TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter Less Than Three Weeks Away
The dynamic agenda is set for the 28th installment of the annual TALKERS conference that will take place on Friday, June 5 at Hofstra University on Long Island. The longest running and most important national talk media conference – TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter – will feature more than 60 outstanding speakers in a power-packed day (8:00 am – 6:00 pm) chock full of existential industry takeaways and platform/career building networking opportunities. The conference is heading toward being an early sellout. Don’t be shut out!
All sessions will take place on the state-of-the-art “Soundstage A” of Hofstra’s multi-award-winning Lawrence Hebert School of Communication and will be video recorded for later presentation and historic posterity on a number of prominent platforms. In addition to the panel discussions, special presentations and keynote address, these recordings will also include one-on-one video interviews with attendees and speakers conducted by Hofstra’s excellent team of reporters, producers, and videographers.
TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison states, “The thorough video documentation of this event brings the excitement to an even higher level. This is turning out to be one of the most important installments of the annual TALKERS extravaganza.”
For up to the minute agenda, registration, and hotel information, please click here.
Although I don’t have a machine to play it, I have saved the cart. December 9, 1980, the sad morning-after John Lennon died, Charles Osgood, doleful: “I read the news today. Oh boy.” That morning’s CBS World News Roundup – and on-hour newscasts throughout that day – delivered more moments that would keep you sitting in a parked car at your destination. As they would 3 months later when President Reagan was shot. Then soon again when Pope John Paul II was severely wounded in St. Peter’s Square. And five years yonder, when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds into its flight.
fighters. ‘The Pennsylvania Posse’ brings together some of the toughest and most influential conservative voices in the Keystone State.” Appearing on the program will be GOP strategist and political insider Mike Barley, Pennsylvania State Senators Doug Mastriano and Jarrett Coleman, and Pennsylvania State Representative Stephanie Borowicz. JFMN adds, “‘The Pennsylvania Posse’ will tackle the biggest issues facing Pennsylvania and the nation: election integrity, border security, energy independence, inflation, parental rights, government corruption, the economy, and the battle to save the American Dream.” This show joins the other state-focused weekly programs: “Texas Truth Line” (Tuesdays), “Peach Crew” (Wednesdays), “DC Dispatch” (Thursdays), and “Virginia Gang” (Fridays).
formats. The program is hosted by talk radio personality Larry O’Connor and tells the stories of America’s military heroes, the families who serve by their side, and how Fisher House plays a role in their journey. Fisher House Foundation provides a home away from home for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. Fisher Houses provide temporary, free lodging so families can be close to their loved ones during medical care because “A Family’s LOVE is Good Medicine.” This year’s program features a special focus on the incredibly inspiring victories our wounded warriors enjoy on the field of competitive, adaptive sports. Fisher House supports the Wounded Warrior Games and the Invictus Games as a vital part of the physical, emotional, and mental healing process for our wounded veterans. Listeners will hear about the riveting war stories detailing the injuries these heroes sustained, the ensuing medical and therapeutic healing process, right through the triumph on the field of international sports, as these brave veterans continue their dedication of service, representing America in international competition. 
many other prominent political and religious leaders including Rev. Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan’s Purse; Pastor Allen Jackson of World Outreach Church in Tennessee; U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Evangelist Alex McFarland; U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC); Dr. Erwin Lutzer, former head of Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute; and United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. SRN vice president of News and Talk Programming Tom Tradup says, “This special series will give national prominence to the religious freedoms Americans are blessed to enjoy in the words of men and women who are strong leaders in both political and religious life in our nation.”
was heard on Datatech Digital’s WGMD, Rehoboth Beach and WUSX-FM, Seaford in Delaware. Wade’s primary career was in engineering and technology. But he ran for the U.S. Senate unsuccessfully became a regular guest host on “The Talk of Delmarva.” The station says, “Friends, colleagues, and listeners remember Wade as a determined advocate who never hesitated to stand up for his beliefs. Despite facing health challenges in recent years, he remained engaged in public discourse and continued contributing to conversations important to the Delmarva community.”
syndication.” Red Apple says is has brought aboard former CBS Radio broadcast journalists Michael Wallace, Cooper Lawrence, Bill Rehkopf, and Matt Pieper as “the first major hires in what will be a rapid buildout of the network’s team of elite news anchors, correspondents, writers, and producers.” Harris says, “We are assembling top-tier journalists and building a modern radio news operation rooted in speed, authority, and facts – one that stations can rely on and listeners can trust.” Red Apple Media owner and CEO John Catsimatidis adds, “Our mission is to be the most trusted news gathering organization in media. We are creating a powerful, around-the-clock newsroom designed to compete at the highest level of broadcast audio news. Facts are what will drive the Worldwide News Network. We’re looking forward to our expansion in the European markets.”
a year ago. Additionally, Urban One reports a net loss of approximately $3.1 million for the period, compared to the net loss of $11.7 million it reported in Q1 of 2025. Urban One CEO and president Alfred C. Liggins, III states, “First quarter revenue was soft across all divisions, with TV down 18.5%, Digital down 33.5%, Radio down 6.4% and Reach Media dropped by 17.0%. We had budgeted for a down-quarter in our Radio and TV divisions, but not at Reach Media and Digital… In Radio, our Miller Kaplan local Radio revenues were down 5.5% year-over-year vs the market down 7.1% and national was down 8.2%, vs the market down 6.7%. Including local digital, first quarter Radio revenue was down 2.8%. We did approximately $1.0 million in gross political advertising in the first quarter and have another $1.0 million on the books for the second quarter. Radio second quarter is pacing down 2.6%. We are in a turnaround situation at Reach Media, where we continue to be impacted by a weak marketplace, key client attrition and sales team re-building. Digital also had a soft first quarter, driven by weak advertiser demand but second quarter is forecasted to be up, and there is optimism for the back half of the year based on the current sales pipeline.”
Kevin Kinkead at Crossing Broad reports, The station will be ending local weekday programming at 6:00 pm, airing a two-hour “best of” show from 6 to 8, and then shifting to national programming afterward. That’s according to super-secret sources. It means the Fanatic will broadcast its normal daypart lineup – Kincade and Salciunas in the morning, Marks and Brace middays, and then ‘Unfiltered’ with Bill Colarulo and Ricky Bo in the afternoon, but there will no longer be Fanatic hosts doing local shows after 6 p.m. For instance, no Kevin Cooney or Brendan Gunn on the evening shift, which had been generically branded as “Philly Sports Tonight.” 
include news/talk stations KSDR-AM and KWAT-AM in Watertown along with four music-formatted signals. Connoisseur CEO Jeff Warshaw says, “Riverfront Broadcasting being a South Dakota-based company, understands the local market and can carry on providing local content and will excel in serving the community.” Riverfront president Carolyn Becker comments, “We are very happy to bring local ownership and local focus back to these great stations in the community.”
(FNN), and 2060 Digital have achieved consistent growth in revenue, profitability, and audience reach. The organization is on track to exceed last year’s performance and outperform its 2026 budget, reflecting strong results across digital, audio, video, and social platforms.” Oxley adds, “Our success is the result of extraordinary people doing exceptional work every day. I’ve been fortunate to work alongside some of the most talented journalists, finance people, marketers, sales professionals, tech people and leaders in the industry.” Hubbard Broadcasting president and CEO Ginny Hubbard states, “Joel’s leadership, integrity, and deep commitment to excellence have shaped this organization for decades. His impact on our people and our brands is lasting, and we are grateful for his remarkable service. We are also incredibly grateful that he is willing to continue offering his experience and expertise to the company once he steps away from leading WTOP-WFED’s daily operations and strategy.”
Buffalo to Cumulus Media’s WGRF-FM “97 Rock” as the flagship radio station for the Buffalo Bills Radio Network. The marks a return to “97 Rock” after 14 years with WGR. In the Bills broadcast booth will be Chris Brown, who returns for his fourth season as play-by-play announcer, joined by color analyst and former Bills Pro Bowl center Eric Wood for his seventh season. Bills legend Steve Tasker will join the game day coverage team as the sideline reporter.
day leads up to the New York Yankees pre-game show at 6:35 pm and the play-by-play broadcast with Dave Sims and Suzyn Waldman. WFAN brand manager Ryan Hurley comments, “In a city that lives for baseball, WFAN is proud to serve as the flagship home for the Yankees, and a year-round destination for fans of both New York clubs to stay up-to-date and informed about their favorite team. We are excited to celebrate this legendary rivalry alongside MLB at their New York flagship store and bring the passion New York sports fans have.” 
2025. Looking at Salem’s business segments, the company reports Broadcast Programming Revenue (from local and national block programming) of $17.2 million in Q1 of 2026, while Broadcast Advertising Revenue (national & local spot, network advertising) was $9.27 million during the quarter. Meanwhile, Salem’s total digital revenue for the period was $18.1 million. Salem Media announced this week that it is in the process of being acquired by WaterStone in a stock purchase deal that will take the company private. 
For years, Harrison Legal Group has informed media creators about the legal risks of using copyrighted clips, songs, images, and broadcasts without permission. The issue became central enough to inspire my book, Playing the Clip: The Definitive Digital Media Creator’s Guide to Fair Use (TALKERS Books, 2026). The premise was straightforward: modern media runs on borrowed material, but borrowing comes with legal exposure.
SVP, Sport Studio & Entertainment since 2023. ESPN president of content Burke Magnus states, “In his nine years with ESPN, Mike has continually demonstrated his collaborative leadership style and excellent organizational and management skills, as well as his boundless vision, innovation and creativity. I am confident that he will continue to do so in his new role and help make us better every day.” The company says Foss will continue collaborating closely with “The Pat McAfee Show” and he will oversight of ESPN’s Creative Content Unit and Studio Enhancement Team.
available to radio hosts and producers free of charge. Kaye says, “I built this for me. I needed a faster way to break down what the media was actually saying versus what they were leaving out. Then I showed it to a few people. Then a few more. And it hit me. Every American deserves this tool. Not just hosts. Not just journalists. Everyone.” Kaye says RightPen.ai’s signature feature is the trademark Red Pen Correction Tool, which marks up news articles and headlines the way an English teacher marks up a bad essay. Bias gets circled. Spin gets crossed out. Missing context gets added in. The corrections appear directly on the article itself. Hosts or producers interested can reach out to Mark Kaye at 
policy, and geopolitical risk into clear, Main Street common sense. In each episode, Yates draws on his decades of experience across government, policy, and advisory roles to break down how decisions are made at the highest levels, and what they mean for the United States and the world.” Yates comments, “The world comes at you fast, not just at the White House, but at your house. My pledge to you in each episode is to deliver concise, experience-driven insight into how decisions are made at the highest levels, what they mean for the United States, and what they mean for your world.”
says, “This summer’s World Cup will be the biggest yet, with more teams than ever competing as the U.S. Men’s National Team takes the global stage on home soil, and we’re thrilled to partner with FOX Sports to bring this monumental tournament to our combined audiences. This partnership allows us to deliver complete, live coverage at an unprecedented scale, reaching fans wherever they are – at home, in the car or on the go – and connecting them to the passion and unforgettable moments of the World Cup.”
this deal will “strengthen Salem’s longterm mission across radio, digital media, streaming, podcasting, television, and publishing.” Company co-founder and board member Edward Atsinger III says, “For the last 10 years the Atsinger and Epperson families have been looking for a successor that would continue to carry the torch of delivering quality Christian and conservative media into the next generation and beyond. When we met with WaterStone some 24 months ago we believed it was a divine appointment. WaterStone is deeply aligned with the vision we had when our families founded this company.” Richard von Gnechten is chairman of Salem Media’s board of directors and president of WaterStone. He comments, “This is about building on what makes Salem unique. Salem has spent decades earning the trust of listeners, ministries, advertisers, and audiences by staying true to its mission. WaterStone believes deeply in that mission and in the people behind it. This partnership gives Salem additional strength and longterm stability while creating new opportunities to expand its reach for the future – which is why we are making this investment.” This deal is expected to close in August, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
adds that it recorded operating income of $7.7 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared to an operating loss of $0.3 million in Q1 of 2025. The increase in operating income was driven primarily by the sale of its Fort Myers stations. Beasley also reported net income of approximately $3.2 million compared to a net loss of $2.7 million, reported a year ago. Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley comments, “While first quarter results continued to reflect pressure in certain legacy advertising categories and an uneven pace of recovery across our markets, we made meaningful progress against the strategic priorities we outlined over the past year. Importantly, we continue to see strong momentum in digital, particularly in our owned and operated products, which grew year-over-year on a same station basis and now represent an increasingly important contributor to both revenue quality and long-term profitability. Markets with stronger digital adoption continue to demonstrate greater revenue stability, reinforcing our confidence in the long-term direction of the business.”
These are scary times. People on all sides of the mic are on the front lines. Not just “them,” otherwise referred to as the audience. We try to fool ourselves into thinking that society and civilization are relatively “safe.” However, simply being alive and stepping outside in the morning, turning on the computer, or checking the annoyingly smart phone, puts us smack dab in the middle of a war. Literally and figuratively. But like so much else in this modern era, this war lacks foundation.
Club at an awards ceremony held last Friday (5/8). Snowden’s award-winning investigation centered on a high-profile TikTok personality and party promoter who organized a massive West Side gathering despite explicit police warnings regarding potential violence. The event, which drew nearly 1,000 attendees, was followed by three separate shootings that left two people dead. Sylvia’s report revealed the promoter was a Chicago Public Schools employee; her continued coverage tracked his initial suspension with pay and his eventual return to the classroom following a district investigation.
Audio Group continued its strong momentum, with revenues up 18% year over year, slightly ahead of our guidance, while our Podcasting revenues grew 26.9% compared to prior year, above our guidance. We are announcing a new savings initiative that will generate an additional $50 million of annualized savings, in addition to our previously announced $100 million of in-year 2026 savings, as well as now paying minimal cash taxes in 2026, which we expect will have a $150 to $200 million impact over the next 3 years. And today we are reaffirming our Full Year Adjusted EBITDA guide of $800 million and our Free Cash Flow guide of $200 million.” The company is also expecting the increase in programmatic revenue to be some $200 million (+50%) during 2026. 
could not have anticipated today’s streaming options. This resolution reflects growing concern that sports programming is increasingly fragmented across exclusive digital platforms, forcing fans to purchase multiple subscriptions, maintain reliable broadband access and navigate a maze of services just to follow their favorite teams. It calls on congress to assess whether these evolving distribution practices are covered under the law, serve the public interest and preserve broad fan access to sports programming.” NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt says, “We commend the state broadcasters associations for their leadership and engagement on this important issue. Local television remains the only universally available video platform in America, delivering live sports, trusted local news, emergency information and essential public service to every community. Policymakers should put fans first and ensure that the future of sports distribution preserves broad access through free, local broadcast television.”