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Salem Media Group Sees 10.7% Revenue Dip During 2025’s 2nd Quarter

BNM Staff
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Salem Media Group Sees 10.7% Revenue Dip During 2025’s 2nd Quarter

Salem Media Group has announced its second-quarter financial results, and the company saw dips in several separate categories.

The company’s broadcast revenue decreased by 10.7% year-over-year. It finished the quarter with $42 million, down from $47.1 million during the same quarter in 2024. Despite the decrease, broadcast revenue remained 77.7% of the company’s overall revenue during the quarter.

Salem Media Group’s digital revenue decreased 11.6% during the quarter, compared to the same window last year. It ended the quarter with $10.6 million from that sector, down from the $11.9 million in featured last year.

Total net revenue for the quarter rested at $54.1 million, down from the $60.6 million it saw last year. That figure represents a 10.7% decrease, overall.

Operating expenses for the company increased during the quarter compared to last year’s second quarter. Expenses grew to $76.5 million, up from the $54.9 million it saw last year during the same time.

The company featured a net loss of $17.5 million during the quarter, compared to the $2.3 million in profit it saw during last year’s second quarter.

The 10.7% revenue decline for Salem Media Group comes on the heels of seeing a 12% drop during the first quarter of 2025. In total, the company saw $51.7 million in revenue during January, February, and March. That’s down from the $58.6 million it saw during the first quarter of 2024.

Those results are affected by the unprecedented spending levels seen during the 2024 election cycle.

Salem Media Group did not provide any further guidance on its expected performance in the upcoming quarters.

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Morgan Murphy Media Elevates Three in Leadership Shuffle

BMM Staff
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Morgan Murphy Media Elevates Three in Leadership Shuffle

Morgan Murphy Media has promoted three long-time executives as part of a leadership reorganization. The changes follow the appointment of Brian Burns as CEO earlier this year.

Longtime CEO Elizabeth Murphy Burns stepped down last March and passed away 30 days later. (BMM 4/25)

Chris Cornelius has been named Chief Operating Officer after serving as Vice President of Business Development since 2014. He will oversee operational strategy, revenue growth, and network partnerships. Cornelius previously spent a decade as President and COO of Barrington Broadcasting.

Colin Benedict has been promoted to Chief Innovation Officer after seven years as Vice President of News. With the company since 1998, Benedict will develop cross-department initiatives aimed at driving growth while continuing to oversee news and marketing operations.

Neal Oberg becomes Chief Digital Officer, continuing to lead the company’s digital strategy. A 1997 hire, Oberg most recently served as Vice President of Digital, focusing on audience and revenue growth across online platforms.

Chris Cornelius, Colin Benedict and Neal Oberg

“These appointments reflect our commitment to operational excellence, innovation, and digital growth,” Burns said in a statement. “Chris, Colin, and Neal have each played a significant role in our success, and they’ll help position us for the opportunities ahead.”

Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Morgan Murphy Media operates television and radio stations, digital platforms, a print magazine, and a marketing agency across nine markets. Its radio portfolio includes four stations in Madison, seven in Spokane, Washington, and five in Marquette, Michigan.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Former New Jersey 101.5 Host Bill Spadea Will Have ‘Exciting News to Share Soon’

BNM Staff
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Former New Jersey 101.5 Host Bill Spadea Will Have ‘Exciting News to Share Soon’

Earlier this year, New Jersey 101.5 host Bill Spadea left the station to run for governor of the Garden State. After falling in the Republican primary, many have questioned what his next move may be. Answers may come sooner rather than later.

In June, Spadea lost the Republican nomination to Jack Ciatterelli. Spadea finished second in a field of five behind Ciattearelli. He garnered just under 100,000 votes, good for 22% of the total votes cast by Republicans in the state. He did not win any of New Jersey’s 21 counties.

Spadea had spent nearly a decade hosting mornings at New Jersey 101.5. But in June last year, he announced he would seek the Republican nomination for Governor in the state. As the primary began to heat up, he departed the news/talk station in January in an effort to spend more time campaigning for the state’s highest office.

The station subsequently filled the open morning show with a more news-focused approach, with Eric Scott helming to program from 6-10 AM.

In a statement to Politico, those close to Bill Spadea said they will have news on his future endeavors soon.

“Nothing has been announced yet about his next steps professionally, but we will have some exciting news to share soon,” Tom Bonfonti, who managed Spadea’s campaign, said of the former host’s future.

A potential return to New Jersey 101.5 would be the latest in a line of shuffles at the Townsquare Media news/talk station. Earlier this month, the station added Eric Johnson to middays alongside Judi Franco. He replaced Dennis Malloy, who retired after more than 30 years with the station.

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TV Most Acceptable Place to View Ads, New Survey Shows

BNM Staff
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TV Most Acceptable Place to View Ads, New Survey Shows

Nearly half of U.S. adults say TV is the most acceptable place for advertising, with that sentiment holding steady across all generations.

Tenetic, working with CivicScience, surveyed more than 10,000 adults in July and found TV ads outperform other formats in both acceptance and attention.

More than half of adults (52%) watch broadcast or cable TV daily, but the gap between generations is striking — 82% of Baby Boomers tune in every day, compared to just 26% of Gen Z. Income also plays a role, with 47% of those earning under $50,000 watching daily versus higher rates among wealthier households.

When it comes to influence, 43% of U.S. adults say TV ads are most likely to inspire them to try a new brand. That effect is especially strong with Baby Boomers (55%) and Gen X (51%), while 38% of Gen Z respondents are more swayed by social media ads.

The research also shows TV connects viewers to their local communities at nearly twice the rate of streaming and digital video, and almost three times more than other video platforms. Yet, 59% of adults say they rarely or never remember the sponsor or advertiser after watching a show.

“Viewers are accepting of ads on TV, but they are not finding enough ads to be relevant to their interests or needs,” said Tenetic CEO Chris Wilson, adding that better real-time understanding of consumers could boost TV’s impact, especially for local purchasing.

While 47% of adults want to choose the ads they see, Gen Z stands apart — 42% would rather let AI do the picking.

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Podcast Advertising Grew 28% During 2nd Quarter, Magellan AI Data Shows

BNM Staff
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Podcast Advertising Grew 28% During 2nd Quarter, Magellan AI Data Shows

Podcast advertising saw a strong rebound in the second quarter, with Magellan AI reporting a 28% year-over-year increase.

The growth easily outpaced the 17% gain recorded in the first quarter, as early-year concerns over tariffs and the economy subsided. Each month in the April-to-June stretch outperformed the one before it.

The second quarter traditionally sees more ad dollars than the first, and this year was no exception. Magellan says the top 10 advertisers spent a combined $128 million during April, May, and June, up 20% from the first quarter.

BetterHelp remained the largest spender at $16.4 million, followed closely by Amazon at $15.9 million and Toyota at $14.4 million. Unilever entered the quarterly rankings for the first time, investing $10.2 million to secure ninth place.

Financial services led all categories, with $104.3 million spent — a 56% jump from last year. Business services and software ranked second at $77.3 million, while consumer services and software totaled $70.7 million.

Other high-growth sectors included insurance (+54%), gambling (+26%), automotive (+24%), and food (+20%). Produced ads rose 76% in spending year-over-year, while host-read ads climbed 31%. Programmatic and run-of-network spending were flat.

Brand diversity also expanded, with 1,196 newcomers buying podcast ads in the quarter. The average first-time spend was $42,600, higher than in past quarters. Sports was the most popular genre for new advertisers, with one in five using it in their media plans. News and Comedy were also top picks. Mid-roll placements dominated, accounting for 56% of second-quarter ads compared to pre-roll’s 30% share.

Despite the spending surge, Magellan says ad loads have dropped 11.6% year-over-year, meaning listeners heard roughly 39 fewer seconds of ads per episode. Top 500 podcasts dedicated 9.1% of their runtime to ads, compared to 8.1% for shows ranked 501 to 3,000. True Crime had the highest ad load at 12.06%, with Society & Culture (9.01%) and Education (8.48%) next in line.

Average advertiser spend on top 500 shows reached $318,000 per month, up 6% from the first quarter. Ads of 30 seconds remained the most common length at 35% of the market. Direct response campaigns accounted for 43% of spending, with brand awareness at 55% and tune-in promotions at 3%.

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Skip Bayless: Stephen A. Smith Struggled Early With Twitter on ‘First Take’

BSM Staff
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Skip Bayless: Stephen A. Smith Struggled Early With Twitter on ‘First Take’

Skip Bayless recently offered a candid look at Stephen A. Smith’s early experiences with Twitter during their time together on First Take, shedding light on how the platform occasionally affected live broadcasts and on-air dynamics.

Bayless, speaking on The Sage Steele Show, recalled that while the show maintained its signature heated debates, there were clear rules for keeping tensions professional. “No punches pulled, but none thrown,” Bayless said. “You can’t get to the point where you get mad and want to throw punches.”

However, he noted that Smith’s approach to social media sometimes complicated that balance.

“In the early days of Twitter—and I don’t know if he still does it—he would just, in the breaks, read his phone,” Bayless explained. “If he read one response that said you just got your a** kicked on national television, then we’d come out of break, and go into the next one and he’d be in this surly foul mood.”

These moments were often noticeable on-air to Bayless, prompting him to intervene. “I’d say, ‘What are you doing? It’s not that big a deal. It’s okay. Let it go,’” Bayless added.

Bayless admitted he, too, engaged with Twitter but found a way to make it work for the show. “I would get up in the mornings and read the overnight responses just to see what was hot,” he said. “They would lean on me to program the debates and pick the hottest topics, and it was revealing to me.”

While Twitter could be a useful tool for gauging audience interests, Bayless warned about the potential pitfalls.

“There’s always that one comment,” he said, laughing. “‘Your hair looked awful yesterday. Do you have plans to get it cut anytime soon?’ It can be brutal, and for the rest of the day, you’re thinking about your hair.”

Smith, Bayless noted, was particularly susceptible to this kind of one-off criticism, which occasionally disrupted his focus during the show.

Bayless said he felt blessed to be able to work alongside both Smith and Shannon Sharpe during his tenure on ESPN and FS1 respectively. Despite skepticism from industry insiders, Bayless said First Take defied expectations in the ratings.

“We were told by a lot of people in the hallways in those days that this would be career suicide for everyone involved,” Bayless said. “The rest is ratings history.” The show’s success, particularly with NFL coverage, surprised even the team itself. “Nobody turned it off,” Bayless recalled, highlighting how the program captured audiences across time slots.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Candace Parker Reaches Multi-Year Extension With TNT Sports

BSM Staff
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Candace Parker Reaches Multi-Year Extension With TNT Sports

TNT Sports has reached a multi-year extension with basketball legend Candace Parker, securing her continued presence as a leading analyst while expanding her responsibilities across the network’s growing basketball coverage.

Parker, a three-time WNBA champion and two-time league MVP, has been an analyst for TNT Sports and CBS Sports’ NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship coverage since 2019. Under the new agreement, she will expand her college basketball duties to include TNT Sports’ inaugural coverage of BIG EAST men’s and women’s basketball, as well as Big 12 men’s basketball.

“I’m grateful to keep doing what I love with my TNT Sports family,” Parker said. “Getting to cover the Big EAST, Big 12, March Madness, and now Unrivaled — it all means a lot. These moments are special, and I don’t take any of it for granted.”

In addition to her college sports work, Parker will remain a lead studio analyst for TNT Sports’ “Unrivaled” and continue contributing to Bleacher Report and its B/R W platform, further solidifying her presence across multiple sports media properties.

Nate Smeltz, senior vice president of talent relations and global communications at TNT Sports, emphasized Parker’s unique connection with fans. “Candace is one of the most respected figures in basketball and we’re excited to expand the ways she connects with fans through a growing number of TNT Sports properties,” Smeltz said.

Parker’s basketball résumé is among the most decorated in the sport’s history. Selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, she followed a championship career at the University of Tennessee, leading the Lady Vols to consecutive NCAA titles in 2007 and 2008. During her rookie WNBA season, Parker became the first player to earn both MVP and Rookie of the Year honors in the same year.

Her professional career includes three WNBA championships — in 2016, 2021, and 2023 — along with seven All-Star selections and two Olympic gold medals with Team USA in 2008 and 2012. Parker retired in April 2024 and was later named to the WNBA’s W25 list of greatest and most influential players.

Beyond her on-court accomplishments, Parker has transitioned into leadership roles off the court. She is part of the ownership group for National Women’s Soccer League team Angel City FC and was named President of Women’s Basketball for adidas following her retirement.

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Tom Brady Explains How He Approached Improvement During First Season at FOX Sports

BSM Staff
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Tom Brady Explains How He Approached Improvement During First Season at FOX Sports

Tom Brady, now in his second year as an NFL analyst for FOX Sports, reflected on his “rookie year” in the broadcast booth during a recent episode of the Youth Inc. podcast, where he spoke candidly with fellow NFL on FOX analyst Greg Olsen about navigating criticism and prioritizing relationships over outside opinion.

“I was very much a rookie this last year, but I looked up to a lot of people that I thought, ‘Man, he does a great job,’” Brady said. “And you’re obviously one of the greats already at a young age.”

Brady opened up to Olsen about how he admired the quick rise of Olsen at FOX Sports. Even as Brady arrived and was placed on the network’s top broadcast team for the NFL, Brady remained a student of studying Olsen who was moved to the second team at the network.

“I want to be like Greg. I watched so much Greg Olsen broadcasting tape… and I just said, ‘OK, what does he do that I really like that maybe I can apply to what I’m doing,’” said Brady.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback described approaching broadcasting with the same mindset he carried as a player: self-reflection and consistent effort. “As long as I’m good with the man in the mirror at the end of every day, I’m cool with it.”

Brady referenced the criticism he received through his first year on the job with FOX Sports. As a competitor on the field of play for over two decades, Brady understood how to deal with the criticism and had a frame of mind focused on improving throughout the season.

“I realized that not everyone’s going to like it or love it. Some people may like it more than others, but I’m trying my best. And if I try my best, that’s how we should look at life—whether you’re a broadcaster, a football player, a teacher, or a parent,” said Brady.

Transitioning from his rookie year experiences, Brady emphasized the value of personal and professional relationships over external judgment. “I really am trying to be proud of the person that shows up and does my best knowing that it’s never going to be perfect,” he said. “There’s a part with our jobs where people want to write about that—I don’t give a s**t about any of that. I just care about my relationships because I know if I’m cool with you, that’s all that matters.”

Brady said the mutual support he shares with Olsen exemplifies the type of connection he values above all else. “When I got a question, you answer it. And when you got a question, I answer it. That’s all that matters to me in my life,” he said. “This time will come and go, and the articles will come and go. But the only people that need to be cool are me and you, because that’s all that matters to me.”

The Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-analyst stressed that his approach in broadcasting mirrors his approach in life: striving for personal improvement, maintaining integrity, and cultivating meaningful connections.

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Comcast Introduces ‘World Soccer Ticket’ Bundle at $85 per Month

BSM Staff
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Comcast Introduces ‘World Soccer Ticket’ Bundle at $85 per Month

Comcast is aiming to simplify the soccer viewing experience for fans by rolling out a new premium package that consolidates some of the sport’s most sought-after leagues and tournaments into one destination.

The company on Wednesday announced the launch of its World Soccer Ticket video package for Xfinity customers, priced at $85 per month. The bundle includes nearly 60 broadcast, cable news, and English- and Spanish-language sports channels, along with Peacock Premium, an X1 device, and 300 hours of cloud DVR storage.

Subscribers will have access to more than 1,500 matches annually from a slate of marquee properties, including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Major League Soccer, LALIGA, Liga MX, and the FIFA World Cup.

Jon Gieselman, Comcast’s chief growth officer for Connectivity & Platforms, said the package is designed to eliminate the fragmented viewing experience that often frustrates soccer fans.

“Figuring out where to watch your favorite team or match is often a painful game of chance,” Gieselman said in a statement. “Now, with World Soccer Ticket, there’s no better way to watch the beautiful game than with Xfinity. It’s easy — we did the work for our customers and pulled together the most coveted leagues and tournaments and put them in one place.”

Beyond the programming lineup, the package offers several viewing enhancements. Customers can take advantage of Xfinity Multiview to watch multiple games at once, stream select matches in 4K resolution, and use the Sports Zone app for real-time stats, scores, and betting odds.

The company is also tying the offering into its new Xfinity StreamStore, giving subscribers the option to add additional streaming apps directly from their device.

In keeping with Comcast’s focus on voice-driven navigation, users can access the World Soccer Ticket hub simply by saying World Soccer Ticket or “fútbol” into the bilingual Xfinity voice remote. The package is available not only on Xfinity’s X1 platform but also through the Xfinity Stream app on supported devices such as Apple TV, Fire TV, iOS, Roku, and Xumo.

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Urban One Revenue Drops 22% During 2025’s 2nd Quarter

BNM Staff
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Urban One Revenue Drops 22% During 2025’s 2nd Quarter

Urban One has reported its second-quarter financial results, and the company shared that it was down in a variety of avenues.

During the quarter, Urban One saw its revenue decline 22.2%, down to $91.6 million from the $117.7 million it featured in the same window last year.

Operating losses for the organization essentially doubled, growing to $120.7 million compared to the $60.4 million it saw during April, May, and June 2024. It also saw its net loss drop to $77.9 million for the quarter.

The Adjusted EBITDA finished the quarter at $14 million, dropping 51.6%.

Radio-related revenue at the company dropped 12.6% to $36.7 million. Reach Media’s revenue fell 72%, which the company attributed to a change in the schedule for the annual Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage, which will take place during this year’s fourth quarter compared to last year’s second.

Additionally, digital revenue dropped to $10.3 million. That figure represents a 27% decrease year-over-year. The cable television division of Urban One saw a 7.4% drop in total revenue, down to $40.1 million. CEO Alfred Liggins stated that the advertising revenue only slipped by 4.2%, while affiliate and subscriber fees were down nearly 12%.

“Our Digital business experienced a combination of lower advertising demand and reduced streaming CPM’s compared to the second quarter of 2024,” Liggin said. “Core radio advertising finished down 11.8% excluding digital, as we continue to experience double-digit declines in national radio advertising demand. Core radio pacings for the third quarter are currently (8.3)% or (5.6)% excluding political, with local pacing flat year-over-year, so we are seeing some sequential improvement in radio.

“Based on the broad economic headwinds being experienced, we are reducing our full-year guidance to $60.0 million in Adjusted EBITDA,” continued Liggins. “In a challenging marketplace, our focus remains on controlling costs, managing leverage, and retaining our strong liquidity position. During the second quarter of 2025, we repurchased $64.0 million of our 2028 Notes at an average price of approximately 51.8% of par, reducing our outstanding debt balance to $492.3 million.”

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