Radio News

The Home Depot is undisputedly one of the top advertisers using audio media today. Yet, for the week ending October 31, the home improvement retailer was absent from the Media Monitors Spot Ten Radio report. Instead, its primary competitor on a national level was strutting its stuff at AM and FM radio.

An all-important referendum on whether or not Urban One can move forward with plans to build its second casino gaming resort is being put to voters in Richmond, Va., on Tuesday. Does polling suggest that the plan may not win voter approval? Urban One's leader says no. Yet, shares were down by double-digits on Friday.

The Capital District of New York State is home to a vibrant mix of radio stations, both locally owned and operated and under the control of the nation's largest licensee of radio properties. How powerful these stations can be for a local, regional or national advertiser was made known earlier this week at a gathering co-presented by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB).

"We’re shuffling a few things around to make room for even more great content." That's how the SiriusXM Listener Care center explained a significant realignment of some of its music channels — a November 3 move that put an end to its "50s on 5" and "60s on 6" channels with their relocation far up the channel lineup. At the same time, "SiriusXM Love" came off the satellite radio dial.

The company founded and led by Jeff Smulyan has earmarked as much as $5.2 million to invest in a long-awaited stock repurchase initiative — one that will take up to two million Class A Emmis Communications shares out of public hands.

Following in Spot Inc.'s footsteps in 2016 would have been a good move. Today, with respect to its finances, it is ill-advised. Tell that to Jack Dorsey, the billionaire CEO at Twitter. His company's shares plummeted Wednesday on Wall Street following the release of less-than-stellar Q3 2021 results.

With 15 minutes until Wednesday's Closing Bell on Wall Street, 100 shares of Audacy Inc. stock would cost, minus any broker fees, $325.50. That's still not even close to the revised price target one financial analyst just put on a single share of Spotify stock, lauding the streaming audio company for an "excellent" Q3 2021 report card and an outlook that is "quite strong."

For 24 years, he's served as a partner at radio industry programming and sales data and insights consultancy Research Director. Now, after 40 years in the radio industry, he's announced his retirement at year's end.

"There is a way to buy radio advertising that is thousands of times better than using ratings points." What, pray tell, could that possibly be? The Southern California Broadcasters' Association (SBCA) has the answer,

Bonneville International has announced what it is calling "several significant executive promotions as part of a strategic focus on growth." This sees the appointment of two Market Managers at the Salt Lake City-based media company.

Remember that infamous Reese's Peanut Butter Cup coffee mug former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai frequently used? Investors and analysts who actively watch broadcast media companies better get two ready for November 4.  A sixth licensee of broadcast stations has scheduled their third-quarter 2021 earnings release on this date, with the results distributed following the day's Closing Bell.

With RAJAR ratings due Wednesday for the first time since the arrival of COVID-19 in Great Britain, many across the U.K. are biting their nails and praying that listening levels haven't fallen since the last surveys. At the same time, they're perusing new rules "needed to protect British radio output on smart speakers" — regulations that do not put a mandatory switch-off date in place for analog FM transmissions.

What are the top advertisers using spot radio to connect with AM and FM radio listeners? For the week ending October 24, some intriguing brands are on the latest Media Monitors Spot Ten Report. One new entrant is a Procter & Gamble Co. brand not necessarily known for its audio creative.

It was July 2018 when Salem Media Group shares were priced this high. And, with Friday's closing price on the Nasdaq GlobalMarket, the company known for its conservative Talk and Christian-themed radio stations will have concluded one of its biggest-ever trading days, with a massive 33 million shares traded.

A Talk radio host in Jacksonville, Fla., has made it clear: He's refusing to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to his employer, Cox Media Group. Instead, he's volunteered to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing live on the air. The first weekly testing sessions commenced on Wednesday.