Radio listeners largely cannot tell the difference between AI-generated voices and human voice actors in a blind test. But the moment they’re told a voice was created by artificial intelligence, their perceptions change dramatically. That’s the main finding from a new study by Crowd React Media, which tested AI voice technology with 1,326 weekly radio listeners ages 18 to 45 across the U.S. Rather than relying on opinions about AI, the research played identical station promos

It’s another case of TV ad spend dwarfing that of audio, yet AM/FM radio and podcast ads outscore TV’s nearly across the board. That’s the story of a nasal congestion and allergy relief brand’s recent campaign, based on an analysis in Westwood One’s blog. “Surprisingly, brands that strongly advertise on TV have greater awareness among heavy audio listeners than among heavy TV viewers,” Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard says. “

Cumulus Media is asking a bankruptcy judge for more time to maintain exclusive control over its Chapter 11 case, however, the filing reflects regulatory timing more than any change in the company's restructuring. In a motion filed Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston, Cumulus asked for a 120-day extension of the periods during which only the company can file and solicit a Chapter 11 plan. The request comes even though the company's restructuring plan was confirmed by

Podcast advertising maintained its momentum in June as several major brands increased spending and a wave of new advertisers entered the monthly rankings, underscoring the medium’s growing appeal across a broader range of industries. New data from Podscribe shows Shopify holding onto the No. 1 spot for a third consecutive month, increasing its estimated podcast ad spend 17% to $5.7 million. Shopify continued to cast one of the widest nets in podcasting, advertising across 2,2

Audio podcasts continue to offer advertisers advantages that extend beyond screen-based media, according to a new report from podcast research and advocacy firm Sounds Profitable. The report, “The Podcast Atlas,” released last week, examines advertising effectiveness across the creator economy and evaluates the strengths of multiple content platforms. While the study concludes that advertisers benefit from a mix of channels, it identifies audio podcasting as particularly effe

The record-breaking pace of political ad spending continued last month as $449.7 million of ads aired during June, according to AdImpact. That brings its cycle total to $4.43 billion, up 40% from the $3.1 billion that was spent to this point during the 2022 cycle. The New York primary meant that state saw the biggest amount of spending, with $41.7 million of advertising bought. The New York City market saw the biggest share by far, where $32.4 million was spent on ads. Drivin

Audio podcasts continue to offer advertisers advantages that extend beyond screen-based media, according to a new report from podcast research and advocacy firm Sounds Profitable. The report, “The Podcast Atlas,” released last week, examines advertising effectiveness across the creator economy and evaluates the strengths of multiple content platforms. While the study concludes that advertisers benefit from a mix of channels, it identifies audio podcasting as particularly effe

There was a relatively large month-to-month increase in the number of people working in broadcasting and content creation in June. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the sector added 1,400 jobs last month to bring the total number of people working to 336,900. That remains 1,000 below what it reported for April, suggesting a pullback in May wasn’t as large as first thought. The government doesn’t release radio-specific monthly employment figures. In the other media-related s

Independent podcasters are publishing consistently, embracing video and AI, and spending money on their shows. But despite those investments, the biggest challenge remains finding new listeners. RSS.com’s new Podcaster Insights Survey gathered responses from 195 creators using the hosting platform. While it isn’t meant to represent every podcaster, the data offers a snapshot of how many independent podcasters are building and growing their businesses today. The survey finds 6

The Florida Association of Broadcasters has named Heather Lomagistro its new President and CEO, effective July 1, succeeding Pat Roberts, who is transitioning to the newly created role of President Emeritus after leading the organization for nearly four decades. Lomagistro most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, working alongside Roberts as the association represented Florida's radio and television broadcasters on legislative, regulatory