Local News radio is the most trusted news source, besting TV and social media, according to a new study conducted by Audacy in partnership with Alter Agents.
The study – “Local News Radio: Credible, Engaging & Mobilizing” – explores News radio's powerful connection with news enthusiasts who consider News radio to be a vital part of their day and demonstrates how unbiased journalism and trusted relationships create a safe haven for audiences and brands. The study surveyed 2,542 listeners from seven markets with Audacy News stations, including Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
“In an age of information overload, Americans seek credible news sources they can rely upon. Enter local news radio,” said Paul Suchman, Chief Marketing Officer, Audacy. “Local news radio serves as a trusted voice, delivered by brands that are deeply connected to the communities they serve. These environments create exceptional opportunities for advertisers to reach engaged audiences with significant buying power. And the premium content local news stations deliver is unparalleled in its relevance, timeliness and humanity.”
At all moments throughout the day, millions of listeners turn to their trusted local news radio stations for the latest updates, insights and stories that shape their community and the world. These listeners are deeply engaged with their cities, constantly seeking information and turn to trusted news sources to stay informed. 85% of listeners find local radio news credible – more than any other medium.
This credibility pays immense dividends for advertisers, as 92% of listeners pay attention to advertisements they hear on local radio, with almost 80% of these listeners finding ads on news stations both trustworthy and informative.
Savvy local and national brands are tapping into the power of local news radio to deliver engaged audiences. Local news radio’s differentiators, including its relevance to local communities and trusted status, make the medium a preferred source of information. The study revealed that consumers in Audacy local news radio markets are 1.5x more likely to rely on their radio (53%) than TV (36%) to check in on news.
Additionally, the study revealed that:
74% of listeners agree they like to learn about local businesses through ads
70% rely on radio news to relay information in times of crisis or emergency
SiriusXM announced today that Nikki Haley, former U.N. Ambassador, governor, and presidential candidate, will host a new show exclusively for SiriusXM’s Triumph channel (111). Titled “Nikki Haley Live,” the hour-long program will premiere on September 25 and air every Wednesday at 8 am ET through the presidential inauguration in January.
Nikki Haley
Each week Haley will analyze and simplify the week’s most significant headlines – including the upcoming election, hotspots around the world, U.S. policy, and even some music and entertainment – offering her insights and engaging in conversations with key figures. Haley, who as a former GOP candidate has played an important role in the ongoing presidential race, will also offer her unique and highly-sought-after opinions on the campaigns of former President Trump and Vice President Harris.
Throughout the hour Haley will also have open dialogues with a wide array of guests and callers, featuring clear and compelling conversations about the challenges facing Americans of varying perspectives and backgrounds.
“The American people are smart. They’re sick of distractions in DC and noise from the mainstream media. They want to know what the issues are and how the solutions will impact them. I’m excited to partner with SiriusXM on a show that breaks down the policies and empowers them with the facts,” said Haley.
“Nikki Haley Live” will air on SiriusXM’s Triumph channel every Wednesday from 8-9 am ET. As part of the multi-platform agreement, video of the program will be available on the SiriusXM app, and the show can be found across major podcast platforms following its premiere on SiriusXM.
FOX Weather, FOX News Media’s free ad-supported streaming television service (FAST), will now be available to DIRECTV customers effective today, announced its president Sharri Berg.
In making the announcement Berg said, “As the fastest growing weather service, we are excited to expand our relationship with DIRECTV to bring our crucial coverage to their audience.”
Available to all DIRECTV customers with the Entertainment package or higher, FOX Weather will now be accessible to millions of satellite subscribers with an internet-connected set top box on channel 363 and by using the DIRECTV App. The network continues to be available to customers who stream DIRECTV satellite free.
Since launching in October 2021, FOX Weather has added a number of distribution partners including Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, Verizon Fios, The Roku Channel, Fubo, YouTube TV, YouTube.com, Fire TV Channels, Xumo Play, Hulu + Live TV, TCLtv+, DISH Network and Sling TV, among others. The service continues to be available via simulcast each weekday morning on FOX Business Network from 5-6 AM/ET and weekend mornings from 6-9 AM/ET, as well as via FOX Television Station Diginets in top markets including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, among others.
FOX Weather is a 24/7 free ad-supported television service (FAST) operated by FOX News Media. The service builds upon FOX News Channel’s expansive news gathering units & FOX Television Stations’ (FTS) added resources with a combined 120 meteorologists for a comprehensive suite of weather products featuring local, regional, and national reporting, in addition to live programming.
Local radio is poised for a resilient year in 2024, with ad revenue projected to reach $13.6 billion (Radio OTA + Radio Digital), marking an increase from 2023.
RAB, in partnership with BIA Advisory Services, took a deep dive into radio’s evolving landscape to help broadcasters navigate Q4 2024 and plan for 2025. Within the total local advertising marketplace spending of $174 billion, local radio is the fifth largest advertising media. BIA’s U.S. Local Advertising Forecast predicts a positive outlook for radio revenue for this year and next. For 2025, BIA estimates local radio will generate $12.9 billion, with Radio Digital delivering $2.9 billion of that amount.
In terms of vertical advertising, in 2024, political advertising will be the clear spending leader in local radio with just over $631 million. Other traditionally radio-focused verticals round out the top five, including Investment & Retirement Advice, Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), Commercial Banking and Supermarkets.
Anticipated 2025 landscape shifts will create a couple of new spending leaders. QSRs will emerge as the top spender with $558 million. Similar categories from 2024 remain in the top next year along with the addition of Hospitals at number five with $429 million.
An analysis of radio’s digital KPIs generates interesting trends for 2025. Specifically, radio’s digital platforms and services serve as a growth medium for key local verticals. When examining the top 12 business categories in BIA’s forecast, the top two spenders in Radio Digital are Finance/Insurance at $586 million and Retail at $466.6M. Other top spenders include Restaurants, Auto and Technology.
Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs was arrested in Manhattan by federal agents on Monday evening based on a sealed indictment, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York said.
"We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr Combs by the U.S. Attorney's Office," said Marc Agnifilo, an attorney for Combs to Reuters.
Agnifilo said that Combs voluntarily relocated to New York in anticipation of the charges.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York declined to comment on Agnifilo's remarks.
Combs, 54, has faced several allegations of sexual assault.
Last week, singer Dawn Richard filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of sexual assault, battery, sex trafficking, gender discrimination and fraud in the Southern District of New York. Combs denies the allegations.
In the same month, Combs was ordered to pay $100 million in a different sexual assault lawsuit to Derrick Lee Smith, who accused Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting him at a party almost 30 years ago. An attorney for Combs said the rapper would move to have the judgment dismissed.
R&B vocalist Casandra Ventura sued Combs in 2023 accusing him of serial physical abuse, sexual slavery and rape during a 10-year professional and romantic relationship. She agreed to an undisclosed settlement in November 2023, and Combs strongly denied the allegations.
Combs is one of the most influential producers and executives in hip-hop and was a hugely successful performer.
Using data from research leaders Nielsen, Maru, and Edison Research, this week the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group® disproves eight of the biggest misperceptions brands hold about AM/FM radio.
82% of Americans are reached by AM/FM radio weekly, nearly twice what advertisers perceive.
85% of pre-COVID commuters are now working outside the home. The proportion of in-car AM/FM radio listening has returned to pre-pandemic norms.
The audience share of AM/FM radio is 17X larger than ad-supported Spotify and 14X larger than ad-supported Pandora.
AM/FM radio rules ad-supported audio in the car
AM/FM radio boosts campaign reach, adding over 14 points of incremental reach beyond TV, CTV, and digital.
In a typical day, digital audio reaches only a third of America. AM/FM radio reaches two-thirds of America.
Audio is #2 in short-term return on investment and #3 in long-term ROI. On average, AM/FM radio generates a +14% lift in site traffic across 17 campaigns.
Anything that can measured in digital and TV can be measured in audio with Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group® measurement solutions.
Persons 18-34 is one of the largest AM/FM radio listening demographics. Over 55M persons 18-34 listen to AM/FM radio weekly.
An estimated 6.9 million people watched Sunday's Emmy Awards telecast that featured record-setting wins for sweeping historical drama "Shogun," Disney-owned broadcaster ABC said on Monday, reaching a three-year high for the awards show.
The audience grew 54% from the all-time low set by the previous Emmys ceremony, which aired in an unusual January slot because of disruptions caused by Hollywood labor strikes. That ceremony attracted roughly 4.3 million viewers.
Hosted by Emmy® Award-winning father-and-son duo Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, the “76th Emmy Awards” on ABC drew 6.87 Million Total Viewers and a 1.02 rating in Adults 18-49, surging by double digits of +54% and +17%, respectively, over the “75th Emmy Awards” on FOX (4.46 million and 0.87 rating, respectively, on 1/15/24).
The “76th Emmy Awards” telecast on ABC posted the award show’s largest overall audience in 3 years, since the show’s airing on CBS (9/19/21), which enjoyed an NFL football game lead-in.
Sunday’s show outperformed ABC’s previous airing by +8% in Total Viewers (6.87 million vs. 6.39 million on 9/20/20).
Despite facing substantial competition from NFL programming in local markets that included Chicago and Houston, ABC’s eight Owned Television Stations saw a combined 2.56 million Total Viewers and 650,600 Adults 25-54, outdelivering the “75th Emmy Awards” on FOX, by +68% and +23% respectively.
Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast National Live+Same Day Program Ratings, or as dated. Local markets: Nielsen, Live+Same Day Overnights.
Rupert Murdoch and four of his children on Monday went before a Nevada probate commissioner behind closed doors to an evidentiary hearing that could decide who controls Murdoch's media empire after his death.
ABC News reports the hearing scheduled to resume Tuesday and continue into next week comes after Murdoch, 93, moved last year to change the terms of his irrevocable family trust.
The New York Times reported, based on a sealed Washoe County court document, that it was part of a bid to ensure that his eldest son, Lachlan, remains in charge of his cadre of newspapers and television networks, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News Channel.
The court has kept the hearings closed to the public and most documents sealed, largely rejecting requests for access by news organizations including The Associated Press.
The trust was originally set up to give equal control over Rupert Murdoch’s businesses to his four oldest children upon his death, according to the Times.
Murdoch stepped down as leader of both Fox News’ parent company and his News Corp. media holdings last fall. He is arguing that to preserve his businesses’ commercial value for all his heirs, the trust must be changed so Lachlan can ensure his newspapers and TV networks continue to have a conservative editorial outlook, the Times reported.
Lachlan succeeded his father as chairman of News Corp. in November. He's also executive officer at Fox Corp., home to conservative news network Fox News, the Fox broadcast and sports networks, and local TV stations. The media empire spans continents and helped to shape modern American politics.
Rupert Murdoch's bid to change the trust has pitted him against his other three children named as beneficiaries: James, Elisabeth and Prudence, and they have united to stop their father from revising the trust, according to the Times.
Irrevocable trusts are typically used to limit estate taxes, among other reasons, and can’t be changed without permission from the beneficiaries or via a court order.
FOX Nation has tapped former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to host a new series for the platform, announced Lauren Petterson, president of the streaming service.
Premiering on Sunday, September 22, Truths with Vivek Ramaswamy will also air in a condensed version on the FOX News Channel (FNC) that night at 10 PM/ET. Over the course of the series, Mr. Ramaswamy lays out a positive alternative to the left's vision for the future by presenting hard "truths" that the American conservative movement must embrace with topics including American national identity, the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Israel and the protests on US college campuses, religion and more.
In the lead up to the premiere, FOX Nation will also release Just Ask: Vivek Ramaswamy on Friday, September 20, in which Mr. Ramaswamy answers questions from an audience, with nothing off the table. The one-hour forum, filmed in Philadelphia, will be moderated by Fox & Friends Weekend co-host and FOX Nation personality Pete Hegseth.
In making the announcement, Ms. Petterson said, “We are excited to launch this new series showcasing Mr. Ramaswamy’s thoughtful and unique perspective on the state of American politics after his meteoric rise over the last year.”
Mr. Ramaswamy added, “Today conservatives know what we’re against. But what exactly do we stand FOR? To answer that question, we need to talk to every American, not just those who agree with us. That’s the subject of my new book 'TRUTHS: The Future of America-First,' and I enjoyed partnering with FOX Nation to host provocative dinner table conversations that we rarely have in our country anymore.”
Throughout the series, Mr. Ramaswamy presents the idea that the conservative party knows what they're against: anti-woke, anti-globalist, anti–big government, but what exactly do they stand for? Alongside a panel including his wife Apoorva Ramaswamy, journalist Matt Taibbi, American theoretical physicist Steven Koonin, Priovant Therapeutics CEO Ben Zimmer, Rabbi Shmully Hecht and others in a roundtable style format, Mr. Ramaswamy will dissect the best ways to speak about the “truths” even with those who do not agree.
Mr. Ramaswamy is an American business leader, New York Times bestselling author, and former 2024 Republican U.S. Presidential candidate. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, he went on to become a serial entrepreneur and CEO who founded several successful businesses including Roivant Sciences, Strive, and Chapter.
The man accused of aiming a rifle at Donald Trump on Sunday made his first appearance in federal court Monday.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, is charged with two federal firearms offenses and faces up to 20 years in prison. Neither charge alludes to the assassination attempt authorities say they foiled when they spotted Routh at Trump International Golf Club, crouched in a bush and aiming a semi-automatic rifle toward the former president.
The West Palm Post reports the first charge, felony possession of a firearm, carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The second, possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, is punishable by up to five years. Both charges carry a maximum three-year period of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
According to his criminal complaint, Routh waited in the vicinity of the golf course from about 2 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Secret Service agents who walked the golf course ahead of Trump on Sunday spotted a gun barrel in the bushes and opened fire. Routh then fled in a black Nissan SUV, leaving behind a loaded assault rifle, a backpack, two bags, a digital camera and some food.
Martin County sheriff's deputies arrested Routh a short time later as he drove along Interstate 95. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said Routh was about 300-500 yards away from Trump, who was not injured in the incident.
The criminal complaint did not detail how Routh, whose last known address was in Hawaii, arrived in Palm Beach County, or where he obtained his weapons.
Also on Monday, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pointed to “the rhetoric of [Joe] Biden and [Kamala] Harris” as responsible for the second apparent assassination attempt against him at his Florida golf club in an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday.
“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out,” Trump said in the interview, without citing specific evidence.
Harris and Biden both released statements condemning political violence on Sunday.
Meta on Monday said that it plans to bar Russian media outlets including RT, the state-owned television network that has come under scrutiny in the United States, from posting to its platforms, saying the outlets had carried out covert influence campaigns across social media sites to manipulate discourse online.
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said the ban would take place in the coming days.
The NYTimes reports the move escalates actions against Russian state media actors that U.S. intelligence officials have said run disinformation operations across the world’s largest social networks.
“After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets: Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity,” Meta said in a statement.
U.S. authorities have recently cracked down on RT for trying to interfere in the presidential election in November. On Friday, the United States — along with Canada and Britain — accused RT of acting as an arm of Russia’s intelligence agencies and announced new sanctions meant to cut off international financing for disinformation operations around the world.
As millions of voters across Los Angeles County decide how to cast their ballots in the pivotal race for district attorney, Audacy’s KNX News 97.1 FM and the Los Angeles Times will present a live debate between incumbent George Gascón and challenger Nathan Hochman on October 8 at 5:00 p.m. PT.
With criminal justice top of mind for voters across Southern California, the KNX News/L.A. Times debate will dig into the key issues impacting safety, equity and quality of life for the residents of America’s most populous county ahead of the November 5 election.
The one-hour, commercial-free debate will air on KNX News (97.1 FM & 1070 AM) with live video available on the digital and social platforms of KNX News and the Los Angeles Times, including latimes.com, KNXNews.com, the L.A. Times app and the Los Angeles Times YouTube channel.
KNX News anchor Mike Simpson and chief correspondent Charles Feldman will moderate the debate. Panelists will include L.A. Times reporters James Queally and Brittny Mejia and KNX News reporter Emily Valdez.
Media interested in attending should contact Alex Silverman at alex.silverman@audacy.com for details and logistics.
Audacy’s Mix 96.5 (KHMX-FM), 100.3 The Bull (KILT-FM), Mega 101 (KLOL-FM), 95.7 The Spot (KKHH-FM) and SportsRadio 610 (KILT-AM) in Houston raised $85,000 during the Company’s annual “Kids Read Radiothon” for the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation. Funds raised from this collective effort will provide 17,000 new books to local children.
“It was inspiring to watch our Houston radio stations come together to work toward a common goal with enthusiastic support from listeners,” said Sarah Frazier, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Houston. “This is a special place. Houston always steps up, and we are so proud and honored to serve the community here.”
The stations raised money throughout the day on September 10 to support the 61% of low-income families in the Houston area without books in their homes.
The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation strives to improve lives by providing literacy for all. The organization makes literacy more accessible for underserved children, parents and adults through resources, including educational tools and volunteer work.
“Kids Read Radiothon” is a part of Audacy’s commitment to making a meaningful difference at scale. Audacy uses its reach and personal connection with listeners to advance causes that promote strong mental health and build sound communities.
🎧Listeners can tune in to Audacy stations in Houston on air and nationwide on the Audacyapp and website.
➦In 1931...RCA Victor unveiled an early version 33 1/3 rpm long-playing or "LP" record.
RCA Victor introduced "Program Transcription" discs, as Victor called them, played at 33 1⁄3 rpm and used a somewhat finer and more closely spaced groove than typical 78s. They were to be played with a special "Chromium Orange" chrome-plated steel needle. The 10-inch discs, mostly used for popular and light classical music, were normally pressed in shellac, but the 12-inch discs, mostly used for "serious" classical music, were normally pressed in Victor's new vinyl-based Victrolac compound, which provided a much quieter playing surface. They could hold up to 15 minutes per side. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, performed by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski, was the first 12-inch recording issued.
Unfortunately for Victor, it was downhill from there. Many of the subsequent issues were not new recordings but simply dubs made from existing 78 rpm record sets. The dubs were audibly inferior to the original 78s. Two-speed turntables with the 33 1⁄3 rpm speed were included only on expensive high-end machines, which sold in small numbers, and people were not buying many records of any kind at the time. Overall record sales in the US had crashed from a high of 105.6 million records sold in 1921 to 5.5 million in 1933, because of competition from radio and the effects of the Great Depression. The failure of the new product left RCA Victor with a low opinion of the prospects for any sort of long-playing record, influencing product development decisions during the coming decade.
The new format to lie dormant for years until Columbia revived it in 1948.
Kate Smith
➦In 1936..the Kate Smith Hour began a decade-long run on CBS radio network. It was a leading radio variety show, offering comedy, music, and drama with appearances by top personalities of films and theater for eight years (1937–1945). The show's resident comics, Abbott and Costello and Henny Youngman, introduced their comedy to a nationwide radio audience aboard her show, while a series of sketches based on the Broadway production of the same name led to The Aldrich Family as a separate hit series in 1940.
Smith continued on the Mutual Broadcasting System, CBS, ABC, and NBC, doing both music and talk shows on radio until 1960.
➦In 1937...Yvonne Daniels born in Jacksonville, FL (Died of breast cancer- June 21, 1991).
Yvonne Daniels
She started her broadcasting career in 1956 working at WOBS in Jacksonville, she soon moved to East St. Louis IL amd worked at WBBR. In the mid 60s Daniels moved to Chicago, where she had stints at WYNR and WCFL (hosting an overnight jazz show before the station flipped to Top40).
On June 9 1973, she became the first female DJ on blowtorch 89 WLS working overnights and fill-in.
In 1982, she left to do morning drive for WVON before moving to afternoons in 1984 when WVON changed it’s calls to WGCI. She stayed until 1989 when she became morning drive host at jazz station WNUA.
In late '91, Chicago's Dearborn Street Bridge was renamed Yvonne Daniels Way in her honor. In 1995, she was posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
➦In 1967...The Who performed on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Drummer Keith Moon rigged his drum set to explode at the conclusion of "My Generation". He rigged the normal amount of explosives used at other concerts, and didn't tell the rest of the group. The result of the stunt was a massive explosion on stage. One of Moon's drum cymbals shattered, causing cuts to Moon's leg and arms was cut. Guitarist Pete Townshend was closest to the blast, had his hair singed.
➦In 1976...Jay Thomas aired first show on WXLO NYC, now WEPN 98.7 FM.
➦In 1989...Now owned by Salem Media Group, former Top40 giant WMCA 570 AM NYC flipped format to religious.
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