The news/talk radio industry has never lacked for opinions — but right now, it’s brimming with opportunity. From all-news behemoths to digital-first podcast plays, the people running some of the most recognizable brands in the space see a landscape that rewards boldness and agility.
Barrett Media gathered perspectives from several key voices across the industry, and while their vantage points differ, their optimism rhymes.
Not everyone sees the same opening, though. Some are bullish on terrestrial growth. Others are chasing podcasts, social media, and YouTube with equal urgency. Together, they paint a picture of an industry that’s evolving faster than its critics expected — and one that’s far from finished.
The conversation starts, as it often does in news/talk, with money. And few formats generate it quite like all-news radio when it’s operating at full capacity.
The All-News Case
Phil Boyce, Senior Vice President of Spoken Word Formats for Salem Media, made the financial argument plainly. “I think it’s a very difficult format to run,” said Boyce. “It’s very expensive, and that’s why you don’t see all-news radio stations in a lot of markets except the very big ones, because it’s expensive to run. But let’s not forget, it also makes a lot of money.”
Boyce pointed to WTOP as proof that the format still has a ceiling most can’t touch. “I think that WTOP is still the number one revenue-generating radio station in the nation,” Boyce said, “and they are an all-news behemoth.”
The sales infrastructure that comes with all-news is part of what excites him. “There are so many sales vehicles and promotional opportunities in an all-news station, where you can sell traffic, weather, sports, news, and all kinds of other things that a lot of radio stations can’t really sell,” he said. “So someday I’d like to see a resurgence in the all-news format.”
Still, Boyce acknowledged that news formatics matter even beyond all-news outlets. “I think you have to have a good combination of news,” Boyce said. “I think our audience is more attuned to what’s going on.” He noted that audiences now arrive at news/talk stations already informed — they’ve already seen the breaking alerts — and they want depth. “They’ll come to the station that has the reputation for news and information in their market, and that’s where we have to deliver for them.”
Building Beyond the Dial
The clearest throughline across this group isn’t a format or a platform — it’s talent and expansion. Luis Segura, Operations Manager of 105.9 WMAL, made that case as directly as anyone.
“Our hosts, easily,” said Segura, when asked about his station’s biggest asset. “They’re an all-star team. Larry O’Connor, Chris Plante, Vince Coglianese, and Derek Hunter. These are hosts who would be solo superstars in any market, but they’re all here.” He described a sold-out Free Speech Forum event that brought the station’s talent together in front of a deeply engaged audience. “Watching all these talents come together like the Avengers and entertain a crowd that drove in from all parts of the DMV to see them,” Segura said, “was so fun.”
For Ralph Renzi, CEO of Newsmax Radio, the opportunities extend well beyond any single platform. “We’re interested in growing our radio platform,” said Renzi. “We feel there’s a great opportunity to grow.” He pointed to podcasting as a particularly hot lane, noting the recent launch of The Greta Wire with Greta Van Susteren. “I believe we’re going to continue to grow our podcast portfolio,” Renzi said. “So there’s another huge opportunity.” He also flagged Newsmax’s social media footprint — now north of 25 million followers — as a strategic lever the brand intends to pull harder.
Blake Thompson, Executive Vice President of The Ramsey Network, echoed that multi-platform mindset. “Radio’s not going away,” said Thompson. “I’m still blown away by how many people listen to radio and how that’s a huge and important market.” Yet he’s also tracking what’s next. “YouTube is blowing me away,” Thompson said. He mentioned video podcasting on Spotify and Apple as emerging priorities, too. “I just taught Hank and the crew to always be looking for what’s next,” he said. “At the end of the day, go in with the mindset of asking: where can we find new people that we can help?”
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
