The Grio

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is raising alarm after the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee advanced its version of the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill, which provides no appropriation for the organization. In a statement released Thursday, CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison expressed deep concern over the committee’s action, calling it a serious threat to the viability of local public media […]

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) has announced the dates for the 51st Annual Gracie Awards, continuing its tradition of honoring outstanding achievements by women in media. The 2026 events will once again spotlight groundbreaking work and emerging voices across the industry. The Gracies Gala will take place on May 19, 2026, at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, where national award winners will […]

BridgeRatings: Dave Van Dyke We’ve witnessed countless innovations rise and fall in our industry, but artificial intelligence (AI) is not just another fleeting trend. For radio, it’s a transformative tool—if used wisely. Much of the AI conversation in radio has revolved around “AI DJs” or “smart” playlists. While these are interesting experiments in automation and personalization, they miss a bigger opportunity: using AI to unlock deep, predictive insights about listener […]

Edison Research has introduced a new official “Top Podcast” badge that honors shows earning a spot within its top podcast rankings, as determined by weekly podcast listener reach through Edison Podcast Metrics. The badge will be awarded to podcasts that place in the Top 10, Top 25, or Top 50 in either the U.S. or the U.K., with each badge displaying the year the ranking was achieved. Edison Research began […]

iHeartMedia has announced a new leadership structure for its Markets Group, which oversees more than 860 radio outlets nationwide, following the news that longtime executive Hartley Adkins will retire at the end of the summer. Bob Pittman and COO/CFO Rich Bressler detailed the transition plan, which takes effect September 1. Ann Marie Licata, currently Executive Vice President of Sales Operations and Client Success, will be promoted to President, Markets Group […]

Nielsen’s just-released Spring 2025 Portable People Meter (PPM) results show significant audience growth for AM/FM radio, with Average Quarter-Hour (AQH) listening among persons 25-54 soaring 19% over Fall 2024 levels. The gains span all demographics and dayparts, with weekends and nighttime seeing the largest increases. The spike follows Nielsen’s January 2025 adoption of a three-minute minimum qualifier for PPM credit, replacing the previous five-minute threshold. This change now captures listening […]

All of urban radio has a lot to talk about in real time. Every single day blackness is and should be a hot topic. Be where your locals are and score in Nielsen. Donald Trump laced into a few celebrities who endorsed Kamala Harris in late night and early morning screeds on Monday, saying he would investigate them to see if they were paid for the endorsements – repeating a […]

Nuvoodoo Research: Leigh Jacobs & Carolyn Gilbert Last week we shared data showing that contesting continues to be a tactic that punches above its weight for swaying listening and listeners. This week we’ll lean into the minutiae of designing contesting for the fall book. Data from regular radio listeners among the 2,000+ Adults 18-64 in NuVoodoo Ratings Prospects Study 26 shows that inflation has hit interest in contest prizes in […]

Hello America, Barack’s birthday is just a week away! I’ve known him long enough to know exactly how he’ll want to celebrate. We’ll spend quality time as a family, of course—and he’ll take some time to reflect on the year behind us with an eye toward the work that still lies ahead. But I also know he’ll want our remarkable Obama Foundation community to be a part of the celebration, […]