Tag: "Richard Neer"
Friday, March 18, 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, “Madness in March,” looks back at this past week of 3/14 to 3/18. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Dom Giordano, talk show host, WPHT, Philadelphia; Mark Simone, talk show host, WOR, New York; Richard Neer, talk show host, WFAN, New York; Jonty McCollyer, talk show host, “China Watch Radio,” KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; Dr. Daliah Wachs, physician, Las Vegas/talk show host, Genesis Communications Network; and John DePetro, talk show host, WNRI, Woonsocket, RI. 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 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.
Triton Digital Releases February 2022 Podcast Report. The latest podcast ranking report from Triton Digital is published for the period of January 31 to February 27 and is based on Average Weekly Downloads. The report’s rank of the top 20 podcast
networks again has Stitcher Media at #1 with 59.1 million Average Weekly Downloads. The Audacy Podcast Network was #2 with 36.1 million AWD, and NPR came in at #3 with 33.5 million AWD. Ranking individual podcasts, NPR’s “NPR News Now” was #1, audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” was #2 and Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Ben Shapiro Show” was #3. Other podcasts with a radio connection that are ranked in the report include: Cumulus’ “The Dan Bongino Show” at #8, Salem Podcast Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” at #13, and Cumulus’ “Mark Levin Podcast” at #17. See the complete report here.
Katie Reid to Lead Bonneville Denver. Radio sales and management pro Katie Reid joins Bonneville International as SVP and market manager for the company’s Denver cluster that includes sports talk duo KKFN-FM “104.3 The Fan” and KEPN-AM “ESPN
1600” and two music brands. Reid, who was most recently VP/GM for Cox Media Group’s Jacksonville operations, takes over for Bob Call, who recently retired. Bonneville president Darrell Brown states, “Katie is a dynamic leader who knows how to focus on priorities and grow business. I believe her experience will position our stations for long-term success in Denver.” Reid comments, “I am honored to be joining the Bonneville team and work with these legendary brands. The Denver team continues to deliver excellent results and I am excited for this next chapter.”
TALKERS News Notes. Longtime talk media personality Michael Savage celebrates
his 80th birthday today (3/18). Savage, who produces a daily podcast after years of syndication in talk radio, is interviewed by Steve Travers for a piece 
in Newsmax that you can read here…..Beasley Media Group announces that Cole Croshaw is been named director of traffic operations for the company. He begins the newly created position on March 28. Croshaw was most recently with Marketron serving as the NXT product specialist. Beasley CFO Marie Tedesco says, “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Cole to the Beasley Media Group family. His leadership and vast experience made him the perfect choice to take our company’s traffic operations to the next level and beyond.”
The Russia-Ukraine War Top News/Talk Story for Week of March 14-18. Russia’s now-four-week-old invasion of Ukraine and the attendant political issues surrounding it came together as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was U.S. diplomatic relations with China and Russia with the Ukraine war as the backdrop, followed by the state of the U.S. economy, soaring gas prices and still-rising prices of consumer retail good 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.
Friday, March 4, 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,“Predators,” looks back at this past week of 2/28 to 3/4. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Ronn Owens, talk show host (retired), KGO, San Francisco; Chris Hansen, investigative reporter/commentator, “Predators I Have Caught with Chris Hansen”; Harry Hurley, talk show host, WPG, Atlantic City/FOX News Radio; and Richard Neer, talk show host, WFAN, New York. 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 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.
RT Shuts Down American Operations. The management of RT, the international Russian government-funded television network, informed its staff of American and
Russian broadcasters that it is shutting down operations of its Washington, DC-based U.S. operations, RT America, effective immediately due to the condemnation it is receiving in the United States as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The news was broken at an all-hands-on-deck staff meeting held at the network’s state-of-the-art headquarters in Washington, DC on Thursday (3/3) at 12:00 pm. Noted media consultant and TALKERS contributing columnist Holland Cooke has been hosting a weekly show on RT America titled, “The Big Picture,” since 2017. He tells his story in a TALKERS exclusive feature. Please click here.
Salem Media Group Reports 2021 Q4 Revenue Up 7.2%. Reporting its financial data for the fourth quarter of 2021, Salem Media Group reveals total revenue for the period was $69.1 million, an increase of 7.2% over the same period in 2020. Breaking the
quarterly results down by segment, the company reports net broadcast revenue of $51 million, an increase of 6.1%, year-over-year. Salem’s digital media revenue was $11.6 million, up 2.9%, and publishing revenue was $6.5 million, an increase of 27.1% over Q4 of 2020. For the full year of 2021, consolidated revenue was $258.2 million, up 9.3% over the full year of 2020. Full-year net broadcast revenue was $191.4 million, a year-over-year increase of 7.5%; digital media revenue was $42.2 million, an increase of 6.5% over 2020; and publishing revenue was $24.6 million, a year-over-year increase of 33.1%. For the full year of 2021, Salem reports net income of $41.5 million compared to the net loss of $54.1 million reported for the full year of 2020.
The John Fredericks Media Network Launches ‘Liberty Radio’ Simulcast Serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware Region. Talk media personality and media operator John Fredericks announces the John Fredericks Media Network’s acquisition of the former WVCH-AM, Chester – now WJFP-AM – and translator
W277DL, Malvern (103.3) in Pennsylvania and his operation of translator W237EH, Pennsauken, New Jersey (95.3) to simulcast as “Liberty Radio.” The company says the new radio signal additions to the John Fredericks Media Network will give the it enormous reach into Philadelphia, all surrounding suburbs, half of Delaware – south to Dover, all of Wilmington and most of South Jersey. Fredericks owns or operates four radio stations in Central Virginia – WJFN-AM, Chester; WJFN-FM, 
Goochland; and translators at 92.7 FM and 107.7 FM – as the simulcast “Newstalk WJFN.” He also owns WMLB-AM, Atlanta. “The John Fredericks Radio Show” is carried on both networks. He also hosts the television show “Outside the Beltway with John Fredericks” on Real America’s Voice News. Fredericks comments, “The acquisition of iconic radio station WVCH in greater Philadelphia and its accompanying FM translator is an essential component of our growth strategy. We want to provide our growing audience with hard-hitting news and incisive analysis to cut through the cancel culture and the woke fake news networks that dominate the airwaves today. Our proprietary network of show hosts is leading the radio industry, and our vision of all live weekday coverage and weekend live sports has resonated with both our listeners and advertisers.”
MIW’s ‘Mildred Carter Mentoring Program’ Accepting Applications. The Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. charitable organization dedicated to the advancement of female leadership in radio broadcasting, announces the opening of the application window for its 2022 Mildred Carter Mentoring Program today (3/4) through
March 21, 2022. Established in 2002, MIW’s the annual mentoring initiative connects mentees with accomplished women recognized as leaders, mentors, and game-changers within all aspects of radio broadcasting. Four candidates from the radio broadcasting industry within the sales, marketing, programming, and digital disciplines will be selected for the 2022 program. MIW Board president Ruth Presslaff commented on the announcement, “We’re extremely appreciative of our sponsors, Entravision and Beasley Media Group. We look forward to welcoming our newest group of mentees, especially as we consider the data presented in our recent MIW Gender Analysis Study. There’s work to be done and we’re eager to continue our mission of mentoring!” See more about this program and apply here.
TALKERS News Notes. A deal between United Stations Radio Networks, Audacy, and AccuWeather, is extended and expanded. The new pact provides for the continuation of AccuWeather’s services on existing Audacy affiliates, and adds 14 new Audacy stations to the list of AccuWeather outlets, including FM stations in New York City, Detroit, St. Louis, Las Vegas, Memphis, and Buffalo…..Chicago radio personality and South Side native William J. Kelly is co-hosting a charity benefit called “Chicago Stands with Ukraine” on Friday, March 11 to benefit Nevada-based Revived Soldiers Ukraine. Kelly says, “‘The William J. Kelly Irish Hour’ on WPNA is proud to support Revived Soldiers of Ukraine and the courageous work they do. We are joining together here in the Land of Lincoln and beyond to support the brave men and women in Ukraine who are fighting and sacrificing their lives for freedom.”….. The board of trustees for Boston public media producer GBH elects Stacy L. Cowan, Susan G. Fentin, Susan X. Luo, and Lynn Perry Wooten as trustees. President and CEO Jonathan Abbott states, “GBH is fortunate to have a strong, committed group of community and business leaders dedicated to helping the organization achieve its mission. As the landscape for media evolves, we continue to rely on their expertise and leadership.”
The Russia-Ukraine Crisis Top News/Talk Story for Week of February 28-March 4. Russia’s continuing invasion of the Ukraine and the rest of the world’s response to the crisis was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, followed by the state of the U.S. economy and the soaring price of consumer goods and gasoline 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.
Bell Seeks Senior Manager, Affiliate Relations & Content. Canadian media giant Bell is looking for a senior manager, affiliate relations & content for its Orbyt Media. The company says, “We’re looking for innovative team players ready to take some of the
most well-known entertainment brands in the country to the next level. Are you looking for a unique opportunity to play a critical role in content creation and syndication of programs and services across the broadcast industry? The Orbyt Media team is looking for someone who will foster and grow internal and external relationships and be bold in their idea generation and planning. Integrity and strong leadership are core attributes that are required in this role.” Find out more and apply here.
Friday, February 4, 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 magazine, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Off to the Races,” looks back at this past week of 1/31 to 2/4. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS magazine; Ricard Neer, talk show host, WFAN, New York; Grace Curley, talk show host, WRKO Boston; Tom Shattuck, talk show host, WTIC, Hartford; Steven Ebert, commentator, AM 970 The Answer, New York/attorney, Cassin & Cassin LLP; and Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company. 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; WVLY, Wheeling, WV; WTRW-FM, Scranton/Wilkes Barre, PA; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; KBKW, Aberdeen, WA; 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 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.
Andrew Wilkow’s Program Moves to Salem News Channel. Conservative media personality Andrew Wilkow is joining Salem Media Group’s OTT platform Salem News Channel (SalemNewsChannel.com) effective February 15. The “Wilkow!” program – billed as “a combination of breaking news from the day, and what to make of it from the
host’s perspective” – will air weekdays from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET. Wilkow has hosted a regular program on The Blaze TV for the past seven years. This move to Salem News Channel ends that relationship. Wilkow also hosts “Wilkow Majority” on SiriusXM and that show will continue. Wilkow says, “I cannot wait to move ‘Wilkow!’ onto the Salem News Channel. The 5:00 pm 
hour is the starting point of the evening news cycle. Our plan is to give the viewer an hour of live TV that combines perfectly executed political analysis and whatever breaking stories are happening. This is not going to be a clone program. Starting February 15, we are going to bring passion and fire to the 5:00 pm hour every day.” Salem says the program will originate out of Salem’s New York City studio in Lower Manhattan and will be the first of many TV-only hours being produced by SNC. The Salem News Channel is also home to video simulcasts of Salem Radio Network’s shows including: Hugh Hewitt, Mike Gallagher, Dennis Prager, Sebastian Gorka, and Larry Elder. Salem SVP of spoken word formats Phil Boyce adds, “Andrew is a perfect fit for SNC and all of the hosts already there. Andrew has carved out a name for himself on the Sirius Patriot Channel. His many followers will have a great time watching him on our new TV network.”
KYW Newsradio Names Kevin McCorry News Director. Radio news pro Kevin McCorry joins Audacy’s all-news KYW-AM/WPHI-FM, Philadelphia as news director, effective February 28. In this role, McCorry will oversee editorial coverage across the station’s broadcast, digital, and podcasting departments and will be responsible for
planning and executing in-depth original multiplatform reporting projects. McCorry was most recently managing editor at crosstown public media outlet WHYY. Audacy Philadelphia SVP and market manager David Yadgaroff says, “KYW Newsradio’s influence and legacy is unmatched in Philadelphia, and its community-focused journalism has only grown stronger 
over the years. We’re happy to welcome Kevin and so excited to see and hear his impact on the continuing evolution of our modern multimedia newsroom.” McCorry comments, “I’m thrilled to lead KYW’s news team as it starts a new chapter and grows its capacity for ambitious, original, multimedia journalism. As a Philly native, I know that KYW Newsradio holds a special place in the hearts and habits of many people in our region, and the talent in this newsroom is immense. The bottom line for any news operation is trust, and I’m beyond excited to continue to build KYW’s trust among more of our region’s listeners and readers by bringing my passion for smart, fair, in-depth news and storytelling to this esteemed organization.”
iHeartMedia Presents Fourth Annual ‘iHeartRadio Podcast Awards.’ Last night, the fourth annual iHeartRadio Podcast Awards took place virtually. The program was exclusively video streamed on iHeartRadio’s YouTube channel and Facebook page and
broadcast across iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app. Pop star Dua Lipa presented the Podcast of the Year award to Sarah Marshall and Michael Hobbes for their “You’re Wrong About” podcast. (Podcast of the Year was determined by popular vote via Twitter. The rest of the categories were determined by a panel of judges.) Other winners of note include: “The Daily” from The New York Times in the Best News Podcast category; “The Bill Simmons Podcast” from The Ringer/Bill Simmons in the Best Sports Podcast category; and “Pod Save America” from Crooked Media in the Best Political Podcast category. You can see all the winners here.
Edison Research and Ad Results Media to Present 3rd Annual Podcast Super Listeners Study Results. On February 16, Edison Research and Ad Results Media will present the results of the third annual “Super Listeners” study. “Super Listeners”
are defined as consumers who listen to five or more hours of podcasts weekly and are the people most likely to hear podcasting ads, and to have an opinion about them. During the webinar, Ad Results Media partner and CEO Marshall Williams and Edison Research WVP Tom Webster will walk attendees through an exclusive look at those who spend the most time listening to podcasts including: how Super Listeners feel about the number of ads in podcasts and the length of ad breaks; their attitudes about host-read ads versus pre-recorded ads versus sponsorships; how podcast advertising affects intent to purchase and other brand fit measures; plus more. You can register for the webinar here.
TALKERS News Notes. Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that Good Karma Brands’ sports talk WMVP-AM “ESPN 1000” is putting Chicago sportscasters Peggy
Kusinski and Dionne Miller together to host a new, weekly program that will air on the station on Saturdays from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. WMVP director of content Danny Zederman says, “We are really excited to have Peggy and Dionne on our team and know the fans will enjoy this duo. I think it’s going to be great.”…..Tomorrow (2/5), FOX Sports Radio personality Joy Taylor, co-host of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” and host of “The Joy Taylor Show” weekend program, is teaming up with Dr. Jen Welter, the first female coach in the NFL and the Semi-Pro Football San Diego Rebellion, to give female youth in Los Angeles the opportunity to learn the game of flag football. The program is being presented by The Joy Taylor Foundation and Dr. Welter’s Grrridiron Girls organization, the free flag football camp will be held at St. Frances X. Cabrini Catholic School in Los Angeles for girls ages 8-18. Dr. Welter, who has hosted over 30 Grrridiron Girls football camps to date, will lead on-the-field training, teaching the fundamentals of flag football while inspiring self-confidence, sisterhood and empowerment. In addition, Taylor will host “The Joy Taylor Show” live from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm PT at the camp. All participants will have the opportunity to hear from Taylor and ask her questions about her career in sports…..iHeartMedia unveils a new podcast hosted by pop star Dua Lipa titled, “Dua Lipa: At Your Service,” which was conceived and produced by Studio 2054 Productions. The weekly interview-style podcast will feature a special guest alongside Dua Lipa for “refreshing and thought-provoking conversations brimming with tools, tips, recommendations and inspiring stories.” The first episode will be available February 11 in English on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. The podcast will also be available to listeners in Spanish, Portuguese and French. Upcoming guests will include Elton John, Megan Thee Stallion, Russell Brand, Bowen Yang as well as South Korean rapper CL, author Lisa Taddeo, British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, novelist Hanya Yanagihara, Iraqi human rights activist Nadia Murad, and more.
Museum of Innovation and Science Hosts WGY-AM Exhibit. The Museum of Innovation and Science in Schenectady, New York is presenting an exhibit of the history of WGY-AM from its birth in 1922 to 1980 to coincide with the station’s 100th anniversary. A story by Northeast Public Radio’s WAMC, Albany details the exhibit. The station was put on the air by Schenectady-based General Electric. The museum’s Chris Hunter, VP of collections and exhibitions, says, “So, it was about 10th commercial station licensed in 1922. And because it was formed by GE’s publicity department, and not so much the engineers that formed a lot of the other early radio stations, they really placed a premium on entertainment and, kind of, the development of broadcasting.” The exhibit, called WGY: Radio’s Laboratory Celebrates Its Centennial, will be at the museum through May 8. It contains about 50 photos from its first 58 years, including the one above showing FDR doing one of his fireside chats. Hunter says, “So this one of Roosevelt’s early fireside chats. They became really famous once he became president and he gave these personal talks every weekend, kind of comforting people through the Great Depression and World War II, but he kind of perfected the format while New York State Governor here on WGY.” Photo: miSci
COVID-19 Mandates, Masks, Vaccines & Politics Top News/Talk Story for Week of January 31 to February 4. The combination of COVID-19 mandates, mask & vaccine policies and the politics surrounding the pandemic came together as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the state of the U.S. economy, including the financial markets activity, soaring retail and oil prices, and the national debt, followed by rising violent crime in U.S. cities and the spate of police officers being killed at #3. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s complete chart here.
Thursday, December 23, 2021
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 magazine, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Shake Your Tree,” looks back at this past week of 12/20 – 12/24. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Jim Polito, talk show host, WXKS, Boston/WHJJ, Providence/WTAG, Worcester/WHYN, Springfield; Richard Neer, talk show host, WFAN, New York; Dr. Daliah Wachs, talk show host, Genesis Communications Network /physician; Rob Carson, talk show host, Newsmax TV-Radio; and Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company. The show airs each week on its flagship, WONK-FM, Washington, DC, Friday evenings at 6:00 pm ET. It also airs throughout the weekend on WTIC, Hartford; KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; KDFD, Denver; KFNX, Phoenix; KTLK-FM, St. Louis; WPG, Atlantic City, NJ; SuperTalk 99.7 WTN, Nashville; WVLY, Wheeling, WV; WTRW-FM, Scranton/Wilkes Barre, PA; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; KBKW, Aberdeen, WA; 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; the iHeart Podcast Network; Podcast Radio, UK and many more. To listen to this week’s episode, 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.
Jared Merves Named SVP of Digital for Cumulus Media. Digital media pro Jared Merves joins Cumulus Media as senior vice president, digital, effective January 18, 2022. Merves was most recently chief revenue officer of Distributed Media Lab, which
had acquired Wundervue, a company he founded to support media companies and advertising agencies in their digital transformation, operations, product development, and growth opportunities. In his new role 
with Cumulus, Merves will “lead and further shape the company’s digital strategy with a focus on generating revenue across multiple Cumulus Media platforms and channels.” Cumulus Media president and CEO Mary Berner says, “Jared has been at the forefront of digital media throughout his career and has helped many companies propel their businesses forward through innovation. Digital has been a critical and successful pillar of our business strategy, and Jared brings the experience, creativity and technical expertise to build on that foundation and catapult us to the next level.”
HC Holiday Extra: Guest Hosting a Show Next Week? – Consultant Holland Cooke offers some advice to talk hosts sitting in for full-timers on vacation – what he calls “Talk Radio Audition Week.” But if you’re guest-hosting, this tends to be a perennially slow news week. In this column, HC suggests four call-in topics. Read more here.
Connoisseur Media’s EVP/CFO Driscoll to Step Down; Price Named New CFO. The company’s co-founder and current executive vice president and chief financial officer, Michael O. Driscoll, will step down from his CFO role on December 31. Driscoll has
been CFO of Connoisseur Media since July 2004 and has been working with CEO and co-founder Jeffrey D. Warshaw for more than 25 years. Driscoll has been with Connoisseur and Warshaw since he was hired as CFO 
of Connoisseur Communications in 1996. He has handled financing, acquisitions, human resources and operational issues and has worked hand-in-hand with Warshaw in building the current company over the last 17 years. He remains at Connoisseur as EVP but will be stepping back from day-to-day management duties. Warshaw says, “Mike and I have worked together for a long time. In the years working with him, we have occasionally had different opinions, but never harsh words or arguments. I am glad in this new role he will get a chance to take some more time for travel and things he had wanted to do, but I look forward to still working together. He will always be my partner.” Assuming the SVP/CFO role on January 1 will be Oliver G. Price. He joined Connoisseur in 2012 and was most recently vice president of finance and accounting.
WBT-AM/FM, Charlotte Announces Three Inductees into Hall of Fame. Heritage Charlotte news/talk station WBT-AM/FM announces that it will induct three personalities into the WBT Hall of Fame on April 9, 2022. John Stokes (left), Bob Lacey (center), and Jim Szoke (right) will be inducted as part of the Urban One station’s 100th Anniversary ceremony. John Stokes joined WBT in September of 1987 as the station’s news director. For over 30 years, Stokes
anchored the news in morning drive on the station, covering everything from the PTL scandal to Hurricane Hugo to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The original announcement of Stokes’ induction into the WBT hall of Fame was made upon his retirement from the station in 2019, but the celebration was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bob Lacey began his career at WBT in 1972 as one of the youngest regular on-air personalities ever on the station. Soon after, he began hosting the groundbreaking nighttime talk show, “Lacey Listens.” Three years later, he was promoted to host mornings, where he and partner Harold Johnson brought an edgy, modern sound to start the station’s daily lineup. His top-rated show continued until 1980 when he moved on to television. Lacey ultimately returned to radio as part of the nationally syndicated “Bob & Sheri Show.” Arriving at WBT in 1986, Jim Szoke later became the station’s sports director during a time of major growth for the region’s sports market, including the launches of Charlotte’s NBA and NFL franchises. In 1993, he helped secure the flagship station broadcast rights for WBT and two years later, he was named to the first-ever Carolina Panthers Radio Network crew, a role he still holds today. He has gone on to broadcast more games for the Panthers than any voice in the team’s history.
TALKERS News Notes. If you’re still looking for some holiday programming, CBS News
Radio is offering a radio version of “It’s a Wonderful Life!” – produced by the National Press Club and American Heritage magazine. CBS manager, affiliate services Amy Bolton says there are no network spots. If you’re interested, reach out to her at: boltona@cbsnews.com…..The Independent Broadcasters Association elects four new members to its board of directors. Tom Burns, owner, Technicom & Sauk Valley Broadcasting; Gary Berkowitz, 
president, Berkowitz Broadcast Consulting; Steve Clendenin, owner & general manager, WHGM-AM/FM; and Jim Jacobs, president, Radio Richmond, LLC are joining the board and begin their three-year terms on January 1. Executive director Ron Stone says, “The IBA is committed to having a board that is representative of its members and elected by the members. Every year, one-third of the board turns over to keep fresh ideas flowing. No existing Board member may serve more than one three-year term. This is our first election since the IBA was formed in April 2020, and we had over a dozen candidates that accepted nomination to fill the four open seats.”
Salem Central Arkansas Listener Wins Mortgage Payments for a Year. The four Salem Media Group stations in central Arkansas, including news/talk KXDE-FM “The Answer,” partnered with Sax Homes to give one person the chance to have their mortgage payments made for all of 2022. Pictured above is winner Skylar Oswalt of Benton, Arkansas who was randomly chosen from more than 1 million entries.
Economy/Build Back Better Top News/Talk Story for Week of December 20-24. The state of the U.S. economy and Senator Joe Manchin’s thumbs down to President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan combined as the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At this week was the raging COVID-19 Omicron variant, vaccines and mandates at #2, followed by the January 6 investigation at #3. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during 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.
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
TALKERS magazine Offices Closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The offices of TALKERS magazine will be closed from the end of business today (11/24) through the weekend. TALKERS will reopen on Monday (11/29). The staff of TALKERS hopes that everyone enjoys a relaxing and enjoyable weekend with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving!
NOW POSTED: This Thanksgiving 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 magazine, is now posted. This new episode titled, “Thanksgiving Weekend,” looks back at this past week of 11/22 – 11/26. The program features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Dr. Daliah Wachs, talk show host, Genesis Communications Network/physician; Lars Larson, talk show host, Compass Media Networks; Dr. Murray Sabrin, professor emeritus of finance, Ramapo College of New Jersey; Harry Hurley, talk show host, WPG, Atlantic City; Richard Neer, talk show host, WFAN, New York; and Victoria Jones, executive director, DC Radio Company. The show airs each week on its flagship, WONK-FM, Washington, DC, Friday evenings at 6:00 pm ET. It also airs throughout the weekend on WTIC, Hartford; KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; KDFD, Denver; KFNX, Phoenix; KTLK-FM, St. Louis; WPG, Atlantic City, NJ; “SuperTalk 99.7” WTN, Nashville; WVLY, Wheeling, WV; WTRW-FM, Scranton/Wilkes Barre, PA; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; KBKW, Aberdeen, WA; 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; the iHeart Podcast Network; Pioneer Valley Radio, Springfield, MA; Podcast Radio, UK and many more. To listen to this week’s episode, 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.
WWO: Radio and Podcast Revenues to Rise in 2022. This week’s blog post from the CUMULUS MEDIA | Westwood One Audio Active Group, assesses leading revenue forecasts and key trends to watch for in the coming year. The piece predicts that 2020
AM/FM radio revenue will grow 6% to 8% while podcast revenue will grow 31%. Of the big 10 categories that represent 60% of local revenue for radio stations, the five to watch are: auto, TV/cable, healthcare, home improvement, and communications/cellular. Travel and entertainment should also surge. At the network level, look for continued growth in pharmaceutical, financial, business-to-business brands, recruitment, consumer packaged goods, restaurants, insurance, and auto. The post predicts that when it comes to ad-supported audio, AM/FM radio will remain dominant, AM/FM radio streaming will surpass Pandora and Spotify, podcasts will continue to explode, and Pandora will collapse.
Sarah Quinn Named Marketing Director for iHeartMedia Greensboro. Radio and marketing pro Sarah Quinn joins iHeartMedia Greensboro, North Carolina as
marketing director for the cluster that includes news/talk WPTI-FM and seven music brands. Quinn comes to iHeartMedia from Alpha Media’s Canton, Ohio operations where she was marketing and promotions director and an air personality. iHeartMedia Greensboro SVP of programming Zac Davis says, “We had some great candidates from different backgrounds apply for this integral position, but Sarah possessed a unique skill set that really stood out to us. Her beliefs and work ethic align well with what we’re doing here in Greensboro and she’s going to hit the ground running!”
Alliance for Women in Media Unveils New Mentoring Program. The Alliance for Women in Media announces the launch of a new program – “AWM Connects presented by the Ford Motor Company Fund and Ziploc Accessory Bags.” This new program is “an exciting new virtual mentoring program that will connect young/new professionals with senior level executives throughout television, radio, and digital media.” The event
takes place on December 15 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm and includes an opportunity for mentees and mentors to interact. Mentees will also be connected with mentors for a one-on-one conversation following the conclusion of the event. Mentors will be members of the AWM and AWM Foundation Board of Directors as well as high-level executives specifically selected to match up with the mentees that apply for the program. Mentees interested in participating in this inaugural program should apply by December 1. AWM president Becky Brooks says, “The Alliance for Women in Media has been connecting, educating and recognizing women in all forms of media for 70 years and this is the next opportunity to fulfill our important mission. We strongly encourage up and coming women in radio, television and digital medias to apply for an opportunity to experience this unique mentoring program and stay engaged with AWM as we move into the next 70 years.”
South Carolina Radio Station Holds ‘On-Air Job Fair.’ WCRS, Greenwood, South Carolina owner Anne Eller (pictured at right with Jay Logan of the local Reagan Flooring company) recently held an “On-Air Job Fair” to assist in matching up employers with open positions with people looking for work. Eller tells TALKERS magazine that one employer needed as many as 30 people to care for clients with disabilities and special needs. Another was seeking flooring installers. An international
company in the healthcare field had manufacturing and other specialized jobs available. She says she’s been hearing local stories from businesses, industries, and service providers about the increasing lack of employees for jobs, many of which offered good starting salaries and benefits. She adds, “Although this is a nationwide problem, the lack of workers has been impacting our economy for months. Restaurants had shorter hours or were closing on more days. People needing home and other repairs had long waits. The stories were endless, and I knew that I had to do something to help.” Connecting with the Greenwood SC Chamber of Commerce, she asked the Chamber to promote the idea to its members and in return, she would provide a business with 10 minutes of free air time to discuss their business or organization, the types of services it provides and the employees and skills needed for the positions. She had one requirement: employers had to give a phone number so that people could call and discuss the position because she believes many people are intimidated by filling out job applications online. She says the job fair was a success as employers received calls after their air time from potential employees and other businesses began calling to find out when the next job fair would be held. Eller says, “We will monitor the demand in the community. I am passionate about serving the needs of my listeners and advertisers, and I would love to see this happen again.”
TALKERS News Notes. San Antonio-based, nationally syndicated talk radio host Joe
“Pags” Pagliarulo is sitting in for Premiere Networks afternoon drive talk host Sean Hannity on today’s program. Pags tells TALKERS, “I’m extremely thankful and thrilled to crack the mic for broadcasting superstar Sean Hannity. Huge shoes to fill.”…..Edison Research announces the debut of The Infinite Dial 2021 UK, sponsored by Bauer Media and Spotify, debuting in a webinar on Thursday, December 2. Edison Research president Larry Rosin 
says, “We are excited to add the UK to the list of countries around the world investigating digital audio, podcasting, and social media usage via The Infinite Dial franchise. Thanks to Bauer Media and Spotify for bringing this beneficial research to the media community in the UK.”…..PodcastOne announces the launch of “Melissa Gorga On Display,” a new pop culture podcast hosted by the reality star and influencer. Gorga, who has spent a decade on the immensely popular Bravo series “Real Housewives of New
Jersey,” brings to the podcast her expertise in all things marriage, motherhood, fashion and, of course, reality television. PodcastOne president Kit Gray says, “There is absolutely no denying the immense popularity of Melissa Gorga and the impact her presence has had on pop culture around the world. Her podcast is exactly what audiences want in a celebrity-hosted podcast, and listeners will not be disappointed.”…..Hubbard Radio’s all-news WTOP, Washington, in partnership with EagleBank and 4giving, announces the conclusion of 
its inaugural Week of Giving holiday charity campaign aimed at raising money and awareness for local charities. The WTOP Week of Giving Campaign ran for one week from Monday, November 8 through Friday, November 12 and raised $9,054 for local charities. WTOP also matched donations made as part of an internal employee match program encouraging employees, as well as their friends and family, to donate during the Week of Giving. WTOP general manager Joel Oxley says, “We’re so honored to be able to give back to our community in this way and thankful for the giving spirit of our loyal audience. We couldn’t help these charities and the people they support without them.”
Inflation-Gas Prices/Supply Chain, January 6 Investigation, California Looting Spree, Charlottesville Jury Awards Damages, COVID-19, Ohio Opioid Verdict, Ahmaud Arbery Case, and Thanksgiving Holiday Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/23). The soaring prices of food and gasoline and the broken supply chain; the investigation into the January 6 Capitol attack and the subpoenas issued for Donald Trump adviser Roger Stone and media figure Alex Jones; the rising number of smash-and-grab mall looting cases in California; a jury in Charlottesville awards $26 million in damages stemming from the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally; the rising rate of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and abroad and the battle over mask & vaccine mandates; an Ohio jury finds CVS, Walgreens and Walmart liable in the opioid epidemic; the jury considers the evidence in the trial of three men in the death of Ahmaud Arbery; and the Thanksgiving holiday were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
