Radio History: July 20

Loomis in 1865

➦In 1872...Mahlon Loomis was awarded a patent for wireless technology heralding the beginning of radio. Loomis was the first wireless telegrapher.

In the mid-1800s it had been well established that the Earth was surrounded by a significant electrical field, and Loomis felt passionately that this was an overlooked resource of vast potential, both for generating electrical power, and as a conduit that would support worldwide wireless communication.

Loomis was also a dentist, the inventor of artificial teeth (patent #10,847 May 2, 1854), and the earliest inventor of wireless communication (patent #129,971).

He was born July 26, 1826 in Oppenheim, New York and died, October 13, 1886 in Terra Alta, West Virginia.

Verna Felton

➦In 1890...Character actor Verna Felton born in Salinas, CA  (Died from a stroke – December 14, 1966). She was best known for providing many voices in numerous Disney animated films, as well as voicing Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law Pearl Slaghoople in Hanna-Barbera's The Flintstones (1962–1963).

She also had roles in live-action films; however, she was most active in radio programs. She was known for her husky voice and no-nonsense attitude. Two of her most famous roles were as Dennis Day's mother Mrs. Day on The Jack Benny Program (1939–1962) and as Hilda Crocker on the CBS sitcom December Bride (1952–1959).

Felton worked extensively in the 1930s and '50s in Hollywood radio, notably playing The Mom in The Cinnamon Bear, Junior the Mean Widdle Kid's grandmother on Red Skelton's radio series, Hattie Hirsch on Point Sublime, and Dennis Day's protective, domineering, and authoritative mother, Mrs Day, who was always looking out for him while trying to boss around Jack Benny on The Jack Benny Program. In addition, she performed on radio as a regular on The Abbott and Costello Show and The Great Gildersleeve.

➦In 1935…The crime drama G-Men debuted on NBC Radio. It was renamed Gang Busters in January 1936 and moved to CBS Radio. The series ran for 21 years.

➦In 1937…Guglielmo Marconi died in Rome on 20 July 1937 at age 63, following a series of heart attacks, and Italy held a state funeral for him.  As a tribute, all radio stations throughout the world observed two minutes of silence on the next day.

When Marconi made his famous first transatlantic radio transmission in 1901, rival inventor Nikola Tesla claimed that it was done with 17 Tesla patents. Thus began years of patent battles over radio with Tesla's patents being upheld in 1903, followed by a reverse decision in favor of Marconi in 1904.

In June 1943, the United States Supreme Court restored patent rights to Tesla, saying their decision had no bearing on Marconi's claim as the first to achieve radio transmission, just that because Marconi's claim to certain patents was questionable, he could not claim infringement on those same patents.

Chip and Joanna Gaines Risk Alienation of Core

 
Chip and Joanna Gaines, known for their HGTV show Fixer Upper and the Magnolia brand, are facing significant backlash following the premiere of their new Magnolia Network reality series, Back to the Frontier, last week. 

The controversy centers on the inclusion of a same-sex couple, Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs, along with their two sons, as one of three families featured in the show, which follows participants living an 1880s homesteader lifestyle without modern amenities. This marked a departure from Fixer Upper (2013–2018), which never featured same-sex couples, a fact that had previously drawn criticism from progressive groups. 

The inclusion of a same-sex couple in Back to the Frontier provoked outrage from some conservative Christian fans, who accused the Gaineses of abandoning their evangelical values. The Gaineses, devout Christians, built a family-friendly brand rooted in their faith, appealing to evangelical audiences. Their Fixer Upper show and Magnolia empire (including a network, retail, and real estate) emphasized traditional values, which resonated with conservative viewers.

Back To the Frontier

Back to the Frontier, a joint venture with HBO Max, intentionally featured Hanna and Riggs, a Texas-based same-sex couple with 10-year-old twin sons born via surrogate. The couple expressed their goal to “normalize same-sex families” through their participation, which was highlighted in promotional materials.

Conservative Christian commentators, including evangelist Franklin Graham and the American Family Association’s Ed Vitagliano, criticized the Gaineses for promoting an “unbiblical” view of marriage and family. Graham called the casting “very disappointing,” arguing it contradicted biblical teachings on marriage as between one man and one woman.

Chip Gaines defended the show on X, urging critics to “talk, ask questions, listen… maybe even learn” and lamenting the “hate and vitriol” from some Christians. He suggested that judging without understanding was contrary to Christian values like love and kindness.

Potential Risks:

Alienation of Core Audience: The Gaineses’ evangelical fan base, a significant portion of their following, may feel betrayed by the inclusion of a same Ósame-sex couple, viewing it as a compromise of their values. Posts on X indicate some fans are boycotting the brand, with comments like, “I can’t let my kids watch your show now” and “I hope the money from HBO was worth it.” This could lead to reduced viewership and revenue for Magnolia Network.

Brand Perception: The Gaineses’ image as “America’s favorite Christian couple” has been challenged, with critics like the Danbury Institute calling the move “dangerous” for promoting “depravity” to unsuspecting audiences. Negative media coverage, such as a New York Post article questioning the brand’s survival, could amplify public relations challenges.

Massive, And Growing, Size of US Podcasting Revealed

By James Cridland, Podnews.net

Americans are spending over three-quarters of a billion hours with podcasts each week, according to new data released to Podnews from Edison Research this week.

The data, from the well-regarded Share of Ear study from Edison Research, shows that time spent with podcasts has increased from 170 million hours a week in 2015 to an astonishing 773 million hours per week today. Over the last ten years, that’s a +355% increase in time spent with podcasts across the US.

Gabriel Soto, Senior Director of Research at Edison Research, told Podnews: “The aggregation of time spent with podcasts across U.S. consumers is a core metric that illustrates the growth of podcasting, and this increasing consumption means more opportunities for advertisers to reach audiences more effectively. As podcasting gains more share of ear, this new way of looking at the data shows that podcasting should be top of mind for marketers wanting to gain an intimate connection with prospective buyers.”

The data currently suggests that every consumer of podcasts spends on average 7.7 hours with them every week.

Share of Ear® is a quarterly diary survey, conducted by Edison Research since 2014. It is the only survey in the US to provide analysis of all audio consumption.

Edison Research also produces the Podcast Consumer, a study helping us understand who is listening to podcasting, which uses data from the Infinite Dial, Share of Ear, and Edison Podcast Metrics. A free webinar on Jul 24 will unveil 2025’s figures for the first time.

As we regularly report in Podnews, the total number of people consuming podcasts continues to increase, with 55% of Americans aged 12+ spending time with a podcast every month: but that’s only half the story, because the time that Americans are spending with podcasts is also vitally important for the industry.

The total reach figure - with the majority of Americans now consuming a podcast at least once a month - is impressive, and shows that podcasting has reached the mainstream.

But podcasting’s success isn’t just measured by total audience: it’s also measured by time with the medium.

Total time with podcasting is a helpful metric which helps us understand the quality of podcasts, and demonstrates our ability to get listeners consuming podcasts for longer.

This number helps podcasters tell their growth story

We can’t assume that we will get ever-increasing numbers in terms of “total people”, much though we’d like to continue reporting those increases in Podnews. Podcasting is already reaching the majority of Americans every month. That number will continue to grow; but inevitably, growth will slow.

Yet, where we can continue to show growth - for many years to come - is the time people spend with podcasting. A total “time spent” number communicates both the number of people podcasting reaches, and the time they spend with podcasting.

NPR CEO Discusses The Future of Public Radio

Katherine Maher

On Friday, July 18, 2025, NPR CEO Katherine Maher discussed the future of public radio in an interview on NPR, addressing the recent Congressional decision to strip over $1 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). 

Maher highlighted the severe impact of these cuts, particularly on rural stations, noting that some, like those in Alaska, rely on federal funds for up to 70% of their budgets. She warned that the cuts could force many stations to reduce services or shut down entirely, affecting local news and emergency alert systems critical for public safety in nearly half of U.S. states. Maher emphasized the immediate impact, citing a prior executive order that already cut $30 million in educational programming, affecting shows like "Daniel Tiger" and "Sesame Street."

She acknowledged the political pressure driving the defunding, stating that despite private support from lawmakers across the aisle for public media’s role in local journalism and educational programming, alignment with the administration’s priorities prevailed. 

Maher expressed concern about the loss of federal funding, which supports 246 NPR member stations, with $100 million of the $121-122 million annual public radio budget going directly to these stations. She cautioned that without this funding, rural communities could lose access to vital information.

Looking forward, Maher confirmed NPR is already engaging in discussions for the FY26 fiscal process to secure alternative funding, though she noted the urgency as some stations’ budget years have already begun. She remained optimistic about public media’s survival, stressing its importance to American communities and her commitment to its mission despite calls for her resignation. Maher argued that focusing on leadership changes would distract from the broader goal of ensuring public media’s future.

Colbert Cancellation Blasted By The Usual Suspects

• On Thursday, CBS and Paramount executives announced that the network plans to end Colbert’s late-night talk show and “retire” the ‘The Late Show’ franchise in May 2026.
• The network executives said the cancellation was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and added, “It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount.”
• Colbert addressed the cancellation in a monologue just before the show began on Thursday night, expressing his gratitude to the audience, the network, and the show’s 200 staffers.
• The announcement of the cancellations drew boos from the audience, prompting Colbert to say: “Yeah, I share your feelings.”
• The comedian said being the host of “The Late Show” was a “fantastic job” and he wished “somebody else was getting it.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., posted on X: “Three days after Stephen Colbert criticized Paramount’s $16M settlement with Trump, CBS canceled his show. This looks like bribery. Was The Late Show axed for political reasons? America deserves answers.” 

In May, Warren launched a bribery probe into Paramount’s settlement, investigating if it was a quid pro quo to secure Trump’s approval for their Skydance merger. 

Sen. Adam Schiff, a guest on Colbert’s show Thursday, tweeted: “Just taped with Stephen Colbert, who said his show was canceled. If CBS and Paramount shut down The Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves transparency.” 

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., stated: “Colbert’s show was canceled days after he called out Paramount’s $16M payout to Trump for a lawsuit they admitted had no merit. Is this a politically driven attack on free speech? The public deserves to know.” 

Former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Trump critic, urged fans to cancel Paramount Plus subscriptions. 

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who has clashed with Trump, posted on Instagram Stories: “Love you, Stephen. Screw CBS and all their Sheldons.”

What Happened in Colbert’s Segment? 

Forbes reports that in his first monologue after a break, Colbert slammed Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for settling with Trump despite court filings calling the lawsuit “completely without merit.” He quipped: “This kind of financial deal with a government official has a legal term: a big fat bribe.” 

He also noted Paramount’s push for Trump administration approval of their Skydance merger, joking that the new owner’s desire to appease Trump could threaten his show.

Philly TV: Phillies Lead MLB Local Viewership

Phillies Lead TV Announcers: John Kruk, Tom McCarthy

The Philadelphia Phillies, with one of the best records in MLB through 96 games, have drawn strong local viewership on NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBC10.

According to The Inquirer, their games averaged 325,000 viewers per game in the Philly TV market through the All-Star break, outpacing all other MLB teams, including the New York Mets, who trailed by 20% in local viewership. 

The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and surprising Detroit Tigers, who hold the league’s best record as of July 18, 2025, round out the top five most-watched teams on local TV.

The Phillies’ most-watched game was Opening Day against the Washington Nationals, averaging 560,000 viewers. 

While impressive, this year’s viewership is slightly down from last year, potentially due to more West Coast games, which lower ratings, and streaming on platforms like Peacock and MLB.TV, which aren’t included in the data.

Phillies fever also boosts ticket sales. At Citizens Bank Park, the team averages 41,589 fans across 46 home games, nearly a sellout each night. This figure, slightly up from last year, ranks fourth league-wide, behind the Dodgers, Yankees, and San Diego Padres.

Trump Files $10B Lawsuit Against Murdoch's WSJ

President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion libel and slander lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, its parent companies News Corp and Dow Jones, News Corp Chairman Emeritus Rupert Murdoch, CEO Robert Thomson, and reporters Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo.

The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of Florida, stems from a Wall Street Journal article published the same day, which reported that Trump sent a "bawdy" birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 for his 50th birthday. The article claimed the letter included a sexually suggestive drawing of a naked woman with Trump's signature and a reference to shared "secrets," allegedly part of a birthday album compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell.

Trump denies writing the letter or creating the drawing, calling the story "false, malicious, and defamatory" and the letter a "fake." 

He claims the article caused "overwhelming financial and reputational harm" and accuses the defendants of "glaring failures in journalistic ethics" by not providing evidence of the letter's authenticity or its source. Trump warned Murdoch and the Journal’s editor, Emma Tucker, against publishing the story, asserting he told them it was false. 

The lawsuit seeks at least $10 billion in damages, with some sources reporting a figure as high as $20 billion, and demands a jury trial.

Dow Jones has defended the article, stating, "We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit." 

Legal experts note that defamation cases are challenging for public figures like Trump, who must prove "actual malice"—that the defendants knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

Late Night TV Ratings: Gutfeld! Benefits From Earlier Viewing Time

If you been wondering who is the late night king on TV, let's take a look at the Q2 2025 Nielsen data for April thru June. According to Latenighter.com...

Gutfeld! (Fox News, 10:00 PM ET): Averaged 3.289 million total viewers, making it the most-watched late-night show across broadcast and cable. It saw significant year-over-year gains, up 31% in total viewers and 24% in the 18–49 demographic (238,00 viewers). Its earlier time slot (10:00 PM ET) and cable platform give it an advantage in raw viewership, though it competes against different programming compared to the 11:35 PM network shows.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 PM ET): Led the 11:35 PM slot with 2.417 million total viewers across 41 first-run episodes, up 1% from Q1 2025. In the 18–49 demo, it averaged 219,000 viewers, slightly behind Kimmel. Despite its lead in its time slot, CBS announced the show will end in May 2026 due to financial challenges in late-night TV, not performance.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 PM ET): Averaged 1.772 million total viewers, down from Colbert but up 2% from May 2025. It edged out Colbert in the 18–49 demo with 220,000 viewers, boosted by strong primetime lead-ins like NBA Finals coverage in June. Kimmel saw a 54% demo surge month-over-month in June, its strongest since June 2024.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:35 PM ET): Trailed with 1.188 million total viewers, down 7% from May, and 157,000 in the 18–49 demo, the lowest among the 11:35 PM shows. It faced the steepest year-over-year declines: -16% in total viewers and -29% in the demo compared to Q2 2024.

Additional Context:

In the 12:37 AM slot, Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC) led with 900,000 total viewers and 111,000 in the 18–49 demo, ahead of Nightline (ABC, 810,000 total viewers, 108,000 demo) and After Midnight (CBS, 591,000 total viewers, 89,000 demo, ended in June). The Daily Show (Comedy Central, 11:00 PM) held steady with 994,000 total viewers and 190,000 in the demo.

Gutfeld!’s dominance is partly due to its 10:00 PM slot, when more viewers are watching TV, and its appeal to a conservative audience, contrasting with the liberal leanings of Colbert, Kimmel, and Fallon. Critics note that comparing cable (Gutfeld!) to broadcast (Colbert, Kimmel, Fallon) isn’t always fair due to different audience reach and time slots.

Late-night TV faces broader challenges, with declining ad revenue (down 10% in 2024) and audiences shifting to streaming and podcasts. This has led to reduced episode counts (e.g., Fallon and Kimmel down to four new episodes weekly) and CBS’s decision to retire The Late Show.

Austin Radio: Tatjana Deegan Named SVP/MM For Audacy

Audacy elevates Tatjana Deegan to Senior Vice President and Market Manager of its Austin market. 

In this role, Deegan will oversee the market’s portfolio of brands, including Mix 94.7 (KAMX-FM), Talk Radio 1370 (KJCE-AM), Majic 95.5 (KKMJ-FM) and Austin 95.9 Texas Country (KKMJ-HD3). Deegan, who was previously serving as Audacy Austin’s interim market manager, will also continue to serve as Vice President of Sales for the market.

Tatjana Deegan

“Over the past few months, Tatjana has seamlessly led the team with the powerful combination of her contagious passion for this business and people-first leadership,” said Brian Purdy, Regional President, Audacy. “Since stepping in as Vice President of Sales a little over a year ago, she has been a driving force in the market’s success, and we’re confident she’ll bring that same energy and creativity to her expanded role. We’re excited to see how she continues to uplift our Austin brands.”

“What an amazing opportunity I have been given to lead the incredibly talented Austin team. I’m so happy to call Audacy home,” said Deegan. “I am grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow under the leadership of Brian Purdy and to work alongside Vice President of Programming and Operations, Nikki Nite!”

Deegan has been the Vice President of Sales for Audacy Austin, overseeing radio, event and digital sales since 2024. She has over 25 years of sales and leadership experience and is a nine-time recipient of the Austin Radio Sales Manager of the Year award from the Alliance for Women in Media. During her 18 years as General Sales Manager at Emmis/Waterloo Media, she oversaw multiple stations, was a driving force for the “Blues on the Green” concert series and launched the company’s first Spanish-language station.

What’s Going On With U-S Media Consumption?

Americans’ time spent with media has reportedly reached a plateau, as increases in digital media time are finally unable to offset decreases to traditional media time. The latest annual study [download page] of media consumption trends from Attest confirms that traditional media consumption is declining, and that in fact those drops are extending to some digital media too.

One medium whose consumption continues to be in a structural decline is TV: this year, only 56% of working-age consumers in the US say they watch TV for 3+ hours per day, down from 61% last year, 63% in 2023 and 64% in 2022.

A culprit here is live TV: fully 28% of respondents don’t watch any live TV on a typical day, up from 20% a couple of years ago. This pattern looks unlikely to abate, as younger consumers under 30 are the most likely to avoid live TV on a typical day (41%).

Still, it’s not just live TV: streaming service viewing has also dropped off somewhat this year. The report notes that the percentage of working-age consumers watching streaming services for at least 3 hours a day has slipped by 4% points. The shift has been to more moderate viewing time, as there’s been an increase in the share of respondents watching for 1-2 hours per day.

Meanwhile, although social media’s reach seems to have picked up again, time spent using social media appears to be moderating. The percentage of respondents who are spending at least 3 hours a day with social media has dropped by 6.5% points to 30%. This dip has been particularly significant among 31-49-year-olds, only 27% of whom now spend 3+ hours per day on social media, down from 45% a couple of years ago.

Even the younger crowd is spending less time on social media: while a hefty 46% of 18-29-year-olds record upwards of 3 hours per day, that’s down from 53% last year.

Shifting to audio, the Attest report shows that unlike other media, there’s been a rebound in the share of consumers streaming music on a daily basis, up to 42% from 36% last year. Weekly podcast listening has edged up a point year-over-year to 40% of respondents, in line with other research indicating that 40% of Americans ages 12 and older listen to or watch podcasts on a weekly basis. Per the Attest report, growth in listening among older consumers has offset a drop among the under-30 crowd.

Following in live TV’s decline, daily listening of the radio has slipped, falling to 31% of respondents, down from 32% last year and 37% in 2023.

Finally, the report’s results show that a steady share of respondents this year have a digital content subscription (30%). Weekly print newspaper readership is down (20%, down from 24% last year and 34% in 2023), as is daily digital news consumption (24%, from 26% and 30%, respectively) and weekly print magazine readership (19%, from 21% and 32%, respectively).

Skydance CEO Meets With FCC On Paramount Deal

Skydance Media CEO David Ellison met with FCC Chair Brendan Carr, joined by Carr’s staff Greg Watson and Ben Arden, to seek approval for the $28 billion Paramount Global acquisition. 

In a letter to the FCC, Ellison emphasized the public interest benefits, stating that Skydance’s leadership would ensure Paramount’s long-term growth in a challenging U.S. media landscape. He pledged that CBS’s editorial decisions would reflect diverse American perspectives and uphold unbiased journalism.

 The deal faced scrutiny after President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against CBS over a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, settled for $16 million, which led to the departure of executive producer Bill Owens and CBS CEO Wendy McMahon. Ellison also addressed concerns about Tencent, a Chinese company with a minority stake in Skydance, assuring the FCC that Tencent’s non-voting, passive interest (under 5%) would have no influence over the new entity, alleviating national security concerns.

Brendan Carr

According to a regulatory filing, Ellison “addressed several issues” critics of the deal have raised, as well as “emphasized the public interest benefits” of Skydance and Paramount merging, during the meeting on July 15.

“We discussed Skydance’s commitment to unbiased journalism and its embrace of diverse viewpoints, principles that will ensure CBS’s editorial decision-making reflects the varied ideological perspectives of American viewers,” Skydance attorney Matthew A. Brill said in the filing on Thursday.

Ellison was joined by Greg Watson, his chief of staff, and Ben Arden, special counsel in the Office of the Bureau Chief of the Media Bureau. The 42-year-old CEO said he and Redbird Capital Partners, the private equity firm partnering with Skydance on the deal, “represent fresh leadership” that has the “vision and experience” needed to guide Paramount in the years ahead.

Quad Cities Radio: Townsquare Returns 2 Licenses To FCC

Townsquare Media has surrendered the broadcast licenses for two stations in Davenport, Iowa: KBOB (1170 AM) and its associated FM translator K281DB (104.1 FM), effectively shutting them down permanently. 

The company filed cancellation requests with the FCC this week, following a period of silence that began approximately three months earlier. The stations had been off the air since early March 2025, with Townsquare citing economic pressures in FCC filings as the reason for the initial temporary suspension of operations. 

No specific explanation was provided for the permanent license surrender, but the earlier filings noted market-related financial challenges. KBOB, which operated at 1 kW with a directional antenna pattern, had a history dating back to 1946, originally as KSTT on 750 kHz before moving to 1170 kHz in 1951.

The FM translator was required to simulcast KBOB exclusively under FCC AM revitalization rules. This move aligns with a broader trend of Townsquare and other media companies, like Cumulus, shutting down underperforming AM stations, particularly those failing to generate sufficient revenue, even with FM translators. 

Shannon Sharpe Settles $50M Lawsuit

Former ESPN personality and NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe reached a settlement in a $50 million lawsuit filed by a woman, identified as Jane Doe (also known as Gabriella "Gabbi" Zuniga), who accused him of sexual assault and battery. 

The lawsuit, filed in April 2025 in Clark County, Nevada, alleged that Sharpe raped her multiple times during a two-year consensual but "tumultuous" relationship that began in 2023 after meeting at a Los Angeles gym. 

Jane Doe

The plaintiff claimed Sharpe was controlling, verbally abusive, and physically violent, including incidents of non-consensual sexual acts in October 2024 and January 2025. She sought $50 million in damages for assault, battery, and emotional distress.

Attorney Tony Buzbee, representing the plaintiff, confirmed a "mutual resolution" was reached, acknowledging the relationship was consensual but tumultuous. 

Sharpe had previously denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit a "shakedown" and claiming the relationship was fully consensual. His attorney, Lanny Davis, stated the lawsuit contained "lies, distortions, and misrepresentations" and noted Sharpe offered $10 million to settle before the lawsuit was filed, which the plaintiff rejected.

The settlement details remain confidential, and no criminal charges were filed. Sharpe temporarily stepped away from his ESPN duties in April 2025 to address the allegations, planning to return for the NFL preseason. The resolution allows both parties to move forward without further litigation.

R.I.P.: Larry Whitler, Ocala, FL Radio Personality

Larry Whitler (1955-2025)

Larry Whitler, a beloved Ocala, Florida radio personality known as "The Giant," died on July 17, 2025, at age 70 following a two-vehicle crash. The accident occurred in Marion County, and Whitler was pronounced deceased at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital.

He was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his longtime friend, business partner, and radio co-host Robin MacBlane, also 70, who was injured and hospitalized

Whitler and MacBlane, known together as "Robin and The Giant," hosted a morning show on 1370 WOCA-AM starting in 2002, where they discussed local news and community events, earning a reputation as cherished community figures. 

WOCA Station Manager Joseph Martone described them as having "hearts bigger than the room," noting their significant impact on the Ocala community. Another local radio personality, Tom Schmitz, called Whitler a "kindhearted man" and a legend. 

Beyond radio, Whitler was an artist, working in oils, acrylics, and pastels, and had retired from broadcasting in January 2020 after a 36-year career.

Radio History: July 19

➦In 1923...WRC-AM, Washington, DC  signed-on.  WRC started at 640 AM and share the frequency with WCAP.

WRC in the Trans Lux Building

WRC was owned and operated by RCA.  By the 1930, 500 watt WRC moved to 950 AM and was part of the NBC's Red Network. The station moved to 980 AM in the late 1940s.

First Home Riggs Bank

The two stations WRC and now WMAL were located in the Trans Lux Building at 14th & New York Ave.

In 1972,  NBC made the decision to take the MOR station to a Top 40 format and challenge DC champ WPGC in the ratings game.

The birth of The Great 98 had a lot of help from some Philly radio vets.  Lee Sherwood was brought in as PD and Bob Gross was Promotions Director.  Both were from WFIL.  The original on air team consisted of Johnny Andrews, Bobby McGee, Simon Trane, James Michael Wilson and Ron Starr.

Being an NBC O&O had its drawbacks:  NBC Hourly News, NBC Monitor on weekends, special features (Graham Kerr, Gene Shalit, etc) had to be carried.

The Top 40 format moved to WRC-FM, and WRC-AM switched to an all-news format in 1975 before switching to news/talk in 1979.

Greater Media bought WRC-AM in 1984, changing the call letters to WWRC. It switched to business news and talk.   In 1998, sports-formatted WTEM-AM 570 moved its programming and call letters to 980 AM.  The WWRC call letters were moved to 1260 AM, which carried the old business news format until switching to all-sports in 2003.

Today, 1260 AM is owned by Salem Communications, carrying a news/talk format.  The call letters still are WWRC, but the station is branded “1260 WRC,” though it has no connection to WRC-TV, Washington’s NBC affiliate.

Eve Arden, Dick Crenna and Gloria McMillian at CBS Mic

➦In 1948..."Our Miss Brooks", starring Eve Arden and Gale Gordon, debuted on CBS radio.

Our Miss Brooks was a sitcom starring Arden as a sardonic high-school English teacher. It began as a radio show broadcast on CBS from 1948 to 1957. When the show was adapted to television (1952–56), it became one of the medium's earliest hits.

Our Miss Brooks was a hit on radio from the outset; within eight months of its launch as a regular series, the show landed several honors, including four for Eve Arden, who won polls in four individual publications of the time. Arden had actually been the third choice to play the title role. Harry Ackerman, at the time CBS's West Coast director of programming, wanted Shirley Booth for the part, but as he told historian Gerald Nachman many years later, he realized Booth was too focused on the underpaid downside of public school teaching at the time to have fun with the role.

Lucille Ball was believed to have been the next choice, but she was committed to My Favorite Husband and did not audition. Then CBS chairman Bill Paley, who was friendly with Arden, persuaded her to audition for the part. With a slightly rewritten audition script—Osgood Conklin, for example, was originally written as a school board president but was now written as the incoming new Madison principal—Arden agreed to give the newly revamped show a try.

According to radio critic John Crosby, her lines were very "feline" in dialogue scenes with principal Conklin and would-be boyfriend Boynton, with sharp, witty comebacks. The interplay between the cast—blustery Conklin, nebbishy Denton, accommodating Harriet, absentminded Mrs. Davis, clueless Boynton, scheming Miss Enright—also received positive reviews.

Arden won a radio listeners' poll by Radio Mirror magazine as the top-ranking comedienne of 1948–49, receiving her award at the end of an Our Miss Brooks broadcast that March. The radio series continued until 1957, a year after its television life ended.

➦In 2012...Top 40 program director Ted J. Atkins, who helped make KHJ, KFRC, WOL, CKLW and many others successful modern radio stations, succumbed to his pancreatic cancer at age 72.

CBS Pulls the Plug On The Late Night Show

CBS has announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026, retiring the 33-year-old talk show. Stephen Colbert, host since 2015, shared the news during Thursday’s taping, revealing he was informed of the decision the previous night.

“It’s not just the end of my show—it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS,” Colbert told the audience, clarifying, “I’m not being replaced; it’s all going away.” 

🔥😂 THE REIGN OF THE THEATER KIDS IS COMING TO AN END.
Cant make up a more ideal Bookend. It’s Only fitting that Stephen Colbert ANNOUNCES HIS CANCELLATION on the night ADAM SCHIFF is his guest.
Remember when he cried that night after the election after Trump contesting a… pic.twitter.com/L0ZPvonNSX

— Johnny St.Pete (@JohnMcCloy) July 18, 2025

The crowd booed, to which he replied, “I share your feelings.”CBS executives attributed the cancellation to financial pressures in the late-night landscape, emphasizing it was unrelated to the show’s performance or content. 

The decision comes amid scrutiny of Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, which is navigating a proposed merger with Skydance Media.

Colbert, a vocal critic of Donald Trump, recently criticized Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, which Trump called biased. The timing has sparked speculation about political motivations.

The Late Show debuted in 1993 with David Letterman, who started it after losing The Tonight Show gig at NBC. Colbert, formerly of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, took over in 2015. 

“It’s a fantastic job,” he said Thursday. “I wish someone else was getting it, and I’ll keep doing it with this gang of idiots for the next 10 months.”

Trump Tells DOJ To Release Pertinent Epstein Docs

President Trump demanded the release of additional Jeffrey Epstein investigation documents after a Wall Street Journal article revealed a letter bearing his name in a 2003 birthday album for the convicted sex offender. In a Thursday night social-media post, Trump announced he had instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek court approval to unseal relevant grand jury testimony. 

Bondi confirmed on X that she would request the court to release the transcripts on Friday.

The push to disclose Epstein-related documents was a key issue for Trump’s allies during the Biden administration and the 2024 campaign. 

Trump, who once socialized with Epstein, pledged during the campaign to share more investigation details. The Justice Department’s recent memo, stating that no client list or additional disclosable documents were found after a thorough review, angered many Trump supporters. 

Far-right media have long claimed a government cover-up in Epstein’s case; he died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Some of Trump’s prominent backers called for Bondi’s resignation amid the controversy, but Trump has supported her. On Wednesday, the Justice Department fired federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, who worked on the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell prosecutions. In early 2024, Comey had opposed a Freedom of Information Act request to release Epstein-related records, including witness statements, citing potential interference with Maxwell’s retrial. A judge rejected her request.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump vowed to sue the Rupert Murdoch, NewsCorp and the Wall Street Journal on Thursday night, not an hour after the paper published a story.

Calling the letter “FAKE,” Trump blasted the WSJ, its parent company News Corp. and owner Rupert Murdoch, in a Thursday night Truth Social post, threatening legal action and accusing them of running a “false, malicious, and defamatory” article.

“I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn’t print this Fake Story. But he did, and now I’m going to sue his ass off, and that of his third rate newspaper,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

House Passes Public Media Funding Cuts

Early Friday morning, the House of Representatives, led by Republicans, passed a $9 billion spending cut bill by a 216-213 vote, slashing $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, eliminating two years of federal funding for NPR and PBS. 

The bill, already approved by the Senate 51-48 on Wednesday, now awaits the president’s signature.NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher, condemned the cuts as an “unwarranted dismantling” of cherished local institutions, citing strong public support for public media, with two-thirds of Americans viewing it as a valuable use of taxpayer funds. 

She emphasized the daily reliance of Americans on NPR and PBS for news, education, and cultural programming.

The spending package, requested by the White House, also cuts $8 billion from foreign aid, including global health and refugee programs, though the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was spared a $400 million reduction to secure Republican Senate votes. Two House Republicans, Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) and Michael Turner (OH), and two Senate Republicans, Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK), opposed the bill, while Democrats in both chambers voted unanimously against it.

The White House has previously criticized public media as biased, attempting to remove board members, including Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman. The $1.1 billion cut eliminates the full two-year allocation to the CPB, which supports over 1,500 public TV and radio stations, NPR, and PBS.

While NPR and PBS are expected to survive due to limited reliance on federal funds, the cuts will likely force local stations to reduce programming and staff as early as this fall, with some stations losing up to half their budgets.

The funding cuts threaten to destabilize the public media system. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has secured station funding through September, but after that, over 100 TV and radio stations serving millions in rural areas face closure, according to Public Media Company, an advisory firm.

Tim Isgitt, the firm’s CEO, warned that the impact could be profound. The sharp funding reduction will shrink the pool of stations able to purchase programming or raise donations, risking a “doom loop” with devastating effects across the system. “Failing stations will trigger a cascade, disrupting content producers and potentially collapsing other vulnerable stations nationwide,” Isgitt said.

Public Media Company’s analysis flagged 78 public radio and 37 public TV organizations at risk of shutting down, with some operating multiple stations that serve large populations. These stations depend on CPB grants and federal funding for at least 30% of their budgets, and many provide critical local news access in underserved counties.

PBS CEO Slams $1.1B Funding Cut as ‘Catastrophic’

PBS CEO Paula Kerger Thursday sharply criticized the Senate’s decision to eliminate $1.1 billion in public media funding, a move championed by President Trump, warning it would be “catastrophic” for smaller, rural PBS stations.

In a statement, Kerger said, “The Senate’s rescissions package defies the will of Americans, who overwhelmingly trust PBS and value its contributions to their communities. These cuts will hit all our stations hard, but the impact will be particularly devastating for smaller stations serving vast rural areas.”

Kerger warned that many PBS stations face “tough choices” ahead, likely involving staff reductions and program cuts. In a May interview with Katie Couric, she had cautioned that Trump’s push to defund PBS could force some rural stations off the air, stating, “There won’t be anyone in those communities creating local content or providing a space for people to connect.” 

Paul Kerger

While she didn’t specify how many of PBS’s 330 member stations might close, she suggested digital platforms could partially preserve content access.

President Trump has intensified efforts to defund PBS and NPR, signing a May 1 executive order to end taxpayer support through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The order argued that government-funded media is “outdated” in today’s diverse media landscape and undermines journalistic independence. 

Trump has also labeled PBS and NPR “radical left monsters” on social media, threatening to withdraw support from Republicans who oppose defunding. PBS received $325 million from the CPB in 2025, representing 22% of its funding, with Congress allocating $535 million for public broadcasters this fiscal year.

The rescissions bill now heads to the House with a Friday deadline for passage. Kerger, PBS’s leader since 2006, vowed to find ways to sustain the network without public funds, emphasizing resilience despite the severe financial blow.

Netflix’s Q2 Revenue Surges 16%

Netflix reported a robust second quarter in 2025, with revenue climbing 15.9% year-over-year to $11.08 billion, slightly exceeding Wall Street’s estimate of $11.07 billion. 

The growth was fueled by a combination of increased subscriber numbers, higher subscription pricing, and a burgeoning ad-supported tier. Net income soared 45.6% to $3.13 billion, or $7.19 per share, surpassing analyst expectations of $7.08 per share. 

The company also raised its full-year 2025 revenue forecast to $44.8 billion to $45.2 billion, up from $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion, reflecting strong subscriber momentum, ad sales growth, and a weaker U.S. dollar.

Key Drivers of Q2 Performance

Subscriber and Pricing Growth: While Netflix stopped reporting quarterly subscriber counts in Q1 2025, focusing instead on revenue and engagement metrics, the company noted “healthy” membership growth. Price hikes implemented in January 2025, including the ad-supported tier rising to $7.99/month, standard ad-free to $17.99/month, and premium to $24.99/month, significantly boosted revenue. All regions saw double-digit revenue growth: U.S. and Canada up 15% to $4.93 billion, Europe, Middle East, and Africa up 18% to $3.54 billion, Latin America up 9%, and Asia-Pacific up 24% to $1.31 billion.

Ad-Supported Tier Success: Netflix’s ad tier, launched in 2022, now accounts for over 50% of new sign-ups in markets where it’s available, reaching 94 million monthly active users by May 2025. The company expects to double its ad revenue in 2025, projecting around $3 billion, driven by the rollout of its Netflix Ads Suite and plans for interactive ads in the second half of 2025. At $7.99/month, Netflix’s ad tier remains competitive compared to Peacock ($10.99/month), Paramount+, Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max.

Content and Engagement: Popular releases like Squid Game Season 3 (122 million views), Adolescence (145 million views), Sirens, Ginny & Georgia Season 3, and films like Back in Action (165 million views) drove viewership. Netflix reported 95 billion hours streamed in the first half of 2025, with Ms. Rachel ranking as the seventh most-watched show. The redesigned TV homepage, launched in Q2, enhanced content discovery, with 50% of members using the new interface and showing strong engagement.

Financial Metrics: Operating income rose 45% to $3.77 billion, with an operating margin of 34.1%, up from 27.2% in Q2 2024. Free cash flow increased 91% to $2.3 billion, and net cash from operating activities grew 84% to $2.4 billion. Netflix raised its full-year free cash flow guidance to $8 billion to $8.5 billion. However, the company cautioned that margins may dip in the second half due to higher content amortization and marketing costs.

Live Events and Sports: Netflix is expanding into live programming, with successes like the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match and NFL Christmas Day games in 2024. Upcoming events include the Taylor vs. Serrano boxing rematch and WWE Raw.

NYC Radio: 1010 WINS Journalists Demand Safety and AI Protections

1010 WINS, New York City’s iconic all-news radio station owned by Audacy, is at the center of a labor dispute as its unionized journalists, represented by the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), push for enhanced safety protocols and protections against artificial intelligence (AI) in ongoing contract negotiations. 

The station, known for its 24/7 news coverage and slogan “Give us 22 minutes, we’ll give you the world,” employs journalists who face unique challenges due to its round-the-clock operations in lower Manhattan.

On Thursday, WGAE journalists presented Audacy with a petition addressing critical workplace concerns, particularly emphasizing employee safety for those working overnight shifts and safeguards against AI-driven job displacement. 

This marks the first contract negotiation since Audacy shut down WCBS Newsradio 880 in August 2024, laying off 23 WGAE members, heightening tensions in the current talks.

Key Demands and Safety Concerns 

Overnight Shift Risks: 1010 WINS operates 24/7, requiring journalists to commute to and from its studios at 345 Hudson Street in lower Manhattan at all hours. WGAE President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen highlighted that journalists have faced physical threats and attacks during these commutes, underscoring the need for Audacy to prioritize employee safety. For example, multiple employees reported incidents while traveling to the newsroom, raising alarms about inadequate protections.

Proposed Safety Measures: The petition calls for specific safety protocols, though details remain unspecified in public reports. These could include secure transportation, enhanced security at the station, or policies to mitigate risks for overnight staff. The urgency stems from the station’s location and the demanding nature of its schedule.

AI Protections: Journalists are seeking contract language to protect against job losses or role diminishment due to AI technologies. As media companies increasingly explore AI for tasks like news aggregation or automated reporting, 1010 WINS staff are pushing for guarantees that preserve human-driven journalism and prevent AI from undermining job security.

The petition also addresses salaries, benefits, promotion pathways, remote work options, and severance protections, reflecting a comprehensive push to improve working conditions. The closure of WCBS Newsradio 880, a sister station, has amplified concerns about job stability and severance for 1010 WINS journalists.

Audacy’s Challenges: Audacy, a major U.S. radio company, faced financial strain, filing for bankruptcy in January 2024 and emerging in May 2024 after restructuring. The closure of WCBS Newsradio 880, a nearly 60-year-old institution, was part of cost-cutting measures, raising fears among 1010 WINS staff about further layoffs or resource constraints.

NBCUniversal Raises Peacock Prices Again

NBCUniversal is increasing Peacock subscription prices for the third time in three years, citing the streamer’s competitive value compared to rivals like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Paramount+.

Effective July 23, 2025, Peacock Premium (with ads) will rise by $3 to $10.99/month or $109.99/year, while Premium Plus (limited ads during live programming) will increase by $3 to $16.99/month or $169.99/year. 

New and returning subscribers will see the hike immediately, while current subscribers will be affected on or after August 22, depending on their billing cycle. 

This makes Peacock’s tiers pricier than both ad-supported and ad-free plans of its major competitors.

Additionally, NBCU is testing a new “Peacock Select” tier at $7.99/month or $79.99/year, offering current NBC and Bravo seasons alongside select library content. This follows price hikes in July 2023 and 2024, the first since Peacock’s 2020 launch.

The price increase coincides with Peacock’s strong performance, driven by the viral success of Love Island USA’s recent season and the debut of Love Island: Beyond the Villa. Upcoming content includes major films like Jurassic World Rebirth, How to Train Your Dragon, and Wicked: For Good, as well as returning series like The Traitors and new originals like The Paper. Peacock will also stream NBC and Bravo staples, including Saturday Night Live, WWE, and franchises like Law & Order, Chicago, and Real Housewives.

Sports programming remains a key draw, with the NFL’s Sunday Night Football, the NBA’s return to NBC in fall 2025, WNBA, Premier League, Big Ten, Spanish-language FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl LX, 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend, and the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

NBCU claims Peacock will offer more live sports in 2026 than Amazon Prime, Paramount+, Hulu, HBO Max, Apple TV, and Netflix combined.

Peacock reported 41 million paid subscribers by Q1 2025, up from 36 million at the end of 2024, boosted by a bundling deal with Charter Communications’ Spectrum TV Select. Revenue grew 16% year-over-year, with operating losses shrinking to $215 million from $639 million in Q1 2024, signaling improved financial health. The price hikes and new tier reflect NBCU’s confidence in Peacock’s growing subscriber base and premium content slate.

FCC Chairman Carr Plans Overhaul of Emergency Alert Systems

FCC Chairman Brandon Carr has revealed plans for a comprehensive review of the Emergency Alert Systems (EAS) starting in August 2025. 

“In three weeks, we will vote to launch a thorough re-examination of the EAS,” Carr stated. The EAS delivers critical alerts via TV and radio, while Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) send notifications to mobile devices. 

With systems dating back 31 and 13 years, respectively, Carr emphasized the need to assess whether structural updates are necessary to incorporate modern technology and enhance life-saving capabilities.

While Carr did not specify potential changes, he also announced a review of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS), established in 2007 to collect real-time data on network outages and recovery during major disasters. 

Although DIRS provides valuable insights for recovery efforts, Carr noted its reports can be resource-intensive, diverting attention from active disaster response. The FCC will vote on reforms to streamline DIRS, ensuring its benefits outweigh its operational burdens.