For Immediate Release:

Friday, December 9, 2022

WCBS-FM Morning Co-Host Patty Steele Is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. The longtime on-air partner to legendary WCBS-FM, New York morning personality Scott Shannon – the abundantly talented Patty Steele – is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series “The Michael Harrison Interview.” For almost nine years, she has served with Shannon on his successful WCBS-FM, New York morning show. Before that she worked with Shannon on ground-breaking stints at WPLJ and Z-100 in the Big Apple. Shannon recently announced his retirement from the show, thus ending its dynamic run. Their last show together will be December 16 live from the Blythedale Children’s Hospital, after which Steele will devote more time to her award-winning podcast, “The Deep 6,” which she co-hosts with Steve Cochran of WLS, Chicago. Steele has co-hosted shows with such icons as Elvis Duran and John Lander on dominant stations in addition to having anchored news for WCBS Newsradio 880, 1010WINS and WOR in New York City. This year, she was honored with a Gracie Award for her “Deep 6” podcast and was named one of Radio Ink’s “Most Influential Women” in radio. She also received the Airblazer Award from Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio. An eight-year breast cancer survivor, this deeply caring wife and mother regularly speaks at fundraisers in the fight against the disease for Susan G. Komen and the TJ Martell Foundation, which honored her in 2018. In 2017, she was the keynote speaker for the Breast Cancer Alliance in Westchester, NY and Greenwich, CT which raised a record $1.7 million and was the featured speaker in 2019 for National Cancer Survivors Day at the Danbury Medical Center. Additionally, she has spoken publicly for children’s causes as well as the fight against addiction. Harrison and Steele discuss her extraordinary radio career, health challenges, the industry in general, and her son’s successful struggle with heroin. Michael Harrison states, “Patty Steele is an extraordinary radio broadcaster and human being. I am gratified that we were able to scratch the surface of her deep well of magic in this conversation.” To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.

Premiere Networks Promotes Annie Zidarevich to SVP of West Coast Operations. Twenty-two-year Premiere Networks staffer Annie Zidarevich is promoted to senior vice president, West Coast operations for the company, effective immediately. Los Angeles-based Zidarevich previously served as VP of West Coast operations. In her new role, she’ll continue to oversee all programming operations for the West Coast.

As part of her role, Zidarevich manages Premiere’s team of broadcast engineers, not only at her home base in Los Angeles, but also in various cities across the country. She also oversees all aspects of the company’s Network Operations Center and staff for the 24/7 operation. Additionally, she manages Premiere’s Los Angeles-based technical producers and associate producers. Prior to assuming her VP role in 2016, Zidarevich served as vice president, network operations for the FOX Sports Radio Network. Zidarevich first joined Premiere in 2000 as an integral member of the team that launched FSR. Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott says, “Annie is a valued member of our operations team, providing insightful leadership, solutions-oriented planning and logistical support for many of our live programs. A veteran of our Los Angeles team, we couldn’t be happier to recognize her with this promotion.” Zidarevich comments, “I love our radio properties, and being a part of their growth and development across multiple platforms continues to motivate me. It’s an honor to work with the best in the business every day and I continue to be inspired by the incredible team around me. I look forward to this next chapter together!”

Dan Dakich and ‘107.5 The Fan’ Part Ways in Indy. According to Awful Announcing’s story, Radio One sports talk station WFNI-AM/WIBC-HD2/W298BB “107.5 The Fan” operations manager David Wood tweeted on Thursday (12/8) that it was Dan Dakich’s last day with the company and “We wish him well in their future endeavors.” Dakich soon followed with his own tweet that said, “Earlier today, I did my last show

for Radio One. I want to thank Radio One, Jeff Smulyan and the whole team at Emmis for a great 14 years. Given the success of my show Don’t @ Me on Outkick and the busy holiday season, this is the perfect time to focus on one show and to make it the best I can possibly make it. I can’t thank all the listeners enough for 14 years of unbelievable fun and controversy. I’m not going anywhere. Catch me every day from 9-11 on Outkick on Don’t @ Me.” In Awful Announcing’s coverage, Brandon Contes writes about Dakich’s controversial history. “Among the ‘controversy’ cited by Dakich in his announcement was a five-day suspension in 2019 from Emmis, which previously owned ‘The Fan.’ Emmis cited ‘a failure (in 2018) on Dan’s part to adhere to the journalistic principles valued by Emmis,’ when they handed Dakich the suspension. He garnered controversy again in 2020 when he called a high school basketball player a ‘meth head’ and threatened to ‘beat the hell out of every school board member.’ In 2021, ESPN investigated a Twitter feud between Dakich and a college professor who accused him of misogynistic comments and doxing her. Dakich parted ways with ESPN later that year.”

TALKERS News Notes. Talk host, station owner, author and highly visible conservative media figure Todd

Starnes is elected to the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters board of directors. Starnes, who owns news/talk KWAM-AM, Memphis “The Mighty 990,” will represent West Tennessee…..On Tuesday of this week (12/6), FOX Sports Radio’s LaVar Arrington – co-host of the network’s weekday morning program “Two Pros and a Cup of Joe” with Brady Quinn and Jonas Knox, and co-host of the nationally-syndicated weekend program/podcast “Up On Game” with TJ Houshmandzadeh and Plaxico Burress – was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Below is a photo of Arrington with fellow College Football Hall of Fame inductees (from l-r) Mark Messner, Mike Doss, Arrington, and Moe Gardner being honored at the 2022 Big Ten Football Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, December 3.

Benztown News Library Service to Talk Radio Passes Decade Mark. Burbank, CA-based radio production and imaging giant, Benztown (established in 2008), is marking over a decade of service to talk

radio with its two high-quality news libraries, “Benztown News” and “Ambush,” which continue to gather rave reviews and count as loyal affiliates scores of legendary news/talk stations including: WTOP, KNX, KLIF, WLS, and KABC among others. Both news libraries are available on a market exclusive basis and contain all unique elements – they do not share content across libraries. Each one provides a comprehensive collection of imaging/production elements, from produced imaging shells to individual work-parts including music beds, loops, FX, actualities, bumpers, rejoiners, sound design and more. Materials are all housed on Benztown’s industry-leading platform. These Benztown resources play a strong role in helping news/talk and news stations of all genres achieve the standout, competitive sound so necessary for success in today’s noisy media marketplace. Programmers should check it out. For more information and to hear a sample of the Benztown news/talk services please click here.

Talkers Books Title Tops Amazon Charts.  The recently-released autobiography by Murray Sabrin titled From Immigrant to Public Intellectual: An American Story (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMZ9WP1F) published by Talkers Books (a TALKERS company) ranks this week by Amazon in the #1 chart positions in

both the categories of “Biographies of Political Leaders” and “Political Freedom.”  The new autobiographical book with a foreword by Michael Harrison is described as a truly American story about an immigrant child’s rise from humble beginnings in a family of Jewish Holocaust survivors from post-WWII Germany to forge a stellar career as an educator, author, political candidate, and influential “public intellectual.” Murray Sabrin explains libertarianism in plain language using his own life story set against a half-century backdrop of changing times. In 1997, Dr. Sabrin made New Jersey political history as the nominee of the Libertarian Party in the state’s gubernatorial election by being the first third-party candidate to gather enough support to meet the requirements for receiving matching funds and a place on the stage at all three debates with the two major party standard bearers. Murray Sabrin, Ph.D. is professor emeritus of finance, Ramapo College of New Jersey. He is considered a “public intellectual” for writing essays about the economy in scholarly and popular publications in addition to his numerous appearances during the past three decades as a talk media guest commenting on political and social issues. He is the author of Tax Free 2000, Why the Federal Reserve Sucks; Universal Medical Care: From Conception to End-of-Life; Navigating the Boom/Bust Cycle; and most recently, The Finance of Health Care: Wellness and Innovative Approaches to Employee Medical Insurance. His commentaries can be followed at murraysabrin.substack.com. TALKERS founder Michael Harrison says, “All of us at TALKERS are so proud of Dr. Sabrin for this stunning accomplishment and delighted that our boutique book publishing arm is able to make an impact on this level in the noisy media world.” Other recent Talkers Books titles include Yappy Days: Behind the Scenes with Newsers, Schmoozers, Boozers and Losers by Bernadette Duncan and The Tall Skinny Jewish Kid with Eyeglasses from Bridgeport: A Radio Guy’s Chance Encounters with the Colorful and Famous by the late Al Herskovitz.  To arrange an interview with Dr. Murray Sabrin to discuss anything from his days as a student growing up in the Bronx during the JFK/LBJ era to his groundbreaking gubernatorial campaign to his present-day status as one of the leading libertarian thinkers and spokespersons in America with insights into inflation, crime, health care and U.S. involvement in foreign affairs – contact Victoria Jones at DC Radio Company. 917-865-3991 or victoria@dcradiocompany.com.

The Georgia Runoff Election, the Challenges to Election Results, and Leadership in the New Congress Come Together as the Top News/Talk Story for the Week of December 5-9. The runoff election for Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker, the Republicans still challenging the results of the November elections, and Kevin McCarthy’s battle to be named House Speaker in the new congress combined as the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers Ten^TM. At #2 this week was former President Donald Trump’s bid for the White House in 2024 and his numerous legal battles, followed by the Supreme Court’s hearing of arguments in the case of North Carolina’s redistricting being scuttled by its state Supreme Court at #3. The Talkers Ten^TM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s complete chart here. 

The Radio Sales Arena is Changing and We Are On the Leading Edge. The key to sales growth in radio going forward is multi-platform digital marketing. In the coming decade, “radio” will simply be the engine driving an increasingly complex and sophisticated array of digitally powered platforms creating endless packages and options for the

advertiser. The keys to success will be in branding that cuts through the noise and surgical targeting that delivers optimum efficiency for agencies that know exactly what they want. The Salem Media Group is leading the way and the opportunities for our sales team are endless. But, right now, we need that special individual who has the tools, the vision and the ambition to get it done. That one special person who truly “gets it.” Jerry Crowley, the longest-running GM in the nation’s largest market, says, “We want one outstanding seller who can take it to the moon! Compensation will reflect potential and performance – salary will range from 50k- 85k plus substantial bonuses and generous commissions.” Candidates should send cover letter and resume to Jerry Crowley, VP/GM, Salem Media Group, NY (WMCA 570am The Mission/WNYM 970am The Answer) at Jcrowley@nycradio.com.

Salem Media New York Seeks Production Director. News/talk “AM 970 The Answer” WNYM and Christian Teach & Talk “AM 570 & 102.3 FM The Mission” WMCA is seeking its next full-time production director. Candidates must be experienced and willing to work in our studios in Lower Manhattan, NYC. Interested candidates can apply directly on our corporate website here.

Tags: 107.5 The Fan, Annie Zidarevich, College Football Hall of Fame, Dan Dakich, David Wood, Emmis, Fox Sports Radio Network, Indianapolis, Jeff Smulyan, Julie Talbott, KWAM-AM, Lavar Arrington, Los Angeles, Memphis, Outkick, Premiere Networks, Radio One, SVP, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, Todd Starnes, West Coast operations, WFNI-AM

Category: Front Page News, Industry News