New research by TransUnion finds that U.S. shoppers increased auto insurance shopping by 6% in the first quarter of this year vs. the year-earlier period. But TransUnion said consumers nonetheless remain eager to buy new and used vehicles. Read moreTransUnion: Americans Shopped For Auto Insurance In Q1 2024.

“Go Country 105” KKGO Los Angeles President Saul Levine says the station has entered a consulting agreement. According to a news release, country radio consultant Albright & O’Malley & Brenner along with consulting partner Kenny Jay will start working with the venerable station. Read moreKKGO Hires Consultant As It Makes Some ‘Minor Adjustments.’

U.S. existing home sales unexpectedly fell last month as demand took a hit from higher mortgage rates and high home prices. A report from the National Association of Realtors showed inventory reaching a 2-1/2-year high last month, but entry-level homes remained scarce, leading to the second straight monthly sales decline. Read moreU.S. Home Sales See Second Straight Monthly Decline In April.

Sonos has launched its first-ever headphones, Sonos Ace, marking the brand’s long-awaited entry into the personal listening category. The over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones lossless and spatial audio offering sound from all directions. For podcasters, the company says there will be high-fidelity sound with Sonos Ace’s two custom-designed drivers that render each frequency with precision and clarity. Read moreSonos Makes Headphones Debut With Sonos Ace.

Family Life Ministries Radio is growing its reach in New York as the religious broadcaster snaps up a trio of FMs that Townsquare Media took silent earlier this year. Also this week, SummitMedia is spinning off one of its Birmingham, AL stations. And a New Orleans seller agrees to stick around salary-free for six months after closing. Details in this week’s Deal Digest. Read moreDeal Digest: SummitMedia Sells In Birmingham; Townsquare Sells Trio Of New York FMs.

While several states have already passed laws requiring that political ads featuring voices and images created using artificial intelligence be disclosed, the FCC is considering new standards that would cover stations coast-to-coast. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel has circulated a proposal with her colleagues that, if adopted, would look into whether the agency should require disclosure when there’s AI-generated content in radio and TV political ads. Read moreFCC Considers Disclosures For AI-Generated Political Ads On Radio, TV.

Surveys have shown the Presidential election has yet to spark much excitement among voters. It is likely one factor why News podcasts, which would typically get an election-year bounce, have seen softer listening trends so far this year. Edison Research says among the weekly podcast listeners 13 and older it surveyed, the News genre fell to third place in terms of reach, sliding behind perennial No. 1 Comedy and trading places with the Society & Culture genre. Read moreNews Podcasts See No Election-Year Listening Bounce As Genre Slides In Q1.

Media Monitors has received continued accreditation for its radio and TV spot services reporting by the Media Ratings Council (MRC). “We congratulate Media Monitors on this achievement and applaud their commitment to measurement quality,” MRC Executive Director and CEO George W. Ivie remarked. Media Monitors’ U.S. radio spot data has been accredited since 2008 and its TV spot data since 2017. Read moreMRC Grants Extended Accreditation To Media Monitors.

Jared Allen, OM for Alpha Media’s Mason City, IA, cluster, and Britt Bailey, Program/Content Director at “93.9 The Country Moose” KIAI Mason City, are among those exiting during the company’s ongoing reduction in force. “This job wasn’t just a job, it was a passion and something I loved dear to my heart,” Allen said on social media, noting that several co-workers had their positions eliminated. Read moreAlpha Media Cuts Reach Mason City, IA.