iHeartMedia to Launch Raleigh Sports Talker
iHeartMedia announces that it will launch a new sports talk station on Monday (8/5) in the Raleigh market on
the HD2 channel of talk WTKK-FM. It will be branded “FOX Sports 106.1 FM HD2” and feature the full lineup of the FOX Sports Radio network. iHeartMedia Multi-Platform Group – Raleigh president Michael Burger says, “Raleigh/Durham has long been a market that has celebrated the best in athletics. Partnering with FOX Sports Radio is an incredible opportunity to share the news and stories that shape the sports world daily. This partnership will also bring unique sponsorships and marketing engagement for existing and new clients. We are incredibly excited to add FOX Sports Radio to our already strong lineup.”
Most recently serving as president of iHeartMedia’s “Pacific Area,” Steve Darnell transfers to Sacramento as metro president, succeeding Sara McClure (see separate story
Effective immediately, nine-year iHeartMedia Sacramento market president Sara McClure transfers within the company to become VP of its Unified Partnerships For California division. Replacing McClure as Sacramento market president is Steve Darnell (see story above). iHeartMedia Unified Partnerships president Michael Preacher states, “I am extremely excited to have Sara join our division. She will be broadening her responsibilities and offering her incredible expertise to leading agency partners throughout California.” McClure looks forward to, as she notes, “advancing my career by joining the Unified Partnership division. This incredible team has unlimited possibilities and I’m excited to bring my scope of marketing and big-idea thinking to our partners.” The Chico State University (California) alum has nearly 30 years of experience as a media executive, including director of sales for Entercom Sacramento, as well as positions at CBS Radio and Sinclair Broadcasting. She will report to United Partnerships EVP Breeanna Malik. Unified Partnerships provides advanced media resources for its ad agency partners.
Former MLB relief pitcher/26-year Philadelphia Phillies radio analyst Larry Anderson; Beasley Media Group account representative Tina Costello; iHeartMedia, Philadelphia news/community affairs director Loraine Ballard Morrill; and long-time (now retired) all-news KYW, Philadelphia anchor/“Reporters Roundup” host Steve Nikazy are among those who will be entering the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia (BPOP) Hall of Fame. Along with six others, these four will be inducted into the Hall at the nonprofit’s gala in approximately four months (11/22). Hosting the BPOP Hall of Fame event will be 15-time Emmy winner/2015 inductee CBS News Philadelphia morning and noon anchor Jim Donovan and former WPVI-TV, Philadelphia sports anchor/2005 HOF honoree Scott Palmer. Founded in 1962, The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia honors the broadcast history of Philadelphia, supporting the next generation of broadcasters through scholarships and educational opportunities and recognizing those who have made lasting contributions to the industry. 
few weeks. Dobbs was part of the debut of CNN in 1980, serving as vice president and host of the “Moneyline” program. He joined FOX Business in 2011 and served there until exiting in 2021 after being named in the Smartmatic defamation suit. During his career, Dobbs also hosted a talk radio show syndicated by United Stations Radio Networks from 2008 through 2012. He also hosted the “Lou Dobbs Financial Report” syndicated by Salem Radio Network. The program “Lou Dobbs Tonight” won an Emmy in 2004, and Dobbs won a George Foster Peabody Award for his coverage of the 1987 stock market crash.
following the retirement of Andy Lohman. Williams is serving as market manager for the company’s Fairbanks, Alaska operations. iHeartMedia division president Dan Lankford says, “I have had the privilege of working with Kim over the past four years while she served as market president for Fairbanks. I’m excited to see Kim’s passion and experience expand to all of the iHeartMedia stations across the entire Alaska and Hawaii area.”
radio stations in Omaha, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Ogallala, and Sioux City. Division president Shosh Abromovich says, “I am thrilled to announce Rhonda as our new area president. Her insightful knowledge of the industry, combined with her sharp skillsets, will undoubtedly drive our team’s growth and development throughout the Nebraska-Iowa Area and throughout iHeartMedia. Her fresh perspective and unwavering dedication to excellence will make her an invaluable asset to our community, our partners, and our listeners.” 
The fourth of four rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio’s June 2024 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. The survey period covered May 23 through June 19. Today, TALKERS managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. Urban One’s Indianapolis news/talk WIBC-FM adds six-tenths to finish the survey with a 7.5 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) but remains ranked #4 in the market. iHeartMedia’s news/talk WISN, Milwaukee rises four-tenths for a 12.5 share finish and racks up its 10thconsecutive month at #1. (Good Karma Brands’ crosstown competitor WTMJ ceased subscribing to the ratings several months ago.) Cox Media Group’s Jacksonville news/talk WOKV-FM added seven-tenths to finish with a 9.4 share that lifts it to the #2 rank. 
iHeartMedia’s news/talk WFLF, Orlando, airing from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. iHeartMedia Orlando SVP of programming Ken Holiday states, “We are thrilled to welcome Jesse Kelly to WFLA Orlando! Starting Monday, July 15, Jesse will bring his unfiltered and unapologetic insights to our listeners. From history to politics to pizza, Jesse’s show has it all in a no-nonsense kind of way. Whether you’re a veteran like Jesse or just a good ol’ fashioned red-blooded American, the show has something for everyone.”
Des Moines cluster that includes news/talk WHO and sports talk KXNO. Thiele joined the Des Moines operations in January of this year. He can be reached at 646-926-6581.
Leland Conway and Mark Larson host from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. KOGO program director Mary Ayala says, “I’m thrilled about our new afternoon lineup. It showcases some incredible local talent who are ready to tackle tough San Diego issues head on in addition to providing listeners with insights and perspectives on national news and politics as we navigate this crucial election year.” Penrose comments, “I am excited about the announcement of this new contract with iHeartMedia and proud to be serving under a great San Diego leadership team. Onward and upward for Newsradio 600 KOGO and San Diego. Let’s GO!”
major market sales at Paycor. iHeartMedia Minneapolis market president Greg Alexander comments, “Eric Lonnquist is a seasoned sales professional in the Minneapolis market. His extensive background in media sales, combined with his leadership roles in major market sales makes him the perfect fit for our team. We are excited to have Eric lead our sales strategy and drive our continued success across our iconic broadcast and digital platforms.” 
women sports athletes and relevant programming to millions of listeners nationwide, and also unlock access to inventory and opportunities for brands to engage.” iHM chief marketing officer Gayle Troberman says, “We’re committed to championing incredible athletes and building further awareness until women’s sports reaches the kind of nationwide and international prominence it has always deserved. It’s humbling and inspiring that the first-ever, dedicated women’s sports reports will start airing with the massive reach of iHeart’s broadcast radio platform and the full-on power of collaboration between world class athletes, incredible journalists, podcasters and the fans. This is a pivotal moment for women’s sports to get heard.” Content will include: “Good Game with Sarah Spain,” and shows hosted by Sheryl Swoopes, Tisha Alyn, Madison Packer, Rennae Stubbs, Caitlin Thompson, and Khristina Williams. 
The fourth of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s May 2024 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. The survey covered April 25 through May 22. Today, TALKERS managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeways from this group of markets. In Austin, Waterloo Media’s news/talk KLBJ-AM is steady with a 4.4 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) and remains ranked #7, while in Raleigh, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WTKK-FM adds a full share for an 8.3 share and climbs to the #2 rank, and in Indianapolis, Urban One’s news/talk WIBC-FM rises 1.2 shares for a 6.9 share finish that lifts it to the #4 rank. In Milwaukee, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WISN posts its ninth straight #1 rank after adding 1.8 shares to finish with a 12.1 share. 
daypart to morning drive, taking over for Maxwell Schaeffer and Amy Sweet, who exited the station earlier this year. He posts a message to Facebook saying, in part, “Iowans are all about connecting with each other and WHO Radio has always been at the heart of that. We’ll have conversations about the most important topics of the day, and we’ll share a few laughs along the way.”
digital. iHeartMedia Cleveland market president Keith Hotchkiss says, “We are delighted to announce the well-deserved promotions of Cindy Hunter and Lauren O’Brien within our sales leadership team. Their exceptional skills, dedication, and vision will undoubtedly propel our market forward and reinforce our commitment to delivering innovative solutions and remarkable experiences for our clients.”
plus three music brands. Williamson previously served as SVP of sales for the station group. iHeartMedia area president for St. Louis and Indianapolis John Beck says, “Leon is a solid and very thoughtful leader. In his nearly two years at iHeartMedia Indianapolis, Leon has done a fantastic job building a solid team and fostering a deep connection with the Indy community. We are excited to have him at the helm in Indianapolis, continuing to drive our success and innovation.” Williamson comments, “As the new market president at iHeartMedia Indianapolis, my commitment is to lead with purpose and uplift our community. My mission is to leverage the power of audio to empower voices, inspire change, and build a legacy of unity and progress.”