Radio News

Is there a recipe for that "secret sauce" that enables some independent and local radio and television broadcasting companies to be competitive, successful, and innovative in an ever-changing media environment? Forecast 2024 attendees will get the first-hand details as to what goes into the cookbook that has given life to a variety of linear media companies deserving of national attention.

On a national level, there are two big home improvement retailers actively seeking to sway consumers to purchase items in their ultra-huge stores. At Spot Radio, one of those brands emerged last week as a big user of national audio ads on the AM and FM stations tracked by iHeartMedia-owned Media Monitors.

He's been a key part of the morning show at an iHeartMedia station since 2005. Before that, he and co-hosts Pete McKenzie and Heather Ford were heard in mornings at WPDH-FM in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Now, listeners and the air staff at WZLX-FM in Boston are coping with the sudden loss of Kevin Karlson.

Salem Media Group is largely known for its collection of Christian-themed and secular Conservative News/Talk radio stations, as well as a publishing house that's home to the works of individuals such as Dinesh D'Souza. But, Salem also has visual content for the taking, and being able to view it just became a step easier.

An AM/FM combo serving a corner of Louisiana near the Mississippi border and such cities as Bogalusa faces a license revocation. Why? The stations' owner is very delinquent in the payment of regulatory fees to the FCC.

On September 11, RBR+TVBR shared the news that Tideline Partners broker Greg Guy was overseeing an auction that would deliver a noncommercial FM serving the Salt Lake City market to the winning bidder. We now know who the future owner of the Class C2 facility will be, and the deal was struck traditionally — the auction was cancelled.

Taking the award for Legendary Station of the Year was the all-News AM and FM serving the San Francisco Bay Area owned by Audacy.

On the morning of November 9, Townsquare Media won't be the sole owner of radio stations seeking the attention of analysts, shareholders and debt holders. The nation's No. 1 licensee of AMs and FMs has scheduled its Q3 earnings call for a time that's just 30 minutes after the start of the company led by CEO Bill Wilson.

Stoner was 88 years old and passed away of pulmonary fibrosis on October 19. In addition to his ownership of radio stations, Mr. Stoner played a key role in the creation of American Radio Systems and, later, American Tower Corp. 

A new long-term agreement has been signed that will keep three channels of programming provided by FOX News Media on SiriusXM. The agreement also ensures on-demand audio content will be available on the SiriusXM app — a platform the publicly traded company seeks to grow.

A key Wall Street observer has raised his year-end 2023 target price on Spotify's stock to a level that is 199% higher than Audacy and 194.2% greater than iHeartMedia. Why? Spotify's Q3 earnings are in line with analyst's estimates, and subscriber growth in Q4 looks strong despite subscription price hikes.

Audacy has released the fifth installment of its bi-annual audio thought leadership series. "This edition is a modern blueprint for audio advertising, designed to provide a go-to playbook – including planning tips, creative how-to’s and innovative trends – to help advertisers level up the performance of their audio investments," the company says.

Cumulus Media’s Westwood One and Super Hi-Fi, which creates AI-powered radio experiences for radio broadcasters and digital media platforms, have secured a partnership for Super Hi-Fi's AI-generated weather service, Weathercaster.

She's widely known for her time at iHeartMedia, where she rose from Market President to Area President overseeing the company's Milwaukee and Madison, Wisc., radio stations. Now, she's taken the role of President/GM at the organization that oversees three competing FM radio stations in Wisconsin's largest market.

The longtime Los Angeles radio host, who also appeared on Sirius XM in recent years, paved a path that attracted legions of fans of acts such as Siouxsie and The Banshees and Bauhaus to Radio.  Now, those who listened to her some 40 years ago, and even in recent months, are mourning the loss of the longtime air personality.