Country music is the format where the storytellers who write the songs are as successful as the stars who sing them. Few genres outside Country still do that today, but those that do, like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Olivia Rodrigo, are dominant because of it.

This trend is as much about the demise of radio as a venue for spoken word content as it is for podcasts’ growth in the format. It’s also about the necessity for radio stations to be more than a pure-play one-platform medium.

The use of high-profile on-air personalities isn’t a new trend to radio. The glory years of radio from the 1960s through the 1990s had many big names on-air. Talent who were known for generating big ratings. It is fair to note that the erosion of audience levels began in the mid-90s following deregulation, but it was the rapid consolidation of the early 2000s that found many air talent being eliminated. One would think that the best of the best would have been retained, but t

The Intercollegiate Broadcast System (IBS) is an organization that supports both college and high school media outlets and organizations. It was formed in 1940 and is a volunteer organization led by passionate educators and broadcasters who are engaged and passionate about student media. Some of the largest audiences I’ve spoken to have been at the IBS as student broadcasters attend from across North America and the world.

News bulletins interrupting programming have become almost commonplace on both multiple national and cable channels over the last two weeks. We’re all watching a real-life, real-time crime story unfold.

The time was different. Consolidation of radio stations under fewer owners was ramping up. The FCC changed limit rules and was in the process of changing how many stations you can own, and then expanded how radio markets themselves were defined, allowing for increased consolidation. The rating service was Arbitron and not Nielsen. The Portable People Meter was being tested in several markets and had not yet been fully launched. The times and approaches to operation were vastl

Shadow or not, I am over this winter and its cold temperatures with record snowfall. Done. No more, please.

When a storm of the magnitude of this one hits, many don’t stop to think about what happens when there is no WiFi, no cable, no electricity. Cell service is down. Phones are out. That’s when they start looking for an old fashioned portable battery powered radio. This is when radio has to step in and provide advance warnings across all platforms, warning that preparation should take place to be prepared for a powerless world, and that communication will be limited.

Personalities, live and local or nationally syndicated, have been shown to lead to success. Great talent are the one thing that a competitor cannot easily duplicate. My belief is that in a world where music is available everywhere, personalities are an important part of “the success model” for the business of broadcasting. That’s what led me to create the 6 Ps adapted for on-air talent...

Transparency was limited as to what you were up against in a rating battle. The rating services of the past provided more top-line information than insight, enabling a deep dive, as they do today.

Predicting anything is truly guessing, but it’s what we do at this time of year, as it’s a fun way to create debate and open discussion. In this case, the future is the future. The holidays are, after all, a time for rest and reflection. That’s a sure way to clear our minds and engage our imaginations.

The New Year is always famous for resolutions, promises we make to ourselves, and those things we fantasize about accomplishing in the new year. All too often, like a gym membership, they’re forgotten by Groundhog Day. Not this year. This year, I’m sticking to my resolutions.

We cannot control more than what we’re responsible for, but we can do that. We can identify that political Talk Shows are Commentary, and that General Talk Shows are Entertainment and Opinion.

While it’s tough to ignore the competition, set aside the actual content that’s being presented, or the downgrading of the listening environment, and think about what would cause even Top 40 formatted stations to overshoot the perceived sweet spot.

Be it for the inauguration of the President, natural disasters, acts of violence, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, or the government shutdown, this year will be remembered as one with an exceptionally active news cycle. The era we’re living in is at times divisive, be it based on differences of opinion or on disparate beliefs and lifestyles.

The fact that a consumer born between 1991 and 2007 finds music from the 80s and 90s attractive shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Yet it was. Mainly because of the naysayers who are pounding the drum that younger listeners have no connection to nostalgia. Arguably a falsehood.

While many heralded the radio receiver’s dominance after receiving the news, my reaction was more of concern than confidence. It’s hard for me to celebrate research results that support legacy technology versus the delivery platforms that younger audiences use for entertainment and information. How can we as an industry be excited when audio is viewed as hot and growing as sought-after content on multiple platforms, and radio isn’t seeing that growth?

Local is harder than generating big revenue from national (when you have bigger ratings), but it is more resilient, consistent, and not dependent on ratings. Local advertisers were better at weathering the extreme storms of this past summer and fall, seemed to ignore the reports of a dire economy, and even carried the financial load during a global pandemic.

History has shown it is possible. The AM band was desolate in 1988 when Rush Limbaugh was first nationally syndicated. Following the elimination of the FCC Fairness Doctrine, Limbaugh built a following that not only brought an audience to the AM band but also exposed the talk format in unusual locations.

This year’s Forecast 2026 is shaping up to continue the tradition of great speakers and transformational information. It’s the most educational seminar that I attend annually. From shortly before sunrise to a bit after sunset, it is one great speaker after another. Leaders for Radio and Television are always in attendance. In recent years as media delivery on multiple platforms has become commonplace, we’ve seen the expansion of topics from participating speakers with broad k

Last week on Thursday night media executives from all corners of the nation came together as the National Radio Hall of Fame inducted 10 individuals who made a mark in Radio. I am blessed to have been one of those who were recognized for their career accomplishments in the business. An executive, a consultant, and 8 talent who left their indelible mark on the original audio medium upon which all others are a branch of the media tree.

The lights are out. A deep cleansing breathe to relax. A chance to reflect on the day. I find myself staring at the ceiling and waiting for the Gremlins to come visit and keep me awake. There are so many things that enter my mind after a long day as I think of our business and the challenges that face us as an industry. Those thoughts are not rooted in panic or worry, but rather concern for inaction and opportunities that are mostly ignored. Prior to the Pandemic, which has b

Despite a warming trend over the last few days in the east, and unusual weather in the west, it is officially fall in the northern hemisphere. A return to Standard Time is right around the corner. Pop-up costume shops are here. Pumpkin patches are easy to find. Halloween is upon us. Halloween is the second largest holiday of the year in the United States. Americans spend an estimated $6 Billion annually on the holiday. Of that number, $2.5 Billion is attributed to the purchas

A week doesn’t go by that I am not talking to friends and colleagues on both sides of the political aisle. Despite the belief that there are two teams (political parties) that are extremely different in their beliefs, it’s not what the research supports. The disparity of perceptions tends to be because of the noise level of the extreme opinions on both sides of the two major political parties. The research that I’ve seen regarding the political opinion of Americans is that mo