FOX News Reporter Accepts RTDNA First Amendment Award
FOX News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin received the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) First Amendment Award. The ceremony took place at the historic Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., with Griffin accompanied by her husband, NPR journalist Greg Myre, and her mother. Senior Fox News leaders, including EVPs Kim Rosenberg and Doug Rohrbeck, attended, underscoring the network’s endorsement of the honor. The award recognizes journalists who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to protecting free speech and journalistic integrity.
Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (March 14-15)
Talkers identified the five most discussed stories on U.S. news/talk radio over the March 14‑15 weekend. The lineup was dominated by the escalating U.S.–Israel‑Iran conflict and a potential Strait of Hormuz blockade that sent oil prices and markets tumbling. Other...
Lotus Names New Managers for Seattle Stations
Lotus Communications announced leadership changes for its Seattle radio portfolio. Andrew Adams, formerly of Stephens Media Group, has been named general manager overseeing KVI-AM, all‑news KNWN-AM/FM, and country outlet KPLZ-FM. Simultaneously, Jeff Connell, previously regional program director for KPLZ and...
IHeartMedia to Present 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards
iHeartMedia will present the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards during SXSW in Austin, staged at ACL Live at the Moody Theatre. Comedian Ego Nwodim has been tapped as emcee, with Will Ferrell opening the ceremony and Holly Frey serving as winners correspondent....
Saga Communications Reports 9.3% Decline in 2025 Q4 Revenue
Saga Communications reported fourth‑quarter 2025 net revenue of $26.5 million, a 9.3% decline from the same period a year earlier. Digital revenue, however, surged 25.8% to $4.3 million, indicating a shift toward online platforms. For the full year, the company posted a...
Cumulus’ Chapter 11 Reorganization Triggers Stay in Complaint Against Nielsen
U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas has recognized that Cumulus Media’s recent filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy automatically stays the company’s antitrust lawsuit against Nielsen. The stay halts all litigation activities until the bankruptcy case progresses, and the court has ordered...
Edison: Moving Ad Spend From TV to Podcast Improves Reach
Edison Research reports that moving just 5 percent of a TV‑heavy media budget into podcasts can dramatically boost audience reach. In a case study, a pharmaceutical brand shifted a small portion of its broadcast‑and‑cable spend to podcast ads, raising reach among...
Michael Harrison Discusses His Rock Radio Days (and More) on Video Podcast
Michael Harrison, a 59‑year radio veteran, pioneered the Album Oriented Rock (AOR) format in the early 1970s and helped shape progressive‑rock programming. He now splits his time between spoken‑word media, podcast appearances, and performing with classic‑rock band Gunhill Road. The...
“Talking Real Money” Goes Podcast Only
Seattle’s long‑running financial talk show "Talking Real Money" is leaving its home on Lotus Communications’ KNWN‑AM/FM to become a podcast‑only program. Co‑hosts Don McDonald and Tom Cock say the move aligns with the shift toward on‑demand audio, offering listeners flexibility...
Hannity Podcast Launches Tuesday
Sean Hannity’s new FOX News Media podcast, “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” launches Tuesday, March 10, at 7 a.m. The debut episode features ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, and future guests include Senator John Fetterman, former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and...
TALKERS News Notes
Corny Koehl, a veteran of talk‑radio production for personalities such as Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Suze Orman, has been appointed the inaugural Senior Fellow at the Dedication to Community (D2C) Justice Institute at the University of Mount St. Vincent. In this role, Koehl...
Salem News Channel Now Available on Amazon Prime
Salem Media announced its Salem News Channel is now available on Amazon Prime Video. The addition places the channel within Prime Video’s growing free ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) portfolio. Salem’s VP Cary Pahigian highlighted the move as a way to...
Top Podcasts Steady on Podtrac’s Latest Ranker
Podtrac’s February 2026 U.S. podcast ranker shows no movement in the top five shows, confirming a steady hierarchy based on unique monthly downloads. The leading slots remain occupied by NPR’s “NPR News Now,” The New York Times’ “The Daily,” NPR’s “Up...
“The Breakfast Club” Achieves Its Highest New York Ratings Ever
iHeartMedia announced that “The Breakfast Club” achieved its highest‑ever ratings in New York City. The morning show, produced at WWPR‑FM “Power 105.1” and syndicated nationally through Premiere Networks, topped Nielsen’s PPM survey in January for both the 18‑49 and 25‑54 demographics. It...
Compass Media Networks Announces Hire and Promotions in Sales Department
Compass Media Networks announced Stephanie Dolan as Vice President of Advertising Sales while expanding responsibilities for four other executives. Laura Peyer was promoted to Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales, Anthony Severino to Vice President of Sales Planning, Michael Weiss to Vice President...
Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (March 2-6)
The TALKERS weekly chart for March 2‑6 identified the most discussed topics on news/talk radio, with Operation Epic Fury and the War Powers Resolution leading the conversation. A Strait of Hormuz blockade and rising oil prices, Pentagon deals with Anthropic and...
Sid Rosenberg Apologizes for Mamdani Post
Sid Rosenberg, a WABC New York morning host, issued an apology after posting a tweet that labeled Mayor Zohran Mamdani a “America‑hating, Jew‑hating, Radical Islam cockroach.” The inflammatory language sparked immediate backlash from the mayor, community leaders, and the broader public. Rosenberg...
Spring-Forward Show Prep
Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 8, moving clocks forward an hour for most U.S. regions. The shift creates darker mornings and longer evenings, affecting listeners’ mood, safety, sleep patterns, and energy use. Radio stations can capitalize on these changes by...
SABO SEZ: What Happened to Sex?
Talk radio once thrived on sex‑focused programming, with pioneers like Dr. Ruth, Sally Jessy Raphael, and Dr. Toni Grant capturing record shares among 18‑34 listeners. These shows expanded from brief segments to multi‑hour live call‑ins, becoming cultural staples and lucrative...
Audacy: Podcasts Eating Into Social Media and Streaming Music
Audacy’s research shows podcast listening in the U.S. has surged from 6% of audio consumption in 2015 to 23% in 2025, overtaking both social‑media scrolling and streaming music. Adults now spend an average of 103 minutes per day on podcasts,...
Curtis Sliwa Joins Larry Mendte for WOR Mornings
Curtis Sliwa, former WABC host and recent mayoral candidate, is joining iHeartMedia’s WOR 710 AM for a new morning drive show with veteran broadcaster Larry Mendte, debuting March 9 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. The program, titled “Curtis Sliwa and Larry Mendte...
LeGeyt Reiterates Need for Ownership Deregulation at NAB State Leadership Conference
Curtis LeGeyt, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, used the NAB State Leadership Conference in Washington, DC to demand urgent deregulation of broadcast ownership rules. Speaking to roughly 570 local station leaders, he argued that antiquated limits...
TALKERS News Notes
SiriusXM announced that newly appointed New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks will host a Catholic‑channel program called “All Good Things with Archbishop Hicks,” taking over the slot previously held by Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Louisville Public Media is expanding its lineup with...
WVMT, Burlington Seeks PD/Talk Host
Sison Broadcasting’s WVMT‑AM/W242BK in Burlington, Vermont is recruiting a program director who will also host a conservative talk show. The role blends on‑air hosting with full‑time oversight of programming, talent development, and content strategy across its news/talk and sports stations....
Compass Media Networks Presents Big 10 Basketball Tournament Action
Compass Media Networks announced exclusive radio coverage of the 2026 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, running from March 10 through the championship on March 15. The tournament’s recent expansion to six days provides a packed schedule of high‑stakes games. General...
Monday Memo: If It Doesn’t Matter to the Customer, It Doesn’t Matter
Holland Cooke’s memo argues that advertising copy should prioritize the customer’s problem over the company’s credentials. He illustrates the shift with side‑by‑side rewrites for plumbing, dental, auto glass, and veterinary services, turning generic service lists into direct, benefit‑focused calls. The...
Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (2/28-3/1)
Over the weekend, TALKERS identified five stories that dominated news/talk radio conversation. The top item was the U.S. and Israel strike on Iran and reports of Khamenei’s death, followed by a sharp oil price spike and market reaction. Defense sector...
SummitMedia Signs Off KXSP-AM, Omaha
SummitMedia has taken KXSP-AM off the air in Omaha after selling the station’s tower land. The frequency began broadcasting in 1923 as WOAW, later rebranded as WOW, and famously launched Johnny Carson’s career. In 2005 the call letters changed to...
Podtrac Releases Multi-Channel Podcast Ranker for January
Podtrac has launched its first multi‑channel podcast ranker for January 2026, measuring consumption across audio, video and short‑form clips. Meidas Touch Network’s “The Meidas Touch Podcast” topped the list, driven by strong video podcast and clip views. The “Joe Rogan Experience” placed second...
Charlie Kirk Show Still Ranks High on Triton Digital’s U.S. Podcast Chart
Triton Digital’s January 2026 U.S. Podcast Ranker shows iHeart’s “Stuff You Should Know” retaining the top spot, followed by Audacy’s “48 Hours.” Salem’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” slipped just one position to #4, maintaining a strong presence among the nation’s...
Hillsdale Students Win Awards at IBS NYC 2026
Two Hillsdale College students captured first‑place honors at the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System College Media Awards during the 86th IBS Conference in New York City. Erika Kyba ’26 won Best Specialty Show (Non‑Music) for her weekly podcast “The Poetry Fix,” which...
FSR’s Colin Cowherd to Air on WJBR, Tampa
Beasley Media Group announced that FOX Sports Radio’s "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" will join the weekday lineup on WJBR‑AM 1010 in Tampa, airing from noon to 3 p.m. ET. The show will also be simulcast on 92.1 FM in Hillsborough County, 103.1 FM...
Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (February 23-27, 2026)
Talk radio’s weekly chart from TALKERS shows Donald Trump’s State of the Union address leading the conversation, followed by the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files and high‑profile Clinton testimonies. U.S.–Iran diplomatic talks, the Cuba speedboat incident, and persistent economic...
SAVE THE DATE: TALKERS 2026 Conference Set for Friday June 5 at Hofstra University
The 27th annual TALKERS conference is slated for Friday, June 5, 2026 at Hofstra University’s modern campus on Long Island. After a one‑year hiatus in 2025, the event returns with its traditional partnership with WRHU‑FM and the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication....
Progressive Talk Media Star Thom Hartmann Interviewed
Thom Hartmann, a leading progressive talk‑radio host, appears as Michael Harrison’s guest on the Up Close Far Out video series hosted by TALKERS magazine. Hartmann’s daily program airs on hundreds of terrestrial stations, SiriusXM Progress 127, Free Speech TV, Substack,...
If the Bot Lies, Who Pays?
A federal court in Georgia dismissed Mark Walters’ defamation lawsuit against OpenAI, finding the complaint lacked the required fault element. The ruling underscores that AI systems themselves cannot be liable for defamation because they lack intent and legal personhood. Liability...
Salem Announces New Podcast with Author Danielle Gill
Salem Media’s Podcast Network has launched a new show hosted by conservative author Danielle Gill. The series will explore culture, politics, and Christianity, extending Gill’s existing conversations about faith and conviction. Salem’s senior vice‑president of content, Phil Boyce, framed the...
Salem’s Tom Tradup to Attend SOTU From Visitors’ Gallery
Salem Radio Network vice president Tom Tradup will attend the State of the Union address from the House Visitors’ Gallery, thanks to an invitation from Rep. Josh Brecheen (R‑OK). Tradup, a veteran political reporter, says this will be his first...
Monday Memo: “What Matters Next” For Radio?
Kate O’Neill’s new book *What Matters Next* argues that AI itself isn’t the disruptor for radio—human behavior is, and AI merely speeds up its effects. The author warns stations against using AI to double down on sameness, insisting that originality...
Audacy Expands WGR Programming to Rochester
Audacy is extending its flagship WGR Sports Radio brand into the Rochester market by simulcasting most of the Buffalo‑based programming on WROC‑AM and its FM translator W239BF. The station will keep its WROC call letters but adopt the WGR Rochester...
Top News/Talk Media Stories Over the Weekend (2/21-22)
Talk media’s weekend roundup highlighted five headline‑grabbing stories: the Supreme Court rejected former President Trump’s tariff policy, a security guard was killed at Mar‑a‑Lago, tensions between the United States and Iran intensified, a Mexican cartel strike disrupted operations, and the...
TALKERS Magazine Enthusiastically Supports the 2026 IBS Conference in New York as Its Presenting Sponsor
TALKERS magazine is the presenting sponsor of the 2026 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) conference in New York, marking its second consecutive year of support. The three‑day event, held Feb. 19‑21 at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel, brings roughly a thousand...
SABO SEZ: Anarchy Wins in Radio
Walter Sabo announced he will speak at the IBS New York 2026 conference, urging college students to consider radio careers. He argues that radio uniquely lets newcomers launch ideas on air instantly, unlike the corporate‑controlled environments of TV and film....
Dr. Asa Andrew Guests on TALKERS MEDIA YouTube Channel Podcast
Dr. Asa Andrew, known as “America’s Health Coach,” appeared as this week’s guest on Talkers Media’s YouTube podcast “Up Close Far Out.” Host Michael Harrison guided a conversation that covered health‑care trends, personal motivation, multi‑platform branding, and the niche world...
Top News/Talk Media Stories This Past Week (February 16-20, 2026)
In the week of February 16‑20, 2026, talk‑radio audiences tuned in to a diverse slate of headlines that shaped the national conversation. Data from TALKERS shows that the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein investigations, including executive resignations and the arrest...
Seattle Sports Brings Back “The John Schneider Show”
Bonneville’s KIRO‑AM “Seattle Sports” is reviving “The John Schneider Show,” a weekly program hosted by Seahawks EVP and GM John Schneider alongside Dave Wyman and Bob Stelton. The show launches on February 19 and will air every Thursday through the NFL...
FCC’s Carr Appoints Two to World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr appointed George John as chair and Kimberly Baum as vice‑chair of the World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee, re‑chartered on Jan. 21. The committee will guide the FCC’s positions for the International Telecommunication Union’s 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference. The...
