On Wednesday, September 18th, FOX News Channel’s Gutfeld! delivered its highest-rated telecast in program history, averaging 4.9 million viewers and 744,000 in 25-54 demo. The program featured former President Donald Trump’s first late-night appearance since a 2016 interview with NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Additionally, Gutfeld! was the most-watched show in all of cable and broadcast primetime defeating the debuts of CBS’s Survivor (4.7 million P2+) and ABC’s The Golden Bachelorette (2.8 million P2+) . Since its launch in 2021, Gutfeld! has continued to upend the late-night television landscape, routinely beating all programs in the genre. **Data from broadcast late-night shows will be available tomorrow morning.
According to Nielsen MRI Fusion, Gutfeld! attracts more Independents and Democrats than all broadcast late-night programs. Notably, for 2024 so far, Gutfeld! is outpacing all broadcast and late-night television, including CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS’ After Midnight and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Since its launch in April 2021, Gutfeld! has increased its audience by 81% in total viewers, 37% in the 25-54 demo and 52% in the 18-49 demo. Gutfeld! is also home to the most affluent audience in the 25-54 demo and the most politically balanced audience in its cable news timeslot, according to data from Nielsen and Nielsen MRI Fusion, respectively.
The 2024 Class of Radio Hall of Fame Inductees. Pictured: Kraig Kitchin, Phil Hendrie, Lorianne Crook, Matt Siegel, Mary McCoy, Barry Mayo, Charlie Chase, Lee Harris, Jaime JarrÃn with Master in Ceremonies Lon Helton (Kris Rae Orloski photo)
The Radio Hall of Fame inducted its 2024 class of honorees last night, Thursday, September 19, 2024, at the induction ceremony and dinner at the Omni Nashville in Nashville, TN. 2022 Radio Hall of Fame Inductee, Lon Helton was Master of Ceremonies for the event, with Radio Hall of Fame Co-Chairmen, Kraig Kitchin and Dennis Green, welcoming attendees with opening remarks.
The eight Class of 2024 Inductees are:
Lee Harris (inducted by Scott Herman)
Mary McCoy (Inducted by Larry Galla)
Phil Hendrie (Inducted by Patrick Reynold)
Crook & Chase/Lorianne Crook & Charlie Chase (Inducted by Reba McEntire and John Zarling)
Matt Siegel (Inducted by Tom McConnell)
Jaime Jarrin (Inducted by Orel Hershiser)
Barry Mayo (Inducted by Tony Gray)
Kraig T. Kitchin (Inducted by Jim Rome)
Six inductees were determined by a voting participant panel comprised of more than 900 industry professionals and two inductees were voted on by the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. The confidential ballot was conducted by Votem.com and overseen by Miller Kaplan’s Andrew Rosen.
The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations of the Hall in 1991.
New York magazine’s Washington correspondent Olivia Nuzzi was placed on leave after she had an alleged romantic relationship with former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr while covering his campaign.
Nuzzi, without naming the 70-year-old Kennedy scion, admitted in a Thursday night statement that earlier this year “the nature of some communications between myself and a former reporting subject turned personal.”
The 31-year-old star political reporter insisted the relationship was not physical in nature.
RFK Jr
Sources told The NY Post that Nuzzi and RFK. Jr. — the son of RFK and nephew of John F. Kennedy — were allegedly sexting while she was engaged and he was married.
Nuzzi penned a profile on Kennedy that was published in November 2023 and sometime after that two began their alleged fling, STATUS news reported, citing sources.
While reporting out the feature article, Nuzzi visited RFK. Jr’s sprawling Brentwood, California home and the two went hiking together in the Santa Monica Mountains.
“Mr. Kennedy only met Olivia Nuzzi once in his life for an interview she requested, which yielded a hit piece,” a Kennedy spokesperson told The Post when asked about their alleged relationship.
After recently coming clean to editors at New York magazine, Nuzzi was placed on leave.
She confessed “she had engaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign while she was reporting on the campaign, a violation of the magazine’s standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures,” the publication said in a statement.
A small but growing share of U.S. adults are regularly getting news on TikTok. In fact, since 2020, no social media platform we’ve studied has seen faster growth in the share of Americans who regularly turn to it for news, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis.
Bar chart over time by age group showing that about 4 in 10 young adults in the U.S. now regularly get news on TikTok
In just four years, the share of adults who say they regularly get news from TikTok has grown about fivefold, from 3% in 2020 to 17% in 2024.
TikTok, primarily known for short-form video sharing, is especially popular among teens – 63% of whom report ever using the platform – and young adults.
Young adults also stand out when it comes to turning to TikTok for news. Today, 39% of adults under 30 say they regularly get news there, compared with much smaller shares of adults ages 30 to 49 (19%), 50 to 64 (9%) and 65 and older (3%).
News consumption is also trending upward when looking at TikTok users, specifically. Around half of TikTok users (52%) now say they regularly get news there, up from 43% last year and just 22% in 2020. TikTok users are now more likely to get news from TikTok than Facebook users are to get news from Facebook. Still, TikTok users are less likely than users of X (formerly Twitter) to get news on the site.
A star-studded virtual event hosted by Oprah Winfrey Thursday night to build enthusiasm for Kamala Harris' campaign was marked by teary moments and celebrity endorsements, drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers across social media.
Reuters reports Winfrey hosted the "Unite for America" event with activist group Win with Black Women, that aimed to register people to vote and bolster Harris in states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia and Michigan that are set to decide the Nov. 5 election.
Harris campaign advisers say nearly 200,000 people signed up to watch the livestream, and its YouTube audience was nearly 100,000 by the end. Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and Twitch accounts for both Winfrey and Harris also showed the event.
Shanette Williams, the mother of Amber Nicole Thurman, a 28-year old Georgia woman who died in August 2022 after a hospital treatment delay related to the state's restrictive abortion laws, told the audience: "You're looking at a mother that is broken, the worst pain ever that a mother, that a parent can ever feel."
Audacy has announced a multiyear contract extension with BIG 94.5 (KOOL-FM) afternoon show host Niko Petrou. Petrou will continue to be heard on “The Niko Show” on weekdays from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. MT.
“We’re ecstatic to bring listeners Niko’s electrifying energy for another three years,” said Dave Pugh, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Phoenix. “After two decades on the radio, Niko still knows how to put on a lively show, and we’re excited for him to continue turning up the party during afternoons on BIG 94.5!”
Niko Petrou
“I’ve had an amazing experience since joining Audacy and moving to Phoenix. I’m beyond grateful for the listeners who have matched my vibe and helped me feel at home here,” said Petrou. “Thanks so much to Dave Pugh, Chris Hernandez and Larry Morgan for continuing to support this playground we call work. There are BIG things to come, and I cannot wait to continue relishing in all that Phoenix offers.”
Petrou is a 20-year radio veteran who joined the Company in 2018 as a morning show co-host for sister station KMLE Country 107.9 (KMLE-FM). Before KMLE Country 107.9, Niko held various roles at WBMP-FM, including assistant program director, music director and midday on-air personality, as well as evening on-air host for WHTZ-FM in New York. He also previously hosted Music Choice’s “The Cut" and announced some of the biggest artists at Madison Square Garden.
🎧Listeners can tune in to BIG 94.5 (KOOL-FM) in Phoenix on air and nationwide on the Audacyapp and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.
Cumulus Media announces that it has appointed Theresa Vicari Ahee as Regional Sales Manager for the company’s six radio stations in the Detroit and Ann Arbor, MI, markets. Vicari Ahee brings more than 16 years of experience in media, public relations, and marketing to leading Cumulus Media’s Detroit and Ann Arbor sales teams.
In her new role, Vicari Ahee will help oversee sales operations, foster new business partnerships, and drive revenue growth for Cumulus Detroit/Ann Arbor. Her deep understanding of media sales, strategic planning, and customer-focused solutions will play a crucial role in leading her team to success.
Theresa Vicari Ahee
The appointment marks a return to Cumulus Media for Vicari Ahee, who was recruited by Cumulus Detroit’s 760 WJR-AM in 2015 as Senior Account Executive, where she excelled at developing new business and managed a variety of local accounts for six years. Prior to that she spent eight years as Marketing Manager and Media Buyer for the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group in Detroit. She started her career as Entertainment Publicist for Allied Advertising in Bloomfield Hills, MI.
Steve Finateri, Regional Vice President and Market Manager, Cumulus Detroit/Ann Arbor, said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Theresa back with Cumulus, and we are confident she will help lead us to even greater successes in both the Detroit and Ann Arbor markets. Theresa brings a special kind of energy to our highly talented sales teams and there could not be a better brand ambassador for us, as she has always excelled at building and maintaining outstanding client relationships.”
Finateri continued: “Theresa is also a well-regarded team player who will work collaboratively with our Programmers and On-Air Talent to help us create and execute the most successful marketing campaigns for our customers.”
Theresa Vicari Ahee commented: “I am so pleased to rejoin my Cumulus family! I look forward to the opportunities that this elevated role will present in the Detroit and Ann Arbor markets. Cumulus stands at the forefront of both radio and digital media, supported by the very best people in the industry and we have clients that are truly second to none. I couldn’t be prouder to be part of this amazing organization. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Steve Finateri for his guidance over the years and for this incredible career opportunity.”
Cumulus Media owns and operates two powerhouse stations in Detroit, 760 WJR-AM (News/Talk) and 96.3 WDVD-FM (Adult Contemporary), and four popular stations in Ann Arbor, 107one-fm/107.1 WQKL-FM (Alternative Rock), W4 Country/102.9 WWWW-FM (Country), Big 1050 WTKA-AM (Sports), and 1290 WLBY-AM (Talk).
Audacy announces “FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla” on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT in Philadelphia. Failla’s nationally syndicated political show will be heard weekdays from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET beginning October 7. “FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla” features guests from across the political spectrum for lively discussions on the day’s leading headlines.
Jimmy Failla
“Jimmy’s coverage of today’s top stories brings a refreshing lightness to the political polarization in America, uniting listeners from all parties with laughter,” said David Yadgaroff, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Philadelphia. “Talk Radio has proved to be a reliable news source for listeners, so we’re proud to add this renowned program to our airwaves as the anticipation builds for the 2024 presidential election.”
“As a former taxi cab driver, I am thrilled to join a station that's built the same strong relationships with its listeners as I built with my passengers,” said Failla. “I can't wait to take this ride!”
In addition to his radio program, which is heard on 150 stations nationwide, Failla hosts the television show “FOX News Saturday Night,” where he uses his experience as a stand-up comedian to add humor to the biggest stories of the week. He is the New York Times bestselling author of the FOX News book Cancel Culture Dictionary and began writing for the network in 2016.
🎧Listeners can tune in to Talk Radio 1210 WPHT in Philadelphia and nationwide on the Audacyapp and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.
CBS News officially released details of its 90-minute vice-presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance starting at 9:00 PM, ET on Tuesday, Oct. 1 that will be broadcast on the CBS Television Network and live streamed on all platforms where CBS News 24/7 and Paramount+ are available. The debate will also be made available to simulcast.
CBS EVENING NEWS anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell and FACE THE NATION moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan will moderate the debate at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. Information on format and additional details will be released at a later date.
In addition to the live debate on Tuesday, Oct. 1, CBS News will deliver 6+ hours of coverage on television and streaming beginning at 4:00 PM, ET on CBS News 24/7 and at 8:00 PM, ET on CBS and CBS News 24/7. CBS News chief political analyst and anchor of THE DAILY REPORT on CBS News 24/7 John Dickerson and 60 MINUTES correspondent Cecilia Vega will anchor coverage leading up to and after the debate from CBS News’ election headquarters in Times Square. Anthony Salvanto will provide polling and analysis throughout the coverage, and the team of political journalists from across CBS News and Stations will deliver the latest reporting and analysis.
Benztown, a leading international audio imaging, production library, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingle production company, announces that it has signed Hope Media Group’s KSBJ-FM in Houston to its growing group of Contemporary Christian Music affiliate stations airing the Benztown Contemporary Christian Music Library.
In addition, Benztown announces that Salem Media has added two new Christian-formatted affiliate stations in Oxnard, CA, 98.3 The Word/KDAR-FM, and Honolulu, HI, 99.5 The Word/KGU-FM, to their existing partnership with Benztown for the CCM Library. Salem currently airs content and imaging from Benztown’s CCM Library on 10 stations across the U.S.
The Benztown Contemporary Christian Music Library, launched last year, is the first of its kind and is the only imaging and production library that addresses the artists, community, and lifestyle of the Contemporary Christian Music format.
Randy Fox, Program Director, KSBJ-FM, said: "The Benztown Christian imaging library adds cutting edge imaging elements to KSBJ, that give us the fresh sound that we have been looking for."
Masa Patterson, Vice President, Sales & Operations, Benztown, commented: "CCM is the fastest growing format in the country, and we are extremely proud that its best and brightest brands turn to the Benztown CCM Library to help curate their sonic identity.”
Cari Laque, who co-hosts the News Radio 1200 WOAI talk show with title talker Joe Pagliarulo, posted Wednesday she's battling stage 4 colorectal cancer. The post comes with a link to a GoFundMe her son Jacob set up to help with medical costs.
The San Antonion Express-News reports Laque was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in late July, according to the GoFundMe. CT scans and an MRI revealed the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. A liver biopsy showed two cancerous tumors as well.
Laque's son noted on the GoFundMe his mother is in for at least six months of chemotherapy, followed by another set of scans to determine if the tumors have shrunk enough for surgery, then more chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
"My Mom works when she can but with upcoming treatments and surgeries that will be hard to do some days," Jacob Laque posted. "We want to make sure she gets the best medical care as possible but with out of pocket costs and high deductibles it's a financial strain that is challenging.
It's unclear if Laque has discussed her cancer on "The Joe Pags Show." Pagliarulo, on the other hand, has spoken out loud and at length about his own bout with testicular cancer.
➦In 1921...KDKA Pittsburgh established the world's first radio newsroom. The first daily radio newscasts featured a reports from The Pittsburgh Post.
Harry Harrison
➦In 1930...NYC Personality Harry Harrison was born in Chicago. (Died January 28, 2020)
Harrison is the only DJ to be a WMCA "Good Guy", a WABC "All-American", and on the WCBS-FM line-up when the New York station flipped to the "Jack" format in June 2005.
He attended a seminary, intending to become a priest. But he decided to make broadcasting his career after spending nearly a year as a teenager glued to the radio while bedridden with rheumatic fever.
Harrison worked at WCFL in the early 50s as a summer replacement, yet remained there eight months, substituting for the permanent DJs. In 1954, Harrison became program director at WPEO, Peoria and hosted the morning show as the "Morning Mayor of Peoria." In just six months, Harrison made WPEO the top station.
In 1959, Harrison joined WMCA, New York, as the mid-day "Good Guy." Joe O'Brien (mornings) and Harrison gave WMCA a "one-two punch" for over eight years. In 1965, he recorded the nationally charted holiday narration "May You Always" on Amy Records.
Harrison became popular with his "Housewife Hall of Fame” feature, and participated in the 1966 WMCA Good Guy picnic. Often, he scored the highest ratings on WMCA. WABC program director Rick Sklar took note.
In 1968, when WABC morning man Herb Oscar Anderson left the station, Rick Sklar hired Harrison to replace him. Harrison was followed in the WABC day by Ron Lundy.
UPDATE: Thursday 10AM: According to Nielsen MRI Fusion, Gutfeld! attracts more Independents and Democrats than all broadcast late-night programs. Notably, for the third quarter to date (7/1/24 - 9/16/24) Gutfeld! has averaged 2.7 million viewers and 408,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing all broadcast and late-night television including CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS’ After Midnight and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Earlier Story...
Former President Trump expressed regret for not going after ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis during last week's presidential debate.
"I think my only regret is that I wanted to be elegant, and I didn't want to go after the anchors. I wish I did, in a way," Trump said during an appearance Wednesday on Fox News Channel's "Gutfeld!"
"I was very unfairly treated by the anchor. I'm not fans of those guys anymore – and his hair was better five years ago," Trump quipped, referring to Muir, adding, "That happens with the clock."
Critics railed against Muir and Davis for repeatedly fact-checking Trump during the debate while going easy on Vice President Kamala Harris.
"They didn't correct her once, and they corrected me- everything I said, practically," Trump said.
The former president knocked the "fake news" for its fawning praise of Harris' debate performance, accusing her of producing a "word salad" during her first response after she was asked whether Americans are better off financially now than four years ago.
"If I were Winston Churchill- he was a great debater, by the way, and an elegant debater. If I were Winston Churchill, they would say, 'Well, he was okay, but he wasn't special tonight,'" Trump said.
Sirius XM is planning to launch the cheapest in-car subscription ever at only $10 a month. This music-only plan will also include streaming services. reports SeekingAlpha.com.
Sirius is already offering a discounted $17-a-month Music Showcase plan which includes a limited in-car content offering, targeted at younger audiences. Why would the company start offering an even cheaper alternative to an already discounted offer?
SeekingAlpha first heard about these plans on September 11, during the interview with Jennifer Witz at the Goldman Sachs investor conference. The share price of Sirius XM is down 17% after the announcement. The markets are also clearly asking the same question.
Jennifer Witz
Sirius XM has been struggling to gain traction with younger user cohorts as the conversion rates decline. By further lowering the entry-level price, Sirius hopes to retain younger customers, but average revenue per user will come under pressure.
Sirius hopes to grow the subscriber base and increase the revenue pool, even as the average revenue per subscriber potentially declines. Subscriber numbers have been stagnant as of late, however, and management seems to think that pricing is the issue.
A significant price reduction for the in-car satellite product is a bald bet on the price sensitivity of the core customer base as well as the attractiveness of Sirius' proprietary content. There are risks involved, no doubt.
The launch of the new music-only in-car subscription plan was announced by the CEO of Sirius XM during an investor conference, and the company has yet to release an official announcement. The details are limited as of now. On the other hand, the markets have already reacted to the news.
To avoid confusion, late last year, Sirius XM has already launched a streaming-only subscription plan for $10 per month. These subscribers can only access the service through their mobile phones or other streaming devices.
This new announcement relates to a different plan entirely. For the same $10 a month, subscribers will now be able to listen in-car via their satellite receiver. The in-car satellite is the premium service generating the highest ARPU for Sirius.
As Jennifer Witz explained this: So in December, we launched streaming only at $9.99, which is a really compelling price point, and we've been looking for a better entry price entry price point for the car side of the business as well. And so we are going to start rolling out a $9.99 price point for MPAR, which is music only. It does include streaming.
The CEO has also acknowledged that there is a large population of car owners to whom the service offered by Sirius is not essential. These customers are a lot more price-sensitive by definition.
The management also seems to think of this low-price subscription strategy as an additional funnel for capturing loyal full-service and high ARPU customers.
A panel of U.S. House lawmakers advanced a bill Wednesday that would force automakers to install AM radio in all new cars.
The measure, titled the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, advanced through the House Committee on Energy and Commerce with broad bipartisan support. The only lawmaker to express outspoken opposition was Republican U.S. Rep. John James.
"I feel like I'm taking crazy pills," James said during the committee meeting. "We're putting an unfunded, unnecessary mandate for a problem that doesn't exist. This is exactly why people hate Washington."
Republican and Democratic lawmakers from both the House and Senate have advocated since early 2023 for a requirement that automakers keep AM radio in all new vehicles, especially as some companies — including Tesla Inc., Volkswagen AG, Volvo Cars and BMW AG — are eliminating the frequency from electric vehicles because battery motors interfere with signals.
Ford Motor Co. previously had plans to exclude AM radio from all new vehicles but reversed course after opposition from the public and policymakers.
Advocates for AM radio have said it is crucial for reaching people during weather emergencies and holds a special place in American culture as a longtime home for sports broadcasts and conservative talk shows.
James said the safety concern is overblown thanks to new developments in emergency preparedness.
"The Emergency Alert System has never been more robust. The Integrated Public Alert Warning System, IPAWS, pushes alerts through — in addition to AM radio — through digital AM/FM radio, internet-based radio, satellite radio, cellular networks," he said.
James continued: "Following a test of the system last fall, 95% of Americans reported getting that alert via their cellphones. You know how many people got it on AM radio? One percent. Over 98% of new cars today already come with AM radio, and even if they were phased out from every single new vehicle today, it would take 30 years to have no AM radio. So what are we even doing here?"
The auto industry has also opposed the requirement, with one top lobbying group previously calling it a "mandate" that is "unnecessary and contrary to the principles of a free-market economy."
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the industry's leading voice for regulatory affairs, made that statement in a May 2023 letter to lawmakers.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) commends the House Energy and Commerce Committee for its strong bipartisan passage, by a roll call vote of 45-2, of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act out of committee today.
“NAB is grateful for the leadership of Chairs Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Gus Bilirakis, Ranking Members Frank Pallone and Jan Schakowsky and the committee members for their recognition of AM radio’s unique and vital role in protecting public safety,” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “As one of the most reliable and resilient communications platforms, AM radio continues to be a lifeline for communities in times of emergency. We urge congressional leadership to ensure this bill moves forward and becomes law, safeguarding AM radio’s indispensable service to the public.”
After a sleepy post-Labor Day week, the big three cable networks saw double digit week-to-week and year-to-year gains courtesy of the Sept. 10 match-up between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. That ABC News-hosted debate attracted over 67 million viewers across 17 outlets, including broadcast, cable and digital platforms.
Fox News saw the biggest viewership during Debate Week, but the biggest gains were posted by MSNBC and CNN, with the former network finishing in the No. 2 spot in every measured category except the primetime Adults 25-54 demo. As of now, Harris and Trump are unlikely to share a debate stage again, but a rematch would almost certainly continue to lift all boats.
According to TV Newser citing Nielsen live plus same-day data, Fox News saw its primetime viewership rise to 3.145 million total viewers and 470,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week gains of +41% and +70% in both of those categories. Total day numbers were 1.576 million viewers in the former category and 229,000 in the latter for bumps of +16% and +30%, respectively. On Debate Night, FNC finished first among cable outlets with both total viewers and the demo.
On the basic cable charts, Fox News held onto the top spot among total primetime viewers and stayed second in the primetime demo. It repeated in both of those positions across total day.
MSNBC enjoyed the biggest week-to-week primetime gains with an audience of 2.088 million total viewers and 284,000 A54-54—a massive +88% and +154% rise over last week. That powered the network into the No. 2 spot among all basic cable outlets with total viewers across both dayparts. Demo was a slightly different story as MSNBC finished fourth in primetime behind CNN and ranked third in total day.
CNN’s biggest success story came in the primetime demo, with 303,000 A25-54 viewers tuning in for a +146% gain over last week. Among total primetime viewers, the network—which hosted the June 27 debate between Trump and President Joe Biden that directly led to Harris taking over the ticket—approached the 2 million mark with 1.190 million total viewers for an 80% week-to-week gain. Notable: For the second week in a row, the network was right on the heels of MSNBC in the total day demo with only 1,000 viewers separating them.
While it snuck past MSNBC into the No. 3 spot on the basic cable charts for primetime demo viewers, CNN otherwise had to content itself with fourth-place finishes in primetime total viewers and the total day demo. It ranked third behind its rivals with total viewers across total day.
Thanks to Podcasts, the increase in spoken word audio content consumption among the 13-34 age group has seen significant growth.
According to Edison Research, this demographic now spends 23% of their daily audio time with spoken word content, compared to just 11% a decade ago.
This change is largely driven by the rise of podcasts, which have become incredibly popular among younger audiences. The variety and accessibility of spoken word content across different platforms—like radio, streaming services, and audiobooks—also contribute to this trend
When compared to 2014 data and you can see the disparity between listeners age 13-34 and older demographics when it comes to share of time spent with spoken word audio. Those age 13-34 were separated from those age 35-54 by 11 percentage points and separated from those age 55+ by 15 percentage points.
A decade later, the 13-34s have closed the share gap significantly to only five percentage points.
ESPN’s Monday Night Football Week 2 matchup generated more than 15 million viewers (ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, NFL+), as the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Philadelphia Eagles (September 16, 8:15 p.m. ET).
The audience of 15,038,000 viewers is ESPN’s third-best Monday Night Football viewership for an ESPN/ESPN2 game – which was not simulcast on ABC – since the 2019-20 season (50+ games). The audience is virtually tied with New England at Buffalo (15,145,000 viewers on December 6, 2021) which was played in historically windy conditions and trailed the Las Vegas at Kansas City (15,888,000 viewers on October 10, 2022) where the Chiefs rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to win.
Excluding the audience from ESPN Deportes, Falcons-Eagles scored 15 million viewers (14,997,000) on ESPN and ESPN2.
In 2023, Monday Night Football featured two games in Week 2, one exclusively on ABC and another on ESPN.
Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Draws Strong Audience
Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli delivered 1.34 million viewers (ESPN2), a 12% increase from the show’s 2023 regular season average (1.2 million viewers, 10 games).
Japan’s Icom Inc., whose brand appears on walkie-talkies that exploded in Lebanon, said it halted production a decade ago of the model allegedly used in the attacks and is still investigating the situation, according to Bloomberg.
Icom exported its IC-V82 two-way radio to regions including the Middle East until October 2014, when it stopped making and selling the devices, the Osaka-based company said in a statement Thursday. It has also halted production of the batteries needed to operate the main unit, it said.
Thousands of electronic devices, including pagers and walkie-talkies, exploded over the last two days, killing at least 26 people and wounding more than 3,000. The militant group Hezbollah has accused the Israeli government of orchestrating the attacks, with tensions escalating further in the region. Israel has declined to comment.
*Turn up the volume:* A building with several walkie-talkies inside exploding simultaneously in Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/cerhxjjpeV
Among the many outstanding questions is how explosive materials were planted in the devices. If the Icom walkie-talkies were first manufactured a decade ago, it’s possible they were modified well after sale to their original customers. The company can’t determine if the products are their own, it said.
Sean "Diddy" Combs will remain in federal custody after his legal team argued for his release on a $50 million bond in court on Wednesday.
Judge Andrew L. Carter ruled that Combs would remain in jail due to the risk of witness tampering and obstruction in his case, according to USAToday, CNN and The New York Times. Carter said the government proved "by clear and convincing evidence" that no amount of bail could guarantee Combs wouldn't tamper with witnesses, per The Associated Press.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told Carter that the hip-hop mogul has a "long history of intimidating both accusers and witnesses to his alleged abuse," according to AP, citing text messages from women who claimed Combs threatened to leak videos of them engaging in "Freak Offs" (sexual performances Combs allegedly orchestrated).
Outside of the New York court, Combs' attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said Judge Carter's ruling "did not go our way" but said Combs' legal team plans on appealing the bail denial.
Randy Goodman, who has been chairman and CEO of Sony Music Nashville since 2015, will retire at the end of 2024, reports Billboard.
“Thank you to Randy for leading our Nashville company through the last nine years and providing some of the biggest new superstars in the genre of country music,” Sony Music Group Chairman Rob Stringer said in a statement announcing the news. “These artists are part of his legacy, and he should be proud of that. We look forward to building on the strong base he and his team have set up for the future.”
“Thank you to Rob for his leadership and support throughout my entire time at the company,” said Goodman, who has also overseen Sony Music’s Christian music enterprise, Provident Entertainment, during that period. “The Sony Music Nashville and Provident Entertainment teams are some of the finest executives I’ve had the privilege of working with over my many years in this business.
“There are too many people to thank specifically who helped and supported me along the way: my family foremost for their support and grace in letting me stay with it all these years,” he continued. “Looking back over my career’s arc, I am humbled and honored to have had the privilege to work with the artist legends I have; and as importantly, the teams I’ve been privileged to work with and lead. As excited as I am for what’s next no doubt it is bittersweet. It’s all been a gift.”
At Sony Music, Goodman and his team have shepherd the careers of stars Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Maren Morris, Megan Moroney and Nate Smith, as well as key breaking artists including Mitchell Tenpenny, Kameron Marlowe, Corey Kent and Morgan Wade among others.
Goodman, a perennial on Billboard’s Country Power Players list, has spent more than 35 years as a pillar in the Nashville music community.
Goodman’s extensive career includes 16 years at RCA Records, where he spent five years as senior vp, global marketing for RCA in New York prior to returning to Nashville. He also served as executive vp and GM of the RCA Label Group in Nashville, which would later become known as Sony Music Nashville. While at RCA, he worked with such artists as Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Alabama, Kenny Chesney, Dave Matthews Band, Wu-Tang Clan, Dolly Parton, Clint Black, Keith Whitley and The Judds.
In 1997, Goodman opened Lyric Street Records for the Walt Disney Co., where he stayed until 2010, working with Rascal Flatts, Aaron Tippin and American Idol finalist Josh Gracin.
Goodman is a former president and chairman of the CMA Board and a current member. No word yet on a succession plan.
Audacy’s 100.7 The Wolf (KKWF-FM) is preparing for a festive season with the announcement of its annual Hometown Holiday concert, presented by Family Law Solutions. Country stars Jordan Davis, Randy Houser, Warren Zeiders, Jackson Dean, Priscilla Block and Zach Top will bring the party to the accesso ShoWare Center on Thursday, December 5, at 7:00 p.m. PT.
“We’re excited to bring our listener’s favorite event back this year with such a star-studded line-up,” said Drew Bland, Brand Manager, 100.7 The Wolf. “This year has everything from ACM and CMA Song of the Year Winner Jordan Davis to viral sensations like Priscilla, Warren and Zach Top, and the unbelievable vocals of Randy and Jackson. We can’t wait to celebrate this unmissable night together with our Country music fans in the Northwest.”
The concert presale begins Thursday, September 19, at 10:00 a.m. PT until 11:59 p.m. PT, or while supplies last. To get the presale link and code, download the free Audacy app and follow 100.7 The Wolf, or join the Wolfpack Email Club at seattlewolf.com. Tickets for 100.7 The Wolf’s Hometown Holiday concert go on sale Friday, September 20, at 10:00 a.m. PT and can be purchased at accessoshowarecenter.com.
Exclusive packages for 100.7 The Wolf’s Hometown Holiday concert are also available for purchase. The VIP Experience package includes a seat in the first three rows of the venue and a separate entrance to the event, as well as a Hometown Holiday commemorative gift. The VIP Experience also includes access to the Wolf Hometown Holiday PreShow VIP Party, hosted by The Morning Wolfpack with Matt McAllister, where the show will be interviewing the Hometown Holiday artists. The VIP package is a 21+ only experience. Premium seat tickets include a seat in rows four through seven, along with a Hometown Holiday commemorative gift. For more information on the event and ticket packages, click here.
🎧Listeners can tune in to 100.7 The Wolf (KKWF-FM) in Seattle on air and nationwide on the Audacyapp and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.
Social media usage is increasing for all generations, but most quickly for Gen Z. This year, US Gen Z social media usage will grow 7.7% versus 1.8% for the general population’s, according to a May 2024 forecast.
“[Gen Z] is catching up to millennials almost everywhere,” eMarketer analyst Paola Flores-Marquez said on the “Behind the Numbers: The Daily” podcast. They’re coming for millennials on Instagram, and soon Reddit, while younger Gen Zers are picking up Facebook as the start of their social media journey, she said.
Here are three ways Gen Z is leading social media usage.
1. Gen Z Instagram use is gaining ground on millennials
Instagram has always been a millennial-dominated platform, holding the largest share of users since the platform’s inception. By next year, millennial Instagram users will be overtaken by Gen Z in the US, with 52.4 million Gen Z users on the platform, per our forecast.
More than three-quarters (75.4%) of Gen Zers will be Instagram users next year, compared with 70.5% of millennials, per our forecast.
Gen Zers aged 18 to 24 will spend 45 minutes per day on Instagram, the most of any other age group.
Part of the reason for Instagram’s growth is because it is utilitarian, Flores-Marquez said. Instagram is easier to send direct messages than on TikTok, plus, when you’re meeting new people, it’s less intimate than sharing a phone number, she said.
Meanwhile, millennials have less time, more responsibilities, and don’t have as much urge to share their lives anymore, Flores-Marquez said. “[Anecdotally,] they don’t feel the pressure to perform for others in the same way.”
2. Reddit helps Gen Z find community and knowledge
“Reddit is one of the biggest winners of eMarketer's [“US Social Media Users by Generation 2024”] report because they're seeing gains all over with almost every generation—especially Gen Z,” Flores-Marquez said. Logged-in Gen Z Reddit users will grow 21.0% in the US this year, reaching 18 million, per our forecast.
This year, more than a quarter (26.1%) of the Gen Z population will be Reddit users. That will increase to 40.1% by 2028.
Millennials now hold the largest share of Reddit users, but their share will decline over the next few years, giving way for Gen Z.
“Reddit’s growth is very impressive, and speaks to how it’s benefitting from a shift where people are looking for spaces to find community and discussion now that X is continuing to dissolve,” Flores-Marquez said. “Reddit is also a space for Gen Z to do in-depth research on their interests.”
3. Facebook remains relevant in maintaining connection
Gen Z is the only generation to increase their usership on Facebook. This year, US Gen Z Facebook users will increase 8.6%, reaching 33.9 million.
This year, nearly half (49.0%) of the Gen Z population will be a Facebook user, per eMarketer's forecast.
Like all other age groups, Gen Zers aged 18 to 24 are decreasing their time spent on Facebook YoY.
“Facebook is such a fixture in the social media landscape that it’s almost a given that [Gen Zers] will sign up for it when they get on social media,” Flores-Marquez said.
Facebook makes it easy to stay up-to-date with connections both international and local, too, she said. By connecting with people in your neighborhood, meeting them in Groups, or buying from Facebook Marketplace, you can foster relationships with real people, compared with more anonymous spaces such as Reddit.
➦In 1921..Boston's WBZ radio, which now broadcasts at 1030 kHz AM and is the oldest surviving commercial radio station in New England, signed-on broadcasting from Springfield, MA.
The station has long been one of the highest-rated stations in the Boston area, and covers much of the eastern United States and Canada at night with its 50,000-watt clear-channel signal from its transmitter location in Hull, Massachusetts, which has been used by the station since 1940. The transmitter is a two tower directional array where each tower is 160 meters (520 ft) tall. The signal is intentionally directionalized from their coastal location for maximum power transmitted into the continental United States, giving WBZ outstanding multi-state coverage after sunset.
WBZ's initial license, for operation in Springfield, was issued by the Department of Commerce to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company on September 15, 1921; it was the first license to specify broadcasts on 360 meters (833 kilohertz), and was subsequently deemed to be the first license for a commercial broadcast station. However, other stations, such as WWJ in Detroit, 1XE/WGI in Medford Hillside, and sister station KDKA in Pittsburgh, were already broadcasting under different license classifications.
Original Studio on Page Blvd.
The station's original transmitter and studios were located at the Westinghouse factory on Page Boulevard in East Springfield. However, WBZ's inaugural program, on September 19, 1921, was a remote broadcast from the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield.
The original format was general entertainment and information, which included live music (often classical music and opera), sports, farm reports, special events, and public affairs programming. Despite WBZ being housed in Springfield, it somewhat difficult to attract top-flight artists to the station, leading Westinghouse to open a studio at the Hotel Brunswick in Boston on February 24, 1924. WBZ also expanded its news programming via a partnership with the newspaper Boston Herald and Traveler. It also carried a considerable amount of sports broadcasts, including Boston Bruins hockey, Boston Braves baseball, and Harvard Crimson football.
Because of its comparatively wide reach, the station often referred to itself as "WBZ, New England" as opposed to associating itself solely with Springfield or Boston.
However, even after several power boosts (the station broadcast at a power of 100 watts in 1921, but was using 2,000 watts in April 1925, the station still had some trouble reaching Boston, leading Westinghouse to sign on WBZA, a 250-watt station at 1240 kHz, on August 20, 1925. Efforts were soon made to operate WBZA as a synchronous repeater of WBZ, by then at 900 kHz; this process was difficult, as the two transmitters often interfered with each other even in Boston, and WBZA went back and forth between the two frequencies for nearly a year before finally going to full-time synchronous operation in June 1926.
WBZ also continued to boost the power of its primary East Springfield transmitter; it was granted permission to operate with 5,000 watts on March 31, 1926, and by 1927 it was operating with 15,000 watts. Meanwhile, a combination of WBZ's growth and continued difficulties with the WBZA signal led the station to move its Boston studio to the Statler Hotel (now the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers) on June 1, 1927 and activate a new WBZA transmitter on June 9. The Federal Radio Commission (FRC) moved WBZ and WBZA to 990 kHz on November 11, 1928.
Amidst the technical changes, WBZ also began engaging in network activities. By 1925, it often shared programs with WJZ in New York City (which Westinghouse had also started in 1921, but sold to the Radio Corporation of America two years later), and a WBZ special commemorating the 150th anniversary of Paul Revere's "Midnight Ride" was also fed to WRC in Washington, D.C. and WGY in Schenectady, New York. This paved the way for the station to become a charter affiliate of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) on November 15, 1926, carrying the WJZ-originated NBC Blue Network beginning on January 1, 1927.
Today, WBZ is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a News/Talk format.
➦In 1932...The radio soap Just Plain Bill started airing It aired for about 20-years. It was a 15-minute daytime radio drama program heard on CBS Radio and NBC Radio. Originally called Bill the Barber, it told the story of Bill Davidson (Arthur Hughes), a barber in the town of Hartville, and his daughter Nancy (Ruth Russell). Bill often became involved in helping his friends and neighbors when he wasn't cutting hair. Also in the cast: Dick Janaver (1911-1999).
➦In 1955...Radio-TV personality Bill Cullen started at WRCA 660 AM in NYC.
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