iHeartMedia Pittsburgh says it has reached an agreement with the National Football League’s Pittsburgh Steelers that will see 102.5 WDVE continue as the team’s flagship game broadcast station. According to a news release, the deal will always have iHeart powering the “Steelers Audio Network” through the 2028 season. Read moreiHeartMedia Pittsburgh, NFL’s Steelers Extend Broadcast Deal.

Alpha Media continues to lay off employees, with cuts made this week in South Dakota and Minnesota. The company has been reducing headcount in other locations as well, including suburban Chicago, Iowa, and Missouri. Read moreAlpha Media Makes More Cuts, Lays Off Broadcasters In SD, MN.

In March, leadership at news/talk WGBH Boston warned of possible cuts due to budget shortfalls. On Wednesday, the warning became a reality as more than 30 staff members across 13 departments were laid off. The cuts affect 4% of the public media organization’s workforce. According to a report, the most dramatic cuts affect the news division. Read morePublic Media Radio Cuts Reach WGBH Boston.

Opportunity knocks for physical retail as the next frontier for retail media. That’s according to eMarketer, which says the combination of online retail media’s fast growth and enhanced in-store digital connectivity underscores the potential for brick-and-mortar. But whether physical retail can capitalize, however, is still a key question. Read moreCan Physical Stores Navigate Retail Media’s Terrain In The Name Of Growth?

New research from Tucson, AZ-based FMR Associates is touting the virtues of the Christian AC format, saying its listeners have money to spend — and are fans of radio. “Christian AC fans overwhelmingly choose radio as their primary audio medium over internet streams, podcasts, and other varied media,” FMR Associates says in a news release. “They spend 33% more time with radio when compared to other music formats.” Read moreStudy: Christian AC Listeners An Opportunity For Advertisers.

Sean Hannity, whose radio show has an estimated 20 million listeners and is heard on more than 700 U.S. radio stations and Sirius XM, had a guest host Wednesday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took to the air from Palm Beach, which he called “sunny South Florida,” according to a report by the Tallahassee Democrat. Read moreSitting In For Sean Hannity: A Former Presidential Candidate.

The introduction of iOS 17 has meant fewer downloads for most publishers, with the promise of improved ad performance helping to ease the pain of smaller numbers. The latest data from Podscribe shows that, while still early, that tradeoff may be beginning to pay off. Podscribe reported a small gain in ad performance during the final months of last year, and it says those improvements mainly held into the first quarter. Read morePodscribe: iOS 17’s Ad Performance Improvements Held Into Q1.

A new survey from digital marketing agency Adtaxi says U.S. consumers are more open than ever to the idea of buying expensive items — including a house or an automobile — online. Fifty-six percent of respondents say they’re open to an online home purchase, up from 49% in 2023. For automobiles, it’s 58% (vs. 53% last year), and for major appliances it’s 78% (vs. 73% in 2023). Read moreAdtaxi: More Are Willing To Buy Things Online — Even If They’re Pricey.

Most small business owners and employees view artificial intelligence (AI) as a vehicle for strengthening and growing their teams, according to a survey by Cox Business. Among those surveyed, 52% of small-business owners said AI lets them increase or retain employees. Sixty-five percent of small-business employees said the same. Read moreSurvey: Small Businesses View AI As A Growth Tool.