Interviews

As nominations close for Radio Ink’s 2025 30 and Under Superstars, 2024 honoree Kira Kathleen reflects on layoffs, resilience, mentorship, and her path to programming leadership at Zimmer Communications, offering lessons for young professionals driving radio’s evolving future.

Ed Atsinger first appeared on Radio Ink's 40 Most Powerful People in Radio list back in 1997, one year after the list was launched. 2017 marks Atsinger's 20th year on our list -- his official ranking will be revealed when our issue comes out on July 24. Here is our extended interview with one of radio's longest-running and most powerful CEOs, Salem Media Group CEO Ed Atsinger.

As BEA returns to Las Vegas for its 2025 Conference, Radio Ink spoke with Executive Director Heather Birks about the evolving student talent pipeline, new industry partnerships, and how the LABF collaboration strengthens ties between broadcasting’s history and its future.

The radio industry's top leaders do not just fall into their positions of leadership. They work harder, they work smarter, and they find ways to put themselves into positions to advance their careers. We turned to four of radio's top leaders and asked them exactly how they do it. Why are they the ones leading people? What did they do to educate themselves? Here's what they had to say.

As deadly floods swept Texas Hill Country, radio pivoted from July 4th celebration to crisis response. Cox Media Group San Antonio Market Manager Mark Shecterle talked with Radio Ink about how local broadcasters rose to support impacted communities.

With days left to nominate the 2025 Top 20 Leaders in Radio, Radio Ink checks in with some of last year’s honorees. Today we talk to Allen Power, Salem Media Group's President of Broadcast Media, for his wisdom on opportunities and challenges.

Here at the halfway mark of 2025, Radio Ink spoke with five top leaders from across the industry to share their perspectives on the most significant developments so far, how their priorities have evolved, and what they’re focused on as the second half of the year unfolds.

The most famous fictional call letters in radio history are finally home — for real. In this exclusive conversation with Radio Ink, Randy Michaels and Jeff Ziesmann tell us exactly what they have planned for WKRP the Oasis as the station goes live in Cincinnati.

iHeartMedia's Thea Mitchem is kicking you-know-what and taking names in a world dominated by men: programming radio stations. Mitchem is iHeart's Executive Vice President of Programming for the Northeast Division, and Program Director for the influential Power 105.1 in New York City. She's been in radio for 21 years, programming for 15. Mitchem will appear on Radio Ink's 2016 Best Program Directors in America list, which comes out on May 9.

In the second part of Radio Ink’s Mental Health Awareness Month conversation with executive coach Deb Barrett, she shares practical strategies for supporting talent, bridging generational gaps, and daily practices for improving mental wellness in radio.