The Art of the Sticky Guest
Radio shows can turn mediocre guest segments into sticky, high‑engagement content by rethinking format and storytelling. The article outlines a seven‑step framework—building anticipation, teasing emotion, starting with a hook, cutting industry talk, prompting personal stories, adding a signature rapid‑fire close, and strategic replay. Applying these tactics, as demonstrated with The Band Perry interview on the DJ Walker Morning Show, shifts focus from the guest’s catalog to listeners’ emotions, boosting retention. The result is more memorable, shareable segments that drive audience loyalty.
SiriusXM Targets $1.25 Billion Debt Extension From 2026 to 2032
SiriusXM announced a tender offer to retire its $1.25 billion 3.125% senior notes due 2026 and replace them with new bonds maturing in 2032. The replacement notes carry a 5.875% coupon, raising the company’s cost of debt but extending the repayment...
CMB Seeks Nominations for 2026 Christian Radio Mentoring Class
Christian Music Broadcasters (CMB) is opening nominations for its 2026‑2027 Leadership Mentoring cohort, a seven‑month program limited to 18 participants. The initiative targets current and emerging leaders across Christian radio, including on‑air talent, fundraisers, marketers, and technical staff. Led by...
Ron Corning and Miranda Suarez to Host KERA’s ‘NTX Now’
KERA, North Texas’ public radio station, will launch NTX Now, a live weekday morning talk show debuting this summer. The one‑hour program is co‑hosted by veteran TV journalist Ron Corning and KERA reporter Miranda Suarez, focusing on civic life and community...
SiriusXM Revs Up Full-Season IndyCar Coverage for 2026
SiriusXM will broadcast every IndyCar race, practice and qualifying session for the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series on its IndyCar Nation channel, covering all 18 events starting March 1 in St. Peterburg. The satellite‑radio service will also continue weekly shows like Brick‑by‑Brick with...
The SoCal Sound Licenses to Consolidate Under CSUN Ownership
California State University, Northridge (CSUN) will assume ownership of KSBR’s FCC license, consolidating it with KCSN’s under the CSUN University Corporation, pending FCC approval. The move formalizes a simulcast partnership that began in 2017, covering Orange and Los Angeles counties, while...
Mayra Berenice Joins Lotus’ 980 La Mera Mera for Afternoon Drive
Mayra Berenice has been hired to host the afternoon drive slot on Lotus Communications' 980 La Mera Mera in Los Angeles. The move is part of Lotus's broader effort to staff every major daypart with live, local on‑air talent. The station also added...
Jim Lyke Back at SBS for a Breath of Fresh AIRE
Jim Lyke re‑joins Spanish Broadcasting System as Executive Vice President of Network Radio and National Digital Sales for AIRE Radio Networks, co‑leading the division with EVP Carolina Patiño. Lyke previously left SBS in March 2025 for Nueva Network and has...
AdApt Enhances AI-Driven Media Sales Platform With BIA Data
AdApt Media Sales has entered a strategic partnership with BIA Advisory Services to embed BIA’s local market revenue forecasts and category analysis into its AI‑enabled sales platform. The integration will give broadcasters and other local media organizations access to market‑level...
IHeart Adds Flag Football to Emerging Sports Partner Portfolio
iHeartMedia has been named the official media partner of the International Flag League (iFlag), the world’s largest flag football tournament operator. The partnership will use iHeart’s AM/FM radio stations, podcasts and digital platforms to promote youth competitions, athlete stories and...
64 Is The New 54: Is Radio Due For A Demographic Target Reset?
Audacy’s research proposes expanding the core advertising demographic from Adults 25‑54 to 25‑64, adding 33 million listeners and boosting total radio listening by 48 %. The broader slice captures a financially powerful 55‑64 cohort that now accounts for nearly 20 % of U.S. spending....
TelevisaUnivision Narrows Q4 Net Loss Even With US Ad Decline
TelevisaUnivision reported Q4 revenue of $1.323 billion, a 2% decline year‑over‑year, while operating expenses rose 4% to $926.4 million. The company narrowed its net loss dramatically to $234.7 million from $809.7 million a year earlier. US advertising revenue fell 9% (6% excluding political ads),...
Dawn of ‘A New Day’ at Mid-West Family’s Magic 98 in Madison
Mid‑West Family Broadcasting has launched a new local morning program, “A New Day with Lanette & Charlotte,” on Madison’s Magic 98 (WMGN). Veteran voice Lanette Hansen, who has spent over twenty years at the station, is paired with former WISC‑TV anchor...
Audacy’s Eagle To Be Guided By A Hawk In Sacramento
Audacy Sacramento has expanded Andy Hawk’s responsibilities, naming him brand manager for ALT 94.7 (KKDO), 96.9 The Eagle (KSEG) and 98 Rock (KRXQ), effectively consolidating the market’s rock portfolio under a single leader. Hawk, a Sacramento native who began as an intern at...
Free Country, Big Money: Maryland Radiothon Scores for St. Jude
Maryland’s 99.9 Free Country (WFRE) held its 2026 “Free Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon,” raising a record $640,320 in two days. The haul pushes the station’s cumulative contributions past the $10 million milestone after two decades of annual fundraisers. Station leaders...
Building On A Successful Career and Becoming a Brand
Mike McVay addressed the Intercollegiate Broadcast System conference, urging broadcasters and media professionals to treat their careers as evolving brands. He emphasized continuous education, self‑assessment, and a clear vision to stay relevant across expanding platforms. The talk highlighted that personal...
‘Keep Hope Alive’ Enters New Chapter After Jesse Jackson’s Death
Following Rev. Jesse Jackson’s death, Premiere Networks announced that his nationally syndicated Sunday program Keep Hope Alive will continue under the leadership of his eldest daughter, Santita Jackson. Santita, a Howard University graduate with a career in radio hosting and...
Streaming, AI, and Affluence: The New Case for Sports Radio
Sports radio is experiencing a resurgence, with AM/FM sports stations growing 14% and adding over 100 outlets in the past decade. Revenue share climbed from 9.3% in 2016 to 12.8% in 2025, a 38% increase, while streaming dominance places sports...
Mallory Elevated, Miller Hired in JVC Fort Walton Update
JVC Broadcasting has promoted Scott Mallory to Operations Manager of its Fort Walton Beach radio cluster, formalizing his expanded duties overseeing programming, team coordination, and brand execution. The company also hired Brad Miller as Production and Promotions Lead, adding a veteran with...
Maureen McCollum Moves From WPR to WUWM Leadership Role
Maureen McCollum has been hired as Vice President of Content for Milwaukee NPR affiliate WUWM 89.7. The former Wisconsin Public Radio journalist and host will steer the station’s editorial strategy and drive its shift toward a multi‑platform public media model. McCollum...
Balderas To Lead Pioneering Panel At Hispanic Radio Conference
Entravision senior vice president Angie Balderas will moderate a high‑profile panel titled “Women in Hispanic Broadcasting: Challenges and Opportunities” at Radio Ink’s Hispanic Radio Conference on May 28 in Phoenix. The discussion brings together senior executives—including Shirley Davenport, Claudia De León, and media veteran Mike McVay—to...
14 Ways Great Radio Salespeople Get More Referrals
The article outlines fourteen proven tactics that radio salespeople use to generate client referrals, ranging from delivering measurable ROI to maintaining transparent pricing. It emphasizes that proactive communication, data‑driven optimization, and deep client knowledge turn satisfied advertisers into vocal advocates....
Watching the Index: Hispanic Sampling in a Sensitive Climate
The article highlights that Hispanic listeners are the most engaged radio audience, making accurate Hispanic sampling crucial for Nielsen’s PPM and diary ratings. It explains Nielsen’s three‑ethnicity tracking (Black, Hispanic, Other) and the need for balanced panels, noting that clients...
Roberts Metro Picks Darius Bradford For St. Louis Morning Drive
Roberts Metro Broadcasting has introduced *The Darius Bradford Show* on Foxy 106.9 (KXBS‑HD3) as the new St. Louis morning drive program. National touring comedian Darius Bradford returns home to co‑host with veteran TV journalist April Simpson. The show promises a mix of...
Keith Urban Steps Up For St. Jude Q&A at CRS 2026
Country Radio Broadcasters announced that Grammy‑winning artist Keith Urban will headline a Q&A session at CRS 2026, focusing on his long‑standing partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The segment, titled “The Power Of Music And A Mission,” will air on March 19...
MBA Awards Eight Scholarships to Missouri Broadcasting Students
The Missouri Broadcasters Association (MBA) announced eight MBA Foundation Scholarships for the 2026 class, recognizing students pursuing broadcasting and digital media careers. Recipients hail from six Missouri colleges, including University of Central Missouri, Missouri State, and Evangel University. Several scholars...
From Niche to Nation: How Radio Strengthens Communities
Radio continues to evolve as a vital connector for underrepresented communities, offering platforms in native languages and culturally resonant programming. Ethnic and community stations invite local voices, turning broadcasts into interactive roundtables that foster empathy and shared identity. By spotlighting...
Former Rep Cites Privacy, Public Safety in Push for AM Radio Bill
Former Congressman Thaddeus McCotter is urging Congress to pass the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, a bipartisan bill that would require new vehicles to retain functional AM receivers. He argues that AM radio offers a privacy‑friendly, data‑free listening option...
Elevate Your Show’s Emotion
Personality radio shows are reframed as emotional‑experience businesses rather than pure content producers. The article cites Guy Raz’s advice that products sell feelings, urging hosts to own a specific emotional payoff such as joy, nostalgia, or validation. It introduces tools...
Compass Points Sperling To Affiliate Sales Director Role
Compass Media Networks has promoted Sydney Sperling to Director of Affiliate Sales, expanding her responsibilities for affiliate strategy and network growth. Sperling, a Trinity College graduate, joined the company in July 2023 and has helped broaden affiliate relationships for syndicated...
A Familiar Face Returns To Host ‘New Faces’ Show at CRS 2026
Syndicated country radio personality Elaina Smith will host the New Faces of Country Music Show at the Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2026. The showcase features emerging artists Kelsey Hart, Ella Langley, Chase Matthew, John Morgan, Meghan Patrick, and Josh Ross....
