Monday, December 19, 2022
Pending Business: Touch. Radio sales pro
Steve Lapa says we use the word “touch” in many ways in our business. “We ask how many times we ‘touch’ the listener or viewer, ‘touch’ on key sales points during sales calls, ‘touch’ the high points in an internal meeting, creative that ‘touches’ the audience, and how about that on-air talent who has a great ‘touch’ with a host read.” With that in mind, he offers 10 touch points that sellers and managers should consider as they look ahead to the first quarter of 2023. Read it
here.
Monday Memo: CES2023 Stocking Stuffer. After what feels like the busiest week of the year, “most people exhale, and relax.” But consultant
Holland Cooke will soon be among “a hundred thousand techie nerds in overdrive” in Las Vegas. In this week’s column, HC explains why the media there are “admonished NOT to call this ‘The Consumer Electronics Show,’” and he has a holiday gift for
TALKERS readers. See his column
here.
Beasley Media Group Flips KXTE-FM, Las Vegas to Hot Talk. The company transitions KXTE-FM, Las Vegas from alternative rock to hot talk as the station re-brands as “X-1075/ Xtreme Radio.” Beasley Media Group says, “The new hot talk format will have an emphasis on topical male ‘guy talk’ content, with
alternative music heard throughout the fabric of the station, including weekends!” The daily lineup is: “
Dave &
Chuck” (WRIF, Detroit-based and syndicated by
Key Networks) 3:00 am to 6:00 am; longtime KXTE morning personalities “
Dave and
Mahoney” 6:00 am to 10:00 am; “Free Beer and Hot Wings” (syndicated by
Compass Media Networks) 10:00 am to 3:00 pm; and “Dave and Chuck” 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Beasley EVP and COO
Brian Beasley states, “We are thrilled to bring this unique format to the Las Vegas market. It’s the ultimate talent lineup all heard on one station!” Beasley VP and market manager
Peter Burton adds, “Given the recent acquisition of KXTE as well as ‘Dave and Mahoney’ we are excited to re-launch this brand which at one time was a Las Vegas listener favorite.” Company chief content officer
Justin Chase comments, “With Beasley’s continued focus on building best-in-class brands with highly unique and relatable content, we’re excited to reintroduce Vegas’ ‘Xtreme’ brand and a new dynamic talent lineup. This station will be one of a kind!”
Dan Bongino Says He Won’t Renew with Cumulus. Nationally syndicated talk show host Dan Bongino told his listeners on Friday (12/16) that when his contract with Cumulus Media’s Westwood One comes up
in a year and a half, he won’t renew to continue the radio program, according to numerous media reports, including this
one in the
Washington Examiner. Bongino wasn’t specific about why but said the decision “really sucks because I spent a lot of time building this and I love it and it’s grown on me.” He added that when Cumulus first approached him, he didn’t want to do it, but eventually changed his mind and agreed he would do it “for a limited amount of time.” Bongino says he intends to continue his podcast (which is currently repped by Cumulus) and his Saturday evening
FOX News Channel show.
Salem Hosts Appear at AMERICA Fest. Pictured above is Salem Radio Network and Salem News Channel talk host Dennis Prager with a fan as he signed copies of his latest edition of The Rational Bible at AMERICA Fest 2022 in Phoenix over the weekend. The event – organized by SRN personality Charlie Kirk – runs through Tuesday (12/20) and has attracted 11,500 conservative activists from all 50 states as well as A-listers Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO). Salem host Eric Metaxas appeared over the weekend and officer Brandon Tatum will broadcast his SRN/SNC program live from AMERICA Fest today (12/19).
KDWN, Las Vegas’ Steve Sanchez Helps Toy for Tots. KDWN, Las Vegas early evening talk show host Steve Sanchezis pictured above at The PASS Casino where his radio program helped get donated toy for his program’s Toy for Tots Drive. Sanchez says the drive was a huge success thanks to his loyal listeners.
The Economy/The Fed’s Rate Hikes, Musk’s Twitter Actions, January 6 Criminal Referrals/Proud Boys Trials, Border Security, China’s COVID Outbreak/U.S. Tripledemic, Russia-Ukraine War, and the World Cup Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The slowing inflation combined with the Fed’s ongoing interest rate hike strategy and concerns about a 2023 recession; Elon Musk’s suspension of journalists from Twitter, his poll on whether he should remain CEO and Senator Elizabeth Warren’s letter to Tesla’s board of directors questioning Musk’s dedication to his CEO role; the January 6 Committee’s plan to reveal criminal referrals about those involved in the Capitol attack and the beginning of the trial of Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four others; the looming expiration of Title 42 and the influx of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border; the global economic effects of China’s COVID outbreak and the tripledemic of COVID, RSV and influenza in the U.S.; Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine; and Argentina beats France in the World Cup final were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Tags: 2023, alternative rock, AMERICA Fest, Beasley Media Group, Brian Beasley, CES, Compass Media Networks, consultant, Cumulus Media, Dan Bongino, Dave & Chuck, Dave & Mahoney, Dennis Prager, Detroit, Free Beer and Hot Wings, guy talk, Holland Cooke, Justin Chase, KDWN, Key Networks, KXTE-FM, Las Vegas, Monday Memo, news/talk radio, Pending Business, Peter Burton, radio sales, Salem Radio Network, Steve Sanchez, Talkers Magazine, touch, Toys for Tots, Westwood One, WRIF, X-1075, Xtreme Radio
Category: Front Page News, Industry News