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From Radio Insight: Audacy Classic Hits “Big 98.1” WOGL Philadelphia continues to push further towards Rhythmic Throwbacks. WOGL’s “Memorial Day Throwback Weekend” throws out all of the station’s usual 1980s and 90s based Classic Hits for a mostly 1990s/2000s based Rhythmic Throwback playlist. As Sean Ross noted recently, WOGL has added several dozen 90s/2000s Hip-Hop titles more associated with the Throwback or CHR formats, including J-Kwon?s 2004 ?Tipsy.? Heard in the 4pm hour today were: Boyz II Men – MotownPhilly PM Dawn – Set Adrift On Memory Bliss Eminem – The Real Slim Shady Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing) Ciara ft. Missy Elliott – 1,2 Step Outkast – Hey Ya Snoop Dogg – Gin & Juice Corona – Rhythm Of The Night Nelly – Country Grammar (Hot Shit) Luniz – I Got 5 On It Black Eyed Peas – Let’s Get It Started Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal more

From Radio Insight: Bonneville News/Talk 1160 KSL Salt Lake City/102.7 KSL-FM Midvale UT will continue its lineup revamp as it relaunches its “Inside Sources” show in a new time slot. Greg Skordas and Dr. Holly Richardson will host the new incarnation of the show from 9am-12pm weekdays starting Monday, June 9. “Inside Sources” previously was heard from 1-3pm with guest hosts since Boyd Matheson departed last November until it was replaced by ?Midday with Maria Shilaos? earlier this month. It will replace “Dave & Dujanovic” in the 9am-12pm slot as Debbie Dujanovic retires on June 6. Dujanovic joined the radio station in 2017 to co-host with Dave Noriega after two stints as a reporter at co-owned KSL-TV. Noriega recently exited the station as well. Skordas is a defense attorney and former prosecutor who previously ran for Utah Attorney General. Richardson is a former Utah state legislator and current editor of Utah Policy and columnist for the Deseret News. Bonneville President/CEO Tanya Vea said, “This reflects our commitment to provide Utahns with smart, solution-oriented news and analysis. Greg and Holly bring a rare depth of expertise, perspective, and connection to our community.? EVP/Chief Content Officer Ruth Todd added, ?We are deeply thankful for Debbie?s leadership and the trust she built with our audience. Her retirement is well-earned, and we look forward to ushering in a new era of midday radio that continues our tradition of excellence and community connection.? KSL Program Director Kevin LaRue stated, ?Our evolving lineup reflects what KSL NewsRadio stands for?credible voices, engaging conversations, and a deep connection to the community.? more

From Radio Insight: Sande Stewart?s Rip Curl Broadcasting acquires Sports “The Ticket” 1280 KXTK Arroyo Grande/101.7 K269GY San Luis Obispo and Standards “K-Jewel” 1400 KKJL/106.5 K293AW San Luis Obispo CA from Mike Chellsen?s Pacific Coast Media for $357,000. Stewart is a second generation television game show producer whose father Bill Stewart created shows including The Price is Right, To Tell the Truth, and Password. The younger Stewart co-created The $10,000 Pyramid with his father. JR Dunn’s Forest Jack Investments acquires Country 1400 KRUN Ballinger TX from Graham Brothers Communications for $10. Dunn began operating the station via LMA on May 1. Lorena Cortez transfers her 50% stake in Azteca Media to partner Araceli Ortega for $164,146.77 to settle a lawsuit between the parties. The company owns Regional Mexican “La Ley 98.3” 950 KMHR/98.3 K252FA Boise ID. Tammy Celenza’s JCM Radio sells the CP for 89.7 WOBI Oak Beach NY to Albert David’s Long Island Radio Outreach for $8000. more

From Radio Online: Talk WHLD-AM in Niagara Falls-Buffalo will soon broadcast under new call letters. Buddy Shula's Radio One Buffalo announced that the FCC has approved the change to WUSW, effective June 1. The format has not yet been announced, but the branding shift suggests a patriotic theme or a More...

From Radio Insight: The fourth and final day of Nielsen Audio’s PPM releases for the month bring Austin, Raleigh/Durham, Indianapolis, Nashville, Milwaukee, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Greensboro/Winston-Salem, West Palm Beach, Memphis, and Hartford. All the numbers can be found at RadioInsight.com/Ratings. AustinPublic News/Talk 90.5 KUT-FM (down 10.1 – 9.5 – 8.7) and Waterloo Media Variety Hits “103.5 Bob-FM” KBPA (down 9.1 to 8.7) tie for the lead. Audacy AC “Majic 95.5” KKMJ slips 6.8 to 6.1. Waterloo Media News/Talk 590/99.7 KLBJ is off 5.5 to 5.2, while co-owned Regional Mexican “107.1 La Z” KLZT takes an extreme swing 5.8 – 3.7 – 2.6 – 4.7. iHeartMedia Country 100.7 KASE is down 5.2 to 4.4, while sister 98.1 KVET-FM is up 3.1 to 4.2. University of Texas AAA 98.9 KUTX dips 3.7 to 3.3. Township Media’s “Sun Radio” 1490/100.1 KTSN climbs 2.3 – 2.7 – 3.2 for a new station record high share.. Univision Spanish AC “Amor 107.7” KLJA climbs 0.7 – 1.1 – 1.8. Norsan Media Spanish AC “Romantica 105.3” KTXX-HD4 is up 0.7 to 1.1. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 105.9 KFMK slides 4.1 – 3.2 – 3.0. Raleigh/DurhamiHeartMedia Conservative Talk “Talk 106.1” WTKK maintains its lead down 10.2 to 9.9. Radio One Adult R&B “Foxy 107.1/104.3” WFXC/WFXK drops 8.8 to 7.9. Capitol Broadcasting AC “Mix 101.5” WRAL-FM rises 6.8 to 7.7. Public News/Talk 91.5 WUNC-FM gains 6.8 to 7.4. Curtis Media Classic Hits “Kix 102” WKIX-FM/WKXU/WKJO holds at a 7.3 share. iHeart CHR “G105” WDCG slides 7.4 – 6.2 – 6.0. Curtis Media’s “Pulse-FM” 96.9 WPLW & translators is down 3.7 to 3.4. Radio One Hip Hop “K97.5” WQOK is up 3.7 to 4.3. iHeartMedia Country “B93.9” WNCB climbs 2.7 – 3.5 – 3.8. Curtis Media’s 94.7 WQDR-FM holds at a 6.0 share. Radio Training Network Christian AC “His Radio” 88.5 WRTP rises 1.3 to 1.9. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 88.9 WRKV jumps up 0.8 to 1.8. IndianapolisRadio One takes the top three spots. AC “B105.7” WYXB moves up to the lead 8.1 to 9.4. News/Talk 93.1 WIBC is up 9.0 to 9.2. Adult R&B 106.7 WTLC-fM slips 8.2 – 7.7 – 7.4. Cumulus CHR 99.5 WZPL continues its climb 4.4 – 4.7 – 5.5 – 6.1 – 6.9 – 7.1 for what Ratings Expert Chris Huff notes is its largest share since March 2018. Cumulus Classic Hits 104.5 WJJK drops 8.1 to 6.9. iHeartMedia Classic Rock “Q95” WFBQ is up 4.9 to 5.3. Cumulus Rock “93.9 X” WNDX is down 2.5 to 1.9. Both Country stations tie as Cumulus’ 95.5 WFMS is down 5.2 to 4.8, while Radio One’s “97.1 Hank-FM” WLHK climbs 4.2 to 4.8. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 101.9 WKLU falls 4.5 to 3.3. NashvilleMidwest Communications AC “Mix 92.9” WJXA is up 9.3 to 10.1 to expand its lead. iHeartMedia Classic Rock “105.9 The Rock” WNRQ holds at a 7.4 share. Midwest Variety Hits “96.3 Jack-FM” WCJK climbs 5.6 – 6.2 – 6.8. Cumulus Adult R&B “92Q” WQQK continues to rise 4.6 – 5.6 – 6.7. Public News/Talk 90.3 WPLN-FM rises 4.4 to 5.5 for its highest share since September 2023 to tie for fifth with Hope Media Group Christian AC “88.7 Way-FM” WAYM which is up 4.7 to 5.5. Cumulus Media’s “Supertalk 99.7 WTN” WWTN drops 7.8 – 6.5 – 5.0. iHeartMedia CHR “107.5 The River” WRVW slides 6.8 – 6.3 – 4.9. Hip Hop “101.1 The Beat” WUBT falls 5.3 to 4.3. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 97.1 WLVU drops down 5.9 – 5.1 – 4.3. JacksonvilleCox Media Group Classic Rock “96.9 The Eagle” WJGL jumps up 9.2 to 11.2 for its largest share since last April. Renda AC 96.1 WEJZ holds at an 8.4 share. iHeartMedia Adult R&B “V101.5” WSOL rises 6.1 – 7.0 – 7.3. Cox CHR 95.1 WAPE is up 6.0 to 6.3. iHeartMedia Hip Hop “93.3 The Beat” WJBT surges up 3.9 – 4.8 – 5.9 – 6.2 for its largest share since October 2022. iHeartMedia Country 99.1 WQIK slides 8.5 – 7.7 – 6.7 – 6.2. Renda’s “99.9 Gator Country” WGNE gains 4.7 to 5.3. Cox News/Talk 104.5 WOKV-FM falls 8.2 – 6.4 – 5.7. Public News/Talk 89.9 WJCT-FM doubles up 1.7 to 3.4. Cox Soft AC “Easy 102.9” WEZI plummets 7.6 – 5.2 – 3.9. iHeart CHR “97.9 Kiss-FM” WKSL slides 4.3 – 4.0 – 3.4. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 98.9 WJKV is down 3.0 to 2.3. MilwaukeeiHeartMedia Conservative Talk 1130 WISR maintains its lead 11.5 to 11.7. iHeart Classic Hits “95.7 Big-FM” WRIT-FM jumps up 6.6 to 7.9 for its largest share since Holiday 2023. Milwaukee Radio Alliance AC “B93.3” WLDB holds at a 5.9 share. iHeart Country “FM 106.1” WMIL dips 6.0 to 5.7. Saga Rock “102.9 The Hog” WHQG is off 5.6 to 5.4. Saga’s “Classic Rock 96.5” WKLH slides 6.2 – 5.5 – 5.3. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 105.3 WLVE rises 2.5 – 2.8 – 3.2. ProvidenceHall Communications’ “Cat Country 98.1” WCTK is up for the fourth straight month 9.4 to 10.2. Cumulus AC “Lite 105.1” WWLI is down 10.0 – 8.8 – 8.4. iHeartMedia Rock 94.1 WHJY drops 8.0 to 7.5, while Classic Hits “B101” WWBB falls 8.6 to 7.3. Cumulus CHR “92 Pro-FM” WPRO-FM gains 6.3 to 6.9. iHeartMedia Hot AC “Now 93.3” WSNE is up 4.4 to 4.9. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 95.5 WLVO slides 4.1 – 3.9 – 2.8. Public News/Talk 89.7 WGBH-FM Boston rises 3.9 – 4.1 – 4.5. Audacy Sports “WEEI” 103.7 WVEI-FM rises 1.7 – 2.1 – 2.8. Norfolk/Virginia BeachAudacy Adult R&B “95.7 R&B” WVKL maintains its Hampton Roads lead 8.6 – 8.9 – 9.2. Saga Rock “FM 99” WNOR rises 7.4 – 7.8 – 8.4. Sinclair Variety Hits “93.7 Bob-FM” WNOB is off 6.6 to 6.5. Saga Classic Rock “106.9 The Fox” WAFX dips 6.4 to 6.1. Max Media AC “92.9 The Wave” WTWV-FM is up 5.3 to 5.8. Sinclair Country “US 106.1” WUSH is up for the fourth straight month 4.1 to 4.9. Max Media’s “97.3 The Eagle” WGH-FM moves up 3.4 to 3.5. Audacy AC “101.3 2WD” WWDE slips 4.5 to 3.8. iHeartMedia Hip Hop “103 Jamz” WOWI plummets 6.9 – 5.5 – 3.2 for what Ratings Expert Chris Huff notes is the lowest share on the signal since its first year as an Urban station in October/November 1976. Greensboro/Winston-SalemAudacy takes the top three spots in the Triad. Adult R&B 97.1 WQMG rises for the fourth straight month 13.7 to 14.3 for what Huff notes is its largest share since February 2024. Variety Hits “98.7 Simon” WSMW is also up for the fourth straight month 10.8 to 11.1 for its best showing since November 2023. Hip Hop “102 Jamz” WJMH rises 9.1 to 9.5. iHeartMedia AC “Mix 99.5” WMAG is down 9.7 to 9.1. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 94.1 WWLV plummets 8.6 to 5.6. Audacy Country “93.1 The Wolf” WPAW grows 3.8 to 4.9. Dick Broadcasting Classic Rock “Rock 92” WKRR and CHR 107.5 WKZL are no longer subscribing. West Palm BeachHubbard Adult R&B “X102.3” WMBX surges up 5.5 – 6.6 – 7.1 – 8.0. Hubbard Hot AC 97.9 WRMF gains 6.5 to 6.8. iHeartMedia AC “Kool 105.5” WOLL slips 6.1 – 5.8 – 5.5 – 5.2. Hubbard’s “New Country 103.1” WIRK is down 5.4 to 4.9 to tie for fourth with Hope Media Group Christian AC “88.1 Way-FM” WAYF as it flys up 3.0 – 3.9 – 4.9. iHeartMedia Classic Rock “98.7 The Gator” WKGR is up 3.9 to 4.2 for its best share since Holiday 2023. Hubbard Classic Hits “Sunny 107.9” WEAT is down 4.9 to 4.2. Glades Media Variety Hits “94.7/96.9 Jack-FM” 1380 WWRF continues to rise 0.6 – 0.9 – 1.4. iHeartMedia Hot Talk “Real Radio 92.1” WZZR swings 2.8 – 1.9 – 2.8. MemphisiHeartMedia Adult R&B “V101” KJMS continues to grow to unseen heights 13.7 – 14.2 – 16.0 – 16.6, which Huff notes is the second highest non-Christmas share for a music station in any PPM survey behind the 16.7 set by Cumulus’ 103.5 WRBO Memphis in September 2022. Audacy AC “104.5 The River” WRVR is down 10.5 to 8.7. iHeart Gospel “95.7 Hallelujah-FM” WHAL-FM is up 7.1 to 7.4 with Hip Hop “K97” WHRK behind 7.5 – 6.9 – 6.5. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 94.1 WKVF slides 7.7 – 6.2 – 4.9 – 4.1 K-Love Inc. Worship “Air 1” 94.9 WWAI is up 2.0 to 3.8. Audacy Country “99.7 The Wolf” WLFP slides 4.2 – 3.7 – 3.2 with its stream down 0.7 – 0.5 – 0.4. iHeart Classic Rock “Rock 102” KWNW is up 1.5 to 2.1. HartfordAudacy AC “Lite 100.5” WRCH rises 11.8 to 12.8 for what Huff notes is the largest non-Holiday share for the station since February 2023. Audacy Hot AC 96.5 WTIC-FM slips 10.1 – 9.0 – 7.8. iHeartMedia’s “Country 92.5” WWYZ jumps up 5.6 – 5.9 – 7.5 with sister CHR “Kiss 95.7” WKSS-FM up 5.1 – 5.9 – 7.1 for its largest share since January 2023. Audacy Hip Hop “Hot 93.7” WZMX dips 6.8 to 6.6 to tie for fifth with Full Power Radio Classic Rock “102.9 The Whale” WDRC-FM as it is up 6.4 to 6.6. iHeartMedia Classic Hits “105.9 The River” WHCN rises 5.7 to 6.5. Public News/Talk 90.5 WNPR-FM falls 6.4 – 4.7 – 3.9. Audacy News/Talk 1080 WTIC slides 4.9 – 4.2 – 3.7. After its NCAA tournament gain, iHeart’s “Fox Sports 97.9” WUCS is down 2.8 to 1.9. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 106.9 WCCC-FM drops 1.9 to 1.0. more

From Radio Online: MediaCo Holding reported financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2025, showcasing a substantial year-over-year revenue increase, primarily driven by the full integration of Estrella Broadcasting's assets. The company posted revenues of $28.03 million, a significant rise from $6.71 million in More...

From Radio Online: The Cincinnati Bengals and iHeartMedia Cincinnati have announced a multi-year extension of their radio broadcast partnership, ensuring that fans can continue to hear every play of Bengals football through the 2028 NFL season. Bengals games will continue to air on one of the most powerful "triple-cast" setups More...

From Radio Online: FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks officially announced his resignation during Thursday's open meeting, concluding a nearly six-year tenure as the Commission's senior Democratic member. His departure shifts the agency into a Republican majority, with Democrat Anna Gomez now the sole non-Republican on the More...

From Radio Online: Portland radio personality B-Dub is revving up for another cross-country motorcycle ride in support of military families. Beginning June 15, the KUPL (98.7 The Bull) host will embark on his third annual "B-Dub's Longest Ride," a 5,000-mile solo journey across the U.S. to raise More...

From Radio Insight: Cumulus Media has launched Classic Hip Hop “95.1 The Vibe” on 95.1 WXFX-HD3 Montgomery AL. Listing core artists as The Notorious BIG, Ginuwine, Aaliyah, 2Pac, Salt-N-Pepa, Missy Elliott, and Sir Mix-A-Lot, the brand replaces the simulcast of the shuttered Conservative Talk 1440 WLWI on WXFX-HD3. The launch gives Montgomery a second signal with the format joining Bluewater Broadcasting?s ?Yo 100.5? W263BX/WQKS-HD2. more

From Radio Insight: In recent weeks, I?ve had a lot of conversations about the ?90s at Classic Hits, particularly in the music tests I?ve seen for clients or discussed with other programmers. Some involved stations where listeners had cheerfully resisted modernization, until now. Then there are the titles from the late ?90s and early ?00s that were featured in ?What Classic Hits Added in 2025.? Several Audacy stations had followed KRTH (K-Earth 101) Los Angeles?s foray into old-school Hip-Hop with a few titles here and there. Shortly after publication, WOGL (Big 98.1) Philadelphia went further, adding several dozen ?90s/?00s Hip-Hop titles more associated with the Throwback R&B or CHR formats, including J-Kwon?s 2004 ?Tipsy.? As the ’70s dwindle at Classic Hits, ’90s songs are increasingly the chronological center, if not the average era.* Even stations that have used newer titles to make a statement are, by and large, still playing only a few ?90s+ titles per hour. In the 2-3pm hours on May 13, Mediabase shows KRTH, KQQL (Kool 108) Minneapolis, WLS Chicago, and WROR Boston with two. WCBS-FM New York, which seemed to reduce its ?90s quotient and rebound in recent PPMs, has one. KXKL (Kool 105) Denver, which has aggressively added ?90s+ titles, had three. Only KOLA Riverside, one of the format?s showplaces for modernization, has an even ?80s/?90s+ split. * Math should have steered Classic Hits to a body of 25-to-35-year-old songs well before now. But the ?90s have been disconcerting for some Classic Hits PDs. Many don’t think there are enough consensus hits, particularly because Top 40 radio lacked a central motor (and wasn’t even in many markets) for all but the last few years of the decade. Listeners didn?t get to hear Warren G & Nate Dogg and Nirvana on the same station, although those who shared Alternative and Hip-Hop on MTV might not even know that?s an issue. Generally, however, every decade develops playable songs eventually. PDs used to playing the ’60s at Oldies radio thought the ’70s were too diffuse and goofy.**Classic Hits only has to find about a dozen playable titles from each year of the ?90s. Besides seeing ?Smells Like Teen Spirit? emerge as a reliable tester ? ironic given CHR?s near-refusal to play it in 1992 ? pop/alt is also starting to yield more titles (?Lovefool,? ?Dreams? by the Cranberries, ?Torn?). R&B and Hip-Hop have been contributing playable songs (“This Is How We Do It,” “No Diggity”) from early on. To some extent, the issue for ’80s vs. ’90s is depth. There’s no need to choose between “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit”–those are multi-generational. The issue is the secondary titles, which default more to a listener’s own musical history. Even the tightest station has some “B”s in some era, and for now that’s usually the ’80s. So when does “Crush” by Jennifer Paige become a better ’90s secondary for more listeners than “Sister Christian”? (To complicate things, there are titles like “Break My Stride” that seem exactly to be ’80s trifles, but have taken on new currency.) So could the ?90s actually become the center lane of Classic Hits? How soon might that happen? Asking those questions isn?t necessarily a call to action. Stations should do what’s right for them, and some will win by leaning older, but it?s interesting to ponder how a troublesome radio era might be made more cohesive. Ross on Radio readers generally fell into one of three camps: The music isn?t there: ?There are some ?90s songs that test, but not enough good pop songs to fill it out,? says Kevin Fodor at Cox Dayton, Ohio. ?The ?90s aren?t strong enough. Not even close,? says veteran programmer Jeff Adams. ?Much like the early ?90s took the CHR format down, do you really want that replicated with Classic Hits? Dr. Dre into Nirvana into Phil Collins into 2pac? I?d rather stick with Bon Jovi and Eurythmics,? says Craig Russell of KHBT (The Bolt) Humboldt, Iowa.* ?Out of the top 200 most-played titles on Classic Hits this week, only 13 were from the ?90s,? says Joel Murphy of WHBC-FM (Mix 94.1) Canton, Ohio. But his answer to that is that programmers should nurture more songs into playability, rather than avoid the era. ??Every Heartbeat? does not hold up like ?Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.? ?Come as You Are? is not ?Everybody Wants to Rule the World,? says Keith Kennedy, Sr. VP/Programming of iHeart Cleveland. ?I?ll be watching the ratings for Classic Hits stations that are migrating toward the ?90s and ?00s, but my guess is that more-recent tunes will not be attractive to the core audience of 35-64s. Music changed dramatically during the ?90s and ?00s. My Classic Hits station Rewind 101.9 remains rooted in the ?80s and focused on delighting 35-64,? says Lakes Media?s Tom Birch.* Even in Australia, where the ?90s came to Classic Hits radio early on, Strategic Media Solutions? David Rogerson says that ?the ?80s still has the passion and the oh-wow factor, particularly for female listeners. Nineties songs really have to be handpicked. Will the ?90s come through? Possibly, but not with the same passion.? But some readers believe that we?re overdue chronologically: ?Born in 1975, you are 50 years old, and you graduated high school in 1993. That?s already the high end of the 25-54 demo,? says Keith Allen of Eastern Long Island?s WELJ. ?It should be happening now, and we should be losing some of the ?70s. If you graduated in 1976 when ?Don?t Go Breaking My Heart? was released, you?re now in your late 60s. Is that the demo the format is chasing?? asks Jerry Mac of Cumulus/Toledo, Ohio.* ?I?m already there,? says Robby Bridges, PD of WWZY (Boss 107.1) Monmouth/Ocean, N.J. So is WRTH-LP Greenville, S.C.?s Dave Solomon who says, ?We?re almost equal ?80s and ?90s now ? Our question now is what to do with the ?00s. Twenty years sounds like a long time ago.? For some PDs, it?s not just the ?70s that are fading, in favor of more ?90s, but also some of the early ?80s. Tony Mitchell says that at his hybrid AC/Adult Hits, WVNO (Mix 106.1) Mansfield, Ohio, he?s been ?replacing the John Mellencamp, Don Henley, and Pat Benatar with ?90s and early 2000s. It?s been a gradual transition, and few, if any, have noticed the difference.? Other commentors wondered how long AC would play the ’80s as well.*?The Classic Hits argument is not about era, but about tempo. You can absolutely play ?80s, ?90s and 2K as long as they are the right records,? says Lance Balance at MARC Media Gainesville, Fla. ?AC hung its hat on those three decades and did very well. As AC moves forward in vintage, Classic Hits should be taking that real estate.? Former Classic Hits PD Mark Wishnia is concerned that the format?s older audience is the one with the greater allegiance to radio. Younger listeners ?won?t even know? if stations modernize, he says. ?And then you alienate the audience that is actually listening.? MBMI?s Bill Pasha also points out that while the ?90s are a logical place to be chronologically, ?the variable is whether the original listener engagement levels with radio were as high in 1995 as in 1975 and 1985. I believe they were, but this is the last iteration for .? But some programmers are already making plans for the ?00s: ?I don?t think the ?90s will ever be the tentpole. The late ?90s/early 2K will replace the ?80s. It will take another 3-4 years in major markets, five in smaller ones,? says RCS?s Tom Lawler.* ?I think the ?80s will be king for another 5-10 years. Then the center of the format will jump to the 2000s,? adds webcaster Sam D?Addieco. ?Finding ?90s songs that will test has gotten better, but enough to center Classic Hits around it? Doubtful. My guess is that by 2030, you?ll see the early 2000s become a major focal point of the format,? says Dave Russell of WEEU Reading, Pa. ?There?s something timeless about the ?80s that appeals to the younger generation. Too much of the ?90s seems moody. I?m wondering if the ?80s and early-to-mid 2000s might be a better combination,? asks DBC Savannah, Ga.?s Steve McKay. There?s also the era agnosticism of a generation that just made a viral hit of an obscure early ?60s Connie Francis song this week. ?A-level uptempo party songs from the late ?70s to mid-?00s will work fine as today?s Classic Hits,? says Billboard?s Silvio Pietroluongo. ?Skip the doldrum years.? One of the common patterns of Classic Hits? evolution is that each migration is usually preceded by an attempt to do the next generation as a separate format. All-?70s, all-?80s, and all-?90s stations didn?t work as stand-alones, but they did help define the body of hits that Classic Hits later co-opted. In Canada, the ?90s-through-today Classic Hits format has successfully existed for several years in a handful of markets. In the US, if the format lands in the early ?00s, as some predict, it won?t be far from today?s ?throwback? outlets or even gold-based CHRs. ?At that point, maybe we should call such a format something other than Classic Hits? It should get a new name,? suggests Northeast radio veteran Scott Lowe.* more

From Radio Insight: iHeartMedia Cincinnati has agreed to a four-year deal to remain the broadcast home for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals. Rock 102.7 WEBN and Sports “ESPN 1530” WCKY Cincinnati will carry all Bengals games with News/Talk 700 WLW carrying all games that do not conflict with MLB’s Cincinnati Reds through the 2028 season. The deal also includes weekly in-season shows including Bengals Line, Bengals Game Plan and Bengals Pep Rally, training camp coverage as well as a weekly feature with reporter Marisa Contipelli on CHR “Kiss 107.1” WKFS. Bengals Chief Business Officer Brian Sells said, “iHeartMedia Cincinnati has been a great partner for many years, and we are excited to continue this relationship. The strong station lineup provides a great platform to reach a large number of fans on gamedays and throughout the week.” iHeartMedia Division President DJ Hodge commented, “We are thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with the Cincinnati Bengals and bring fans every electrifying moment of NFL action. 700 WLW, 102.7 WEBN and ESPN 1530 are the epicenter of Bengals Nation, and we look forward to delivering top-tier coverage and being the trusted home for Bengals football for years to come.” The broadcasts will continue to feature Dan Hoard and Dave Lapham with Wayne Box Miller as pre and post-game host. more

From Radio Insight: Delta Media Classic Country “Mustang 107.1” KOGM Opelousas/Lafayette LA has added Danita Trahan as midday host to fill the position previously held by Steve Wiley until his passing in January. Trahan previously worked at Cumulus Media Country 99.1 KXKC Lafayette from 2019 until January 2024 rising to Director of Content and morning host. She has also worked on-air at Tejano KMRK Midland TX and Country KFTX Corpus Christi TX, while holding many marketing, sales and social media positions. She will continue to serve as a liason for Delta Media’s Telemundo Lafayette and Marketing Director for Musson Patout Automotive Group. VP/General Manager Johnette Cochran said, ?We?re incredibly excited to welcome Danita to the KOGM lineup. Her voice and energy will be a fantastic addition to our Classic Country brand, and we?re looking forward to what she brings to the station and our listeners.? more

From Radio Online: As a powerful EF-3 tornado tore through the western suburbs of St. Louis last weekend, KMOX-FM remained a critical source of information and comfort to residents, thanks to the swift action of its staff and engineers. With storm clouds looming and emergency alerts escalating, KMOX engineer Kyle Hammer More...

From Radio Online: Triton Digital has released its U.S. Podcast Ranker for the April 2025 reporting period (March 31-April 27), highlighting continued dominance by leading networks and the debut of several new shows, including a notable first appearance by the BBC. The iHeart Audience Network More...

From Radio Online: The Bay Area Sports Collective, a new podcast network founded by veteran broadcasters Tom Tolbert, Paul McCaffrey, and John Lund, has announced the launch of three original sports podcasts hosted by some of the most familiar names in Bay Area sports media. The new shows debut this week and are available via More...

From Radio Insight: Rox Radio Group has relaunched Red Dirt Country “Red Dirt 100” 1190 KREB Gentry/100.5 K263CB Springdale and 1390 KFFK Rogers/100.7 K264DA Decatur AR as “Ozarks 100“. Program Director Dave Shoen told Country Aircheck that the rebrand was accompanied with a broadening of its playlist to include more Americana and Classic Country music. The rebrand is part of a move towards a more community focused presentation as opposed to music as it will add lifestyle programming including “When Radio Was,” “Cowboy Corner,” and debuting a twice daily “Trading Post” on Monday, June 2. The station will also cover community festivals, fairs, and high school sports. The move comes as Rox Radio Group itself plans to rebrand as 479 Media as it expands its services beyond radio to digital, podcast, and other platforms. more

From Radio Online: Christian FM Media Group adds Kevin and Amy, a well-known and award-winning morning show duo, to the Today's Christian Music network lineup. Originating from "The House FM" in Oklahoma, Kevin and Amy now bring their blend of humor, faith, and encouragement to over 100 Christian radio affiliates across the More...

From Radio Online: ARN's iHeart and Global Announce Podcast Partnership Australia's leading audio company ARN and UK-based media giant Global have announced a new long-term podcast partnership that will expand the reach and monetization of both companies' content across international markets. As part of the agreement, More...

From Radio Insight: Cliff Dumas and Bryan Woodruff’s BTC USA Holdings has entered Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection following the company going into receivership in Canada earlier this year. The company, which had been operating as Local First Media Group, purchased Frontier Media LLC?s stations in Texarkana AR/TX and Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka AK in October 2022 for $1.3 million and agreed to purchase J&J Broadcasting?s five stations in northern Michigan in November 2022 for the same price but never closed on that deal. BTC USA Holdings went into receivership in Canada in February after defaulting on a loan from ATB Financial for $8,155,974.17 Canadian as of January 14. The Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection is for foreign companies seeking court protections to prevent other stakeholders from commencing or continuing actions in American courts that could interfere the case in Canada. The receivership in Canada is equivalent to a Chapter 7 liquidation in the US. The Alaskan operations have reverted to operating under the Frontier Media banner, while Texarkana is back under the Texarkana Media Center brand. Colin ‘Col’ Taylor, who previously served as President/COO of the company and previously was GM in Texarkana under Frontier Media ownership told their KTFS-FM that he is in the process of acquiring the company. Dumas, who owned 80% of BTC USA Holdings, previously hosted mornings at stations including KUZZ Bakersfield, KRST Albuquerque and KSON San Diego as well as KHAM Hamilton and CISS-FM Toronto in his native Canada. He also was co-founder and Chief Content Officer of Pattison Media?s Everything Podcasts division and a member of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. more

From Radio Online: iHeartMedia Salt Lake City's Hooker andamp; DB Morning Show on KAAZ-FM (Rock 106.7) is once again teaming up with The Advocates Injury Attorneys and the Bicycle Collective for its annual Bikes or Bust charity event. The initiative collects used and old bicycles to benefit Bicycle More...

From Radio Online: A new chapter is beginning for longtime St. Louis radio outlet 590 KFNS-AM, as it rebrands to KLIS The Lou Information Station under the ownership of Big Toe Media. Founded by Dave Greene and Alabama-based entrepreneur Conrad Thompson, Big Toe Media is purchasing the station from More...

From Radio Online: Syndicated radio host Delilah has officially returned the license for 1030 KDUN in Reedsport, OR, to the FCC, ending a personal and professional chapter that dates back to the start of her radio career. Delilah purchased the station in 2021 for $60,000, reviving the signal where she first took to the More...

From Radio Online: Nashville Public Radio appoints Holly Kernan as its next President and CEO. A veteran leader in public media, Kernan will oversee 90.3 WPLN News, WNXP 91.1, and the organization's classical music streaming service. She succeeds Steve Swenson, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Kernan most More...

From Radio Insight: Day 3 of Nielsen Audio’s PPM releases are now available for Charlotte, Portland, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Cleveland and Columbus. All the numbers can be found at RadioInsight.com/Ratings. CharlotteBeasley Media Country 103.7 WSOC continues its rise 4.7 – 5.6 – 6.0 – 7.1 to claim the top spot. Pacific Broadcasting Classic Hits “95.7 The Ride” WXRC dips 7.0 to 6.9. Beasley Classic Hits “K104.7” WKQC rebounds 5.7 to 6.5 to tie for third with co-owned Adult R&B “V101.9” WBAV as it rises 6.0 to 6.5. Radio One Adult R&B “105.3 R&B” WOSF trends up 4.5 – 5.3 – 5.9. Beasley Hip Hop “Power 98” WPEG rises 4.6 to 5.1. Radio One Hot AC “Mix 107.9” WLNK climbs 3.0 – 3.4 – 3.8 – 4.6 for what Ratings Expert Chris Huff notes is its largest share since September 2021. After the retirement of morning host Paul Schadt, iHeartMedia Country “96.9 The Kat” WKKT is down 5.4 to 4.5. Radio One News/Talk 1110 WBT/99.3 WBT-FM slides 5.4 – 4.7 – 4.3. Co-owned Sports 92.7 WFNZ-FM rises 2.8 – 3.1 – 3.3 and Gospel “Praise 100.9” WPZS drops 2.2 to 1.5. iHeartMedia Classic Rock “99.7 The Fox” WRFX-FM trends down 5.9 – 5.1 – 4.2. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 91.9 WRCM falls 3.7 – 3.3 – 1.4. PortlandiHeartMedia takes the top two spots with AC “K103” KKCW off 9.0 to 8.8, while Classic Hits “106.7 The Eagle” KLTH soars 7.0 to 8.3 for its largest share since September 2023. Public News/Talk 91.5 KOPB-FM is down 7.9 to 7.1 (stream down 0.9 to 0.6). Alpha Media AAA 101.9 KINK rises 5.5 to 6.2. iHeartMedia Classic Rock “105.9 The Brew” KFBW drops 7.1 to 6.0. Alpha News/Talk 101.1 KXL rises 4.8 – 5.0 – 5.5. iHeart Conservative Talk 1190 KEX is down 3.5 – 3.0 – 2.7. Classical 89.9 KQAC is back up 3.5 to 4.1. Audacy Country “99.5 The Wolf” KWJJ jumps up 3.0 to 4.1. Alpha Media Country “98.7 The Bull” KUPL inches up 2.6 to 2.7. Audacy Alternative 94.7 KNRK slides 2.7 – 2.1 – 1.8. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 97.9 KLVP is down 1.3 to 0.6. San AntonioCox Media Group takes the top four spots in San Antonio led by Rock 99.5 KISS-FM continuing its surge over the past six months 4.8 – 5.1 – 5.3 – 6.5 – 6.5 – 7.3 – 8.2 for its largest share since Winter 2002. Cox Classic Hits 101.1 KONO-FM holds at a 6.5 share, Country “Y100” KCYY is down 6.0 to 5.4, and Classic Rock “106.7 The Eagle” KTKX is up 5.0 to 5.4. iHeartMedia AC “Q101.9” KQXT rounds out the top five up 5.0 to 5.3. Cox Hot AC “Hits 105.3” KSMG rises 3.9 – 4.6 – 5.1. Alpha Media Variety Hits “102.7 Jack-FM” KJXK is up 4.2 to 4.8. Public News/Talk 89.1 KSTX gains 4.4 to 4.9. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 91.3 KZLV continues its slide 5.1 – 4.8 – 4.6 – 4.3. Univision Regional Mexican “Que Buena 92.9” KROM is up 3.1 to 3.8. Alpha Media’s “Norte?o 104.1” 720 KSAH/104.1 KSAH-FM rises 2.0 to 2.7. Univision Spanish AC “Amor 95.1” KMYO drops 2.5 to 1.8. Univision Rhythmic AC “Vibe 107.5” KVBH falls 4.5 to 3.6. iHeartMedia Bilingual AC “Mix 96.1” KXXM falls 3.8 – 3.6 – 2.4. Salt Lake CityBonneville AC “FM 100” KSFI reclaims the Salt Lake lead up 6.6 to 7.4. Bonneville News/Talk 1160 KSL/102.7 KSL-FM rises 5.9 to 6.8. Cumulus Country “93.3 The Bull” KUBL slides 7.1 – 6.7 – 6.3. Bonneville Classic Rock “103.5 The Arrow” KRSP inches up 5.7 to 5.8. KSOP Inc. Country “Z104.3” KSOP-FM gains 4.7 – 5.2 – 5.7. iHeartMedia Conservative Talk 570 KNRS/105.9 KNRS-FM falls 6.7 to 5.3. iHeart Classic Hits 94.1 KODJ continues its decline 6.4 – 5.4 – 5.0 – 4.6. Cumulus CHR “Power 101.9/94.9” KENZ/KHTB slides 3.0 – 2.8 – 2.5. iHeartMedia’s competing 97.1 KZHT inches up 1.8 – 2.1 – 2.3. Broadway Media’s “Mix 105.1” KUDD holds at a 4.3 share. Broadway Rhythmic Throwbacks “92.5 The Beat” KUUU is up 1.2 to 1.7. Capital Broadcasting Classic Alternative “103.1 The Wave” KLO-FM is up 0.9 to 1.3. OrlandoCox Media Group Classic Rock 98.9 WMMO continues its springtime surge 4.5 – 6.3 – 6.7 – 7.1 – 9.1 to take the lead for the first time since May 2023 and what Huff notes is its largest share ever (stream up 0.2 to 0.6). Cox Adult R&B “Star 94.5” WCFB slides 10.2 – 9.8 – 8.5 – 8.1. Audacy Classic Hits “105.9 Sunny-FM” WOCL is up 6.7 to 7.3. Cox Country “K92.3” WWKA (down 6.4 to 6.0) and iHeartMedia AC “Magic 107.7” WMGF (6.1 to 6.0) tie for fourth. iHeartMedia CHR “XL 106.7” WXXL falls 8.8 – 6.7 – 5.7. Audacy Rhythmic Throwbacks “102 Jamz” WJHM jumps 2.3 to 3.5. iHeartMedia Rock 101.1 WJRR trends up 3.5 – 3.9 – 4.4 – 4.7. Hot Talk “Real Radio 104.1” WTKS-FM slips 5.7 – 4.9 – 4.5. Cox News/Talk 580/107.3 WDBO slides 3.7 – 3.5 – 2.9. Norsan Media Spanish Tropical “Kaliente 103.1” WFYY is up 2.9 to 3.2 for its highest share since December 2013 when it was Tropical “KQ 103.1” WHKQ with three other formats and two sales in between. SBS Spanish Tropical “El Zol 95.3” WPYO is up 2.0 to 2.8. SacramentoiHeartMedia News/Talk 1530 KFBK/93.1 KFBK-FM maintains its lead 8.8 to 9.1. Audacy Classic Rock “Eagle 96.9” KSEG is up for the fourth straight month to move up to second 8.1 to 8.4. Bonneville AC “Mix 96” KYMX dips 8.5 to 8.2. Bonneville Country 105.1 KNCI holds at a 4.8 share. Audacy CHR “106.5 The End” KUDL is up 4.4 to 4.7. Public News/Talk 90.9 KXJZ slips 4.7 – 4.4 – 4.0. Audacy Rock “98 Rock” KRXQ trends up 2.4 – 3.1 – 3.8. Audacy Rhythmic CHR 102.5 KSFM slides 3.2 – 2.9 – 2.6. iHeartMedia Millennial Hits “Kiss 107.9” KZIS is down 3.9 to 3.1. Las VegasiHeartMedia AC “Sunny 106.5” KSNE slides 9.2 – 8.2 – 7.1. Beasley Classic Hits 96.3 KKLZ dips 6.5 to 6.3. Lotus Regional Mexican “La Buena 101.9” KWID is off 6.1 to 5.9. iHeartMedia Country “95.5 The Bull” KWNR inches up 4.6 to 4.7. Audacy Rhythmic Throwbacks “Q100.5” KXQQ is up 4.1 to 4.2. Lotus Classic Rock “97.1 The Point” KXPT slips 4.7 to 4.0. iHeartMedia’s “93.1 The Mountain” KYMT is down 3.8 to 2.5. Latino Hustle Group Regional Mexican “Fiesta 98.1” KLUC-HD3 jumps up 2.4 to 3.5. Beasley Media’s “107.9 Coyote Country” KCYE rises 1.9 to 2.9. Rock/Alternative “X107.5” KXTE is down 2.5 to 1.9. Hot AC 102.7 KVGS dips 2.3 to 1.8. In its first monthly following its flip from Adult R&B to Bilingual AC “Maxima 105.7“, Beasley’s 105.7 KOAS is up 1.6 to 1.8. PittsburghiHeartMedia Classic Hits “94.5 3WS” WWSW maintains its lead by the narrowest of margins 10.6 to 9.9. Steel City Media Variety Hits “96.9 Bob-FM” WRRK is up 9.4 to 9.8 to tie for second with iHeart Classic Rock 102.5 WDVE as it dips 10.1 to 9.8. Audacy Sports “93.7 The Fan” KDKA-FM dips 7.0 to 6.8 with its stream adding an additional 1.4 share. Renda Broadcasting AC “Wish 99.7” WSHH rises 4.9 – 6.0 – 6.4. iHeartMedia CHR “Kiss 96.1” WKST-FM jumps 4.2 to 5.1. Audacy Hot AC “100.7 Star” WBZZ moves up 3.3 – 3.8 – 4.6. CincinnatiThe dawn of the Reds season helps iHeartMedia News/Talk 700 WLW rises 7.8 to 8.8 for what Huff notes is its first time leading the market since last April. Cumulus Classic Hits 103.5 WGRR is down 9.8 to 8.7. Hubbard Country “B105” WUBE swings back up 6.5 to 7.4. Hubbard Hot AC “Q102” WKRQ rises 6.3 to 6.7. Cumulus AC “Warm 98.5” WRRM gains 4.7 to 5.5. Cumulus Classic Rock “92.5 The Fox” WOFX-FM slides 5.4 – 4.9 – 4.7, while their “96 Rock” WFTK is down 4.7 to 4.2. iHeartMedia Rock 102.7 WEBN skids 4.8 – 4.4 – 3.8. iHeartMedia Conservative Talk 550 WKRC trends down 6.1 – 5.5 – 4.7. Hubbard AC “Mix 94.9” WREW rises 3.6 – 4.3 – 4.6. Radio One Adult R&B “100.3 R&B” WOSL is up 3.2 to 3.7. iHeartMedia CHR “Kiss 107” WKFS climbs 2.6 to 3.4 for its best showing since August 2022. Ahead of its May 1 rebrand, Cumulus Media’s “Cat Country 94.1” WNNF continues to rise 2.0 – 2.4 – 2.7. Hubbard’s “97.3 The Wolf” WYGY climbs 1.4 – 1.7 – 2.3. Kansas CityCumulus Media Classic Hits 94.9 KCMO-FM is up for the fourth straight month jumping up 10.8 to 12.4. Huff notes that is the largest share for any station in the market since KCMO-FM’s 12.8 with Christmas music in Holiday 2019. Cumulus Classic Rock “101 The Fox” KCFX slips 7.7 – 7.3 – 7.1 to maintain second. Steel City Media CHR “Mix 93.3” KMXV inches up 6.1 to 6.2, while Steel City Country “Q104” KBEQ rises 4.1 – 4.6 – 5.1. Audacy News/Talk 98.1 KMBZ-FM trends down 6.0 – 5.2 – 4.7 with its stream adding a 0.4 share. Northwestern Media Christian AC “Life 88.5” KJNW is up 4.0 to 4.6 for its highest share since October 2023. Audacy Hot AC “99.7 The Point” KZPT is down 4.8 to 4.0, while Country “106.5 The Wolf” WDAF-FM drops 4.6 to 3.8. The start of the Royals season helps Audacy’s “96.5 The Fan” KFNZ-FM up 2.9 to 3.8 with its stream up 0.7 to 1.1. Steel City Country 94.1 KFKF trends up 2.6 – 2.8 – 3.5. Cumulus Media Hip Hop “Power 105.1” KCJK narrows its in-format battle rising 2.0 – 2.6 – 3.1, while Carter Broadcast Group’s “Hot 103 Jamz” KPRS-FM is off 3.6 to 3.5. Cumulus Conservative Talk 710 KCMO/95.7 KCHZ dips 2.4 to 2.1. Audacy’s competing 980 KMBZ trends up 1.1 – 1.5 – 1.7. ColumbusiHeartMedia CHR 97.9 WNCI retains its lead 8.4 to 8.2. TEGNA Sports “97.1 The Fan” WBNS-FM rises 7.6 to 8.0. iHeart Country 92.3 WCOL slides 8.9 – 8.1 – 7.8, while sister Classic Hits “93.3 The Bus” WODC jumps up 6.3 to 7.3. iHeart News/Talk 610 WTVN slips 8.0 – 7.4 – 6.7. Saga Classic Rock “QFM 96” WLVQ gains 5.4 to 6.0, while sister AC “Sunny 95” WSNY is down 6.3 to 5.6. Saga Hot AC “Mix 107.9” WVMX is up 1.7 – 1.9 – 2.2. Public News/Talk 89.7 WOSU-FM trends down 5.0 – 4.7 – 4.4. Classical 101.1 WOSA jumps up 1.2 to 2.1. In its second monthly after flipping from Country to Classic Country as “103.9 The Maverick“, NABCO’s 103.9 WJKR rises 1.7 to 2.6. Sister Soft AC “Easy 95.1” WJKR-HD2 is up 0.7 to 1.1. ClevelandiHeartMedia Classic Hits “Majic 105.7” WMJI is up 9.5 to 10.3. Audacy AC “Star 102” WDOK drops 8.5 to 7.5 (stream down 0.8 to 0.4). Radio One Adult R&B 93.1 WZAK rebounds 6.6 to 7.4. iHeartMedia News/Talk 1100/106.9 WTAM rises for the fifth straight month 5.5 to 7.0. iHeart Country 99.5 WGAR dips 7.3 to 6.9. iHeartMedia Rock 100.7 WMMS climbs 5.2 to 6.1. Audacy Classic Rock 98.5 WNCX moves down 6.4 to 5.9. Audacy Hot AC “Q104” WQAL slides 6.2 – 5.5 – 5.2. Public News/Talk 89.7 WKSU/104.9 WCLV continues is up for the fourth straight month 3.9 to 4.4. more

From Radio Online: Country Radio Seminar (CRS) has unveiled a new installment in its CRS360 webinar series titled "A Face For Radio? A Difference For Your Listeners," now available for streaming at CountryRadioSeminar.com. Building on findings presented at CRS 2025, the session delves into the shifting More...

From Radio Online: Despite the influx of high-tech infotainment systems and AI-enhanced dashboards, local AM/FM radio remains the go-to companion for American drivers, according to a new study from Audacy. The report, "Audio Access: What Drivers Value Most in Next-Gen Vehicles," marks the fifth wave of Audacy's Connected Car More...

From Radio Insight: From a young age in Rhinelander, Wis, I loved music, technology, and entertaining people. I had no special love for radio.* But one night in 2011 I discovered John Garabedian’s Open House Party and immediately fell in love with the show. Every Saturday night, it connected me with a world of fun, music, people, and excitement. I never missed a Saturday night show until John sold the show in 2017. I became a regular caller and persisted in getting John’s attention. In 2015, I started doing production work for OHP like mixes, social media and posting show clips and highlights from years earlier. At 16 while still in high school, I was hired by the largest DJ service in Wisconsin, first as an assistant, then DJing weddings and events every weekend and learning how to work a room. Simultaneously*Iv oice–tracked on B104 in Appleton, Wis.,*(alongside*future*iHeart*programmers*Trevor Morini and Mike McCabe).*I*also launched*and operated*?Vibes Online”, a fully produced 24-hour Top 40 internet station from my bedroom for nearly two years.* Mason at 16After high school graduation, I connected with WHYA (Y101) Cape Cod, Mass., manager Steve McVie. By then, it was clear to John and Steve that just music and voicetracks would not be enough for radio to effectively compete. Technology meant that listeners could customize music, access podcasts, and share TikToks with their 18-34 peers. Radio had long commercial breaks and relentless self-serving promos to download apps and visit their websites. They had come to the decision that Y101 needed its own night show. John initially felt I was too young. But he was persuaded by Steve?s enthusiasm. I moved to Boston in January 2020, two months before the official start of the Covid pandemic. Cape Cod is a huge market covering 100 miles. Three 4-station groups operate, including iHeart, and all are 50 KW except Y101, which is a 6 KW license. Yet, one year after the show?s debut, Nielsen reported Liveline was delivering a 25.0 share of audience among 26 local stations! * In July 2020, KQKY Grand Island, Neb., became the second station to add Liveline and has consistently been #1 at night in every demo, every book. Five years later, we have 40 affiliates, with two more launching this week, KHTT/Tulsa and WDOD/Chattanooga. In May, we signed our first Canadian affiliate, CFLY (98.3 Fly FM) Kingston, Ontario. It?s About the CallersOver the past 5 years, we’ve taken over 100,000 calls and probably received just as many texts. We’ve talked to every type of person, in every corner of the country, doing every activity you can imagine. Most are just driving home from work, dinner, hanging out with friends or driving cabs or delivery vehicles. Others are having a house party, going through a breakup, celebrating a milestone, mourning a loved one, listening at their place of employment, using their last 3 minutes of jail-phone time, wanting to share a story or joke, and even getting between the sheets.* The whole point of Liveline is to plug you into this larger-than-life experience where literally anything and anyone is accepted, no matter your age, background, confidence level or lifestyle. It’s the TikTok of radio and every night is meant to be a summary of all the craziness happening in the world, bringing peace, love, hope and a sense of community with people who feel like your friends. This is radio’s superpowerand I’m beyond blessed to be a part of so many people’s lives on a nightly basis. The show is not about me, the station, or anything but the listener. It’s called Liveline because we are truly the 100% live connection from my home studio every night, and people are on the line, as nearly every break is a fresh, interesting and unique phone call where you hear the person saying their name, location, song request, what they’re doing and any other craziness.* We try to draw a mini-story out of every caller in less than 60 seconds. This allows other listeners to visualize the caller, creating theater of the mind and drawing attention to the lyrics or meaning of the requested song. It’s like hearing a song on the radio you’re tired of, but then months later, you hear it in a movie and suddenly it sounds great.* Music needs context, emotion and a bond. Sad breakup songs suddenly resonate more once you’re actually going through one. We generally air six calls every hour. There has to be a payoff and listeners need to feel like they actually have a chance of getting on air and hearing their song. Most callers don’t even care about the request – it’s just the idea of being on the radio which still excites everyone, and the song just provides an excuse to call. We?ve gone to great lengths to make our affiliates sound local. Listen to today?s radio and you?ll hear voice-tracks with no connection to the music?often over dead air and rarely synced to the intro. You?ll hear a jock screaming over ?Someone Like You? by Adele, or low energy out of ?Abracadabra? by Lady Gaga. No other live show offers this except Liveline. Liveline is also the only national live show to provide RDS metadata with the title and artist info for each song. Nothing is more of a giveaway thar a show is syndicated than seeing just the station name being displayed for five hours. The most obvious and important element of making the show local is each caller who talks about where they are, what’s going on in the community and how much they love (or hate) living there. But as so many people say about their own city, “there’s nothing to do”. It’s funny that Key West and Cape Cod are massive tourist and vacation hotspots, yet their residents complain about being bored and having nothing fun. How popular would TikTok be if it only showed you Local stuff?* That’s what the news is for! Our decades of research show that people want big, new and exciting things, and they’re rarely happening where they are. Do you want Home Movies or Hollywood? Each affiliate grants us access to their social media pages which allows for seamless sharing of Liveline content, saving them time and confusion. We have quick turnaround for local liners and constant ideas for ways to promote the show on air and online. We are always working with each market to advertise local events going on, which gives us something to talk to callers about. Luckily, every night is a geography test, and I’ve probably remembered the states of over 500 cities.* Most Memorable MomentsLooking back at the last five years, it’s impossible to nail down even a few of our favorite moments. Perhaps the most fun we’ve had came from being the only live show on holidays like 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and doing extended broadcasts on New Years Eve. There’s a special connection when you’re there for people on days they are making memories and celebrating something. Another exciting part is debuting on new stations and getting calls within the first night, sometimes in the first hour. It’s an instant hit almost everywhere. We?ve gotten calls from school buses full of screaming girls, entire jail cellblocks fighting over the phone to be on air, loyal callers who always have something interesting to say and become part of the cast, making mistakes on the air or flubbing a joke and finding a way to make it even funnier and of course, having dozens of people in the studio hanging out and screaming in the background while we broadcast. We are the party that everyone is invited to. It’s About The MusicThere will always be high and low moments for Top 40 music, but based on listener requests, some of the best songs of these past five years have been from either 2021 or 2024. 2020 was absolutely miserable, with the COVID-inspired TikTok surge, a lack of in-car radio listenership and label agendas gaining even more influence at radio. So much has changed since then; they’ve shrunk their promotion staff, shifted focus to streaming and influencers, and stopped giving out golden record plaques to influence program directors. Even now, music from 2014-2020 rarely gets requested today, while the majority of our throwback requests range from 2008-2013.* There are weeks when we simply don’t add anything, and requests continue to pour in for the same recurrents and golds. The biggest current hits last for months! We never add a new song just for the sake of needing something new in rotation. It has to mean something to the audience and be backed up by lots of major, credible stations or big streaming numbers.* In the weekly version of Mason?s Observations, we try to identify not just the current active hits generating streams and requests, we also share the throwbacks that listeners are responding to. Below you’ll find our surprising list of the top songs on Liveline. Top Throwback Requests of All Time Justin Bieber, Ludacris – Baby (2010) Eminem – Lose Yourself (2002) Miley Cyrus – Party in the USA (2009) The Killers – Mr. Brightside (2005) TLC – No Scrubs (1999) Eminem – The Real Slim Shady (2000) Britney Spears – Toxic (2004) Flo Rida, T-Pain – Low (2007) Kesha – TiK ToK (2009) Rihanna, Jay-Z – Umbrella (2007) 50 Cent – In Da Club (2003) Eminem – Without Me (2002) Nicki Minaj – Super Bass (2011) Eminem – Mockingbird (2004) Fergie – Fergalicious (2006) Katy Perry, Snoop Dogg – California Gurls (2010) Usher – Yeah (2004) Bruno Mars – 24k Magic (2016) Rihanna – We Found Love (2011) Nelly – Ride Wit Me (2001) Taylor Swift – Love Story (2008) Katy Perry – Last Friday Night (2011) Sir Mix A Lot – Baby Got Back (1992) Shakira – Hips Don’t Lie (2006) Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way (1999) Outkast – Ms. Jackson (2001) Pitbull, Ne-Yo – Give Me Everything (2011) Taylor Swift – You Belong with Me (2009) Rihanna – S&M (2010) Britney Spears – Baby One More Time (1999) Top Songs of the Past 5 Years The Weeknd – Blinding Lights (2019) Harry Styles – As It Was (2022) The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber – Stay (2021) Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars – Die with a Smile (2024) Glass Animals – Heat Waves (2021) Taylor Swift – Cruel Summer (2019/2023) Morgan Wallen – Last Night (2023) Dua Lipa, DaBaby – Levitating (2021) Miley Cyrus – Flowers (2023) Billie Eilish ? Birds of a Feather (2024) Olivia Rodrigo ? Driver?s license (2021) The Weeknd – Save Your Tears (2021) Olivia Rodrigo – Good 4 u (2021) Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy) (2024) Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow ? Industry Baby (2021) Lizzo – About Damn Time (2022) Tate McRae – Greedy (2023) Doja Cat, SZA – Kiss Me More (2021) SZA – Kill Bill (2023) Olivia Rodrigo – Vampire (2023) So What’s Next?Top 40 radio?s biggest competition is Spotify, not the other stations in the market. We must continue to evolve as a companion and offer the best, most compelling and interactive entertainment show every night. Our goal is to get into more major markets and reach 75 affiliates by the end of 2025.* Our purpose is to provide companionship and build fans from listeners. We are always finding new ways to expand and make the show riveting, whether it be remote broadcasts from national events or places of broad interest, giving away big prizes and hiring more staff to grow the show with fresh ideas and making the overall listening experience top-shelf.* More than anything, it’s been a gift and honor to do this show, working for and with so many great people, but especially John Garabedian who taught me everything I know and love about radio. Without him, I can’t imagine my life and where I’d be. He has invested an astronomical amount of time, money and effort into making this work because he truly believes in the product and has over 65 years of experience in broadcasting. This year he was nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame–fingers crossed! Thanks to every affiliate and listener for being a part of this journey. As we say at the end of every show, “Be Your Dream!? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Liveline with Mason more

From Radio Online: Ballen Studios, the media company founded by storyteller MrBallen, has debuted a new weekly podcast entitled "A Twist of History." The series is available starting today, Wednesday, May 21, on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. "A Twist of History" explores More...

From Radio Online: Smart devices are deeply embedded in the daily audio habits of UK listeners, both at home and on the road, according to The Infinite Dial UK 2025 study, presented today at The Podcast Show in London. The research, conducted by Edison Research and sponsored by SiriusXM Media and AdsWizz, reveals strong growth More...