iHeartMedia and PMX, the investment arm of Publicis Media, unveiled Monday the results of a study focused on the rapidly growing community of audio influencers.
The study, “Exploring The Brand Benefits of Trust and Companionship in Audio” found that consumers perceive radio and podcast personalities as highly relatable, trustworthy and authentic. These findings present rich opportunity for advertisers to build brand affinity and favorability, and drive purchase in audio environments.
The new study, conducted by Magid, combines quantitative and qualitative methods to highlight the role that different audio channels play in the lives of audiences when it comes to trust and companionship. According to the research, radio hosts rank high when it comes to their perceived authenticity and connections to the communities they serve. Podcast hosts are perceived as highly honest and trustworthy.
“With the resiliency of radio and recent explosion of the podcasting space, audio influencers have emerged as a new avenue for advertisers to continue to connect with audiences in authentic ways.” said Chris Yarusso, National Audio Practice Lead, PMX. “Our research confirms that radio and podcast hosts are perceived as some of the most trustworthy, essential, and relatable personalities in the media ecosystem. With the diversity and variety of radio and podcast content in the marketplace, there is an enormous strategic opportunity for brands to connect with highly engaged consumers across this evolving influencer marketplace.”
The study proves promising for advertisers. Fifty-five percent of participants said they listen to commercials more often on radio and in podcasts than through any other medium. In addition, 53 percent found radio and podcast advertisements to be more relevant than on any other medium and 51 percent said they are more trusting of radio and podcast advertisers than on any other medium. When comparing radio versus streaming music services in nine consumer categories including restaurants, retail, automobiles and more, consumers who purchased a product were more likely to buy from an audio advertisement in every single category.
“This research highlights what we call the ‘trust halo,’ the unique relationship and trust that audio listeners form with their favorite hosts, personalities and programs,” said Gayle Troberman, CMO of iHeartMedia. “Marketers benefit from this trust halo, as this connection extends into advertising, product recommendations, and the radio and podcast communities at large. Listeners feel an unmatched sense of companionship and learn more about the world and about themselves.”
Other key data takeaways from the study include:
Radio listeners are 129 percent more likely than listeners of other audio platforms to say they listen “to be entertained”
Podcast listeners are 158 percent more likely than listeners of other audio platforms to say they listen “to immerse myself”
Radio hosts are seen as some of the most relatable and trusted influencers, when compared to other vertical such as TV and social
67 percent of podcast listeners and 74 percent of heavy podcast listeners (defined as the top 25 percent of hours listened per week) say that podcasts “motivate and inspire me”
71 percent of podcast listeners and 79 percent of heavy podcast listeners say that podcasts “educate/teach me something new”
The research also included a study in which audio listeners were asked to give up radio and podcasts for three days. Participants reported feeling “lonely,” “disconnected,” and “more overwhelmed doing simple tasks.” One radio listener said it “felt like I was being excluded from a conversation.”
"Radio personalities are the original influencers. We found they've retained that status over time and are now joined by podcast hosts as major influencers in media today. And the data suggests that benefits advertisers in terms of the impact of their campaigns," said Mike Bloxham, Executive Vice President, Global Media and Entertainment, Magid.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav kicked off his cross-country tour of the sprawling media behemoth he now leads on Monday, and according to Mediaite reports so far indicate it’s going pretty well.
Monday was the first day of Warner Bros. Discovery’s official existence, now trading on the NASDAQ index as “WBD.” Combined, the new company has roughly 36,000 employees working on production and distribution of some of the world’s best-known movie, television, and entertainment content.
As Mediaite reported on Sunday, Zaslav’s planned itinerary was to start with the WarnerMedia global headquarters in New York City on Monday, CNN’s D.C. bureau Monday evening, the Warner Bros. Atlanta office on Tuesday, WarnerMedia/HBO offices in Culver City, Calif. on Wednesday, and then a town hall at the WarnerMedia offices in Burbank.
David Zaslav
Multiple reports about the merger have mentioned employees being wary of potential layoffs; that nervousness is not unwarranted. Warner Bros. Discovery had an estimated $58 billion in debt when the sun rose this morning, and Zaslav has pledged to find $3 billion in “cost saving synergies.”
Variety reported that two sources had told them that Zaslav had conference calls with several senior staff members on Friday, and he acknowledged that there were some positions that would be redundant within the new entity. There would be some layoffs, but he did not share specific plans.
Before the team lunch, Zaslav spoke to the newsroom, briefly outlining his hopes for the CNN brand. One person who attended said Zaslav told the crowd that the news operation should be regarded as a "reputational asset," and that its national and global coverage are paramount — perhaps a hint that any layoffs won't immediately be apparent at the news network. Zaslav also praised CNN's coverage of Russia's war on Ukraine, reports Insider.
Discovery assets now under Warner Bros. Discovery include a news channel in Poland, TVN24, and an investment in GB News in the UK.
Zaslav added that he wanted to lean in and make the most of CNN's global presence and discussed the possibility of making it available in multiple languages.
The general mood was friendly, and “no fireworks,” said our source, who added that Zaslav spoke first and then new CNN head Chris Licht, tapped to take over after Jeff Zucker’s shock ouster, addressed the crowd. Both said they were happy to be there and looking forward to working with the team in D.C.
The two Discovery executives then mingled with the gathered staffers. Zaslav was described as repeatedly praising CNN’s Ukraine coverage in his conversations with various anchors and correspondents.
In 2021, more than three-quarters of the time that US adults spent listening to ad-supported audio went to AM/FM radio, reports eMarketer.
Podcasts trailed way behind traditional radio, capturing just 11% of ad-supported listening, while Pandora, SiriusXM, and Spotify each accounted for less than 10%. AM/FM radio held a majority share across adult age groups and was the most listened-to ad-supported audio not only in the car (88%), but also in the home (72%) and workplace (68%).
Beyond the chart: Advertisers and agencies vastly underestimate traditional radio.
According to those surveyed by Advertiser Perceptions last August, AM/FM radio accounted for only 28% of US adults’ time spent with ad-supported audio—about a third of its actual share. By contrast, the perception of Spotify and Pandora was that they took up 25% and 20%, respectively, when in reality their shares were closer to 5%. Marketers must be careful about being swept up in the digital audio excitement and, instead, should base their strategies on the reality that AM/FM radio is still very much alive.
The NFL Washington Commanders have announced a new three-year partnership deal with iHeartMedia D.C. to be the team’s exclusive radio broadcast partner.
Beginning in the 2022 season, live gameday broadcasts will run on Classic Rock WBIG BIG 100.3 FM and be featured on the station’s website and on the iHeartRadio app, iHeartMedia’s free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service. This new partnership will expand the team’s reach across the DMV, giving more fans the ability to listen and engage with the Washington Commanders on a daily basis and helping to grow the team’s fanbase in the region.
“We are excited to team up with iHeartMedia as we enter our inaugural season as the Washington Commanders,” said Jason Wright, President of the Washington Commanders. “After careful consideration and a thorough evaluation process, we chose iHeartMedia to join our growing list of strategic partners because of their shared commitment, creative approach and aggressive plan for elevating the fan experience through their prioritization of our football games, content and events across their many radio and online platforms.
“The Washington Commanders are an iconic brand that we are excited to join forces with,” said Kevin LeGrett, President of iHeartMedia Sports. “President Jason Wright and his team are doing great work on the branding of the Commanders and the passion fans have for this team is infectious. This is going to a powerful partnership.”
“iHeartMedia DC is thrilled to announce the inaugural broadcast partnership with the Washington Commanders,” said Aaron Hyland Region President iHeartMedia. “We are incredibly excited to deliver all of the live Washington Commanders action to the DMV and beyond by utilizing BIG100 and iHeartMedia’s unmatched reach in broadcast, podcast, streaming audio and live events.”
The partnership with the Commanders represents iHeartMedia’s 18th National Football League partnership.
Nielsen has released its 2022 Annual Marketing Report, which found marketers are prioritizing digital first, but have struggled over the past two years to keep up with consumers' changing media habits. Titled "Era of Alignment," the first global report of its kind, illustrates how marketers need confidence in their data to focus equally on brand building and customer acquisition, doing so through both upper-funnel and lower-funnel planning and execution.
The report, which surveyed nearly 2,000 global marketers between December 2021 and January 2022, revealed a digital dominance in how dollars are being spent and exposed marketers' lack of confidence in the data behind those decisions. With continued digital fragmentation, marketers report data accuracy, measurement, and ROI as paramount concerns. While 69% of marketers believe first-party data is essential for their strategies and campaigns, and 72% of marketers believe they have access to quality data, only 26% of global marketers are fully confident in their audience data.
The Era of Alignment found marketers around the world are experiencing similar areas of success and challenges, as shown by:
Brand awareness is marketers' top objective. To reach this goal, brands need to leverage an array of channels to reach the widest audience. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents stated that social media is the most effective paid channel with TikTok and Instagram dominating spend. Social media spend increased by 53% across global marketers, significantly more than the aggregate increase of TV and radio spend. Customer acquisition is their second objective, showing that marketers must focus efforts on the entire customer journey.
Increased media fragmentation amplifies the need for holistic measurement. Marketers' confidence in measuring ROI of the full-funnel is only 54%. Remove online and mobile video and confidence in measuring ROI across all other channels is under 50% globally, and while nearly half of marketers plan to increase their spending on podcasts, their confidence in measuring the ROI of that investment is 44%.
It's vital for marketers to use data to champion personalized marketing strategies. The increasing proliferation of channels produces an abundance of unique data sets. However, 36% of marketers still claim that data access, identity resolution, and deriving actionable insights from data is either extremely or very difficult. With the rise of connected TV (CTV) this presents new challenges to traditional targeting solutions. CTV is a growing focus for global marketers, with 51% planning to increase their over-the-top/CTV spending in the coming year. In 2021, Americans streamed almost 15 million years' worth of content across subscription- and ad-supported platforms.
By placing a greater emphasis on purpose-driven initiatives, marketers can better connect with consumers. Nielsen research shows over half of U.S. consumers (52%) purchase from brands that support causes they care about; similarly, more than 36% expect the brands they buy to support social causes. While global marketers say their brands are emphasizing purpose, Nielsen data shows that 55% of consumers aren't convinced that brands are fostering true progress.
"Our work at Nielsen is to provide the most complete view of consumer behavior across industries, and our longtime experience in measurement and comprehensive view of the media universe gives brands a 360-degree view that can't be found anywhere else," said Jamie Moldafsky, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Nielsen.
"This research reaffirms that marketers want to put money into channels to deliver immediate ROI, but this must be balanced with overall brand lift. As media engagement shifts, agility and data are critical to optimize the entire marketing funnel. With the upcoming depreciation of third-party cookies, it's understandable to see marketers prioritizing personalization and aligning their brand with causes their customers care about. Through our solutions – and this report – we're continuing to help brands and marketers get actionable insights to make more informed, and quicker decisions."
This is the fifth Annual Marketing Report produced by Nielsen. The report is based on survey responses from marketers who manage marketing budgets $1 million or more; who work across a variety of industries (auto, financial services, FMCG, technology, health care, pharmaceuticals, travel, tourism, and retail); and whose focus pertains to media, technology, and measurement strategies.
A CNN correspondent living in Shanghai said local authorities taped over his door to check if he left his home amid the city's stringent COVID-19 lockdown, reports Insider.
"I can't go outside that door, there's a seal. If I do, physically I could do it, but I would break the seal, and there's repercussions for that," said the outlet's international correspondent David Culver on Monday.
He added that he had to arrange for an escort if he wanted to leave his house to pick up food deliveries or the local government's grocery handouts.
Culver said he also had to ration his food supply because grocery delivery services and government food handouts have been choked up due to the citywide restrictions.
"If you think Wuhan 2020 was bad, welcome to Shanghai 2022," @David_Culver reports. "This has been like no other lockdown. And it's in the country's cosmopolitan and most affluent financial hub, of all places." pic.twitter.com/DQZHO0mvoy
"If you thought Wuhan 2020 was bad, welcome to Shanghai 2022," said Culver. "This has been like no other lockdown. And it's in the country's cosmopolitan and most affluent financial hub, of all places."
Shanghai, a city of 26 million residents, has been locked down since April 1, turning one of the world's busiest financial hubs into a ghost town.
In a firsthand account published the same day, Culver wrote that the government's grocery deliveries arrive once every few days and include items ranging from traditional Chinese medicine to pieces of vacuum-sealed pork. He added that the amount provided was not enough to feed even one person for a day.
Culver wrote that he had resorted to placing multiple grocery orders at the same time. when one delivery arrived at his front gate at midnight, he had to wait until 6 a.m. for the personnel overseeing his compound to retrieve it.
U.S. CLOSELY MONITORING CHEMICAL WEAPONS USE CLAIM: The mayor of Mariupol, the southern port city in Ukraine that has suffered some of the worst attacks and suffering since the war began, said yesterday that more than 10,000 civilians had been killed in his city, and that it could be ever higher than 20,000. Mayor Vadym Boychenko accused Russian forces of having blocked humanitarian convoys into Mariupol for weeks in part to hide the civilian death toll, and alleged, as have Ukrainian officials, that Russian forces have brought in mobile cremation units to burn the bodies.
New drone footage shows the rubble of a Mariupol theater destroyed in a bombing last month. Ukrainian officials estimated roughly 300 people were killed in the strike on the theater, which had the Russian word for "children" written on the ground at the time of the attack pic.twitter.com/9YYZ4JQS8M
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said yesterday evening that it was closely monitoring a claim that Russia used chemical weapons in Mariupol. The original report was made on the social media app Telegram, where the far-right Azov Regiment claimed in a post that Russian forces used, quote, "a poisonous substance of unknown origin" that was dropped by a drone. It said there were no serious injuries. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement, "We are aware of social media reports which claim Russian forces deployed a potential chemical munition . . . We cannot confirm at this time and will continue to monitor the situation closely."
General David Thompson at the Pentagon tells @tomcostellonbc that Russia is interfering with the U.S.-provided GPS signals in Ukraine. Russia has also reportedly jammed the GPS system used by civilian aircraft along its borders with Finland. pic.twitter.com/fPXlZCiwdz
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) April 11, 2022
The U.S. and other allied nations said that Russia is continuing to ready for what's expected to be a new, more focused offensive in the eastern part of Ukraine. AP cited a senior U.S. defense official as describing a long Russian convoy now heading toward the eastern city of Izyum with artillery, aviation and infantry support. The official also said more artillery is being deployed near the city of Donetsk. The British Ministry of Defense said Russian forces are continuing to leave neighboring Belarus to support operations in eastern Ukraine, focused on the Donbas region.
"It's hard to explain for the smaller ones that war is still going on." Bucha has witnessed some of the ghastliest scenes of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and almost no children have been seen in its silent streets, but the town's fragile renewal can be seen. https://t.co/YZMxXWsdCj
U.N.: Nearly Two-Thirds of Ukrainian Children Fled Homes: The United Nations' children's agency said yesterday that nearly two-thirds of all Ukrainian children have fled their homes since the invasion began in late February. Ukraine’s U.N. ambassador has also claimed that Russia has taken more than 121,000 children out of Ukraine into Russia, most of them from Mariupol, and reportedly created legislation to simplify and accelerate adoption of Ukrainian orphans, and even Ukrainian children who still do have parents and other relatives.
➤DATA EXPECTED TO SHOW MARCH INFLATION AT 40-YEAR HIGH: The consumer price index being released today is expected to show that prices increased 8.4 percent in March from 12 months earlier, which would make it the fastest year-over-year inflation rate since December 1981. It would also be higher than the 7.9 percent increase in February, which was itself a four-decade high. Economists have also forecast that prices increased 1.1 percent from February to March, the biggest monthly increase since 2005. The March data will be the first to fully include the surge in gas prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine that triggered tough Western sanctions against Russia and disrupted global food and energy markets.
Shanghai residents recorded screaming from apartments after seven days of lockdown https://t.co/wmmggwK6T2
➤U.S. PULLS NON-EMERGENCY CONSULAR STAFF FROM SHANGHAI AMID ONGOING COVID LOCKDOWN: The U.S. late Monday ordered non-emergency consular staff to leave Shanghai, which remains under an ongoing tight lockdown to try to contain a Covid-19 surge. Many residents in the Chinese city of 26 million have been confined to their homes for up to three weeks, and they've been describing an increasingly difficult situation, with people unable to leave their homes to even get food or daily necessities. Additionally, people who test positive have been forced to go to mass quarantine centers. The State Department said the new order is an upgrade from an advisory last week that made the decision to leave voluntary.
➤FORMER VIRGINIA POLICE OFFICER CONVICTED IN JAN. 6TH TRIAL: A former Rocky Mount, Virginia, police officer was convicted by a federal jury Monday of six counts related to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, including that he interfered with police officers at the Capitol and entered a restricted area with a dangerous weapon, a large wooden stick. Thomas Robertson was found guilty on all the counts against him, with prosecutors having said he stormed the Capitol with another off-duty officer to obstruct Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory. Robertson's attorney said he will appeal.
➤‘SENIOR MOMENTS’ BECAME MORE WIDESPREAD DURING THE PANDEMIC: If you’ve been experiencing some ‘senior moments’ during the pandemic you’re not the only one. Neuroscientist Dr. Sara Mednick tells the Wall Street Journal, “Our brains are like computers with so many tabs open right now. This slows down our processing power, and memory is one of the areas that falters.” Memory experts say that ‘senior moments,’ or fleeting bursts of forgetfulness, are becoming more commonplace. The Wall Street Journal notes that it’s a time of great transition as many return to work and settle into new routines, plus you add in the uncertainty of the war in Ukraine, and it’s not a surprise that our brains are on cognitive overdrive. Dr. Grant Shields, who has done research on this topic, says stress plays a big role, and that research shows that people who experience “recent life stressors” have memory issues. He adds that chronic stress can damage the brain, resulting in memory issues. Experts also say the monotony created by the pandemic in our day to day lives also doesn’t help our memory, as “memory benefits from novelty.” If you are concerned about your memory, it’s always a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor—especially if other people notice it as well.
➤PHILADELPHIA REINSTATES INDOOR MASK MANDATE, FIRST MAJOR CITY TO DO SO: Philadelphia reinstated its indoor mask mandate Monday after its confirmed Covid-19 cases rose by more than 50 percent in 10 days, the first major U.S. city to do so. The city's health commissioner, Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, said that spike in cases, which it's believed is being driven by the highly contagious omicron subvariant, reached the threshold at which city guidelines call for people to wear masks indoors. Philadelphia had ended its indoor mask mandate on March 2nd, at a time when most states and cities dropped their mask requirements as the omciron wave faded and the CDC changed its guidelines to focus more on hospital capacity over case counts.
➤BIDEN ANNOUNCES 'GHOST GUN' CRACKDOWN: President Biden announced a crackdown yesterday on "ghost guns," privately made guns that don't have serial numbers and are increasingly being involved in violent crimes. The new rule changes the definition of a firearm under federal law to include unfinished parts, like the frame of a handgun or the receiver of a long gun, and says those parts must be licensed and include serial numbers. Manufacturers must also run background checks before a sale. Gun rights groups are expected to file legal challenges.
➤CERTAIN PERSONALITY TRAITS ASSOCIATED WITH COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING LATER IN LIFE: Your personality might have an impact on your brain down the line. University of Victoria researchers found people who are organized, with high levels of self-discipline, may be less likely to develop mild cognitive impairments as they age, while people who are moody or emotionally unstable are more likely to experience cognitive decline later in life.
Lead study author, Dr. Tomiko Yoneda says, “Personality traits reflect relatively enduring patterns of thinking and behaving, which may cumulatively affect engagement in healthy and unhealthy behaviors and thought patterns across the lifespan. The accumulation of lifelong experiences may then contribute to susceptibility of particular diseases or disorders, such as mild cognitive impairment, or contribute to individual differences in the ability to withstand age-related neurological changes.” Study participants who scored high on the personality traits of conscientiousness or low in neuroticism were significantly less likely to progress from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment over the course of the study.
Researchers found no association between extraversion and ultimate development of mild cognitive impairment, but that those who scored high on extraversion—or low in neuroticism, or high on conscientiousness—tended to maintain normal cognitive functioning longer than others. There was no association between any of the personality traits and total life expectancy. The study had some limitations, and researchers say future studies need a more diverse sample of older adults, and should include the other two of the big five personality traits (agreeableness and openness).
🏀LAKERS FIRE HEAD COACH VOGEL AFTER THREE SEASONS: The L.A. Lakers fired head coach Frank Vogel Monday after three seasons that included a championship in his first year the team, the pandemic-disrupted season that ended with a championship won in the Florida bubble in October 2020. Vogel, who had a 127-98 record with the Lakers, was dumped after L.A.'s disappointing 33-49 season in which they missed the playoffs. ESPN had reported Sunday night after the Lakers last game of the season that Vogel was history, but he said at the post-game press conference that he hadn't heard anything.
🏀DREAM TAKE RHYNE HOWARD WITH FIRST PICK IN WNBA DRAFT: The Atlanta Dream took Kentucky guard Rhyne Howard with the Number 1 pick in the WNBA draft last night (April 11th) in New York. Howard was the SEC Player of the Year as a sophomore and a junior, and averaged 20.5 points and 7.4 rebounds during her senior season, leading her team in points, rebounds, three-pointers, steals and blocks. The Indiana Fever took Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith with the Number 2 pick, and the Washington Mystics took Ole Miss center Shakira Austin with the third selection.
🏀COMMISH SAYS WNBA DOING ALL IT CAN TO BRING GRINER HOME: In a news conference before the WNBA draft last night (April 11th), Commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed her concern about Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia snce February, and said the league is doing all it can to get her back home. Engelbert said, "[W]e're trying everything we can, every angle, working with her legal representation, her agent, elected leaders, the administration. Just everybody in our ecosystem to try and find ways to get her home safely and as quickly as we can." Russian authorities have claimed that vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in Griner's luggage at a Moscow airport on February 17th. Russian media reported last month that her detention had been extended until at least May 19th.
🏀SACRAMENTO FIRES INTERIM HEAD COACH GENTRY: The Sacramento Kings fired interim coach Alvin Gentry on Monday, after he'd been promoted from associate head coach in November when Luke Walton was dismissed after a 6-11 start. The Kings ended the season at 30-52 on Sunday and missed the playoffs for a 16th straight season. Gentry has had other NBA head coaching stints, most recently with the New Orleans Pelicans from 2015 to 2020.
⚾CUBS RELIEVER THOMPSON SUSPENDED THREE GAMES FOR HITTING PLAYER WITH PITCH: Chicago Cubs reliever Keegan Thompson was suspended for three games on Monday by MLB for hitting the Milwaukee Brewers' Andrew McCutchen with a pitch in Saturday's game. Cubs manager David Ross was suspended for one game. Thompson hit McCutchen in the eighth inning of Chicago's 9-0 win and was ejected, but he's claimed he didn't do it on purpose. McCutchen was the first Brewer, but the fourth of five players hit in the game.
🌪U-S LOGGED RECORD NUMBER OF MARCH TORNADOES:The National Weather Service says the US logged 218 tornadoes in March—a record high for the month. The previous record high was 192 in March 2017. ABC News reports that many of the 2022 tornadoes came in the final days of the month. A powerful storm system on March 30th, for example, resulted in dozens of tornadoes throughout the South and Midwest. Now new storm systems have regions in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana on watch over the next few days.
⛄APRIL SNOW STORMS HITS NORTHERN TIER: Winter ended weeks ago, but blizzard warnings were in effect on Monday for parts of three states across the northern Plains as AccuWeather forecasters warned that a "storm of the century" could unfold across the region this week. Elsewhere, winter storm warnings and watches dotted the weather map across the northern tier of the United States as a storm system, which came ashore in the Pacific Northwest, was expected to track eastward.
The storm system brought snowfall to Portland, Oregon, on Monday, the first time the Portland International Airport has ever recorded measurable snowfall in the month of April, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff.
Audacy has promoted Chris Oliviero To Market President in New York City. He has been serving as SVP/MM since June of 2020.
Chris Oliviero
Audacy Chief Operating Officer Susan Larkin made the announcement in staff memo Monday.
"Please join me in congratulating our colleague Chris on his promotion from SVP/Market Manager to Market President NYC. For the last two years Chris has been successful leading and evolving Audacy's largest revenue market. Chris returned to our company in June of 2020 in the heart of COVID and provided a vision and strategic plan for our NY team to leverage the strength of our incredible brands, people and influence for all around growth."
Oliviero is a veteran New York radio presence. His stints include 22 years with CBS Radio, rising to Executive Vice President of Programming, overseeing the company's 117 music and talk stations in 26 markets.
Audacy's New York group includes Newers 1010 WINS & WCBS 880 and Sports-Talk WFAN-AM 660 AM / 101.9 FM, Alternative WNYL (ALT 92.3), AC WNEW (New 102.7), Classic Hits WCBS-FM and Classic Hip Hop WXBK (94.7 The Block).
iHeartMedia has appointed Brittany Whalley as Vice President of Sales for Classic Rock WAXQ-FM Q104.3 and News/Talk WOR 710 AM New York.
Whalley joins the iHeartMedia New York team from Cox Media Group, Long Island, where she most recently served as the General Sales Manager. She also previously served as the Local Sales Manager and worked with Cox Media Group for nearly 10 years.
Brittney Whalley, Colin Touchey
"iHeartMedia is a massive leader in the audio space and I am ecstatic to be joining their NYC team. I look forward to collaborating with the incredibly talented sales team and achieving goals the leadership team has put in place," said Whalley. "The abundance of resources available at iHeartMedia to super-serve clients is a dream come true."
In addition, Colin Touhey is named Sales Manager for CHR WHTZ (Z100) and AC WLTW (106.7 Lite FM) in New York, effective immediately. Touhey joins the iHM from the company's local group in Minneapolis, where he most recently served as a Senior Account Executive.
"Brittany is the ideal candidate to lead our sales efforts for Q104.3 and 710 WOR," said iHeartMedia New York Senior VP of Sales Steve DeLusant. "She has strong leadership experience, industry knowledge, and understands how to deliver results for clients and I am excited to have her join the team and watch her take our brands to the next level. The additions of Brittany and Colin will position our team for long-term success at iHeartMedia New York."
39-year-old Carrie Underwood picked up her 24th and 25th CMT prizes of her career as she and Jason Aldean scooped the Video of the Year accolade for song 'If I Didn't Love You' at the ceremony at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday night, and the pair also landed the Collaborative Video of the Year gong for the same video.
Underwood - who has now won the Video of the Year award 10 times - paid tribute to the pair's supporters as she accepted the accolade, saying: "Thank you so much. Thank you fans.
"I mean this longs to belongs to you. We already thanked everybody that works on the video and thanked each other, this one is all about the fans, so thank you fans, thank you CMTs." Jason said: "I just have to say 17 years in the game, this is the first time I have ever won Video of the Year so this is pretty amazing to me.
Earlier in the night, the pair thanked their fans after they won the Collaborative Video of the Year prize. Jason said: "Hey. Thank you. Thank you, thank you guys so much. This song is just kind of been so unbelievable this year. Like how you guys, the fans responded to it, how everybody has. First of all thank you to Carrie for agreeing to do this song."
Carrie added: "Thank you fans so much. For all the support you have given to this song and this video. Everybody, he just thanked, thank you, thank you Jason. Thank you CMT. Wahoo!"
Kelsea Ballerini was forced to co-host the ceremony from home after she had tested positive for COVID, and her co-host, 'Avengers' actor Anthony Mackie, took to the stage at the beginning of the evening to introduce a "back-up KB", Kane Brown, who co-presented the show.
During her first appearance via video link from home, Kelsea said: "This is my normal Monday night, in full glam, with lighting I set up myself, and a remote truck outside.
🎵CMT Awards 2022 Winners:
Video of the Year... Jason Aldean Carrie Underwood - 'If I Didn’t Love You'
Female Video of the Year...Miranda Lambert - 'If I Was a Cowboy'
Male Video of the Year ...Cody Johnson - 'Til You Can’t'
Group/Duo Video of the Year... Maddie Tae - 'Woman You Got'
Breakthrough Video of the Year.. Parker McCollum - 'To Be Loved By You'
Collaborative Video of the Year ...Jason Aldean Carrie Underwood - 'If I Didn’t Love You'
CMT Performance of the Year... George Strait - 'Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone' (from CMT Giants: Charley Pride)
CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year... Cody Johnson - 'Dear Rodeo' (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
Trending Comeback Song of The Year..Taylor Swift "Love Story (Taylor's Version)
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow returned to her nightly program Monday, but revealed that viewers will be seeing less of her starting in May, reports The L-A Times.
Maddow announced that her show will be weekly on Monday nights beginning May 2. It’s a tough blow for the NBCUniversal-owned channel, where Maddow draws the largest audience in her 9 p.m. slot.
But one night of Maddow is better than none for MSNBC. Most people in the TV news industry believed she was stepping back completely from the program this summer to work on developing podcast and film projects as part of her recently signed deal with NBCUniversal. The host told viewers that the situation remains “fluid.”
“One of the things I realized ... to my surprise, is that I actually don’t really need another hiatus,” Maddow said. “This one was great, but I think I only needed the one. I do still have all these other irons in the fire, all these other things I’m working on that I want to bring to fruition, none of them are fast, all of them take a long time, and I’m still working on all of them, but I don’t think I need another big stretch of time off.”
Maddow said she will be back four nights a week, Monday through Thursday, until April 28 before going on a weekly schedule. She indicated that she could appear more often as the mid-term elections draw closer and when major news stories break.
“This might change,” Maddow said. “We will see how things go.”
Maddow has been a favorite of the channel’s politically progressive fans since her program debuted in September 2008.
After buying time on radio stations in the early days of broadcasting, Sears Roebuck & Co. in Chicago decided to start its own station. Its first test broadcasts used the call sign WBBX and then WES (“World’s Economy Store”). On April 12, 1924, the station became WLS (“World’s Largest Store”).
In its first month, WLS started its “National Barn Dance” program, a live country-music showcase that was the direct predecessor of the Grand Ole Opry.
A Chicago radio manufacturer signed on WENR Radio in 1925. The station entered a time-sharing agreement with WBCN Radio. An investor bought both stations in 1927. He later sold the licenses to NBC. The network kept WENR on the air. It shared a frequency with WLS for decades. One station would sign off and another would sign on.
Sears sold WLS to the “Prairie Farmer” magazine in 1928. The radio station became an essential part of agriculture in the Midwest. Farmers relied heavily on agricultural news, commodity prices and weather reports from WLS.
WENR-WLS boosted power to 50,000 watts in 1932, beaming its programming over much of the nation. Despite its part-time status, the station built a large amount of goodwill and a huge audience.
In addition to farm programming, WLS offered entertainment and educational programs. It also made history in news broadcasting. WLS reporter Herb Morrison famously said, “Oh the humanity!” as he watched the 1937 Hindenberg crash in Lakehurst, N.J. The recorded account aired the next day over NBC.
The station also experimented successfully in many forms of news broadcasting, including weather and crop reports. Its most famous news broadcast was the report of the Hindenburg disaster by Herbert Morrison.
VISIT SCOTT CHILDERS' WLS TRIBUTE WEBSITE: Click Here
VISIT JEFF ROTEMAN'S WLS TRIBUTE WEBSITE: Click Here
For about 15 years WLS shared it's frequency with WENR as part of the NBC Blue Network. In 1941 WLS changed frequency from 870 to 890 kilocycles with 50 kw of power. The transmitter site was in Chicago's south suburb of Crete, Illinois from 1924 to 1938. In 1938, they moved to it's current location in Tinley Park.
WLS was an NBC Blue Network affiliate during radio’s golden age. NBC was forced to sell the Blue Network, which became ABC. In 1954, ABC bought a controlling interest in WENR-WLS, combining the two into WLS. The network bought WLS outright in 1959.
The ABC era brought a major change. The staid, conservative WLS that brought Midwesterners a steady diet of farm reports, news and weather, general-interest music and entertainment and the “National Barn Dance” became a Top 40 station at 6 a.m. on May 2, 1960. ABC created one of the nation’s most influential radio stations in the rock era, attracting millions of listeners each week.
Here’s a sample of a 1962 aircheck featuring Dick Biondi:
By the late 1980s, it was an adult contemporary station during the day and offered talk programming at night. WLS switched to its current full-time news/talk format in 1989. Cumulus Media now owns the station.
➦In 1935..."Your Hit Parade," debuted on NBC Radio Red Network.
Your Hit Parade aired from 1935 to 1953 on radio, and seen from 1950 to 1959 on television. It was sponsored by American Tobacco's Lucky Strike cigarettes. During this 24-year run, the show had 19 orchestra leaders and 52 singers or groups. Many listeners and viewers casually referred to the show with the incorrect title The Hit Parade.
Each Saturday evening, the program offered the most popular and bestselling songs of the week. The earliest format involved a presentation of the top 15 songs. Later, a countdown with fanfares led to the top three finalists, with the number one song for the finale. Occasional performances of standards and other favorite songs from the past were known as "Lucky Strike Extras."
Listeners were informed that the "Your Hit Parade survey checks the best sellers on sheet music and phonograph records, the songs most heard on the air and most played on the automatic coin machines, an accurate, authentic tabulation of America's taste in popular music." However, the exact procedure of this "authentic tabulation" remained a secret.
Doris Day
The origins of the format can be traced back to the Lucky Strike Dance Orchestra (aka Lucky Strike Orchestra), which aired from 1928 to 1931, sponsored by Lucky Strike cigarettes. Led by Benjamin A. Rolfe the show was heard on the NBC Red network for an hour at 10 p.m. on Saturdays (with Tuesday and Thursday broadcasts beginning around September 16 and 18, 1930, respectively).
Some years passed before the countdown format was introduced, with the number of songs varying from seven to 15. Vocalists in the 1930s included Buddy Clark, Lanny Ross, Kay Thompson and Bea Wain (1939–44), who was married to the show's announcer, French-born André Baruch. Frank Sinatra joined the show in 1943, and was fired for messing up the No. 1 song, "Don't fence me In " by interjecting a mumble to the effect that the song had too many words and missing a cue.
One source says his contract was not renewed due to demanding a raise and the show being moved to the West Coast. As he zoomed in popularity he was rehired, returning (1947–49) to co-star with Doris Day.
Hugely popular on CBS through the WWII years, Your Hit Parade returned to NBC in 1947.
Dozens of singers appeared on the radio program, including "Wee" Bonnie Baker, Dorothy Collins, Beryl Davis, Gogo DeLys, Joan Edwards (1941–46), Georgia Gibbs, Dick Haymes, Snooky Lanson, Gisèle MacKenzie, Johnny Mercer, Andy Russell, Dinah Shore, Ginny Simms, Lawrence Tibbett, Martha Tilton, Eileen Wilson, Barry Wood, and occasional guest vocalists.
The radio series continued until January 16, 1953.
➦In 1941...An radio show with the name Life of Riley was a summer replacement show heard on CBS from April 12, 1941, to September 6, 1941. The CBS program starred Lionel Stander as J. Riley Farnsworth and had no real connection with the more famous series that followed a few years later.
The show is not to be confused with The Life of Riley, another radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a 1950s television series, and a 1958 comic book.
➦In 1945...President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died from a massive cerebral hemorrhage at age 63 (Born - January 30, 1882). Often referred to by his initials FDR, he served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. A Democrat, he won a record four presidential elections and became a central figure in world events during the first half of the 20th century.
Roosevelt directed the federal government during most of the Great Depression, implementing his New Deal domestic agenda in response to the worst economic crisis in U.S. history. As a dominant leader of his party, he built the New Deal Coalition, which realigned American politics into the Fifth Party System and defined American liberalism throughout the middle third of the 20th century. His third and fourth terms were dominated by World War II. Roosevelt is widely considered to be one of the most important figures in American history, as well as among the most influential figures of the 20th century.
Roosevelt believed that his administration's success depended upon a favorable dialogue with the electorate — possible only through methods of mass communication — and that this would allow him to take the initiative. The use of radio for direct appeals was perhaps the most important of FDR's innovations in political communication. Roosevelt's opponents had control of most newspapers in the 1930s and press reports were under their control and involved their editorial commentary. Historian Betty Houchin Winfield says, "He and his advisers worried that newspapers' biases would affect the news columns and rightly so."
Historian Douglas B. Craig says that he "offered voters a chance to receive information unadulterated by newspaper proprietors' bias" through the new medium of radio.
➦In 1954…A year earlier...Bill Haley scored his first national success with an original song called "Crazy Man, Crazy," a phrase Haley said he heard from his teenage audience, again released on Essex. "Crazy Man, Crazy" was the first rock and roll song to be televised nationally when it was used on the soundtrack for a 1953 television show starring James Dean.
In the spring of 1954, Haley and His Comets left Essex for New York-based Decca Records, where they were placed under the auspices of veteran producer Milt Gabler. Their first session, on April 12, 1954, yielded "Rock Around the Clock," which would become Haley's biggest hit and one of the most important records in rock and roll history. Most music historians agree that the song, featured in the 1955 film "Blackboard Jungle," ushered in the rock 'n' roll era. It hit #1 on June 29, 1955 and stayed there for eight weeks, remaining on the charts for a total of 24 weeks, and has sold more than 25 million copies.
"Shake, Rattle and Roll" followed. it never achieved the same level of historical importance as "Rock Around the Clock" but it predated it as the first international rock and roll hit. It did not attain the Number 1 position on the American charts, but it became Haley's first gold record.
➦In 2002...WTJM 105.1 FM NYC switched call letters to WWPR.
➦In 2007...Don Imus was fired from his syndicated program by CBS Radio after a week of controversy brought on by racial remarks broadcast a week earlier about the Rutgers women basketball team.
➦In 2016…Sportscaster Paul Carey died at age 88 (Born - March 15, 1928). His career spanned six decades. He is a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
Paul Carey
Carey was on the original announcing staff of WCEN, Mt. Pleasant when it went on the air August 8, 1949. After completing his college degree in June 1950, Carey returned to WCEN. In 1949, he was part of the first broadcast ever made of a Central Michigan University football game. After returning from serving in the Army in October 1952, he resumed his announcing and sportscasting duties at WCEN. In April 1953, Carey moved to WKNX in Saginaw, Michigan to become the afternoon disc-jockey. He also worked on WKNX-TV and did the first on-camera commercial for that station. During his stay at WKNX, Carey was program director of radio for two years. In June 1956, Carey joined the announcing staff at WJR in Detroit, Michigan and worked there until his retirement in January 1992.
After producing the Detroit Tigers Radio Network from 1964 to 1971, Carey joined Ernie Harwell as a play-by-play announcer for the team in 1973 and spent nineteen seasons calling the games until his retirement after the 1991 season. For sixteen of those years calling Tiger baseball on radio, he also handled the engineering for the broadcasts.
Carey also served as a play-by-play announcer for Detroit Pistons' basketball for six seasons (1969–1973, 1975–76 and 1981–82).
David Lettermen is 75
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Musician Herbie Hancock is 82.
Musician John Kay of Steppenwolf is 78.
Actor Ed O’Neill (“Modern Family,” ″Married... With Children”) is 76.
Actor Dan Lauria (“The Wonder Years”) is 75.
Talk show host David Letterman is 75.
Singer J.D. Nicholas of The Commodores is 70.
Singer Pat Travers is 68.
Claire Danes is 43
Actor Andy Garcia is 66.
Country singer Vince Gill is 65.
TV personality J Alexander (“America’s Next Top Model”) is 64.
Guitarist Will Sergeant of Echo and the Bunnymen is 64.
Singer Art Alexakis of Everclear is 60.
Singer Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls is 58.
Actor Alicia Coppola (TV’s “Jericho,” film’s “National Treasure: Book of Secrets”) is 54.
Singer Nicholas Hexum of 311 is 52.
Actor Retta (“Good Girls,” ″Parks and Recreation”) is 52.
Actor Nicholas Brendon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) is 51.
Actor Shannen Doherty is 51. Actor Marley Shelton (“Pleasantville”) is 48.
Actor Sarah Jane Morris (“NCIS”) is 45.
Bassist Guy Berryman of Coldplay is 44.
Actor Riley Smith (“Nashville”) is 44.
Actor Claire Danes is 43.
Actor Jennifer Morrison (“Once Upon a Time,” ″House”) is 43.
Actor Matt McGorry (“How To Get Away With Murder,” ″Orange Is the New Black”) is 36.
Actor Brooklyn Decker (“Grace and Frankie”) is 35.
Drummer Joe Rickard of Red is 35.
Singer-guitarist Brendon Urie of Panic at the Disco is 35.
CMT Music Awards co-host Kelsea Ballerini will be hosting Monday’s (April 11) show remotely after testing positive for COVID-19, reports Billboard.
“Alright friends, I have some good news and I have some bad news,” Ballerini shared with fans via an Instagram video. “The bad news is a couple of days ago I tested positive for COVID, and the CMT Awards are tonight. So unfortunately, I cannot be there in person anymore and I am devastated. I am gutted. But the good news is that I’m feeling a lot better and the incredible CMT family and my team have brought part of the CMT set to my house, to my little bubble, and set it up to where I can still host and perform.
“It is certainly not what we expected or planned for, but we are doing our d–n best,” she continued. “So I will still see you tonight on the awards and let’s make some lemonade together out of these very bitter lemons. But have so much fun for me if you are going to the show and if you are watching on TV, I will see you there.
According to a statement from CMT, Kane Brown (who co-hosted last year’s CMT Music Awards alongside Ballerini) is stepping in to co-host alongside actor Anthony Mackie at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. This year’s CMT Music Awards will air for the first time on CBS and will stream on Paramount+.
The CMT Music Awards will take place at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Ballerini is nominated for two awards, including collaborative video of the year for her video for the Kenny Chesney collaboration “Half of My Hometown.” She is also nominated for CMT performance of the year, for her performance of “I Quit Drinking” alongside LANY at the 2021 CMT Music Awards.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has abandoned his plans to join the board of Twitter, his social network of choice.
CNBC reports Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal announced publicly on Sunday that Musk remains the largest shareholder of Twitter, and the company will remain open to his input.
Musk informed Twitter on Saturday morning that he would not, in fact, take the board seat.
Musk’s appointment would have started on Saturday, “contingent on a background check and formal acceptance,” according to Agrawal.
Elon has decided not to join our board. I sent a brief note to the company, sharing with you all here. pic.twitter.com/lfrXACavvk
“We were excited to collaborate and clear about the risks. We also believed that having Elon as a fiduciary of the company where he, like all board members, has to act in the best interests of the company and all our shareholders was the best path forward,” he wrote.
The Twitter CEO did not say whether Musk gave specific reasons for changing his mind about taking on the new obligation.
Encouraging Twitter employees to remain focused, Agrawal said, “There will be distractions ahead but our goals and priorities remain unchanged.”
In an extraordinary U-turn late on Sunday it emerged that Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and the world's richest person, would not be joining Twitter's board.
Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal made the announcement on Twitter just five days after excitedly announcing that Musk would become a director. Agrawal said Twitter offered the board seat to Musk on Saturday, but the billionaire turned it down that same morning.
Musk's decision seems to have blindsided Twitter.
Insider reports Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said the unexpected move could signal a more aggressive approach from Musk towards buying Twitter stock.
"This now goes from a Cinderella story with Musk joining the Twitter board and keeping his stake under 14.9%, helping move Twitter strategically forward, to likely a 'Game of Thrones' battle between Musk and Twitter," Ives told Insider.
He added there was a "high likelihood that Elon takes a more hostile stance towards Twitter and further builds his active stake in the company."
Musk revealed in early April that he'd amassed a 9.2% stake in Twitter, making him the company's largest shareholder.
Joining Twitter's board would have limited him to buying 14.9% of the company, as outlined in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing signed by Musk.
As he is no longer joining the board, Musk can buy as much Twitter stock as he pleases – meaning he could attempt to acquire the company if he so wishes.
It's also possible a board seat would have constrained Musk's capacity for tweeting.
Musk is a prolific user of Twitter, with over 81 million followers. Twitter's founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey said in 2016 that Musk was one of his favorite Twitter users.
But Musk's tweets carry some risk. In 2018 he agreed to a $20 million settlement with the SEC over an infamous tweet in which he said he was considering taking Tesla private. Part of the settlement involved Tesla introducing "additional controls and procedures" to oversee Musk's tweets.
The study proves promising for advertisers. Fifty-five percent of participants said they listen to commercials more often on radio and in podcasts than through any other medium. In addition, 53 percent found radio and podcast advertisements to be more relevant than on any other medium and 51 percent said they are more trusting of radio and podcast advertisers than on any other medium. When comparing radio versus streaming music services in nine consumer categories including restaurants, retail, automobiles and more, consumers who purchased a product were more likely to buy from an audio advertisement in every single category. 
