Tag: "The New York Times"
Monday, February 21, 2022
Monday Memo: BOOM! Political battle lines are drawn, and every day’s news gives both sides fresh fodder to bludgeon the other. “But to what end?” consultant Holland Cooke asks. In this week’s column, he makes the case that “predictability works against Time Spent Listening,” and recommends “how to better exploit headlines we too often squander as arguments.” Read more here.
Pending Business: Five Basics for Better Sales. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa writes in today’s column about what he calls five sales basics that all sellers should remember. “Chances are your time in front of your advertisers is limited. Although your goals may be clearly mapped out, the sales process has changed, and in-person calls are more limited. Email, links and web-based pitches are a critical component of the current sales environment. You may be a sales wizard, but in this COVID-adjusted world what happens before and right after you hit the send button is more important than ever.” Read his column here.
Talk Hosts on the Agenda at CPAC 2022. The American Conservative Union’s four-day CPAC 2022 takes place in Orlando this week from Thursday through Sunday and will feature a number of high-profile talk radio hosts on panels and in presentations. WMAL-FM, Washington morning host Larry O’Connor and Salem Radio Network’s Charlie Kirk will appear on the panel “War: A Tribute to Andrew Breitbart,” WREC-AM, Memphis morning host Ben Ferguson will interview former HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson. Premiere Networks personality Glenn Beck keynotes Friday’s Ronald Reagan Dinner. Westwood One syndicated host Mark Levin hosts “A Conversation with Mark Levin and Julie Strauss Levin.” Starnes Media Group syndicated host Todd Starnes and SRN’s Sebastian Gorka appear on the panel “Fire Fauci”; KTTH, Seattle host Jason Rantz appears on the “Government is Dangerous to Your Health” panel; and SRN’s Larry Elder sits on the “Biden’s Breadline” panel.
Report: SXM Media Top Podcast Publisher by Reach. According to data from Edison Research’s Podcast Consumer Tracking Report for the fourth quarter of 2021, SiriusXM Media is the top podcast publisher by reach. Edison says, “This ranker measures reach as a percentage of the weekly podcasting audience. Rankings are compiled by measuring the total unduplicated reach of all the shows represented by a given network.” Rounding out the top five are: 2) Spotify, 3) iHeartRadio, 4) NPR, and 5) The New York Times. Edison Research SVP Tom Webster says, “We are pleased to be able to introduce the podcast industry’s first all-inclusive ranker of producers. We’ve tracked this space for 10 quarters with thousands of listeners, and the data we see has been incredibly stable over that period of time.”
TALKERS News Notes. Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that WGN-AM morning drive host Bob Sirott is serving as the host of a series to air on the regional Marquee Sports Network featuring him interviewing Chicago Cubs legends Ernie Banks, Glenn Beckert, Randy Hundley, Ron Santo and others. The conversations were videotaped in 2010 and 2011, but never aired. Sirott says, “It’s a special thrill to anchor what will be a permanent record of these Wrigley favorites for generations of Cubs fans to enjoy.”…..Writer and musician Dessa continues her exploration of human behavior, instincts, and culture in season two of her podcast, “Deeply Human.” The podcast is a collaboration between BBC World Service, iHeartMedia and American Public Media that investigates our tendencies to create social hierarchies and to use intoxicants; Dessa speaks to experts on monogamy, accents, and the dark forces at play in the way we perceive and pursue beauty. In season two, she speaks to psychologists, animal behaviorists, mathematicians, historians, and one legendary DJ.
Ukraine Tensions, COVID-19, Inflation/Oil Prices, Arbery Hate Crime Trial, Winter Weather, British Royalty, and the Beijing Olympics Among Top News/Talk stories Over the Weekend. The ongoing diplomatic tensions between Russia and the West over the former’s military buildup at the Ukraine border; the falling COVID-19 cases in the U.S., battles over mandates, and the Canadian truckers’ Ottawa protests; soaring consumer retail and gasoline prices; the federal hate crime trial of Travis and Gregory McMichael and William Bryan in the death of Ahmaud Arbery; the bitter cold affecting much of the northern U.S. this week; Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, her contracting COVID-19, and the fallout from Prince Andrew’s settlement with alleged Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking victim Virginia Guiffre; and the Beijing Winter Olympics were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
New Ramsey Book Baby Steps Millionaires Now in Presale. The latest book by Ramsey Solutions CEO, nationally syndicated talk radio star and best-selling author Dave Ramsey is now in the pre-order phase. A press release for the pre-sale says, “In his first trade book in eight years, Ramsey shares the stories of people who have become millionaires by following the Baby Steps, the proven plan for building wealth.” Baby Steps Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth – and How You Can Too is published by Ramsey Press and will be released on January 11. Ramsey says, “I’ve done stupid with a lot of zeros on the end. I know what it’s like to hit bottom. When I learned God’s ways of managing money, it changed everything. For 30 years, I’ve personally followed these principles with my money and guided millions through the same process. Now, I get to hear from people all the time who are on the other side and have become millionaires by following the Baby Steps. They’re the real heroes.” The press release adds that book shares the practical steps to building wealth using Ramsey’s proven Baby Steps and addresses the barriers to becoming a millionaire and how to overcome them. It also includes Ramsey Solutions’ “The National Study of Millionaires,” what it calls the largest study of millionaires ever done in North America.
‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ Tops Edison Research’s Q3 2021 U.S. Top 50 Podcasts Chart. The latest U.S. Top 50 Podcast chart from Edison Research for the third quarter of this year has been published. Edison says this chart “ranks the 50 biggest podcasts by audience size, based on the Podcast Consumer Tracking Report, the only podcast measurement service that measures the relative audience size and demographics of all podcast networks. The Podcast Consumer Tracking Report is the only measurement based on actual listening, not downloads.” The #1 podcast for Q3 of 2021 is Spotify’s “The Joe Rogan Experience,” followed by The New York Times’ “The Daily” at #2 and Audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” at #3. Other shows in the top 50 with a commercial radio connection include: “The Ben Shapiro Show” at #11, the Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show” at #20, Ramsey Network’s “The Dave Ramsey Show” at #24, and Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Mark Levin Show” at #39. Edison Research SVP Tom Webster says, “We are continuing to see strong performances from the true crime and news categories. What I find most compelling is the strong movement by some of the independent shows on the chart. It’s a testament to how remarkable this medium is that both large networks and independent creators continue to be able to amass a sizable audience.” The Edison Research Top 50 Podcasts of Q3 2021 list is derived from data collected continuously from Q4 2020 – Q3 2021, from surveying weekly podcast consumers ages 18 and older in the U.S. Participants indicate which podcasts they listened to in the past week along with a variety of demographic, psychographic, and purchase behavior information. The results are then coded and analyzed to ascertain the genre, network, and sales representation for each podcast. The relative audience size of each podcast network is then calculated and expressed as the percentage of weekly podcast listeners reached by that network. Surveys of over 8,000 podcast listeners in the U.S. were conducted Q4 2020 through Q3 2021.
TALKERS News Notes. WPG, Atlantic City morning drive personality Harry Hurley is ranked #56 in the 2021 InsiderNJ Power 100 from InsiderNJ. Hurley’s entry on the list says, “No other radio host in New Jersey covers politics as hyperactively as Hurley, who has earned the trust of key players in both parties while amplifying the concerns and troubles of regular voters. An asset to the state.”…..Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that
Midway Broadcasting’s WVON will air a five-part radio documentary series on more than 50 Black women and girls in Chicago who vanished without a trace. “The Invisible Ones: Voices of the Missing,” is hosted and produced by WVON morning news anchor Candace McCollum and premieres November 29. It will air four times daily throughout the week. McCollum tells Feder, “I sought to humanize many of these women whose names we never knew. I cannot name one Black woman whose name is etched in the psyche of America because she went missing.”…..G Accelerate Networks, the recently launched radio
network under the leadership of president and CEO Jim Higgins announces its first advertising sales agreement with Virtual News Center. The company says that with this deal, radio stations across the country will have expanded access to Virtual News Center’s top quality, professional local news content from dedicated reporters on a barter basis. Higgins adds, “Virtual News Center delivers the highest level of local radio news reporting, while providing radio station owners and operators with a cost-efficient, professional news operation on a barter basis. Virtual News Center is the kind of first-in-class radio service that radio stations need and that we are looking for in content partners.”…..CNN Audio debuts a showcast version of “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.” Listeners can hear the CNN Original series in an audio-first format from the first episode beginning in Myanmar to its conclusion on the Lower East Side in New York City.
COVID-19, Inflation/Supply Chain, January 6 Investigation, Gosar Censure, Infrastructure Bill, Ahmaud Arbery Case and Kyle Rittenhouse Trial Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/16). The increased rate of COVID-19 cases in some parts of the country, boosters, and mask & vaccine mandates; soaring retail and fuel prices and the broken supply chain; the House investigation into the January 6 attack on the Capitol and Steve Bannon’s being charged with contempt of Congress; today’s House vote on whether to censure U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar over the anime video he shared that appears to show him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Joe Biden; Biden signs his $1.2 trillion Infrastructure package into law; the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial taking place in Georgia; and the jury deliberates in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial in Kenosha were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Salem Seeks Operations Manager. The Orlando station group of Salem Media Group is looking for its next operations manager to lead the programming effort at its cluster. Our passion for community and our listeners drives our success at Salem. Top-of-class personalities, digital platforms, and resources make this a fantastic opportunity with a great operator in sunny Central Florida. General Manager Tim Robisch is looking for candidates who have spoken word on air and programming experience with passion for Christian teaching talk and conservative talk formats. Find more information and apply here. No calls please.
FOX News Media Seeks Radio Anchor. There’s a full-time news anchor position available with FOX News Media. The company says this New York-based position is as an on-air talent for FOX News Headlines 24/7, Sirius XM Channel 115. In addition to that role, the successful candidate may be asked to anchor on the FOX News Radio affiliate network. As a radio news anchor, you will work under tight deadlines and deliver top-notch newscasts. You have a passion for breaking news and the flexibility to work on a days’ notice. Find out more about this position and apply here.
FOX News Audio Has Talk Show Producer Opening. The FOX News Audio division of Fox News is looking for a creative talk show producer to be part of a growing national radio show and podcast. The talk show producer – based in New York City – will develop and execute ideas, provide strong story selection, book guests, and grow the show, its social media platforms, and website. See more information about this position and apply here.
FOX News Audio Seeks Podcast Producer. There’s an opening for a podcast producer at FOX News Audio. This New York City-based position’s responsibility will be to develop ideas, pitch stories, and work with FOX News Channel talent in crafting daily and weekly podcasts. They will direct bookings, edit shows for broadcast, and work with production teams to create high-quality products every day. In addition to their production duties, they will also lead creative on social media posts and website write-ups to promote the products. Find out more and apply here.
FOX News Media Has Radio Reporter Opening. The Washington, DC bureau of FOX News is seeking an experienced, full-time reporter. The successful candidate will cover a wide range of political, government, and Congressional stories for FOX News Audio (FOX News Headlines 24/7 and FOX News Terrestrial Radio). You possess strong journalism skills and thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Most importantly, you have great editorial judgement and the ability to break important news stories. Find out more about this position and apply here.
Monday, June 22, 2020
Monday Memo: ‘Mainstream Media’ Redefined. “For several decades,” consultant Holland Cooke reckons, “the term has been weaponized, first by scrappy fringe voices railing against legacy networks and newspapers; more recently by FOX News Channel and Rush Limbaugh,” which Cooke finds “ironic, since ratings qualify them as ‘mainstream.’” Now, as Spotify pays former “Fear Factor” host and MMA commentator Joe Rogan a reported hundred million dollars to distribute his podcast, The New York Times pronounces him “the new Mainstream Media.” And after a bystander’s smartphone captured the George Floyd killing, Cooke asks, “Are not We The People now ‘Mainstream Media?’” In special segment on his TV show, Cooke and TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison discuss how the publisher/consumer balance of power has shifted, even during the pandemic. To view the segment, please click here. To read Holland Cooke’s entire column, please click here.
NRG Media Names Allyson Hillman Market Manager for Waterloo, Iowa. Radio management pro Allyson Hillman is named market manager for NRG Media’s
Pittsburgh Play-By-Play Talent Charged with DUI. Radio play-by-play personality Bill Hillgrove has been charged with DUI in Murrysville, Pennsylvania after driving his car through a grocery store’s plate-glass windows. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Hillgrove – the announcer for Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers football games – went into the store to fill a prescription after hitting the building and drove home in his damaged car. Authorities found him there and arrested him after he failed a preliminary breath test.
Trump Tulsa Rally, NY Prosecutor Fired, Bolton Book, Re-Opening of America/COVID-19 Stats, Police Defunding Debate, Presidential Race, and Deadly UK Stabbing Attack Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. Saturday’s Trump campaign rally at Tulsa’s BOK Center; Southern District of New York prosecutor Geoffrey Berman is fired by President Trump; the controversy over the tell-all book by former national security adviser John Bolton; states across the country continue re-opening their economies and the COVID-19 statistics and projections; the debate over protestors’ defund the police demands; the presidential race; and the stabbing in England that took the lives of three and is being investigated as a terrorist attack were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Larry Elder Premieres New Film UNCLE TOM: An Oral History of the American Black Conservative. Pictured above is Salem Radio Network talk host Larry Elder (at center, waving) acknowledging a standing ovation at the Dallas premiere of his new documentary film, UNCLE TOM: An Oral History of the American Black Conservative. Elder is executive producer of the film that explores the personal journeys of black conservatives. Attendees at the premiere included former U.S. Congressman Allen West, 2012 presidential candidate Herman Cain, and media personalities, ministers and civil rights activists. SRN V.P. news & talk Tom Tradup says the film is “a groundbreaking documentary that examines self-empowerment and individualism of black conservatives in a compelling, eye-opening perspective.” Elder will talk about the film on FOX News Channel this evening (6/22) when he’s interviewed on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
Independent Broadcasters Association Momentum Growing. The movement to create the Independent Broadcasters Association (IBA) is continuing to grow and is approaching its stated goal of 3,000 member stations. The IBA announces that an additional 600 outlets have joined during the past week. The movement was launched by Adams Radio Group CEO Ron Stone when he reached out to 4,000 radio stations gauging their interest in the association. Stone says, “The momentum we are seeing is incredible. We are now up to 424 owners and operators and 2,395
QGoLive RV Radio Road Trip Seeks Affiliate Stations. The RV pictured above is the vehicle QGoLive’s James Copeland is using to tour the country visiting radio stations offering demos of the QGoLive software that enables studio-quality audio from anywhere on any smartphone or computer. AdLarge Media is serving as affiliate sales rep for the service and it notes that QGoLive is already serving more than 100 stations around the country and recently added affiliates such as Cenla Broadcasting of Alexandria, Louisiana; Jam Media; and classic hits WATH-AM and CHR WXTQ-FM, Athens, Ohio. AdLarge’s Jessica Sherman says, “Our QGoLive team are experts in remote broadcasting software. James is on the road to get the word out and to help all operators, large and small, equip their entire team and contributors with remote capabilities. The pandemic has taught us all that radio needs easy solutions for broadcasting from home that sounds great. QGoLive delivers just that, but we can be so much more as broadcasters open up to our new reality”