Study: What it Means to be a Favorite Station

Katz surveyed 900 radio listeners from across the country earlier this year to take a deeper look at the human connection between radio fans and their favorite station. Listeners invest a lot of time, energy, and interest into their favorite stations - which translates to some good benefits for advertisers!

FANS ARE EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN RADIO

Katz found that 7 in 10 listeners have a favorite station - from all across the dial, spanning music, news, talk, and sports stations. The connection to their favorite station is emotional, as 77% of listeners say that their favorite station improves their mood, and 60% feel that their favorite station cares about their local community. The feelings run deep as well, as 82% would truly miss their station if it were gone (85% among younger adults 18-34).

FANS ARE LOYAL

9 in 10 listeners have programmed their favorite station as a preset in their car - but loyalty goes way beyond a dedicated dashboard button. Katz found that favorite radio stations are part of some serious long term relationships. Fans have been listening to their favorite station for an incredible average of 18 years! Among younger adult listeners, that number is still high at 12 years. And it balloons to a whopping 23 years among older adults. Listeners' emotional investments keep consumers of all ages coming back for more!

Disney Open to Finding An ESPN Partner

Disney is open to potentially selling an equity stake in ESPN and is looking for a strategic partner in the business as it prepares to transition the sports network to streaming, CEO Bob Iger told CNBC Thursday.

The linear TV business has degraded over the past year more than Iger expected, the Disney CEO told CNBC’s David Faber Thursday in an interview at Sun Valley, Idaho. Disney announced yesterday Iger has extended his contract to 2026 as CEO. He returned to run Disney last year after stepping down as CEO in 2020.

Disney has held early conversations with potential partners that could improve an ESPN streaming service by extending its distribution and adding content, Iger said. He declined to name specific partners. Disney currently owns 80% of ESPN. Hearst Communications owns the other 20%.

Disney has held off from putting its prime ESPN content on its ESPN+ streaming service as it continues to make billions of dollars in revenue each year through traditional cable TV. Still, millions of Americans cancel their cable subscriptions each year, and that number has accelerated in recent years.

“The challenges are greater than I had anticipated,” Iger said. “The disruption of the traditional TV business is most notable. If anything, the disruption of that business has happened to a greater extent than even I was aware.”

A broader streaming offering Iger said he had become more certain in his thinking about when ESPN will launch its complete direct-to-consumer offering. He declined to say when that will happen.

Iger’s comments about finding a strategic partner suggest he believes ESPN may function better in a streaming environment if paired with other companies’ sports content. CNBC reported earlier this year that ESPN wants to be a hub for all live sports programming if it can agree to partnerships with other media companies.

ESPN became the crown jewel of Disney’s asset portfolio in the early 2000s by charging increasingly exorbitant amounts to pay-TV providers for the right to carry the network. The popularity of its sports programming, including “Monday Night Football,” allowed it to this.

But in the traditional cable TV business model, ESPN made money per cable subscriber — whether a person watched or not. In a streaming world, only intentional sports fans would buy a service. That increases the importance of putting as much quality programming on the platform as possible — especially if it’s priced more higher than entertainment streaming services.

Boston Radio: The Sports Hub No. 1 With Men 25-54

In the spring, WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub pulled a clean sweep in the Nielsen Audio Ratings, with all of its weekday programming finishing first in their time slots.

The Boston Globe reports the Sports Hub was first overall in the men 25-54 demographic in the Boston market from March 30-June 21, earning an 18.9 share. The Sports Hub finished first on weekends, as well.

Sports station WEEI 93.7 came in fifth with a 5.4 share.

In morning drive (6-10), The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich” finished in the top spot with a 21.4 share during a period in which co-host Fred Toucher missed time while dealing with personal matters. WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” finished second (8.6), a notable jump from its share in the winter book (5.7, fifth).

In middays (10 a.m-2 p.m.), The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand” claimed first place with 20.3 share. WEEI’s “Gresh and Fauria” was sixth with a 4.6.

The Sports Hub’s “Felger & Mazz” continued its long run of dominance in afternoon drive (2-6 p.m.), earning a 21.1 share to finish first. WEEI’s “Jones and Mego with Arcand” tied for eighth (4.1).

From 6-7 p.m., the Tony Massarotti-hosted “The Baseball Hour” was tops with a 15.7 share. WEEI, which usually has Red Sox pregame coverage in that spot, tied for eighth (3.7).

In the 7 p.m.-midnight window, The Sports Hub, which named Joe Murray its full-time nighttime host on June 12, finished first (17.4), in part due to having Celtics and Bruins playoff broadcasts. WEEI’s programming, which includes “The Rich Keefe Show” and Red Sox broadcasts, took second at 7.2.

In the winter, The Sports Hub took first (19.4), while WEEI tied for eighth (4.0). Last spring, The Sports Hub finished first (21.4). WEEI was fourth (5.2).

Detroit Radio: Lynn Montemayor Named DOS For Beasley

Beasley Media Group promotes Lynn Montemayor to Director of Sales at the company's Detroit-based radio properties. She most recently served as the General Sales Manager of WRIF-FM, WCSX-FM, 105.1 The Bounce, 105.9 Kiss FM, Detroit Praise Network and Motor City Sports Talk The ROAR. Lynn replaces Patti Taylor, who was recently promoted to Vice President and Market Manager of its cluster in Detroit.

Lynn Montemayor

"It brings me immense pleasure to announce Lynn Montemayor as Director of Sales for Beasley Media Detroit," said Beasley Media Group Detroit Vice President and Market Manager Patti Taylor. "Lynn is one of the most passionate and adept leaders I have ever worked with. She is thoughtful and fair, a creative teammate and a tenacious partner. I feel lucky and grateful to be working alongside Lynn in this next chapter of the Beasley Detroit cluster."

"I am absolutely thrilled to be taking on the role of Director of Sales for Beasley Media Detroit," added Montemayor. "I have had the pleasure of working with many great people, both internally and externally, but to lead our current team of Account Executives, this is a humbling honor for me. And with the move of Patti Taylor to Vice President and Market Manager, I have big shoes to follow, but I'm deeply lucky, as there is no one else I would want to be next to getting the job done."

📻Beasley Detroit stations include: 101 WRIF, 94.7 WCSX, WMGC (105.1 The BOUNCE), WDMK (105.9 Kiss FM), the Detroit PRAISE Network, and Sports-Talk The Roar (WCSX-HD2).

Amazon Reports Biggest Prime Day Event Ever

Amazon has announced the first day of Prime Day, July 11, was the single largest sales day in company history. Over the course of the two-day shopping event, Prime members purchased more than 375 million items worldwide and saved more than $2.5 billion on millions of deals across the Amazon store, helping make it the biggest Prime Day event ever.

“The first day of Prime Day was the largest sales day in Amazon’s history, and Prime members saved more this year than any other Prime Day event,” said Doug Herrington, CEO of Amazon Stores. “Prime is an incredible value, and we’re proud to offer additional value for members through exclusive deals events like Prime Day. Thank you to our Prime members for continuing to shop in our store, and to our employees and independent sellers around the world who delivered for customers this Prime Day.”

Wide Selection across Millions of Deals

• 
  This year, Amazon offered more deals than any past Prime Day event, with Home, Fashion, and Beauty among the top-selling deal categories, and Fire TV Stick, LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm, Apple AirPods, and Bissell Little Green Portable Deep Cleaner among the top-selling deals.
• Amazon’s wide selection is made possible through independent sellers – most of which are small and medium-sized businesses – and this Prime Day was the largest ever for independent sellers in Amazon’s store. Amazon offered more Prime Day deals on small business products than ever before, and this year, small businesses Caraway, True Classic, and TUSHY increased their average daily sales in Amazon’s store by over 18x during the first day of the Prime Day event when compared to 2023 leading up to Prime Day.
• Prime members purchased millions of Alexa-enabled devices, including Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen) with Alexa Voice Remote, which was the best-selling product across all of Amazon worldwide.

Prime Members Save More

Fox Business 'Big Money' Host Runs Marathon While Pregnant

Taylor Riggs from Fox Business

Running a marathon is already a challenge — but what about running 16 marathons and doing it while pregnant?

As she enters her third trimester and wraps up her second year of law school, Fox Business' Taylor Riggs just completed her 16th marathon while 19 weeks pregnant with her first baby.

The co-anchor of The Big Money Show, 37, spoke exclusively with PEOPLE about how she's breaking barriers and paving the way for women to stay fit throughout their pregnancies.

When she found out she was pregnant, Riggs realized that she had already signed up for her next marathon. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm pregnant but I've already signed up for the London Marathon, which is one of the six majors.' I did not want to miss it," she reveals.

Though she was going to be 19 weeks pregnant by the time the marathon came around, Riggs says her doctor gave her the okay.

R.I.P.: Dolly Fortier, Longtime Eastern Iowa Broadcaster

Dolly Fortier

Cedar Valley, Iowa radio icon Dolly Fortier has died.

The 86-year-old broadcaster suffered a heart attack last Wednesday. Her absence was noticeable to her regular listeners on Oldie Cruisin’ KCFI Radio because of a change in programming. 

Fortier officially retired from KWLO Radio in 2008 after a 39-year-career in radio broadcasting. She continued to devote her time to community service, but returned to the broadcast booth after a five-year hiatus in 2013.

Fortier filled the airwaves from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. “Lunchtime with Dolly” quickly became a popular program on KCFI FM 105.1 and AM 1250. Listeners tuned in for Big Band Monday, Girl Tuesday, Whatever Wednesday, Guy Thursday and Featured Artist Friday.

In 2016, she was named Broadcaster of the Year by the Iowa Broadcasters Association.

"I loved radio because I grew up with radio," the quick-witted broadcaster told The Courier. "It's just a fascinating industry. I'm just so grateful to have been a part of it, the local history here, and to meet the people that have been involved in it."

Her radio career began in 1970 as a copywriter and sales coordinator for KWWL-FM, and she later moved to sales. Fortier sat down behind the microphone in 1996 and steadily gained a following of devoted listeners.

Radio History: July 14

➦In 1917...Douglas Edwards born (Died at age 73 – October 13, 1990). He anchored CBS's first network nightly television news broadcast from 1947–1962, which was later to be titled CBS Evening News.

Douglas Edwards

Edwards joined CBS Radio in 1942, eventually becoming anchor for the regular evening newscast The World Today as well as World News Today on Sunday afternoons. Edwards came to CBS, after stints as a newscaster and announcer at WSB in Atlanta, Georgia and WXYZ in Detroit, Michigan.

In the mid-1940s, Edwards was host of the radio program Behind the Scenes at CBS.

In 1947, as CBS's top correspondents and commentators shunned the fledgling medium of television, Edwards was chosen to present regular CBS television news programs and to host CBS's television coverage of the 1948 Democratic and Republican conventions. The term "anchor" would not be used until 1952, when CBS News chief Sig Mikelson would use it to describe Walter Cronkite's role in the network's political convention coverage.

At first, Edwards would be eclipsed by John Cameron Swayze of NBC News's Camel News Caravan, but he would eventually regain his ratings lead. By the mid-1950s, the nightly 15-minute newscast Douglas Edwards with the News was watched by nearly 30 million viewers.

Edwards' last newscast on the evening news was on April 13, 1962. Edwards was replaced by Walter Cronkite, and the program became Walter Cronkite with the News. On September 2, 1963, the program was retitled CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite and became the first half-hour weeknight news broadcast of network television and was moved to 6:30 p.m. .

Edwards subsequently moved back to CBS Radio, where he delivered the network's flagship evening newscasts The World Tonight for many years.

➦In 1927...NBC newsman John Chancellor was born in Chicago. He spent most of his career with NBC News. He served as anchor of the NBC Nightly News from 1970 to 1982 and continued to do editorials and commentaries for NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw until 1993.

During the 1976 election he introduced the concept of Red and Blue states, which survives to this day.

He died of stomach cancer July 12 1996, two days shy of his 69th birthday.

➦In 1957…Master satirist Stan Freberg debuted a new weekly comedy program on CBS Radio Network in the time slot previously occupied by Jack Benny.

In addition to Freberg, the cast included June Foray, Peter Leeds, and Daws Butler. Billy May arranged and conducted the music. The program failed to attract sponsors and the network cancelled the series after 15 episodes. It was the last U.S. network radio show to devote itself purely to comedy.

➦In 1969...WBZ 1030 AM, Boston increased its talk programming to a full 10 1/2 hours-a-day.

Disney CEO Iger Opens Door To Unloading TV Assets

Disney  CEO Bob Iger opened the door to selling the company’s linear TV assets as the business struggles during the media industry’s transition to streaming and digital offerings.

Iger appeared on CNBC on Thursday, the morning after the company announced it would extend his contract by two years through 2026.

Iger returned to the helm of the company in November after Disney’s board ousted Bob Chapek with a two-year contract through 2024 and plans to find a next successor.

On Thursday, Iger sat down with CNBC’s David Faber to explain his contract extension. The two spoke on site from investment bank Allen & Co.’s annual summer conference at the Sun Valley Lodge in Idaho, often referred to as “summer camp” for billionaires and media moguls.

“After coming back, I realized the company is facing a lot of challenges, some of them self inflicted,” Iger told Faber on Thursday, noting he’s accomplished a lot of work in seven months but there’s more to be done.

When Iger last spoke with Faber in February, soon after announcing a major restructuring at the company, he said he felt “a sense of obligation” to return to Disney and that his preference was to stay for his two-year contract.

“We’ve gotten a lot done very quickly, significant cost reductions and significant realignment of the company,” Iger said. “But dealing head on with some of our biggest challenges.”

The appearance in February came shortly after Disney announced a sweeping restructuring that included thousands of layoffs and billions of dollars cut in spending.

The reorganization warded off a potential proxy fight with activist investor Nelson Peltz.

Disney reorganized into three segments: Disney Entertainment, which includes most of its streaming and media operations; an ESPN division; and a parks, experiences and product unit.

These were some of Iger’s most significant actions in the months after his return. Disney revealed it would cut $5.5 billion in costs, consisting of $3 billion from content, excluding sports, and the remaining amount from non-content costs. The company earmarked 7,000 layoffs.

In addition to looking for his next successor, Iger has been tasked with bringing Disney’s streaming business to profitability. In the last year, media executives across all companies have focused on how to make streaming profitable, particularly after streaming behemoth Netflix lost subscribers early last year and since instituted ad-supported streaming and a crackdown on password sharing to drive revenue.

While the company posted revenue and profit in line with Wall Street estimates last quarter, it saw a loss of 4 million subscribers at its flagship streamer Disney+.

Those subscriber losses were offset by price increases, which Iger said in May weren’t to blame for the lower numbers. Instead, he said it showed room for further increases when it comes to streaming, and pushing customers toward the ad-supported tier, with the aim of reaching profitability.

San Diego Radio: KSON Rebrands As Morgan 103.7

Audacy’s 103.7 KSON in San Diego will celebrate Morgan Wallen’s two highly anticipated and sold-out concerts at Petco Park by renaming the station to “Morgan 103.7: Mandatory Morgan” from 12:01 a.m. PT on July 14 to 11:59 p.m PT on July 16. Every 15 minutes throughout this weekend-long celebration, the station will play Wallen’s chart-topping hits and fan favorites.

“We can’t wait to celebrate Morgan’s weekend in San Diego with our listeners and transform KSON into ‘Morgan 103.7,’” said Scott Roddy, Brand Manager, 103.7 KSON. “Every 15 minutes or more, listeners can expect to hear the infectious sounds of Wallen's music, including his numerous chart-toppers such as “Last Night,” “Whiskey Glasses” and "You Proof.”

On July 14 and 15, the entire KSON on-air team will broadcast live from the venue with a ‘Rollin' Pre-Party’ on the Wonderbus, a double-decker party bus complete with a stage, sound and lights. “John and Tammy: San Diego’s Morning Show” will present live concerts atop the Wonderbus with Frank Ray and Drake Milligan to the over 80,000 fans walking into Petco Park. Since May, the station has run numerous promotions to give listeners a chance to win tickets and pit passes to the upcoming shows.

📻Listeners can tune in to “Morgan 103.7: Mandatory Morgan” (KSON-FM) in San Diego on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Trump Supporter Ray Epps Sues Fox News

Roy Epps

Ray Epps, the man at the center of a widespread conspiracy theory about the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing Fox News and its former host Tucker Carlson of defamation for promoting a “fantastical story” that Epps was an undercover government agent who instigated the violence at the Capitol as a way to disparage President Donald J. Trump and his supporters.

The NY Times reports the complaint was filed in Superior Court in Delaware, where Fox recently agreed to a $787.5 million settlement in a separate defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems to combat claims that the company had helped to rig the 2020 election against Mr. Trump.

“Just as Fox had focused on voting machine companies when falsely claiming a rigged election, Fox knew it needed a scapegoat for January 6th,” the complaint says. “It settled on Ray Epps and began promoting the lie that Epps was a federal agent who incited the attack on the Capitol.”

Fox News did not respond when asked for comment. But the network moved quickly to have the venue changed to Federal District Court in Wilmington, Del.

The suit is the latest legal complication for Fox News, which has been fighting lawsuits on a number of fronts related to its coverage of the 2020 election and Mr. Trump’s false insistence that he was cheated of victory. They include a $2.7 billion suit from a second voting technology company, Smartmatic, and two separate claims by Fox Corporation shareholders. Another lawsuit from a former producer for Mr. Carlson, which Fox settled on June 30 for $12 million, alleged that he condoned and encouraged a toxic workplace.

Epps is seeking an unspecified amount in damages.