Radio Ink Magazine

A year after Congress upended the funding model that sustained public broadcasting for decades, the industry is being asked what comes next. A new national initiative wants community voices, not Washington, to help define public media’s purpose and design. The Poynter Institute and Public Media Company will lead a community-driven process resulting in a full set of recommendations on public media’s purpose, definition, and design principles by early 2027.

Retailers weighing where to spend holiday ad dollars just got fresh evidence that radio pulls shoppers through the door. A new foot traffic study finds that the heavier a brand’s radio campaign runs, the bigger the resulting jump in store visits. The findings come from a Placer.ai February 2026 Foot Traffic Study, analyzed by the Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group, measuring a major retailer’s AM/FM push timed to Valentine’s Day.

The 2026 midterms are on track for a record $11.6 billion in political spending, and a newly announced NAB Show New York panel wants to help broadcasters get their fill as part of “Big Media, Big Tech, Big Tools” day at the Javits Center in Manhattan. Set for the conference’s first day, October 21, the session opens with what’s driving this cycle’s numbers before turning to the broader impact of recent FCC and US Supreme Court decisions, like National Republican Senatorial Committee v. FEC.

K-LOVE is chasing one of radio’s most sought-after audiences with a brand built specifically for it. Goodsource, the parent company’s newest venture alongside its K-LOVE and Air1 networks, delivers podcasts and live events created by young adults for a Gen Z audience. Goodsource targets current college students and young adults through platforms including podcasts and live events.

Last year I saw some radio person on Facebook refer to 9/11, and some listener/”friend” jumped on her because “It’s old news. Move on.” They were promptly ripped apart by about a hundred people for being (lots of bad words). You know what would be appropriate for your station, in your market, with your listeners, so scroll through and see what seems like a good fit. But to NOT at least reference the fact that it’s the 25th anniversary of 9/11 would be kind of sad.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America has awarded the first two scholarships in its new needs-based Scholarship Fund to Marquette University’s Nathaniel Bradley and Boston University’s Inoa Manfredy, extending the nonprofit’s mission beyond emergency aid. The fund was created to support broadcast students who come from broadcast families, awarding $10,000 to each recipient for college tuition.

Kenny Smoov, Cumulus Media’s Vice President of Urban Formats and Program Director of Nashville’s 92Q, has parted ways with the broadcaster after 23 years, 21 of them leading WQQK, to launch independent ventures through his new Nashville Brown LLC. As VP of Urban Formats, Smoov oversaw Urban radio brands and talent across the country, a role that included signing off on programming hires in markets like Shreveport and Memphis.

Connoisseur Media’s 103.1 The Wolf (WWWF) has hired Cane Peterson and Sabrina Sergio for a new Long Island morning show launching September 10, marking Peterson’s return to the New York market and adding Assistant Program Director duties for Sergio. The move marks a return to the New York market for Peterson, who previously hosted mornings on WNEW and WNYL and was also heard on K-Rock 92.3 (WXRK) and Z100 (WHTZ).

After more than four decades on the air and in sales, Steve Falat is calling it a career. The General Manager and Market Manager of Max Media’s River Radio, the six-station group serving Southern Illinois, announced his retirement. Falat began his professional broadcasting career in 1983 while attending Southern Illinois University, working at WSIU-FM as one of six paid student staff members who helped oversee the stations’ daily operations alongside student volunteers.

Audacy Pittsburgh has elevated WAMO 107.3 (WAMO) midday host KiKi B. Jones to Brand Manager, where she’ll lead brand and content strategy, talent development, and station operations. She joined WAMO in 2021 as host of “What’s Good In Your Hood.” Jones has previous on-air stops in Baltimore, New York, and Washington, DC. Audacy Rhythmic AC and Throwback Format VP Skip Dillard said, “I’ve had the privilege of knowing KiKi for over 10 years and have watched her continue to grow.