term loan facility due May 2022. Cumulus successfully purchases $50.2 million aggregate principal amount of term loans under the facility for $50 million (a discount to par value of 0.40%). The transaction closed on October 11, 2018 and was funded with cash from operations. The company notes that it will recognize a one-time, non-operating gain of approximately $0.2 million in its fourth quarter 2018 earnings, and its annual interest expense will be reduced as a result of this transaction.

KVI, Seattle Hosts Listener Appreciation Event. Seattle news/talk station KVI held a listener appreciation party on Tuesday (10/9) at Sinclair Broadcasting’s KOMO Plaza. The station’s local hosts joined producer Phil Vandervort on stage for a discussion of such topics as the coming midterm elections and their favorite local restaurants. Pictured (from l-r) are: KVI program director Rick Van Cise, station manager Gary Greenberg, morning host John Carlson, late morning duo Jamie Markley and David van Camp, early afternoon host Lars Larson, afternoon drive personality Kirby Wilbur, and Compass Media Networks VP of affiliate sales Adam Wilbur.

Doug Stephan Celebrates 30^th Anniversary as a Continuously Running Independent Syndicated Host. It began as a morning show titled “Good Day” in a basement studio at WCKY, Cincinnati 30 years ago this week and has been on the air as a general news/talk weekday show hosted and managed by veteran broadcaster Doug Stephan ever since. Along the way, it evolved under different names and has been co-hosted by a variety of personalities alongside Stephan in addition to spawning a number of specialty shows under the corporate banner of Stephan Multimedia. The program is currently titled the “DJV Show” and, in addition to central figure Doug Stephan, is co-hosted by Jennifer Horn and Victoria Keelan. In marking the milestone, Stephan tells TALKERS, “I think for the first few months, I was talking to myself, and now after all these years, I have spoken to millions of listeners…how many…who really knows? Plus being on over 1,400 stations in the collective over the years, I am humbled by the support of so many station managers and program directors. If my count is correct, we still have some 24 stations who were on at the beginning or close to the beginning of this fabulous ride, and to all of them, and all of you, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I could not remain as the only host/producer of these programs which have nothing but advertiser support… no big company, no big advertiser, no big benefactor – just me and the folks on the team made this happen…wow!”

TALKERS News Notes. Programming pro Michael Cross is named operations manager for Cherry Creek Media’s seven-station cluster in Wenatchee, Washington that includes news/talk KPQ, talk simulcast KKWN-FM/KWNC-AM, and sports talk KYSP in addition to four music-formatted stations. Cross – who starts his new gig on November 5 – was most recently OM with NRG Media’s rock KFMW and classic hits KOKZ duo in Waterloo, Iowa. Cherry Creek Wenatchee market manager Kevin Andrus says, “Michael has a passion for radio and clearly understands the influence radio has in our listeners lives. He understands how to win ratings, coach talent, and manage those under his direction. Cherry Creek Media is excited to have Michael join the team.”…..Entercom news/talk WTIC-AM, Hartford inks a deal with Division III school University of Saint Joseph to broadcast the team’s home games during the school’s men’s basketball team’s inaugural season. The partnership will run through the 2018-19 collegiate season. The school recruited former University of Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun as its head coach to launch its men’s basketball program. As part of the partnership, Joe D’Ambrosio, co-host of the station’s “Mornings with Ray Dunaway” program, will handle play-by-play duties for the games…..SiriusXM is debuting a new, weekly show hosted by former open-wheel racing star Danny Sullivan – winner of the 1985 Indy 500 and 1988 CART Series champion – on the Dan Patrick Radio channel. Titled, “The Real Spin with Danny Sullivan and Bill Armour” it will debut on October 15 and air every Monday…..The nationally syndicated “Motley Fool Money” radio program with host Chris Hill adds new affiliate KSOO-AM, Sioux Falls, South Dakota to its roster of stations.

Hurricane Michael Top News/Talk Story for Week of October 8-12. The destruction in the Florida panhandle from Hurricane Michael was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers Ten^TM. At #2 this week was the release of the UN Climate Change Report and its dire warning about continued global warming. Coming in at #3 was the global stock selloff and the related interest rate hikes, followed by the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation aftermath and the related issue of Democrats accused of incivility at #4. The Talkers Ten^TMis 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 entire chart here.

“Cousin” Bruce Morrow Is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. The legendary “Cousin” Bruce Morrow is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Morrow is one of the most celebrated radio personalities of all time whose remarkable career as a big-time disc jockey goes all the way back to the late 1950s when he broke into New York City radio at WINS and is still going strong today as a featured host on the SiriusXM Satellite Radio ‘60s on 6’ channel. Harrison and Morrow take a deep conversational dive into the early days of rock ‘n’ roll, their shared memories of growing up in Brooklyn, the great top 40 stations, the universals of radio communication, Morrow’s successful years in station ownership and the importance of keeping up with advances in technology. This is a must-listen for anyone who loves radio! Harrison says, “It was a thrill for me to be able to spend so much time in conversation with one of the true greats of our industry and culture. Cousin Brucie is full of joy – it pours out of him and that’s what keeps him going at such a remarkable and admirable level. It is deeply gratifying for me as a radio student, historian, and professional broadcaster to present this episode of my podcast to the world.” 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 of the TALKERS newsletter and on every page of Talkers.com.

Operations Manager Position Open at Dick Broadcasting’s Eastern NC Cluster. The five-station cluster of Dick Broadcasting in the Greenville/New Bern/Jacksonville, North Carolina market is seeking an operations manager. The company says the successful candidate will “manage a team of great program directors, air talent, and promotional personnel. We need someone that knows what leadership means! Someone who can inspire a team!” Dick Broadcasting operates sports talk WRNS-AM “The Bull,” CHR WERO-FM “Bob 93.3,” rock WXQR, country WRNS-FM, and adult hits WQSL/WQZL. The company says candidates must have experience as a supervisor, leader, music programmer, strategic thinker, and the ability to coach air talent. On air experienced preferred. The cluster is managed by market manager Tony Denton and vice president of programming Jason Goodman. E-mail all materials to newbernresumes@dbcradio.com. DBC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

WQYK, Tampa Seeks AM Drive Co-Host. Tampa country outlet WQYK is seeking a morning show co-host. The Beasley Media Group station says the successful candidate must possess strong digital skills. “We’re seeking a great communicator and story teller with a great sense of how to create great content that will be displayed across all of our platforms. The perfect candidate is great on the air, great digitally, is forward thinking and is a true content innovator. This is a very active station, heavily involved in the community and requires someone who is fearless and willing to get out of the studio and meet listeners. If you are ready to work in a building full of incredible talent with a family atmosphere and a must-win attitude, we would love to hear from you.” Qualifications include: At least three years of proven success as a morning show co-host; full understanding of PPM best practice as it applies to an on-air show; proficient with Vox-Pro, WordPress social networking platforms, interviewing, and LIVE broadcasts; and more. Send materials to operations manager Travis Daily at: Travis.daily@bbgi.com. Beasley is an EOE.

Music Radio News and Career Moves. Phoenix-based, nationally syndicated morning duo “Johnjay & Rich” – Johnjay Van Es and Rich Berra – were inducted into the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame at a ceremony last night at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale. The program is heard in Phoenix on iHeartMedia-owned flagship CHR KZZP “104.7 KISS FM” and is syndicated by Premiere Networks. The program debuted in Tucson on KRQ. It moved to KZZP in 2006. It’s currently heard in 20 markets across the country…..The Envision Networks-syndicated weekly Wolfman Jack show adds new affiliates” WCCW-FM, Traverse City, Michigan; WOWY, State College, Pennsylvania; and KMGZ, Lawton, Oklahoma. The stations add the classic radio program in time to also air the two-hour special “Wolfman Jack Halloween Party.” WOWY program director Bob Steele says, “I have been searching for this show for years. Knowing what a legend he was and how much fun the show was, I knew it was going to be an instant listener favorite! He is probably the most referenced DJ in history. Everyone has heard of him. I think it’s his personality that resonates with people. He makes people laugh and feel good. He often had a shocking side and I think that may be what keeps people glued to his every word.”…..Country artist Jessie Ritter from Fort Walton Beach, Florida is named the winner of Cumulus Media’s 4th annual “NASH Next” competition. The final competition event took place last night (10/11) at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon and featured live performances from the top 10 national finalists, and a special performance by Radio Romance, last year’s “NASH Next” winner whose single “Weekend” rose to the top 40 on the country airplay charts. Ritter will receive national radio airplay on Cumulus stations and gets a recording contract with Nash Next Records under the Big Machine Label Group umbrella…..Country music legend Dolly Parton was on the NASH campus in Nashville yesterday joining “Ty, Kelly and Chuck” in-studio to talk about her latest Netflix project, “Dumplin’,” in which she found herself working with Jennifer Aniston and Sia. Pictured below are (from l-r): Ty Bentli, Parton, Kelly Ford, and Chuck Wicks.

Friday, June 1, 2018

TALKERS | June 1, 2018

KVI, Seattle Unveils New Program Schedule. With the addition of the Compass Media Networks-syndicated “Markley and van Camp” program to the late morning daypart announced earlier this week, Sinclair Broadcasting news/talk KVI, Seattle “Talk Radio 570” unveils its adjusted program schedule, effective Monday (6/4). The addition of “Markley and van Camp” to the 9:00 am to 12:00 noon slot creates a new opportunity for market talk icon Kirby Wilbur as he takes on the afternoon drive daypart. That bumps Premiere Networks’ Sean Hannity to the early evening slot (6:00 pm to 9:00 pm). In promoting Wilbur’s new time to listeners, the station says, “Kirby has been into politics since he was a teenager, culminating with his election to state chairman of the Republican Party in 2011. Along the way he helped build KVI into America’s preeminent conservative talk station with his unique blend of politics, entertainment, and historical anecdotes. Catch you up on what happened while you were at work and loosen up on the way home with KVI’s Kirby Wilbur!”

Newsmax TV Free Trial Offered on Sling TV. Cable news/talk channel Newsmax TV announces a new deal that helps it expand its reach via over-the-top (OTT) live TV service Sling TV. Newsmax TV says that effective immediately, a three-month showcase of Newsmax TV is available to Sling TV customers who subscribe to the Sling Orange and/or Sling Blue service. After the three-month showcase, Newsmax TV will be available in Sling TV’s News Extra add-on, $5 per month for Sling Orange and/or Sling Blue subscribers. Newsmax Media Inc CEO Christopher Ruddy states, “Sling TV is the number-one live TV streaming service in the nation and we are proud to be carried on their platform.” Conservative media personalities whose programs air on Newsmax TV include: Joe Walsh, Brett Winterble, Howie Carr, Wayne Allyn Root, Todd Schnitt, Joe Pags, Jesse Lee Peterson as well as Newsmax anchors John Bachman and Miranda Khan.

Comrex Unveils FieldTap for iOS. This free app – compatible with all Comrex IP codecs and the EarShot IFB – provides studio quality audio from the user’s cell phone with very low delay. Comrex says that FieldTap is ideal for reporters and street team contributors for short drop-ins. FieldTap features a very simple user interface (iPhone screen shot at right). The company says its one-button control screen allows users of any technical ability to connect from the field to the station by simply pressing a single button. FieldTap is a simple SIP client that uses Voice over IP (VoIP) to make it possible for field users to send wideband audio from their cellphones over cellular and Wi-Fi networks. Comrex says an Android version of FieldTap will be available next week. Comrex’s EarShot IFB (interruptible foldback monitoring and cueing system) was recently unveiled and will be available later this summer. It is for live ENG applications as it provides four audio feeds and can support up to 10 wideband calls (or 30 regular calls). Visit Comrex.com for more details.

ABC-TV’s Cancellation of ‘Roseanne’ Top News/Talk Story for Week of May 28 – June 1. The cancellation of the re-boot of “Roseanne” after a series of controversial Tweets from Roseanne Barr was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers Ten^TM. At #2 this week was the status of the U.S.-North Korea talks. Coming in at #3 was the ongoing Trump-Russia investigation, followed by President Trump’s plans to pardon Dinesh D’Souza, Rod Blagojevich, and Martha Stewart at #4. The Talkers Ten^TMis 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. View this week’s entire chart here.

Westwood One Announces RFK Assassination Anniversary Programming. The news arm of Westwood One is presenting special programming on the 50^thanniversary of the June 5, 1968, assassination of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy. At Los Angeles’ Ambassador Hotel that evening was Mutual News correspondent Andrew West, who filed a nearly seven-minute, on-scene report during the chaos. West’s historic report (which is owned by Westwood One News) will be part of the extensive coverage planned on Tuesday, June 5, as the network remembers the assassination of RFK. Westwood One News correspondent Michael Toscano will present longform and short-form reports throughout the day, along with West’s report and additional 50th anniversary sound. Additionally, the Westwood One News Memorial Day weekend special, “1968: The Year that Shook America,” with reporting and perspective on the RFK assassination, will continue to be available for broadcast by affiliates through the June 5 anniversary of the shooting.

Emmy Award-Winning TV News Cameraman and Producer Tim Ortman Joins Michael Harrison in Discussion About Fake News. 37-year TV news veteran Tim Ortman, who served as a staff cameraman and producer covering breaking news on five continents for the major TV networks, is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Ortman has just written a memoir titled Newsreal: A View Through the Lens When… (Incorgnito, 2018). He recalls his adventures on the front lines of wars, major stories and political upheavals around the world analyzing the significant changes in journalism since the big four networks were the dominant platforms of information dissemination in America. Harrison and Ortman focus on the consequences of widespread misuse of the term “fake news” undermining the public’s confidence in the vital institution of the press. 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. After Nielsen Audio removed PPMs in four Hispanic households in the Los Angeles market and re-issued April’s PPM survey results, Spanish Broadcasting System is accusing the ratings giant of bias. SBS was a loser in the re-issued ratings with regional Mexican KLAX dipping a full share (Mon-Sun, 6+), from a 3.4 to a 2.4. Competitor Radio Centro’s regional Mexican KXOS also slid – from a 2.2 (Mon-Sun, 6+) to a 1.9. SBS general counsel Richard Lara’s public statement says, “Earlier this week, Spanish Broadcasting System, the owner and operator of 17 radio stations serving the top Hispanic markets throughout the United States for over 30 years, received disconcerting news from The Nielsen Company. Nielsen announced its intention to make sweeping, retroactive changes to its audience measurement service based on an internal decision to remove a number of Hispanic households from its ratings sampling pool. SBS, and other Spanish-language broadcasters, vehemently object and protest such unilateral, and seemingly, discriminatory actions taken by Nielsen, which unfairly and disproportionally exclude Hispanic-listener households from the ratings methodology. The restated ratings and rankings reports are, in SBS’s view unreliable, and inaccurately suggest that Spanish-language stations have dropped from top 5 rankings to number 15 or lower. This cannot stand. SBS will continue to faithfully serve its Hispanic-listener communities and will not tolerate unfair and discriminatory attacks on Spanish language broadcasters. We will not stop until Nielsen’s prejudicial and discriminatory attacks on U.S.-based Hispanics ceases.”…..Cumulus Media names David LaBrozzi as program director for hot AC WPLJ, New York. LaBrozzi comes to Cumulus Media from Entercom Baltimore where he was vice president of programming for the company’s four-station cluster there for 14 years. LaBrozzi states, “WPLJ is truly one of America’s iconic radio stations. I am thrilled, honored, and humbled to join Chad Lopez, Dave Milner, Mike McVay, and the incredible team at 95.5 PLJ. While I can’t wait to get started in New York, I want to thank Entercom and CBS for a great experience and for being an important part of my life.”…..Air personality Megan Holiday is the new midday host at Entercom’s alternative KITS-FM, San Francisco “ALT 105.3,” effective Monday (6/4). Holiday was most recently evening personality on KROQ, Los Angeles. She began her career at KITS in 2010 hosting the evening program. Entercom San Francisco SVP and market manager Gregory Nemitz says, “Megan is well known in the Bay Area and we know our listeners will be happy to hear her back on the air. She’s passionate and energetic and we’re looking forward to her return to KITS.”…..On-air pro Corey Calhoun is the new evening personality and music director at iHeartMedia’s country WMZQ, Washington. RVP of programming for Baltimore and Washington Jeff Kapugi states, “Corey completes the WMZQ team. He brings a fresh new energy to the station and some great experience spanning multiple markets and formats.”…..The recent Digital Diaper Drive orchestrated by Hubbard Radio’s adult hits WARH, St. Louis “106.5 The Arch” was successful beyond the station’s expectations, collecting almost 2,000 diapers for the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank. Led by the station’s “Spencer’s Neighborhood” morning show, the drive’s goal was 1,000 diapers but show fans blew away their initial goal. Pictured at right are the show’s Spencer, Cassiday, and Brando presenting the diapers to Kathy Meyer of the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank…..Award-winning radio and CMT personality Cody Alan is pictured below with country duo Thompson Square at the Seacrest Studios at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Keifer and Shawna Thompson met with patients, gave away autographed copies of their new children’s book, and performed songs from their new album.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

TALKERS | December 15, 2015

Howard Stern Renews with SiriusXM in Landmark 12-Year Audio/Video Deal. The wait is over – Howard Stern and SiriusXM are announcing the two sides have agreed to an extension to keep Stern’s live program on the satellite radio service for another five years. But the new deal also includes an agreement that will allow SiriusXM to use Stern’s extensive audio and video library – drawn from performances, specials, and shows spanning his more-than-30-year broadcasting career – for the next dozen years. The details of the video plans will be announced at a future date. This will be SiriusXM’s first venture into the video realm. Under the new deal, Stern’s show will continue to be broadcast live exclusively from 7:00 am to 11:00 am ET, with replays throughout the day, and on demand online and through the SiriusXM app. Additionally, Stern will continue to produce his Howard 101 channel, which includes current and classic episodes of the Howard Stern show as well as original special programming throughout the day. Stern is currently working a three-day week and the press release does not indicate any changes there so we’ll assume that remains the same. Also, the financial details are not being announced. Stern says, “As a broadcaster, it does not get better than working at SiriusXM and I’m truly excited for the future with this great company. I happen to think that its best days are ahead…I am living a dream here on satellite radio and Jim Meyer is my life partner and the baby we are about to have is our new streaming video app. The joy we are going to bring you in the very near future will make you feel like Christmas is every day. Ho, Ho, Howard…out.” SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein comments, “Howard is better than ever. Howard is a one-of-a-kind interviewer, who always delivers a provocative, engaging and headline-grabbing show. We look forward to providing fans even more and deeper ways to experience Howard, and his world-class talent and insights.” Noting that the deal has been worked on for months, Stern agent Don Buchwald adds, “Jim, Scott, and I have been discussing this arrangement for some time. Obviously, the terms and conditions of a deal of this nature required a lot of give and take, as well as creative thinking on everyone’s part, and I am grateful to them both for the hard work they invested to make this deal a reality. Howard and I are excited to enter into this cutting-edge and truly unique broadcasting agreement with SiriusXM that I believe will further the legacy of Howard Stern.”

Art Bell Tells TALKERS He Doesn’t Want to Be Off the Air. Legendary late night talk host Art Bell abruptly quit his most recent return to a regular program on Friday (12/11), stating that he’s been the victim of attempts on his life that make it impossible for him to do the program. The sudden end to “Midnight in the Desert,” which was steadily picking up affiliate stations, caused some in the business to think, “Oh no, here we go again.” But Bell tells TALKERS magazine he wants to be on the radio. Citing three incidents on October 21, November 23 and December 8, Bell says his wife has said, “Enough.” Bell says, “If this jerk is caught I will be back, if not I will wait for some time to pass without incident and then do some non-scheduled shows. I would like my fellow radio people to know this is not what I want.”

Kirby Wilbur to Host Late Morning Show on KVI, Seattle. Last month, Sinclair-owned KVI-Seattle announced that market conservative talk pro Kirby Wilbur would return to the air and KVI in the New Year. Now, the station announces Wilbur will host the 9:00 am to 12:00 noon slot, effective January 4. Wilbur will be joined for the first hour by current morning drive host John Carlson, then host the next two hours solo. The station is dropping Glenn Beck’s Premiere-syndicated show to make room for Wilbur. KVI program director Rick Van Cise states, “It’s clear our listeners want more local conservative conversation on Seattle radio. And who better to have back-to-back than two of the original Northwest conservative voices who made KVI great.” Wilbur has been off the radio for the past six years. Most recently he’s been the Washington director for Americans for Prosperity heading up the Washington, DC-based National Journalism Center. Wilbur comments, “I’m glad to be back with a new knowledge of the workings of the other Washington as we address local and national issues affecting all of us here.”

WOWO, Fort Wayne Switches FM Frequencies. This is a bit of a downgrade as far as market coverage is concerned since the move of news/talk WOWO, Fort Wayne’s FM simulcast is from class A FM WFWI to 75-watt translator W298BJ at 107.5 FM. The heritage station has been heard on WFWI’s 92.3 frequency since Federated Media signed it on in March of 2012. Program director Ryan Reker says, “It’s just a different place to listen to us. The change from 92.3 FM to 107.5 FM means our listeners will need to update their radios to get the same news, weather and talk coverage they listen to now.” WOWO-AM is heard very well throughout northeastern Indiana on its 50,000-watt 1190 kHz signal. No plans have been announced for WFWI-FM’s new format.

Talk Host Kate Delaney Talking Pete Rose Across the Country. Nationally syndicated general issues show host Kate Delaney is guesting on scores of radio shows today (12/15) because of her sports expertise and her knowledge of the Pete Rose decision that came down yesterday from the Major League Baseball commissioner’s office. The commissioner is continuing the ban on Rose working in baseball because of his cover-up of his gambling on baseball while manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Prior to her “America Tonight” program, Delaney spent a good part of her career in the sports media world covering 15 Super Bowls, 10 Final Fours, 10 U.S. Opens and numerous other sporting events. She also served as sports director of KRLD, Dallas and did a stretch at sports talk WFAN, New York. In addition to her regular show Delaney currently does a weekend shift on the NBC Sports Radio Network.

Odds & Sods. San Francisco all-newser KCBS-AM is being honored with a special finalist citation by the 2016 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Awards for reporter Doug Sovern’s “Unholy Water,” a series of investigative reports that exposed the San Francisco Archdiocese’s installation of an illegal plumbing system at St. Mary’s Cathedral that poured water on homeless people at night to keep them from sleeping in the cathedral doorways, in the middle of the worst drought in California history. The CBS RADIO-owned station will be recognized at a ceremony hosted by veteran newsman Tom Brokaw at Columbia’s Low Library on January19, 2016…..Former WFED, Washington afternoon drive personality Francis Rose is handling a lot of fill-in work this week and next. Rose is sitting in for Larry O’Connor on WMAL-AM/FM, Washington’s “Drive at Five” all this week, and Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week. Rose is also in for Westwood One’s Jim Bohannon tonight and that company’s John Batchelor on Wednesday and Friday of this week…..The 27^th annual Holiday Magic Radiothon on Bonneville’s KIRO-FM, Seattle to benefit Treehouse raised more than $512,000. Treehouse is a nonprofit organization that addresses the essential education and enrichment needs of kids in foster care…..In advance of tonight’s GOP primary debate, Salem Radio Network talk hosts Michael Medved (left) and Dennis Prager (right) are seen at right broadcasting from the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Salem Radio Network is partnering with CNN to provide the audio to radio stations across the country. All five SRN daytime syndicated personalities are broadcasting from Las Vegas. Additionally, SRN is presenting both pre- and post-debate programs co-hosted by Hugh Hewitt and Mike Gallagher. Hewitt is also serving as one of the media panelists on the debate…..Premiere Networks announces it is broadcasting four college bowl games. Available to sports stations nationwide, Premiere will distribute the live play-by-play for the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl, Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl, Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl and Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, all of which are produced by RedVoice Productions LLC…..Cumulus Media announces that the 2015 Mitch Albom S.A.Y. Detroit Radiothon raised $1,002,748 during last Thursday’s event. Albom is afternoon drive host on the company’s news/talk WJR, Detroit. This was the fourth year of the charity broadcast and included special guests Hugh Jackman, Paul Stanley, Billy Bob Thornton, Jane Pauley, JK Simmons, Craig Ferguson, Alice Cooper, Dr. Phil, Tim Allen, Howard Schultz, Dave Barry, John Pizzarelli, Mayor Mike Duggan, Bruce Cornblatt, Kevin Eubanks, Charles Woodson, Kirk Cousins, Matt Stafford, Stan Van Gundy, Brad Ausmus, Dan Gilbert, and Bernie Smilovitz. Pictured here is Mitch Albom (at center) on the remote set during the radiothon.

2016 Presidential Race/Tonight’s GOP Debate, Government Shutdown Threat, Paris Climate Summit Agreement, Battle Against IS/Islamic Anti-Terror Alliance, Refugee/Immigration Issues, Looming Freddie Gray Verdict, and NFL Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/14). The activities of the candidates for president in 2016 and the build-up to tonight’s GOP primary debate in Las Vegas; the temporary spending bill and the threat of a government shutdown; the agreement that came out of the Paris Climate Summit and the larger topic of global warming; the battle against Islamic State and the news of a Saudi-led anti-terror coalition; the status of Syrian refugees and the issue of immigration policy in the United States; the expected verdict in the first phase of the Freddie Gray trials in Baltimore; and the weekend’s NFL action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

Monday, November 30, 2015

TALKERS | November 30, 2015

Geraldo Exit from WABC, New York Appears Official. There’s been no announcement from Cumulus Media and we don’t really expect one. All of the information on this story comes from Geraldo Rivera himself. As TALKERS reported last Thursday, Rivera first said on his Facebook page that he was informed by new Cumulus CEO Mary Berner and Cumulus NYC market manager Chad Lopez that the company will not be honoring “the handshake deal I made with ousted company chief John Dickey, an agreement to extend my current contract for a year. The decision to renege on our deal on the eve of Thanksgiving is especially upsetting coming in the wake of my emotionally charged and highly rated coverage of the Paris massacre and frantic efforts by authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. Last year, The Village Voice named me the ‘2014 Best AM Radio Host in NYC’, writing in part, ‘Geraldo Rivera actually has something to say. The guy understands the issues of the day and has enough confidence in his opinions to call bullshit on blowhards,’ which I’m doing here.” Since then, Geraldo added to his post, writing that he intends to make this difficult for the company. “That slight will not go unanswered. Trust me on this; it is not about the money. I have enough and give away to various charities more than most. But because of their unforgivable disrespect I will fight them and they will end up costing their battered company far more in damages than they expect to save in my salary.” Geraldo goes on to write about the value of his show to the New York audience. “The pity is this misguided management has deprived my loyal New York audience a program that they have followed and engaged with during a turbulent time of crucial interest…” Whether Geraldo can prevail in court remains to be seen, but of course it’s within Cumulus’ right to fire or hire talent as the company sees fit.

David Boze Exits Bonneville’s KTTH, Seattle. Saying that he’s leaving the station to pursue “ventures that can only be done in presidential years,” morning drive personality David Boze leaves Bonneville International’s KTTH, Seattle after 13 years with the station. He says, “I leave the station I helped found in the hands of a great company and good people. I am incredibly grateful for the loyalty and kindness of my listeners. It is a wonderful thing to meet them and realize we are already friends thanks to the power of radio. I’m also exceptionally grateful for my show sponsors, who have invested in my show year after year. Bonneville has been a great company to work for, and I will miss the people who have become such a meaningful, daily part of my life.” The company has not named a permanent replacement for Boze.

Lee Hammer Adds KGO and KSFO OM Duties. Already serving as operations manager and PD for sports talk outlets KNBR and KTCT, Lee Hammer is promoted from interim ops manager for sister talk stations KGO and KSFO to permanent OM for the pair. Cumulus San Francisco VP and market manager Justin Wittmayer says, “Lee has been instrumental in leading KGO and KSFO over the past year while continuing to deliver record breaking ratings for KNBR. We are confident that with his considerable expertise in the talk format, he will take our news/talk stations to new heights.”

Odds & Sods. Former longtime KVI, Seattle talk personality Kirby Wilbur is soon to be back with the iconic conservative talker. It’s not known at this point what daypart Wilbur will be hosting. He was part of the original lineup of KVI as a conservative news/talk station. It’s for this period in history that it’s considered by many to be the first talk station to be purposely programmed as an all-conservative talk outlet…..Nationally syndicated talk host Kevin Jackson announces he is leaving USA Radio Networks and will self-syndicate his daily 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm talk show.

Round Three of November PPM Data Released. The third of four rounds of November 2015 PPM data from Nielsen Audio has been released for 12 markets including: Portland, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Antonio, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Orlando, and Columbus. The survey period was October 8 – November 4. TALKERS magazine’s sister publication RadioInfo has all of the numbers from subscribing stations here. In addition, managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his “Twelve Takeaways” from this batch of ratings on the main page at RadioInfo.com here.

Some Talk Radio Pros Take Issue with Colorado Governor’s Placing Blame for Shooting on Media and Campaign Rhetoric. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, in addressing the deadly shooting at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs over the weekend, hinted that talk show hosts and bloggers are in some way to blame for the deaths of the three victims and the nine people wounded. The governor said, in part, “Certainly it’s a form of terrorism, and maybe in some way it’s a function of the inflammatory rhetoric we see on so many issues now, there are bloggers and talk shows where they really focus on trying to get people to that point of boiling over. Just intense anger. Maybe it’s time to look at how do we tone down that rhetoric. No one is going to try to reduce free speech in this country but that rhetoric — if people are in some way emotionally unstable or psychologically unbalanced – that intensity of rhetoric sometimes seems to pull a trigger in their brain that they lose contact with what reality is.” Salem Radio Network VP of news & talk programming Tom Tradup tells TALKERS magazine, “Public officials who fail in their primary responsibility to protect the lives and property of the men and women who elect them should not use the free and open exchange of ideas and opinions on talk radio to scapegoat their own inadequacies.”

Legendary News and Talk Personality Brent Seltzer Recovering from Brain Tumor Surgery. Veteran radio personality Brent Seltzer, known most recently for his work on the nationally syndicated (GCN) “Brent & Meg Show” that he co-hosted with his wife Meg McDonald, is recovering from major surgery that took place in September at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Burbank to remove a cancerous, golf ball-sized Glioblastoma Tumor Grade 4 from the front-left section of his brain. This is the part of the brain that controls memory and language. Seltzer’s colorful career dates back to the golden days of FM rock radio when he was a pioneer in the development of “rock ‘n’ roll radio style news” at such outlets as KGB, San Diego and KMET, Los Angeles among others. He has also achieved considerable critical praise for his modern-era, short-form and podcast series, “Still at Large.” Attendees at TALKERS conferences over the past four years will remember Brent & Meg as the events’ charismatic official greeters. This past June, they served as emcees of Talkers 2015. Seltzer (pictured here mugging for the camera after his surgery) tells TALKERS, “I have apparently been experiencing symptoms since September 2014 but it wasn’t until 11:15 am PT on Thursday, September 24, 2015 that my symptoms resulted in a seizure while sitting at my computer. I crashed like a small bird out of a big tree. If our ‘Brent & Meg’ radio show had not been on hiatus by that point, I would have had my seizure on the air. In the months prior to the seizure, I was apparently doing some things without a clear memory. My typing began to deteriorate and my quick recall for names, places and events often failed me. I ignored symptoms that were bothersome but seemed innocuous and unrelated at the time. But in truth, they were actually symptoms of a much bigger problem.” Seltzer, who is now recovering at home while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy, adds, “I share these things to let everyone know that I have begun what we hope will be a stunning return. My recovery is an uphill battle which I’m very eager to face as I prepare for alerting everyone as to what has happened and what will come next and as much pain and discomfort I am in… I’m Popeye and nothing is gonna get me down!” TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison states, “I have known Brent all the way back to my radio days in San Diego in the early 1970s. He is one of the nicest, smartest and most talented guys I’ve ever met in this business. He and Meg are beloved members of our TALKERS family and we pray for his speedy and full recovery.” Brent Seltzer can be contacted via email at: brent@mcdonaldmediaservices.com.

Colorado Springs Shooting Dominates Weekend Talk Stories. The deadly shooting in Colorado Springs and the related debate over gun control were the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend on stations that air live and local shows and/or live national talk shows. Other topics included the Thanksgiving holiday, Black Friday, and college and pro football, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.