Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger made an unexpected appearance at ABC News’ daily editorial meeting in New York City on Thursday, where he voiced serious concerns about President Donald Trump’s newly enacted “Liberation Day” tariffs. According to Oliver Darcy’s Status newsletter, Iger warned of the potential fallout not only for Disney but for the broader U.S. economy.
The Wrap reports Iger told staffers that shifting overseas manufacturing to the U.S. on short notice is unfeasible and emphasized that the public largely misunderstands how tariffs function. Anonymous attendees interpreted this as a nudge for ABC News to better educate its audience on the issue.
The visit followed Trump’s signing of an executive order on Wednesday, which introduced sweeping tariffs targeting over 180 countries and U.S. trade partners. Trump hailed the move as “Liberation Day,” though economists and industry figures, including Hollywood executives, are increasingly apprehensive about its consequences.
Throughout the closed-door discussion, Iger remained actively engaged, offering candid insights, per Darcy’s account. He expressed particular worry about Disney’s cruise division, noting that two new ships under construction could face higher steel costs, potentially forcing the company to cut back on investments. On the topic of relocating production, Iger pointed out the logistical challenges, citing the thousands of specialized workers—such as those at Apple’s Foxconn facilities in China—who would need to be replaced and retrained in the U.S.
Iger’s presence at the meeting suggests growing unease with the Trump administration’s policies, a sentiment echoed by Thursday’s market reaction: the U.S. stock market saw its sharpest decline since 2020. The tariffs are set to roll out in phases, starting with a 10% levy on all countries this Saturday, followed by steeper, tailored tariffs on nations with significant U.S. trade deficits beginning April 9.
Local radio continues to maintain a strong presence in the U.S. advertising landscape, securing its position as the fifth-largest advertising medium within the $171 billion local ad marketplace, as reported by BIA Advisory Services.
This ranking highlights radio's enduring relevance amid a rapidly evolving media environment, where it competes with both traditional and digital platforms for advertising dollars.
According to BIA's latest U.S. Local Advertising Forecast for 2025, local radio is projected to generate $12.3 billion in advertising revenue, encompassing both over-the-air (OTA) and digital channels. This figure reflects a slight adjustment from 2024 estimates, with a forecasted decline of 4.9% year-over-year when including political spending, and a 6% drop for OTA revenue alone. Despite this dip, radio’s ability to hold its top-five spot underscores its resilience and adaptability, particularly as it integrates digital innovations with its traditional broadcasting strengths.
The forecast points to significant growth in digital radio ad spending, driven by key sectors such as financial services, insurance, and quick-service restaurants (QSRs), each expected to invest over $95 million in 2025. Hospitals are also emerging as a notable spender in local radio advertising, reflecting the medium's appeal to diverse industries seeking to connect with local audiences. This blend of traditional and digital revenue streams enables radio to remain a vital tool for advertisers, especially in rural and remote communities where it retains strong cultural and practical relevance.
BIA Advisory Services emphasizes that local radio's transformation—merging compelling content with digital capabilities—positions it to offer unique value to advertisers. This adaptability ensures it continues to compete effectively within the broader $171 billion local advertising marketplace, trailing only larger mediums like digital ads, television, direct mail, and newspapers, though the exact rankings of the top four are not specified in the provided context.
YouTube is poised to overtake Disney as the world’s largest media company by revenue in 2025, a remarkable milestone for a platform that began just 20 years ago.
According to a recent report by MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson, YouTube generated $54.2 billion in revenue in 2024, trailing Disney’s media revenue (excluding its parks and experiences divisions) by just $5.5 billion, with Disney at $59.7 billion. Nathanson predicts that YouTube’s growth trajectory will see it surpass Disney by the end of 2025, earning it the title of the “new king of all media.”
This projection hinges on YouTube’s explosive growth across multiple revenue streams: advertising, subscriptions, and its virtual MVPD service, YouTube TV.
In 2024, YouTube’s ad revenue hit $36.15 billion, up 15% year-over-year, with a record-breaking $10.5 billion in Q4 alone. Subscription services like YouTube Premium and YouTube Music, boasting over 125 million global subscribers as of March 2025, contributed an estimated $18.1 billion in “other revenue.” YouTube TV, with over 8 million subscribers despite a price hike from $73 to $83 per month in December 2024, further bolsters its earnings. Nathanson forecasts that by 2027, YouTube could reach over $75 billion in annual revenue, driven by continued subscriber growth and enhanced monetization.
Americans continue to rely on Fox News for information and analysis across multiple platforms.
Fox News finished the first quarter of 2025 with over one billion video views on YouTube for its best quarter in history, according to Emplifi.
Fox News finished the historic quarter as the No. 1 news brand on YouTube with a staggering 1.2 billion views. It was the second consecutive quarter that Fox News finished atop the news competitive set, surpassing the nearest competitor, MSNBC’s 945 million views, by 26%.
CNN managed only 489 million views, while NBC News delivered 391 million views, ABC News followed with 357 million views and CBS News trailed with only 172 million views.
Fox News finished No. 1 with a 26% increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, which was previously the best quarter the network ever had on YouTube.
Fox Business also secured 326 million YouTube views in the first quarter compared to just under 90 million for CNBC and under 30 million for Bloomberg. As a result, Fox Business has finished No. 1 among the business news competitive set for the 13th straight quarter, according to Shareablee.
Fox News Digital finished 2024 as the top news brand with multiplatform views and minutes while seeing yearly growth across all metrics, according to Comscore. The momentum has carried over to 2025 as Fox News Digital dominated the news-heavy month of February, finishing as the No. 1 news brand in multiplatform views and minutes.
The digital success comes as Fox News Channel had the highest-rated quarter among weekday total viewers in cable news history during the first quarter of 2025, also topping broadcast competition in key measurables along the way.
U.S. consumers have been increasingly motivated to make expensive purchases ahead of anticipated price hikes driven by President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, which were enacted via an executive order on Wednesday. These tariffs, set to impose a 10% levy on imports from all countries starting Saturday, followed by higher reciprocal tariffs on nations with significant U.S. trade deficits beginning April 9, 2025, have sparked a rush to buy big-ticket items before costs rise.
This consumer behavior is particularly evident in the automotive sector. In the first quarter of 2025, U.S. auto sales surged, with buyers snapping up pickup trucks, SUVs, and other vehicles. The looming tariffs, expected to increase vehicle prices by thousands of dollars due to their reliance on imported parts and materials, have driven this preemptive spending. Consumers are acting on expert advice to purchase now rather than face steeper prices later, a sentiment echoed across various industries reliant on overseas manufacturing.
The rush to make purchases
The tariff − the highest U.S. tariff on any country − is raising the specter of steep price hikes on goods imported from China, including Apple iPhones.
Most of the 200 million iPhones Apple produces each year are made in China. Of the consumer goods affected by the 54% tariff, iPhones could take the biggest hit from the sharp hike.
Apple, which commands high profit margins, would have to either absorb the costs and pass them onto investors or raise prices and pass them on to consumers. If Apple were to do the latter, consumers could see prices jump as much as 43%, analysts estimated Thursday.
Even the cheapest new iPhone – the iPhone 16e – would see a big jump in price from $600 to $858 – a risky strategy when inflation-weary consumers are reeling from high prices and cutting back on pricey purchases.
Some consumers are “doom spending”. The current wave of pricey purchases reflects a strategic move to beat tariff-induced inflation. However, not all are participating; many Americans, frustrated by prices already 19% above pre-pandemic levels as of early 2024, are trading down to cheaper alternatives or cutting back on non-essentials.
Tom Sullivan, a veteran talk radio host, is stepping down from his daily afternoon show on iHeartMedia’s NewsRadio KFBK in Sacramento, where he has been a mainstay for over four decades.
His final broadcast is scheduled for Friday, May 30, 2025, marking the end of a significant chapter in his career and for the station. Sullivan’s show, airing weekdays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET, has also been nationally syndicated through Talk Media Network, reaching listeners across multiple markets.
Sullivan began his broadcasting career at KFBK in 1980, initially as a financial editor, and became the station’s top-rated talk host by July 1998. Known for his smart, opinionated, and inclusive style, he built a loyal audience in Sacramento while expanding his reach nationally.
In 2007, he relocated to New York to join Fox Business Network as an anchor and Fox News Talk Radio for syndication, continuing his KFBK show remotely. After leaving Fox in 2017, he partnered with Talk Media Network to maintain his syndicated presence, originating from KFBK (1530 AM and 93.1 FM).
His career highlights include being named to Talkers magazine’s Heavy Hundred, a nomination for Radio & Records News/Talk Personality of the Year, and years as a fill-in host for Rush Limbaugh’s program.
His retirement announcement came on April 2, 2025, framed as a “semi-retirement” by KFBK, suggesting he’s not fully exiting the media landscape. Sullivan, now in his mid-70s, plans to shift focus to a new podcast, allowing him to stay connected with listeners in a less demanding format.
Eugene Robinson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, announced his departure from The Washington Post on April 3, 2025, after 45 years with the newspaper, citing a “significant shift” in the paper’s mission under its billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos.
Robinson’s exit is the latest in a series of high-profile resignations triggered by Bezos’ recent changes to the Post’s opinion section, which he outlined in February 2025. Bezos declared that the section would focus exclusively on defending “personal liberties and free markets,” excluding viewpoints that oppose these principles—a move that has stirred controversy and prompted a broader exodus of veteran staffers.
Robinson, who joined The Washington Post in 1980 and began writing for the opinion pages in 2005, expressed his decision in an email to colleagues, stating, “The announced ‘significant shift’ in our section’s mission has spurred me to decide that it’s time for my next chapter.” He wished the paper well, adding, “I won’t be a stranger, and I’ll be reading your unparalleled work every single day.”
His departure follows a career that included roles as a city hall reporter, foreign correspondent, and assistant managing editor, culminating in a 2009 Pulitzer Prize for his commentary on Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Beyond the Post, Robinson has been a prominent political analyst on NBC News and MSNBC, often critiquing President Donald Trump, whom he once called a “weak, narcissistic man” and accused of trampling the Constitution.
The changes have also impacted the Post’s readership, with over 75,000 digital subscribers canceling in the 48 hours following Bezos’ initial announcement, though the paper later reported gaining 400,000 new subscribers. Robinson had hinted at his unease earlier, telling MSNBC’s Morning Joe in February that the shift was a “fork-in-the-road moment” for many staffers, as it deviated from the independent journalism they signed up for.
Commissioners Anna Gomez and Nathan Simington of the FCC are set to lead significant policy discussions at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show 2025, taking place April 5–9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Their appearances highlight the FCC’s engagement with pressing regulatory and technological issues facing the broadcast industry.
Anna Gomez, a Democratic commissioner sworn in September 2023, will host a Q&A session on Monday, April 7, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. in room W219 as part of the Broadcast Management Track.
Anna Gomez
Known for her outspoken advocacy on diversity, fairness, and consumer protection in broadcasting, Gomez brings over 30 years of experience in communications law and policy. Her recent public stances include criticizing FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and calling an investigation into CBS News politically motivated.
At the NAB Show, her session, moderated by Wall Street Journal reporter Joe Flint, will likely cover regulatory priorities, the challenges and opportunities for broadcasters in today’s media landscape, and her push against government overreach in media affairs. Given her background—12 years at the FCC, including as Deputy Chief of the International Bureau, and leadership roles at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)—expect her to emphasize digital equity, broadband access, and the FCC’s role in serving the public.
Nathan Simington, a Republican commissioner confirmed in 2020, will deliver keynote remarks on Tuesday, April 8, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Theater 2 (room W2631) during the session “Overcoming Hurdles to Full ATSC 3.0 Deployment.”
Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) is currently accepting applications for the Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2026 Agenda Committee.
The volunteer team plays a pivotal role in shaping the educational programming for CRS 2026, an annual event that serves as a key gathering for country music and radio industry professionals. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 18, 2025, and the seminar itself is scheduled to take place March 18–20, 2026, in Nashville.
The CRS Agenda Committee is composed of industry volunteers from various sectors, including country radio, streaming services, and the broader music industry. Their primary responsibility is to design and plan the educational content—such as panels, sessions, and discussions—that will address the evolving needs and trends in country radio and music. This includes tackling topics like programming, digital innovation, streaming, and industry challenges, ensuring the seminar remains a vital resource for professionals seeking to stay ahead in a rapidly changing landscape.
Leading the 2026 Agenda Committee is Chair Shelley Hargis from BMG/BBR Music Group, who brings continuity from her role in previous years. She is joined by Co-Vice Chairs Krista Hayes-Pruitt, also of BMG/BBR Music Group, and Kevin Callahan, Programming Executive at Pamal Broadcasting, with Callahan stepping into the leadership team this year. Their combined expertise spans label operations and radio programming, promising a balanced perspective in curating the agenda.
Applicants must commit to attending in-person planning meetings in Nashville from July 21–23, 2025, at the Virgin Hotel, as well as the full CRS 2026 event in March. While committee members receive free registration for the seminar, they are responsible for their own travel and lodging expenses.
Edison Research, in collaboration with SiriusXM Media, is set to release the Women's Audio Report, a detailed study focusing on women's audio consumption habits in the United States.
The report will be unveiled through a two-part webinar series scheduled for April 15 and April 29, 2025, at 2 PM ET. The initiative reflects Edison Research's ongoing commitment to exploring audio trends and listener behaviors, particularly within specific demographic groups.
The webinars will provide insights into key aspects of how women engage with audio content, including listener demographics, content preferences, discovery habits, and their interaction with advertising. The presentations will be led by Megan Lazovick, Vice President at Edison Research, and Melissa Paris, Vice President of Sales Research at SiriusXM Media, offering a blend of research expertise and industry perspective.
Expanding on the significance of this report, it’s worth noting that women represent a substantial portion of audio consumers, yet their specific preferences and behaviors are not always fully understood or highlighted in broader industry analyses. The report is expected to cover how women discover audio content, whether through podcasts, music streaming, or spoken-word formats like audiobooks and radio.
It may also explore how factors such as age, lifestyle, or cultural background shape their choices. Additionally, the inclusion of advertising engagement suggests the study will offer practical insights for marketers looking to reach female audiences more effectively through audio channels.
The decision to present the findings in a two-part webinar series indicates a depth of data that goes beyond a single report. The first session on April 15 might focus on foundational findings—demographics and consumption patterns—while the second on April 29 could delve into more nuanced topics like content preferences or actionable takeaways for the industry.
As streaming platforms, podcasts, and smart speakers continue to grow, companies are eager to refine their approaches to different listener groups. The Women's Audio Report could reveal shifts in how women use audio compared to men or highlight emerging trends, such as the rise of female-driven podcast genres like true crime or wellness. For SiriusXM Media, a partner in this project, the findings could inform programming and advertising strategies across its vast network, which includes satellite radio and streaming services.
Lesley Stahl, a journalist from 60 Minutes, is receiving criticism for her interview with Keith Siegel, a former Hamas hostage, as social media users express outrage, claiming she showed sympathy toward the terrorist organization.
Stahl faced online condemnation after questioning Siegel about whether Hamas intentionally starved him or simply lacked food to provide. "Do you think they starved you because or they just didn’t have food?" she asked Siegel, following his account of how his captors grew harsher after his wife, Aviva, was freed.
I can't believe my eyes. Lesley Stahl had the audacity to ask a Jewish hostage, who was tortured and starved by Hamas, if Hamas really meant to starve him or if they just didn't have enough food.
Siegel, who endured 484 days in captivity, responded, "No, I think they starved me, and they would often eat in front of me and not offer me food."
Multiple pro-Israel X accounts have highlighted the interaction, accusing Stahl of justifying the actions of the Islamic terrorists. The "Jew Fight Back account" posted, "Shame on 60 Minutes. Shame on CBS. And shame on every apologist who still can’t admit that Hamas is pure evil."
Ari Hoffman, a conservative journalist, also weighed in, stating, "Lesley Stahl & CBS should be ashamed of themselves. Throughout the interviews with the released hostages, Stahl used Hamas data & talking points... She should ask the Nazis if they meant to starve the Jews in the Holocaust or didn't have enough aid."
Deborah Norville, a veteran broadcaster and two-time Emmy winner, is stepping down as anchor of Inside Edition after an impressive 30-year tenure.
She announced her departure on the show during the Wednesday broadcast, stating that she will leave at the end of the current season. Norville, who joined the syndicated CBS newsmagazine in March 1995, has been a cornerstone of the program, making her the longest-serving female anchor on American television.
In her on-air announcement, Norville reflected on her time with the show, saying, “It has been such an honor and privilege to be here at Inside Edition for all these years. A milestone like this is a time for reflection, and on reflection, I have decided that now is the time for me to move on.”
.@DeborahNorville, the longest-serving female anchor in American TV history, says this will be her final season at @InsideEdition.
She shares some of her favorite memories from anchoring the show for three decades and provides more details on what's next for her. pic.twitter.com/gLe0wKtoty
She revealed that the network offered her a “lovely” deal to stay, but she declined, explaining, “There are things I’d like to do and places I want to do them that continuing here doesn’t permit.” Norville teased “exciting things in the works” but kept specifics under wraps for the moment, emphasizing her gratitude for the team and viewers who welcomed her into their homes daily.
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) are set to air on CBS for the first time in the show’s history, marking a significant shift for the long-running music awards ceremony.
Scheduled for Sunday, September 7, 2025, the three-hour event will broadcast live from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET (5:00 to 8:00 p.m. PT). Alongside its debut on CBS, the VMAs will be simulcast on MTV, the network that has traditionally hosted the awards since their inception in 1984. This dual-network approach reflects a strategic move by Paramount, which owns both MTV and CBS, to broaden the show’s reach. The ceremony will also stream live on Paramount+, offering viewers additional access beyond traditional TV.
A one-hour pre-show will precede the main event, airing across various Paramount Media Networks, though specifics on which networks beyond MTV and CBS remain unconfirmed at this stage. Historically, the VMAs have leveraged Paramount’s extensive cable portfolio—channels like BET, CMT, Comedy Central, and VH1—for simulcasts, a tactic that boosted the 2024 show to 4.09 million viewers across 12 networks, its largest multi-network audience in four years. However, for 2025, the focus appears narrower, with CBS and MTV as the primary live carriers, potentially signaling a streamlined approach to maximize viewership on broadcast and streaming platforms.
Details on nominations, performers, and hosts for 2025 are yet to be announced, with such reveals typically coming closer to the airdate.
Morgan Wallen recently made headlines after abruptly exiting the stage at the end of the March 29, episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL), where he performed as the musical guest alongside host Mikey Madison.
Typically, at the close of an SNL episode, the host, musical guest, and cast gather onstage to exchange goodbyes and hugs as the credits roll. However, Wallen broke from this tradition by quickly leaving the stage after a brief interaction with Madison, walking past the camera and out of sight. Shortly after, he posted a photo of a private jet on his Instagram Stories with the caption "Get me to God’s country," sparking widespread speculation about his intentions and feelings toward the show.
Within days, Wallen turned this viral moment into a business opportunity by launching a line of merchandise on his official website. The collection includes T-shirts and trucker hats emblazoned with the phrase "Get Me to God’s Country," priced at $45 each. The swift release of this merch—less than 48 hours after the SNL episode aired—demonstrates Wallen’s knack for capitalizing on buzz, whether positive or negative. The phrase, now tied to his exit, has become a meme among fans and critics alike, amplifying its marketability.
➦In 1906...Actress Beatrice Benaderet born (Died at age 62 from lung cancer – October 13, 1968). She was a radio and television actress and voice actress. Born in New York City and raised in San Francisco, she began performing in Bay Area theatre and radio before embarking on a Hollywood career that spanned over three decades. Benaderet first specialized in voiceover work in the golden age of radio, appearing on numerous programs while working with comedians of the era such as Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, and Lucille Ball. Her expertise in dialect and characterization led to her becoming Warner Bros.' leading voice of female characters in their animated cartoons of the early 1940s through the mid-1950s.
Bea Benaderet
Benaderet was then a prominent figure on television in situation comedies, first with The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show from 1950 to 1958, for which she earned two Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress. In the 1960s, she had regular roles in four series up until her death from lung cancer in 1968, including the commercial successes The Beverly Hillbillies, The Flintstones, and her best known role as Kate Bradley in Petticoat Junction. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame honoring her work in television.
In 1926, Benaderet joined the staff of KFRC San Francisco, which was under the new ownership of Don Lee and where her duties included acting, singing, writing, and producing. Initially seeking work as a dramatic actress, she switched to comedy and performed on multiple shows in nine years with the station, in particular the Blue Monday Jamboree variety program, where her castmates included Meredith Willson, Elvia Allman, and future I Love Lucy producer Jess Oppenheimer. She additionally hosted the musical variety show Salon Moderne and gained attention for her work as a female announcer, which had become a rarity in radio in the 1930s.
Benaderet moved to Los Angeles station KHJ in 1936. She made her network radio debut upon being hired by Orson Welles for his Mercury Theatre repertory company heard on The Campbell Playhouse. The following year she received her first big break in the industry on The Jack Benny Program, where she played Gertrude Gearshift, a wisecracking Brooklyn-accented telephone operator who gossiped about Jack Benny with her cohort Mabel Flapsaddle (Sara Berner). Intended as a one-time appearance, the pair became a recurring role starting in the 1945–46 season, and in early 1947, Benaderet and Berner momentarily took over the actual NBC switchboards in Hollywood for publicity photos. She performed in as many as five shows daily, causing her rehearsal dates to conflict with those of The Jack Benny Program and resulting in her reading live as Gertrude from a marked script she was handed upon entering the studio.
Other recurring characters Benaderet portrayed were Blanche Morton on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show; school principal Eve Goodwin on The Great Gildersleeve; Millicent Carstairs on Fibber McGee & Molly; Gloria the maid on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet; and Iris Atterbury on the Lucille Ball vehicle My Favorite Husband, opposite Gale Gordon. Benaderet voiced various one-time parts before joining the main cast as Iris, the neighbor and friend of Ball's character Liz Cooper. The 1950 CBS program Granby's Green Acres, a perceived spinoff of My Favorite Husband, was her one radio lead role and reunited her with Gordon as a husband and wife who abandon city life to become farmers, but it lasted only eight episodes.
Beginning in 1943, Benaderet became Warner Bros.' primary voice of adult female supporting characters for their Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes animated shorts.
Benaderet was Lucille Ball's first choice as Ethel Mertz for the sitcom I Love Lucy; Ball said in a 1984 interview that she had "no other picture of anyone" for the role of Ethel. However, Benaderet had to turn down the offer since she was contracted to the television adaptation of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, so Vivian Vance was eventually cast. Benaderet guest-starred on the January 21, 1952 first-season episode "Lucy Plays Cupid" as the character of Miss Lewis, a love-starved spinster neighbor.
➦In 1906...John Cameron Swayze born (Died – August 15, 1995), He was a news commentator and game show panelist during the 1940s and 1950s who later became best known as a product spokesman for Timex watches.
Swayze
Swayze first wanted to be an actor; however work on Broadway ended when acting roles became scarce following the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Swayze returned to the Midwest and worked for the Kansas City Journal Post as a reporter.
From there he graduated to radio, doing news updates for Kansas City's KMBC in 1940 and, reportedly, an experimental early television newscast. In Kansas City, Swayze broadcast news items prepared by United Press Kansas City bureau overnight editor Walter Cronkite. Four years later, Swayze went farther west, to Los Angeles and Hollywood, where NBC hired him for its western news division before moving him to its New York City news operation in 1947.
During 1948, Swayze provided voiceover work for the Camel Newsreel Theatre, an early television news program that broadcast Movietone News newsreels.
At the same time, Swayze proposed and obtained a radio quiz program, Who Said That?. The radio version lasted only a year, but Swayze was an occasional panelist in the television version of the program, which was broadcast on NBC from 1948 to 1955.
NBC, meanwhile, made Swayze the host of its national political convention coverage in 1948, the first commercial coverage ever by television. (NBC Television did broadcast the Republican National Convention from Philadelphia during 1940 on a noncommercial, semi-experimental basis, seen in just three cities: Philadelphia, New York City and Schenectady, NY).
In October 1948, Swayze was a permanent panel member of the quiz show Who Said That? and was referred to as the anchorman in what may be the first usage of this term on television.
Swayze was chosen in 1949 to host NBC's first television newscast, the 15-minute Camel News Caravan. He read items from the news wires and periodically interviewed newsmakers, but he is remembered best for reporting on the Korean War nightly and for his two catchphrases: "Let's go hopscotching the world for headlines" and his signoff: "That's the story, folks—glad we could get together. And now, this is John Cameron Swayze saying good night." Veteran broadcaster David Brinkley wrote in a memoir that Swayze got the job because of his ability to memorize scripts, which allowed him to recite the news when the primitive teleprompters of the time failed to work properly.
The projected local radio ad revenue for 2025 is estimated to reach $12.3 billion, encompassing both over-the-air and digital radio. This figure indicates a slight adjustment compared to 2024, as reported by BIA Advisory Services' latest U.S. Local Advertising Forecast.
RAB, in partnership with BIA Advisory Services, has conducted a comprehensive analysis of the evolving radio landscape to help broadcasters navigate the economic environment of 2025. Local radio ranks as the fifth-largest advertising medium within the $171 billion local advertising marketplace.
Several key categories are driving investments in radio advertising: investment & retirement, quick service restaurants (QSRs), supermarkets, commercial banking and hospitals. Advertising trends indicate robust engagement in digital radio advertising from both the finance and insurance sectors, as well as QSRs, with expected investments exceeding $95 million for each.
