Between layoffs, lawsuits, and anxiety about the future, this summer’s radio headlines have leaned heavy, so we went looking to balance the ledger. Radio Ink is on the hunt for good news, wins, and comebacks that remind us why radio is the best industry in America.
We reached out to General Managers and market leaders across the country and asked, “What is some good news from your market?” The responses ranged from packed parking lots to fresh digital strategies, but a common thread ran through them: radio delivers when stations stay close to their communities. Here’s the first batch of what we’ve heard.
Nick Martin
General Manager, Big River Broadcasting
Florence/Muscle Shoals, AL
No doubt, it’s been very challenging for a while, but the good news here is that our audience numbers remain strong, both on air and online, and our advertisers are still seeing solid returns on their investments.
I spoke with a client a couple of weeks ago who had a new manager. We discussed their past sales comparisons, and he asked for my thoughts on the differences. His goal was to return to their previous performance levels. I quickly pointed out the difference between their current and past marketing strategies that allowed them to hit record levels. Currently, they are heavily invested in digital. Their strongest sales results came when they were heavily invested in RADIO.
We don’t have them back on the air yet, but we definitely made our point. Decision-makers and media buyers who exclude radio from their budgets need to get this message: RADIO STILL GETS RESULTS, and they need to hear it every day.
We just finished a lunch music promotion about an hour ago on our Country station WXFL, at a local restaurant. Outdoor covered space was packed, even in the Alabama summer heat. It’s our 11th year of doing this with them. The owner said, “This is the best year yet.” A competing restaurant owner was in the crowd and stopped me afterwards with this quote: “This is all about you guys. There wouldn’t have been 25% of this crowd here without your promotion. Kix 96 delivered this for them.” Radio still works and gets results!
Chris Houchens
General Manager, Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation
Glasgow, KY
“While there’s certainly been a lot of national bad news coming from the large radio players, at the local level I’m actually seeing good news because we’ve made a deliberate decision to keep focusing on the things that make local broadcasting valuable.
One of the reasons for that optimism is our commitment to local news. That’s something many communities have lost as local reporting resources have declined, but I believe local journalism remains one of radio’s greatest strengths.
Through our stations and GlasgowNews1.com, we’re producing dozens of local radio newscasts every week while publishing original reporting on local government, public safety, schools, business, sports and community life. We cover city council meetings, fiscal court, school boards, local sports, breaking news, ribbon cuttings and everything in between. Those are stories that matter deeply to our community but often don’t receive attention beyond the local level.
I love how these platforms work together instead of competing with one another. A story may begin as a breaking news alert on the radio and a developing story on GlasgowNews1.com As our reporters confirm more information, it grows into a complete article, feeds our radio newscasts throughout the day, is shared across social media, appears in our daily newsletter and often becomes the basis for interviews and conversations on our local programs.
I don’t see radio and digital as separate products. Radio broadcasting is the nucleus of everything we do. Everything starts with the radio station. Every other platform exists to extend that experience and connect with people wherever they are.
Another example of that radio-digital philosophy is the launch of Zing! 106.7 that you reported on earlier this year. Launching a brand-new terrestrial FM station in 2026 isn’t something you see every day, but we believed there was an opportunity to better serve an audience that wasn’t being fully served in our market. From the beginning, we built the over-the-air station and the digital experience side by side instead of treating one as an afterthought. Every promotion has a digital extension. Streaming is treated as an equal listening platform alongside FM.
That same philosophy carries over to how we work with local businesses. We’re not focused on just selling the next :30 or :60. We’re focused on helping businesses grow. Sometimes that solution does include traditional radio advertising. Other times it’s sponsoring one of our community initiatives, participating in Zing Deals, connecting with listeners through Shop Local or the Trader, sponsoring Coffee & Conversation, or finding another way to put a business in front of the right audience. We start by understanding what the client is trying to accomplish and then build a plan around those goals. When local businesses see real results on the radio, they continue investing.
The response from our community has been encouraging. Our sales are up. Our stations are busy every day with local guests, and listeners continue to engage with us both on the air and online. That’s not happening because we have an app. It’s happening because we’re investing in the community we serve.
On any given week, we may be broadcasting live from a Chamber golf scramble, interviewing the superintendent about the start of school, helping a local nonprofit promote a fundraiser, recognizing hometown businesses through the Chamber, covering local sports, announcing community events, or giving a civic club a few minutes on the air to talk about what they’re doing. We have school leaders, coaches, pastors, business owners and volunteers on our stations every day because those voices (not jocks) are what make local radio different. Those moments don’t make national headlines, but they make a real difference in Glasgow, KY.
Have good news in your market? Share it with Radio Ink Editor-in-Chief Cameron Coats at [email protected].
