Digital isn’t radio’s side hustle anymore. Digital ad revenue has grown from $600 million in 2016 to a $2.3 billion engine in 2025, and it now represents 24.4% of the average station’s total revenue nationwide, according to RAB’s latest Digital Benchmarking Report.
The average station pulled in $511,873 in digital revenue last year, with the average market cluster hitting $2.3 million, and digital has grown at a compound annual rate of 8.3% since 2022 while core radio advertising declined 2.2% over the same stretch. The opportunity is far from tapped out, either: roughly 74% of existing radio advertisers still aren’t buying a station’s digital products, which means the sellers closing that gap right now are the ones defining radio’s next decade.
Last year, Radio Wayne Award finalist Salem Media National Director of Digital Sales Josie Vote told Radio Ink, “Our challenge, and opportunity, is to rebuild confidence [lost by past industry missteps] by being transparent, setting realistic expectations, and proving value through data-driven performance and consistent delivery.”
Connoisseur Media Long Island Director of Digital Todd Moskowitz said, “We are enjoying the satisfaction of being more than just a digital services partner; we are a true business partner, which is the most rewarding aspect of our business.”
That level of success deserves celebration. The 34th Annual Radio Wayne Awards are open for nominations.
New This Year: Digital’s Moment
Radio Ink has split digital sales recognition into two dedicated categories: Digital-Only Sales Representative of the Year and Digital Sales Manager of the Year. If you’ve got someone turning skeptical advertisers into six-figure digital partners, or a manager building out a book of business that didn’t exist five years ago, this is the category built for them.
Also New: Honoring the Unsung Heroes
This year’s awards add a Support Staff category, recognizing the Client Services Managers and Traffic Managers who keep every sales department’s engine running — often without ever getting their name in lights.
PLUS:
- Streetfighter (Account Executive) of the Year
- Digital-Only Sales Representative of the Year (NEW)
- Digital Sales Manager of the Year (NEW)
- Support Staff — Client Services Manager/Traffic Manager (NEW)
- DOS/Sales Manager, Nielsen Markets 1–20
- DOS/Sales Manager, Nielsen Markets 21+
- Market/General Manager, Nielsen Market Rank 1–20
- Market/General Manager, Nielsen Market Rank 21+
Time Is Running Out
Nominations close this Friday, August 7 at 8p ET. Winners will be celebrated live at NAB Show New York on October 21 at the Javits Center, and all finalists will be honored in Radio Ink‘s October issue.
A Radio Wayne Award is a career-defining honor — but only if you put your team’s name in the hat. Nominate now.
