iHeartMedia Denies Plans to Sell Podcasting Business
Responding to a report by Bloomberg that the company is exploring the sale of its podcasting segment in order to raise cash and boost its stock price, iHeartMedia released a public statement to The Hollywood Reporter denying the report. THR writes that 
iHeartMedia was talking with “investment bank Moelis & Co and others to possibly sell part of all of its podcast business, which is one of the biggest podcast networks, with shows including ‘Stuff You Should Know,’ ‘Las Culturistas,’ ‘The Breakfast Club’ and more.” The statement from iHeartMedia reads: “While we don’t generally comment on rumors or speculation, I can tell you that we have no plan to sell our podcasting business. iHeart has built the number one podcast publisher in America, with unmatched scale, premium talent and strong financial performance. Podcasting is a core strategic growth engine for our company, and we continue to invest in expanding its reach and potential, including through video podcasting.” See THR’s story here.
written regulations to punish news outlets for speech deemed anti-Trump, threatened the broadcast licenses of TV and radio networks based on their editorial lines, gutted rules against media ownership consolidation, put his thumb on the scales of massive media mergers to benefit Trump allies, and improperly supported midterm campaigns. His consistent abuse of his office demands urgent action from Congress.” The executive director of RSF North America is Clayton Weimers and he is quoted in the organization’s statement saying, “The American people have decisively rejected the Trump administration’s trampling of the Constitution. Few individuals have been more instrumental to the White House’s campaign to weaken the First Amendment than Brendan Carr. The incoming Congress now faces a defining test of its commitment to the Constitution and the freedoms it guarantees. Press freedom cannot be defended through words alone. RSF does not take the question of impeachment lightly. In fact, our organization has never before called for the removal of a US official. But the severity and persistence of Carr’s misconduct demand an extraordinary response. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to hold him accountable. Restoring the FCC’s independence must be central to that effort.” 
the power of talk radio today and continuing into the future. The show currently holds the #7 position on TALKERS “Heavy Hundred” chart of the most important talk radio hosts in America and has a long history of success, blending insightful commentary with humor and engaging discussions on topics that matter most to its 2 million monthly radio listeners.” Pags comments, “I am thrilled to continue my relationship with Compass Media Networks. The great folks at Compass Media Networks have become family and have shown incredible faith in what I do. Growing to 170 stations nationwide in the midst of amazing competition is a great commentary to how well they do what they do.”
current affiliate or not (market exclusive). The program airs live on December 24 and December 25. Erickson says, “Our Christmas Special steps back from the daily headlines. Why does the world feel off balance? What’s our role in it? And why do billions of people still mark the birth of a child 2,000 years ago? We talk with thought leaders and theologians about the bigger questions the holiday puts in front of us.” Stations interested in carrying the special should contact Fisher at The Erick Erickson Show, 
Commission to take news/talk WNTX-AM, Fredericksburg, Virginia off the air due to financial challenges. The station went off air on November 1 as Connoisseur has filed for Special Temporary Authority to keep the station dark while the company considers the future of the signal. WNTX is a Class D AM non-directional with a daytime power of 1000 watts and nighttime power of 37 watts.
(WSB-AM/WSBB-FM). Geter most recently served with Sinclair Broadcast Group as station manager for WCTI-TV and ECTI-TV in Greenville, North Carolina. CMG Atlanta director of sales Kris Hackett Lucas says, “Cherish brings the digital expertise and collaborative approach we were looking for as we continue building on our top Atlanta sales organization. We’re excited to welcome her to the team and look forward to the impact her leadership will have for our clients and our people. She brings a passion for digital marketing that we are all excited about.”
host of the pre- and post-game shows for Brewers baseball as well as for the “Brewers Weekly” show. He posted to social media: “I wish nothing but the best; they gave me an opportunity in the 2022 season to be the new postgame radio host, and that’s not an honor I take lightly. It was 100% my decision. I did the best that I could, and I think WTMJ appreciated my efforts. Sometimes it’s OK to say goodbye. It gets to a point where you need to take a leap of faith. It doesn’t mean I’m going to leave Milwaukee or leave this market.”
this role. Her leadership, infectious enthusiasm and ability to make things happen have made her a go-to for our teams, talent and sales partners. I’m incredibly proud of the leader she has become over the past 10 years. Danielle has earned this opportunity, and we’re thrilled to have her leading marketing and promotions for our legendary New York brands and talent.” The cluster includes news/talk WOR and The Black Information Network WWRL in addition to five music brands.
it’s an AI assistant for U.S. veterans and first responders, their families and “anyone looking for a great friend.” Humphries says that the reality of occupations like soldier or first responder is that “isolation hurts people more than the job does.” The press kit for Coach Jeff paints a picture these Americans are all too aware of: “You come home from the job and you can’t put it down. You can’t say it to your wife without scaring her, to your boss without being judged, or to a stranger without being handled. So, you say nothing.” As a talk host, Humphries spent years listening to people 
in exactly that spot, and he puts it simply: isolation is the accelerant, and connection is the antidote. The AI is based on a real Army military police soldier and combat veteran named Jeff Pelton, who helped build the product. Humphries says users know that Coach Jeff is AI “but he is always there, he remembers you and he calls it like it is.” 
Audio Group, led by podcasting, and our Audio and Media Services Group both continued to deliver strong results and profitability. Given the accelerating adoption of audio programmatic, we believe that the continuing rollout of our AudioGraph platform has the potential to meaningfully improve the performance of our broadcast radio business, enabling us to meet the advertising community the way they want to buy advertising.” The company reports a net loss of $8.2 million for the quarter, down significantly from the $65.8 million it reported a year ago. President and COO Rich Bressler adds, “In Q3 the Digital Audio Group’s revenue was $389 million, up 13.8% vs. prior year, and our Q3 Adjusted EBITDA margins were 32.8%. While this quarter was negatively impacted by a number of factors, we believe many of our revenue challenges are addressable – and beginning in 2027, we expect to establish podcasting as a separate reporting segment, which will provide greater insight into its financial performance and make it easier to fully value all four of our segments and our entire company.”
same period a year ago. Urban One CEO and president Alfred C. Liggins, III says, “Market conditions in radio continued to adversely impact revenue in the third quarter. We were helped by net political revenue of over $0.8 million in the quarter and the acquisition of stations in our Dallas market, effective July 17th, which contributed an additional $1.9 million of net revenue in the quarter. Net political revenue for the full year is expected to be $8.8 million across all divisions. Weak demand in the Cable TV scatter market, shifted more inventory to the direct response category at lower rates in the third quarter. We saw an increase in local digital revenue in our radio markets, but large client attrition and suppressed rates in national direct digital revenue meant significant revenue declines in the overall digital segment… Management is hyper-focused on cost reductions heading into next year and has identified at least $20 million of annualized savings.”
“‘Radio Mambí’ [WAQI-AM] is an institution. For decades, it has been the voice of a community that understands the value of freedom because it has fought to preserve it. We are honored to continue that tradition and ensure ‘Radio Mambí’ remains a trusted source of news, information, and conversation for generations to come.” Newsmax Radio and Audio CEO Ralph Renzi adds, “We are excited to serve the communities of South Florida through these legendary radio stations and to expand the Newsmax brand in this important and dynamic market. WAQI and WQBA have deep roots in South Florida, and we look forward to building on their legacy while creating new opportunities to inform, engage, and connect with their audiences.” Newsmax says expects to begin its operations and programming for the stations in the coming months. The transaction is subject to customary FCC and other regulatory approvals and conditions.
Make sure that you and your client are engaging monthly to ensure Proof of Performance, so that your campaign yield will be ready for harvest (renewal). Agree that the measure of success will be both monthly customer counts, and new customer revenue.
independent director on the SiriusXM Board of Directors since March 2025 and will remain a member of the Board of Directors following her appointment. She currently serves as CEO of Tubi. SiriusXM Chairman of the Board Greg Maffei says, “Anjali has built some of the most successful consumer entertainment platforms. In her previous roles, she scaled audiences, expanded platforms, and led businesses supported by both advertising and subscription models. As a member of our Board, she has intimate knowledge of our business and strategy. With her digital media experience, CEO-level success, and Board perspective, we are confident Anjali will hit the ground running and build on our momentum as we continue to execute against our objectives. We believe she will be an outstanding CEO for SiriusXM.” 
women pursuing greater leadership responsibilities across the radio industry. The year-long program provides personalized mentorship, executive-level guidance and professional development opportunities to help participants advance their careers. The program welcomes applicants from a wide range of disciplines, including sales, marketing, programming, digital, operations and other areas of radio management. 
addresses listening by radio format and again this quarter news/talk remains the number one format, with a 10.2% share of total radio listening among P18+. “It is even stronger with older listeners, at 11.5% among P35+. Sports captured 4.5% of total radio listening among P18+ and 4.6% among P25-54, as football season kicked off and baseball headed into its pennant races. All-news held a 2.7% share among P18+ and 3.0% among P35+.” Spoken word radio stations dominated streaming listening. “News/talk, sports and all-news together account for about 36% of station streaming among P18+, roughly double their 17% share of all radio listening. News/talk takes 22.1% of AM/FM station streaming among P18+, more than twice its share of total radio. That rises to 24.2% among P35+. Sports is the No. 1 streamed format among P25-54, at 13.0%, and takes 10.3% of station streaming among P18+.” 
the U.S. and Global Multi-Channel rankings. For the U.S., this includes iHeart Audience Network seeing a 12% increase in audience; iHeart Podcasts – 10% increase in audience; Fox Audio Network – 9% increase in audience; and NPR Sales Network – 9% increase in audience. In the Global Multi-Channel Publisher & Network Ranking, FOX Audio Network saw an 18% increase in downloads, views and plays; PRX – 18% increase in downloads, views and plays; and iHeart Audience Network – 3% increase in downloads, views and plays.
Miami and WQBA-AM, Miami (both 50,000 watts Class B signals) from Latino Media Network for $1.8 million. The stations were acquired by Latino Media Network as part of a 2022 $60 million deal with TelevisaUnivision. These will be Newsmax’s first radio properties. There has been no official statement from Newsmax about its plans for the stations.
This is not about politics. This is about change, and listening to listeners.
forward, that reality should shape the work of the FCC. We ought to be focused on lowering costs, protecting consumers, and ensuring every family can get online. I stand ready to work with members of Congress from both parties to restore a fully staffed, bipartisan Commission as Congress intended. We must rebuild public trust in the FCC by returning the public interest standard to its original meaning as an obligation to communities rather than a tool for political pressure. That means defending the First Amendment and a free press from government interference, advancing competitive innovation that smartly protects our communications networks, and delivering real results for consumers.”