Super Bowl Ad addresses Anti-Semitism. ABOUT THE BLUE SQUARE ALLAINCE At Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, we are dedicated to combating anti-Semitism through positive messaging and partnerships. Our initiative, Stand Up to Jewish Hate, is designed to empower both non-Jews and Jews to become defenders and up standers for the Jewish community. We are passionate about promoting understanding, empathy, and tolerance among different groups, and our ultimate goal is to create a more inclusive and accepting world for all.

The post Super Bowl Commercial Address Anti-Semitism appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.

Every quarter, Edison Podcast Metrics releases new data detailing the entire U.S. weekly podcast consumption space. This week we’re looking exclusively at the top new shows; podcasts that debuted in 2025 and have the largest weekly listening audience over the entire year.

The podcasts on this list cover a wide variety of genres and feature a range of perspectives and voices. As you review, keep in mind that launching a podcast earlier in the year can boost a show’s audience average, consistent with year-end rankings for movies, songs, and television shows.

The Record is a look at the ad-supported audio landscape in the U.S. using Edison Research Share of Ear data and Nielsen format data.
The Record has just been released for Q4 2025.  Click here to view The Record for Q4 2025 

The post The Top Ten New Podcasts of 2025 appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.

Bono has voiced strong concerns about Donald Trump’s impact on America, describing Trump as “potentially the worst idea that ever happened to America.” Bono highlights that America is more than just a country; it’s an idea rooted in “justice and equality for all.” Click here to see the Instagram video.

The post Bono Goes Political On Trump appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.

Drake has lost $1 million (£730,000) after placing a high-stakes bet on the Super Bowl. The rapper wagered on the New England Patriots to win ahead of Sunday’s 2026 Super Bowl. However, the team were beaten 29-13 by the Seattle Seahawks, leaving Drake empty-handed. A day before the game, the Hotline Bling hitmaker shared proof of the bet on Instagram, posting an image of the slip alongside the caption, “Bet against me if you dare.” He also disclosed that a Patriots victory would have seen him more than double his money, with estimated winnings of $2.95 million (£2.18 million).

The God’s Plan rapper suffered another costly defeat at the 2025 Super Bowl, where he placed a $1 million bet on the Kansas City Chiefs, who ultimately lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. Drake has previously denied the curse, pointing to the 2019 championship win by the Toronto Raptors, the basketball team he supports.

“The Drake Curse is funny to me, honestly,” he said in an Instagram video in May last year. “First of all, the Raptors won a championship, so nobody could ever talk to me about the Drake Curse.” The Canadian rapper signed an endorsement deal with the online casino platform Stake in 2022.

The post Drake Lost Money On The Super Bowl appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.

BridgeRatings: Dave Van Dyke

For decades, radio has leaned on a comfortable word to describe what happens between the microphone and the listener: personality. We talk about “big personalities.” We hire for “personality.” We coach “personality development.” But here’s the uncomfortable truth: what works on-air isn’t really personality. It’s psychology. Listeners don’t connect because someone is loud, funny, or warm. They connect because something in the content hits a psychological need in the moment they’re listening.

That’s a different job. Personality is a Trait. Connection is a Function. Personality suggests something innate: you have it or you don’t. Psychology is something you can understand, design, and improve. When a listener stays through a stopset, texts the studio, or keeps the station on instead of tapping Spotify, it’s rarely because the air talent is “charming.” It’s because the content delivered one of these psychological payoffs:

• -Recognition: “This person gets my life.”
• -Relief: “This helped me escape my mood.”
• -Companionship: “I don’t feel alone right now.”
• -Utility: “This made my day easier.”
• -Identity: “This reflects who I am.”
• Those are not personality traits.

Those are audience outcomes.

The Industry Problem with the Word “Personality”

• When we say “personality,” we accidentally:
• -Make on-air success feel mystical
• -Make coaching vague (“Be more you”)
• -Make performance subjective
• -Make improvement harder to measure

Meanwhile, streaming platforms are using behavioral science to engineer retention, habit formation, and emotional payoff at scale. Radio is still using a word that belongs to casting calls.

What Changes If We Shift  the Language?

• If we stop framing the job as “have a great personality” and start framing it as “deliver consistent psychological value,” three things happen:
• -Air talent development improves
• -Coaching becomes about outcomes: Did this break make the listener feel recognized? -Relieved? Entertained? Less alone?
• -Content strategy sharpens
• -Breaks become intentional, not just clever.
• The goal isn’t to be interesting — it’s to be useful emotionally.

Radio competes differently with algorithms Spotify can predict moods. TikTok can trigger dopamine. Radio can still win where humans outperform machines: emotional timing, local relevance, and shared experience.

The Reframe

• Great on-air isn’t personality-driven.
• It’s psychology-informed performance.
• Personality may get you hired.
• Understanding the listener’s mind is what keeps you relevant.

And relevance — not likability — is the real competitive advantage in 2026.

The post “Personality” — Change Is A Constant appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.

MARC Radio has expanded its Florida presence with the acquisition of five mid-coastal radio stations stretching from Melbourne to Stuart, extending the company’s reach to more than 100 miles along Interstate 95.

The deal brings MARC Radio’s total station count to 16 and adds a mix of AC, Country, and News/Talk formats serving Florida’s Space Coast and Treasure Coast regions. The newly acquired properties include AC WGYL-FM (93.7), WJKD-FM (99.7), and WOSN-FM (97.1), Country WPHR-FM (94.7), and News/Talk WTTB-FM (105.7) and WTTB-AM (1490).

“As a Florida-based company, we’ve had our eye on this market’s potential,” said Scott Miller, Chief Revenue Officer of MARC Radio. Miller cited population and economic growth moving north from the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area as a key factor in the purchase.

He added that the company plans to invest in the stations to support their growth and better serve both listeners and advertisers. According to Miller, MARC Radio takes a selective approach to acquisitions, focusing on properties it believes will contribute to the company’s long-term growth strategy.

The post MARC Radio Expands Florida Footprint appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.

Podcast advertising continued its upward trajectory in the fourth quarter of 2025, with ad spending rising 32% year-over-year, according to the latest quarterly benchmark report from Magellan AI. The analysis reviewed nearly 95,000 podcast episodes to track advertiser behavior, ad loads, and category growth across the medium.

The report found that Q4 spending outpaced the previous quarter by 17%, driven in part by a sharp increase in December. Ad load also climbed, with advertising accounting for an average of 8.82% of episode content in Q4, up from 8.33% in the third quarter. Year-over-year, overall ad load increased 6.6%, reflecting continued demand for podcast inventory.

Advertiser participation expanded as well, with 1,482 brands entering podcast advertising for the first time during the quarter. Nearly one in five of those new advertisers included sports podcasts in their media plans, making sports the most popular genre for first-time buyers.

By category, shaving emerged as the fastest-growing advertising segment in Q4, with spending up 77% quarter-over-quarter. Brands such as Manscaped, Gillette, and Harry’s Razors led the category’s growth. Other industries posting sizable gains included socks, health services, and phone, internet, and cable services.

Magellan AI reported that the top 10 podcast advertisers collectively spent an estimated $142 million in Q4, a 5% increase from Q3. Nine of those advertisers were repeat top spenders from the prior quarter, while AT&T joined the top 10 for the first time.

To further explore the findings, Magellan AI will host a 20-minute live webinar on February 24 at noon ET, highlighting key data points from the Q4 report and examining the brands and industries shaping recent podcast ad spending. To register, click here.

The post Podcast Ad Spend Jumps 32% appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.

PPMs roll out Febuary 23rd at 5PM(EST): Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houton, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

The post PPMs Begin 2.23.26 appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.

WKXJ-FM (105.5 Kiss) in Chattanooga has launched The Dex & Barbie T Morning Show, now airing weekday mornings from 6-10am ET. The show features co-hosts Dex Mitchell and Barbie T, who can also be heard on WAPE-FM in Jacksonville and Audacy co-owned CHR WFBC (B93.7) in Greenville, SC.

“We are excited to welcome Dex and Barbie T to the Chattanooga community,” said Nichole Hartman, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Chattanooga. “They bring a refreshing blend of relatable, funny, and engaging content that perfectly captures the spirit of our city. With Dex’s deep roots and familiarity with Tennessee, we know they’ll feel right at home connecting with our listeners from day one.”

For Dex, the launch carries personal significance. “Growing up here, I used to listen to the radio and imagine being on the mic in Chattanooga,” he said. “Now our show is actually on in my hometown, and I am so pumped!”

Barbie T added, “Chattanooga! Can’t wait to wake up with you every morning. We’re bringing the laughs, the sass, and of course reminding all my ladies out there that you got value, honey. Buckle up — this ride is about to get lit!”

The post 105.5 Kiss Launches Dex & Barbie T Morning Show appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.

Flashback | Another Moment in ATL Black History Month. Radio and Record Executives in the Music Industry. Front Row: Carol Blackmon, Sandra James, Marsha Washington George, and Marie Sellers. 2nd Row: Teddy Astin, Ernie Singleton, Doug Steele, Dale Hill, David C Linton, and Tobin Ken. 3rd Row: David B Cato (R.I.P.), Charles Mitchell, Charles Geer (R.I.P.), Julian Davis, Ray Boyd, Eddie Pugh, and Ric Ross.

The post Atlanta Black History Month Celebration appeared first on The Bill Gay Show.