Industry News

Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker Partner for SiriusXM Sports Show

SiriusXM announces the launch of a new daily show on the Mad Dog Sports Radio channel starring former ESPN personality Michelle Beadle and former MLB player Cody Decker airing live from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pmim ET. SiriusXM vice president of sports programming Eric Spitz says, “Michelle and Cody bring a tremendous level of energy and passion to the mic, which our listeners will love. ‘Beadle & Decker’ is an outstanding addition to Mad Dog Sports Radio and their strong personalities and opinions will help us continue to deliver the best all-sports talk channel to listeners across the country.”

Industry News

Donal Ware Celebrates 18 Years of “BOXTOROW”

Sports talk personality Donal Ware is celebrating the 18th anniversary of his nationally syndicated program “BOXTOROW” that first aired on August 20, 2005 on a radio station in its home base of Raleigh, and stations inim Baltimore, Birmingham, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem. The show airs on SiriusXM’s College Sports channel in addition to radio stations in 12 of the top 50 markets across the country including Washington, Tampa, Portland, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Austin, Kansas City, Raleigh, Nashville, Norfolk, Jacksonville, and New Orleans. Guests on the program over the years have included Serena Williams, Kevin Durant, Simone Biles, Jerry Rice, Snoop Dogg, Michael B. Jordan, and more.

Industry News

SiriusXM’s Joe Madison to Be Honored by the ASALH

Talk host Joe Madison – heard daily in morning drive on SiriusXM’s Urban View channel – is being honored withim the Council Award of Special Recognition from the Association for the Study of African American Life and History(ASALH). ASALH was founded in 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson to document the contributions of African Americans to American history. The award will be presented at the 108th Annual Conference in Jacksonville on September 23.

Industry News

Dan Patrick, Premiere Networks, and NBC Sports Renew Multiplatform Deal

iHeartMedia and NBC Sports announce renewed multiplatform distribution deals for “The Dan Patrick Show.” iHeartMedia’s Premiere Networks will continue its role as the exclusive, global digital and terrestrial audio distribution partner for “The Dan Patrick Show,” currently heard on 360-plus affiliates. The show will also continueim to stream on Peacock and will also be heard on the NBC Sports channel SiriusXM. The terms of the contracts have not been revealed but Patrick told listeners last week that he would work four more years before retiring from the business at the end of 2027. Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott says, “Dan Patrick is one of the biggest stars in sports media and entertainment, and we couldn’t be happier to extend our partnership. Dan continues to raise the bar. He’s built a loyal following across multiple platforms by producing the highest-quality content, and he continues to deliver remarkable results for our partners. We look forward to working together for the foreseeable future.”

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Beasley Broadcast Group announces that it will report its 2023 second quarter financial results before the market opens on Thursday, August 3.

The Society of Broadcast Engineers announces that the Robert W. Flanders SBE Engineer of the Year award for 2023 is presented to Joseph Conlon of Inver Grove Heights, MN, and a current member of SBE Chapter 17 Central Minnesota. The James C. Wulliman SBE Educator of the Year award is Andrew Gladding, CBT, of Brooklyn, NY, and a member of SBE Chapter 15 New York City. Gladding has been an SBE Member for eight years and is the secretary of Chapter 15. In his role as adjunct professor for audio production at Hofstra University, he has taken numerous steps to recruit and engage new SBE members by teaching them about the broadcasting business and engineering in particular. He is solely responsible for the addition of 40 student members to Chapter 15.

SiriusXM sports talk personality Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo is making his return to Bar Anticipation in Lake Como, New Jersey, for a special live broadcast of his show on August 4 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. This is Russo’s first broadcast at the popular Jersey Shore venue since 2007. He says, “Bar A, I’m back, baby! The summer show was always a blast. I’m excited to be at it again and we’ve got a great show planned on August 4. Love all our Jersey Shore fans!!!”

Industry News

SiriusXM To Cover Golf’s 151st Open Championship

Sirius XM
When golf’s original championship is contested next week at Hoylake’s Royal Liverpool (England), SiriusXM will offer 45 hours of live coverage on its “Open Radio” channel (92). SiriusXM president/chief content officer Scott Greenstein comments, “We’re very excited to deliver our listeners another extensive week of programming for the historic Open Championship. Our coverage will feature live shot-by-shot commentary from voices who are excellent at capturing and conveying the character and excitement of Open Championship golf, as well as daily programming that will deliver all the latest news from the event and interviews with the competitors in the field.” Championship broadcasts will begin Thursday (7/20) and Friday (7/21) at 2:00 am (ET) and Saturday (7/22) and Sunday (7/23) at 4:00 am (ET). They will continue through the conclusion of each day’s play. The Open Radio team will feature: Matt Adams; Marcus Buckland; Raymond Burns; Paul Eales; Harry Ewing; Ron Jones; Sue Thearle; Alison Walker; and Sophie Walker. SiriusXM analysts/commentators Maureen Madill and Carl Paulson will be in the booth and on the course. Immediately after each round, “The Open Postgame” recaps the day’s play and looks at the next day’s action. Will Haskett will host the show after the Thursday and Friday rounds, while Gary Williams performs the same duties the next two days. Major champions Hale Irwin, Dave Stockton, Scott Simpson and 1992 Open Championship runner-up John Cook  are also scheduled to contribute to the post-round discussion.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic” afternoon co-host Hunter Brody and assistant program director Eric Camille have exited the Beasley Media Group Philadelphia sports talk outlet. Former Phillies relief pitcher Ricky Bottalico; Tyrone Johnson; and Jen Scordo remain in WPEN-FM’s afternoon slot. Commenting to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Beasley Media Group notes, “The post-COVID months have been a particularly challenging time in our industry. Like other media companies, our markets have been directly impacted due to these uncertain economic conditions. As a result, we have proactively adjusted our operations accordingly to reflect the current financial climate.” Via a social media post, Brody indicates he will continue streaming on YouTube.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and SiriusXM expand their relationship that will enhance connectivity of FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) National Public Warning System. SiriusXM will give FEMA access to secure bandwidth on SiriusXM’s proprietary satellite radio system to provide additional connectivity between FEMA and the National Public Warning System (NPWS) network. SiriusXM senior vice president/general manager, signal distribution engineering Bridget Neville states, “By supplying this satellite-based backup for FEMA’s backbone communications system, SiriusXM helps to strengthen FEMA’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to weather-related crises and other emergencies. SiriusXM has worked extensively with FEMA over the years and we are proud of our efforts that aid in delivering critical emergency messages to the public. We look forward to deepening and expanding upon our relationship with FEMA through this program and additional opportunities to leverage our satellite network in the future.” Director of FEMA IPAWS Antwane Johnson adds, “A secure, trusted, capable and reliable technology ecosystem is the foundation of the IPAWS NPWS capability. IPAWS embraces innovative technologies and platforms, and SiriusXM’s satellite network helps reinforce our capabilities.”

In a pair of newspaper-related items, The New York Times announces plans to close its sports desk, while The Los Angeles Times sells the San Diego Union-Tribune to Alden Global Capital-owned MediaNews Group. The New York Times will rely on coverage from the Athletic, the subscription sports website it purchased last year for $550 million. In a letter to staff yesterday (Monday, 7/10), New York Times Co. chair A.G. Sulzberger and chief executive officer Meredith Kopit Levien write, “Though we know this decision will be disappointing to some, we believe it is the right one for readers and will allow us to maximize respective strengths of the Times’ and the Athletic’s newsrooms.” The paper’s sports writers and editors will be moved to different roles in the newsroom and – reportedly – no layoffs are planned. The Athletic lost $7.8 million in the first quarter of 2023, although subscribers have grown from one million in January 2022 to three million as of March 2023. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong and his family spent $500 million in June 2018 to buy that paper and the Union-Tribune from Chicago-based Tribune Publishing. While Soon-Shiong’s primary interest was in the Times, he pledged support for both newsrooms. A memo to the Union-Tribune staff announcing the deal said the Union-Tribune will need to “make some difficult staffing decisions. Reductions will be necessary to offset the slowdown in revenues as economic headwinds continue to impact the media industry.”

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

iHeartMedia Treasure Coast announces a new, multi-year deal to become the Miami Dolphins radio broadcast partner for the Fort Pierce market. Beginning this season, live gameday broadcasts will air on WAVE 92.7 (WAVW) and Real Radio 101.7 (WCZR).

Throughout Major League Baseball’s 2023 All-Star Week, SiriusXM will deliver extensive audio coverage to baseball fans around the country. Subscribers will get live broadcasts of the 93rd All-Star Game, the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, the MLB Draft, and more special programming from Seattle.

Industry News

SiriusXM Shutting Down Stitcher Platform

SiriusXM announces that it is shutting down the Stitcher audio platform on August 29 as it moves to integrate podcasts into its SiriusXM subscription business. SiriusXM acquired Stitcher in 2020 for $325 million. Theim company says that it expects to continue podcast creation via the Stitcher Studios and Earwolf, but the availability of third party podcasts on the SiriusXM app will be determined by the creators/producers of those programs.

Industry News

Harrison and Madison Tackle a Variety of Issues on Sirius Show

Heavy Hundred titan Joe Madison interviewed TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison Tuesday morning (6/20)im on his long-running “Urban View” channel program on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. The two legendary radio figures took a deep-dive into the subjects of podcasting, AM radios in cars, the role of boomers in today’s culture and the way in which the annual TALKERS Heavy Hundred list is compiled. Don’t miss this conversation! Listen to the audio here.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

iHeartPodcasts and Imagine Entertainment, the global entertainment company founded by Ron Howard and Brian Glazer, unveil “Big Sugar,” a new investigative podcast about the multimillion-dollar sugar industry. iHeartPodcasts says, “‘Big Sugar’ is a true crime story unlike any other that centers on the epic legal battle pitting the multimillion-dollar sugar industry against the migrant laborers who harvest sugarcane, while revealing corporate malfeasance, human rights violations, DC lobbying, nutrition downfalls and the destruction of the environment.” The series is hosted by Celeste Headlee, an award-winning, internationally recognized journalist and author who has hosted shows for NPR, WNYC and PBS.

SiriusXM announces it is launching a special pop-up channel dedicated to the world-famous Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Principality of Monaco itself, one of the world’s most glamorous locales and home to one of auto racing’s most prestigious events. The special channel will be available on Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25. In a special SiriusXM broadcast event, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco sits down for a rare and wide-ranging one-on-one conversation in which he shares his insights into the Principality of Monaco, what makes Monaco’s Formula 1 Grand Prix so captivating for millions around the globe, Monaco’s future in F1, as well as some of the Prince’s other personal passions.

The nationally syndicated talk show “Free Talk Live” welcomes new weekend affiliate WNOS-AM, New Bern, North Carolina.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

“You Better You Bet,” the flagship program of Audacy’s BetQL Network joins the program schedule at CRC Broadcasting’s KQFN-AM/K257CD, Phoenix in the 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm daypart.

Salem Media Group announces that the “Main Street Matters” podcast, produced by Job Creators Network, joins the Salem Podcast Network. The small business-focused program features inspirational real-life stories of the struggles and successes of small business owners. It is co-hosted by Alfredo Ortiz and Elaine Parker.

SiriusXM unveils the new Jeff Lewis Channel on the SiriusXM app. The channel featured content from the SiriusXM Radio Andy show, plus three new shows: the “Jeff Lewis Live After Show” with comedians Brandy Howard and Julie Goldman, “Flipping Out Friday,” as well as “Chumps Happy Hour,” featuring a rotating cast of hosts.

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Twitter Technique

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imTik-Tok is hot (largely among users too young to be heavy AM/FM listeners) and it’s in-the-news (about its possible ban). And, yes, Facebook remains T-Rex in the social media jungle. But people on Twitter seem to live there.

— Twitter is a useful right-now prompt, because Tweets stack-up, so there’s less value alerting Followers to what’s up much later today or tomorrow.

— Like any contact, there’s a quality/quantity trade-off. You will get a feel for how-much-is-too-much when you see your Followers number drop. So, think before you Tweet. You’ll never get un-Followed for something you didn’t Tweet.

— Best of all, like other social media, Twitter is…social. Conversations begin and spread. And any of your Followers can re-Tweet your message to all their Followers, and any of them could re-Tweet it too. Going-viral like that is powerful peer-to-peer endorsement, particularly if you’re a podcaster, because subscriptions are the ballgame.

im

REAL opportune: links and attachments.

— AM/FM transmitters are audio-only and only in real-time. But you can Tweet-out a photo or video or a link to online content. Research demonstrates that third-party content you share gets re-Tweeted more than content about yourself.

— Possibly the most-useful Tweets about your radio work are “snack-size” single-topic aircheck clips. Especially opportune: guest interview excerpts that enable listeners. “Car Coach Lauren Fix has three tips BEFORE your summer road trip.” Why expose that useful programming content only to those who happened to be listening live?

— Tweeting in that fashion not only conforms to listeners’ on-demand media preference, it puts your audio back in the pocket, where radio used to be.

Twitter does double-duty BEFORE your show.

— Note how SiriusXM/CNN host Michael Smerconish tees-up topics with quick videos and polls. People like being-asked. A real estate agent whose weekend show I coach uses Twitter “to ask an opinion on a light fixture, a paint color, an appliance.” She notes that “on HGTV’s website, they have a section called ‘Rate My Remodel.’ Regular folks send in pictures of a recent remodel that they did, and others comment. People love this stuff.” So, start a conversation that takes wings. When you read posted comments on-air, you sound accessible and popular.

— And Twitter’s characters-limit is a useful discipline. You’re pre-scripting your concise, inviting show open.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books; and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

The Seattle Seahawks announced today a multi-year extension with Bonneville Seattle Media Group to continue with “Seattle Sports 710 AM” and “KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM” as the official flagship radio broadcast partners of the Seahawks. Bonneville Seattle SVP and market manager Cathy Cangiano says, “For nearly 50 years, the Seahawks and KIRO have shared a unique partnership and today we are honored and excited to once again extend our commitment to broadcast the Seahawks throughout the Pacific Northwest. Working together for so many years makes collaboration and innovation a natural part of what we do together. That spirit is present in the broadcast booth, in our respective front offices and especially in our community, where we seek to entertain and serve the 12s. Once again, we look forward to broadcasting the excitement of Seahawks football.”

Kaleidoscope and iHeartPodcasts, in collaboration with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), announces the launch of a new eight-part series, “Silenced,” that re-examines the murders of radio broadcasters in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood in the early 1990s. The murders were never solved, leaving a wound in Little Haiti that is still open to this day. iHeartPodcasts president Will Pearson says, “We are proud to collaborate with Kaleidoscope on their impressive slate of scripted podcasts. Listeners everywhere have been drawn to these real-life stories of wild chocolate hunters, unsuspected astrologists and Russian cosmonauts, and we know ‘Silenced’ will do the same – hopefully leading to some answers as to who was behind these unsolved murders.”

Edison Research will present its annual “Moms and Media” study from The Research Moms in a webinar on Thursday, May 11 at 2:00 pm ET. Edison VP (and Research Mom) Melissa DeCesare will present the latest findings as well as emerging trends from the last few years. In addition to data from The Infinite Dial study from Edison Research, and sponsored by Amazon Music, Wondery, and ART19, this year’s research also incorporates results from a new, national online study.

NASCAR and SiriusXM announce a multi-year renewal of their broadcasting agreement. SiriusXM will continue to deliver 24/7 NASCAR content to its subscribers, including live broadcasts of every race, plus daily NASCAR talk and interviews with voices across the industry through its exclusive SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel.

Industry News

Howard Stern to Open SiriusXM’s Miami Studios

SiriusXM announces that Howard Stern will bring his program to Miami to officially open SiriusXM’s newestimage state-of-the-art broadcast complex that will operate from the heart of South Beach. Stern will broadcast live May 1-3 from Miami in what SiriusXM calls “a star-studded week of programming live from SiriusXM Miami.” Stern will be joined live in the studio by special music and celebrity guests. The new SiriusXM Miami studios features a 50-seat performance space and several artist-first radio and recording studios, in addition to office space.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Townsquare Media, Inc announces that it will release first quarter 2023 financial results before the market opens on Wednesday, May 10. The company will host a conference call to discuss certain first quarter 2023 financial results that same day at 8:00 am Eastern Time.

SiriusXM announces its coverage of the 2023 NFL Draft, which will feature live announcements of every selection from every round and in-depth analysis on the SiriusXM NFL Radio channel. The broadcast team will be anchored by Jason Horowitz. SiriusXM’s expert analysts all three days will be former NFL scout, coach and front-office executive Pat Kirwan, former NFL quarterback Jim Miller and former coach Rick Neuheisel.

Industry News

New York Festivals Radio Awards Announces 2023 Winners

The 2023 winners of the New York Festivals Radio Awards were announced yesterday, and the BBC was named Broadcaster of the Year, while HarperCollins Publishers was honored as Radio Production Company of the Year. NY Festivals says, “Creative audio entries from storytellers around the globe captivated listeners and were recognized by the 2023 Radio Award Grand Jury. Winning entries include podcasts and audiobooks, masterful dramas, and documentaries, up-to-the-minute news coverage, entertainment, and music specials all created by world renowned storytellers.” New York Festivals Storyteller’s Gala honored “The Kalb Report” with the 13th annual New York Festivals Lifetime Achievement Award. For nearly 30 years “The Kalb Report,” moderated by eminent journalist Marvin Kalb, has provided a forum for prominent newsmakers and journalists to discuss the news media’s impact on American democracy. “Start Here” by ABC News in the News Podcast category earned the inaugural National Press Club Award. The new award launched in 2023, in partnership with the National Press Club, goes to the highest scoring entry in the following news program categories: Best Coverage of Breaking News Story, Best Coverage of Ongoing News Story, Best Nonfiction Series, and News Podcast. Other U.S.-based audio companies winning gold awards in this year’s competition include: ESPN in three podcast categories, iHeartMedia/Katie Couric Media in the Narrative/Documentary Podcast category, and SiriusXM for Best Editing. See the complete winners gallery here.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Emmis Communications CEO Jeff Smulyan will be interviewed by Skyview Networks CEO Steve Jones on Wednesday (4/12) at 7:00 pm ET as part of the “Great Minds, Great Conversations” series sponsored by Adelphi University. The live, one-hour free webinar will cover Smulyan’s expansive career as an entrepreneur who launched WFAN, New York – radio’s first all-sports talk station – joined the exclusive MLB owners’ circle by acquiring the Seattle Mariners, and built a TV station portfolio. He will reveal hard lessons learned that can benefit today’s entrepreneurs. You can register here.

SiriusXM’s says its bipartisan political and news channel tweaks its program schedule. It says, “With the 2024 presidential race already underway, host Laura Coates will now kick-off coverage of the day’s breaking news from SiriusXM’s Washington, D.C. studios, with host Julie Mason returning to afternoons on the newly rebranded ‘The Julie Mason Show.’ Coates, who also serves as CNN’s senior legal analyst and host of ‘CNN Tonight,’ will continue to use her prosecutorial skills to analyze the top stories from a legal perspective.” Sirius XM says Mason is a veteran Washington journalist in her 12th year with the company. It adds, “Mason’s program will feature interviews with a compelling mix of journalists, strategists, and other politicos, as well as politicians from both sides of the political aisle. Mason will also host regular Town Hall events from SiriusXM’s Washington studios, as well as other locations.”

Industry News

Dr. Laura Launches Deep Dive Podcast

Dr. Laura Schlessinger – via her company Take On The Day, LLC – is launching a new podcast called, “Dr. Laura’s Deep Dive,” in which she “guides listeners through a 360-degree review of a single subject such as marriage, family dynamics, dating and parenting. In the first episode, Dr. Laura deals with the growing crisis of dysfunctional families in America and how they are tearing our country apart.” SXM Media, the combined advertising sales group from SiriusXM Holdings Inc., has exclusive global ad sales rights for “Dr. Laura’s Deep Dive.” Dr. Laura says, “I’m excited to go deep into topics that are so important to the everyday life of my listeners. Focusing on one topic per episode gives me time and space to analyze the challenges, demonstrate real world examples, and share solutions on how to navigate out of the muck and mud of bad decisions and wrong-headed analysis and achieve a fulfilling life.” Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s “Dr. Laura Program” is in its 13th year on the SiriusXM platform.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

— FOX Sports Radio’s Rob Parker, host of the nationally syndicated program “The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard & Rob Parker” – and founder/editor-in-chief of MLBbro.com, announces the launch of “The MLBbro Show Podcast – The Mixtape.” The new podcast is an extension of MLBbro.com, a website produced in partnership with Major League Baseball to chronicle the paths of Black and brown professional baseball players from the past and present. The show is hosted by MLBbro.com’s vice president of operations JR Gamble, who has covered Major League Baseball for more than two decades. Parker, along with MLBbro.com editors and writers David Grubb, Mark Gray, Christian Crittenden and Justin Petrille, will also contribute to the podcast.

— SiriusXM announces its extensive broadcast plans for Masters week (April 1-9) as exclusive audio broadcaster for the PGA golf tournament. SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein says, “We are honored and excited to again deliver our subscribers comprehensive coverage of one of the best weeks in all of sports. Our excellent broadcast team will bring listeners inside the ropes from the first tee shot on Thursday through the final putt on Sunday. Throughout the week we’ll celebrate the great history and traditions of the Masters, and fans will get great insight into today’s competitors, as well as the legendary players from Masters past.”