Easter 2026

 

Even Bunnies Listen to Radio! (We Return Tuesday!)

Radio History: April 5

➦In 1922…KOB-AM Albuquerque, New Mexico signed-on.

Ralph Goddard

The station was founded at the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in Las Cruces (now New Mexico State University) by Ralph Willis Goddard, and began broadcasting tests in 1919 under the call letters 5XD. On April 5, 1922 the station began regular operation as KOB, a callsign which had belonged to marine radio aboard the Princess Anne before its February 2, 1920 shipwreck on Rockaway Shoals, Long Island.  New Mexico A&M sold the station after Goddard was electrocuted while adjusting the transmitter on December 31, 1928. In 1933 the station moved to Albuquerque, and was later bought by the Albuquerque Journal.

In 1948, Tom Pepperday, owner and publisher of the Journal, signed on KOB-TV, the first television station between the Mississippi River and the West Coast. The stations passed to Time-Life in 1952 and to Hubbard Broadcasting in 1957. Hubbard Broadcasting sold the radio stations in 1986. In order to trade on the well-known KOB calls, the new owners simply added an extra "K" to the radio station's call letters.

KOB was involved in a 38-year-long dispute with New York City station WABC (originally WJZ) over the use of the 770 kHz frequency. KOB was moved there from 1030 to make room for WBZ in Boston. While the Federal Communications Commission requested that WJZ install a directional antenna to allow the stations to interoperate over large areas, the station refused to comply, encroaching on the range KOB was intended to cover. Only after reaching the U.S. Supreme Court was the issue settled, when the FCC assigned KOB to a new license class. KKOB and WABC became sister stations when Citadel Broadcasting purchased ABC Radio in 2007; Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.

➦In 1922…WDZ-AM, Decatur, Illinois signed-on.

WDZ started in the office of the James Bush grain elevator in Tuscola, Illinois. The original call sign was 9JR and the original intent of the station was to broadcast grain reports, making it the first radio station to do so. The station later started mixing some music in with the grain reports.

The radio station's power was increased to 1000 watts in 1939 with a new 252-foot (77 m) tower. During that time, WDZ used remote broadcasts that was unique for a rural station. The station started the use of remote broadcasting equipment which included a truck called, the "WDZ 'White Relay Truck"', equipped with a 100-watt transmitter to relay broadcasts from area locations, and some two-watt, battery operated transmitters that could be worn on the backs of assistants when a program originated from remote sites.   The station was on 1020 kHz in 1941, but changed to 1050 kHz, and has remained there since.

1050 kHz has been a Mexican Clear Channel since 1941 (was a U.S. Clear Channel before 1941), and U.S. operations on Mexican Clear Channels was restricted to 1,000 watts and to daytime operations, only, until the "Rio" treaty took effect in the late 1980s (before 1941, 1020 kHz was a U.S. Clear Channel and that, too, was restricted). After "Rio" took effect, it was a simple matter for WDZ to add night operations with as little as 250 watts, and today the station is indeed operating with its pre-"Rio" maximum daytime power and its post-"Rio" minimum nighttime power. Anything more than 1,000 watts days and 250 watts nights very likely would require installation of a directional antenna system at great capital expense. WDZ is diplexed (i.e., it uses the very same vertical radiator) with co-owned WSOY.

WDZ Performer's Studio

In 1949, the station moved from Tuscola to Decatur.   The relocation of WDZ from Tuscola to the west and to Decatur greatly facilitated the eventual allocation of a station on 1080 kHz in Oak Lawn, suburban Chicago, IL.

WDZ Transmitter Studio

On March 31, 2008, the station switched to a sports radio format as part of the Fox Sports Radio network. Within a year the station switched programming from Fox Sports Radio to ESPN Radio.

WDZ and its sister stations WCZQ 105.5 FM Monticello and WDZQ 95.1 FM, 1340 WSOY 1340 AM and WSOY 102.9 FM Decatur, were sold to Neuhoff Media in February 2009.

Today, WDZ 1050 AM, powers with 1000 Kw-Day, 250 watts Night. and airs ESPN Sports.

➦In 1927...The NBC Orange Network started distributing programs. Also known as the NBC Pacific Coast network it was a National Broadcasting Company radio network in the western United States from 1927 to 1936, before two-way broadcast-quality communications circuits reached the West to relay the larger NBC Red Network and NBC Blue Network.

The Orange Network had its own production and performance staffs on the West Coast. In addition to producing original West Coast works, the Orange Network also had duplicate productions of many eastern shows until the end of 1928. In December 1928, a single broadcast-quality line was completed to San Francisco, and the Orange Network could then carry eastern programming directly, but only one program at a time; from then until 1936, Orange Network fed some programs from Red and some from Blue.

In 1936, a second broadcast-quality circuit was completed, this time to Los Angeles. This circuit also allowed the direction of amplification to be reversed in under 15 seconds, allowing Los Angeles, with its easy access to talent during the Golden Age of Hollywood, to feed broadcast-quality sound to the eastern networks as well. With the opening of the second circuit, the need for the Orange Network disappeared, and the stations on the old Orange Network became the Pacific Coast Red Network, fed by KPO (AM), except KGO (AM), which itself fed a new Western Blue Network made up of stations on the short-lived former NBC Gold Network.

➦In 1958...the first Greatest Hits album ever , Johnny’s Greatest Hits, featuring Johnny Mathis on Columbia Records, made it onto the Billboard LP chart for the first time. The album remained on the charts for 490 weeks.

➦In 1982…Record World magazine ended publication after 36-years. It was one of the three main music industry trade magazines in the United States, along with Billboard and Cash Box. It was founded in 1946 under the name Music Vendor, but in 1964 it was changed to Record World, under the ownership of Sid Parnes and Bob Austin. It ceased publication on April 10, 1982.

Radio History: April 6

 ➦In 1892...Lowell Jackson Thomas born (Died at age 89 – August 29, 1981).  He was a writer, actor, broadcaster, and traveler, best remembered for publicizing T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). He was also involved in promoting the Cinerama widescreen system.

In 1930, he became a broadcaster with the CBS Radio network, delivering a nightly news and commentary program. After two years, he switched to the NBC Radio network but returned to CBS in 1947. In contrast to today's practices, Thomas was not an employee of either NBC News or CBS News. Prior to 1947, he was employed by the broadcast's sponsor Sunoco. He returned to CBS to take advantage of lower capital-gains tax rates, establishing an independent company to produce the broadcast which he sold to CBS. He hosted the first-ever television news broadcast in 1939 and the first regularly scheduled television news broadcast (even though it was just a camera simulcast of his radio broadcast) beginning on February 21, 1940 over local station W2XBS (now WNBC) New York. It is not known whether all or some of the radio/TV simulcasts were carried by the two other television stations capable of being fed programs by W2XBS at the time, which were W2XB (now WRGB) Schenectady and W3XE (now KYW-TV) Philadelphia.

In the summer of 1940, Thomas anchored the first live telecast of a political convention, the 1940 Republican National Convention which was fed from Philadelphia to W2XBS and on to W2XB. Reportedly, Thomas wasn't even in Philadelphia, instead anchoring the broadcast from a New York studio and merely identifying speakers who addressed the convention.

The television news simulcast was a short-lived venture for him, and he favored radio. Indeed, it was over radio that he presented and commented upon the news for four decades until his retirement in 1976, the longest radio career of anyone in his day (a record later surpassed by Paul Harvey). His signature sign-on was "Good evening, everybody" and his sign-off "So long, until tomorrow," phrases that he would use in titling his two volumes of memoirs.

➦In 1931...Little Orphan Annie debuted on the NBC Radio Network.  Annie was based on the daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by the Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and made its debut on August 5, 1924, in the New York Daily News.

The plot follows the wide-ranging adventures of Annie, her dog Sandy and her benefactor Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks. Secondary characters include Punjab, the Asp and Mr. Am. The strip attracted adult readers with political commentary that targeted (among other things) organized labor, the New Deal and communism.

The strip's popularity declined over the years; it was running in only 20 newspapers when it was cancelled on June 13, 2010.

➦In 1945...'This is Your FBI' debuted on ABC radio as a weekly 30-minute police drama. Frank Lovejoy served as narrator over the following eight years.

➦In 1984...One of the most influential Top 40 stations in the world in the 1960s and 1970s Windsor’s iconic rock radio station CKLW (The Big 8 ) switched format to Adult Standards, branding as ‘The Music of Your Life.’

CBS Sports–TNT Sports Merger Expected in Q3 2026

A proposed merger between CBS Sports and TNT Sports is expected to take shape in the third quarter of 2026, a move that could significantly reshape the sports media landscape if regulatory and shareholder approvals are secured.

The combination would follow the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount under the Paramount Skydance deal, in which Paramount agreed to purchase all outstanding WBD shares for $31.00 each. The transaction has already received unanimous board approval from both companies and is awaiting final regulatory clearance and shareholder approval, with a vote expected in spring 2026.

If completed, the deal would bring together two of the most powerful sports portfolios in media under a single corporate structure. The combined assets would include rights tied to the National Football League, NCAA March Madness, MLB postseason, NHL playoffs, College Football Playoff, the Masters, NASCAR, the French Open, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Despite the anticipated merger, TNT Sports leadership says operations remain business as usual for now. Chairman and CEO Luis Silberwasser emphasized that both companies are continuing to function independently until the deal officially closes, with no current integration decisions being finalized.

“There’s no discussion about the future or what happens,” Silberwasser said, noting that TNT Sports retains full autonomy to pursue deals and operate separately from Paramount until the transaction is complete.

Industry expectations are that integration planning could move quickly once approvals are granted, particularly given recent precedent of faster-than-expected clearances for major sports media deals. David Berson is widely viewed as the leading candidate to oversee the combined sports division.

One of the immediate questions surrounding the merger is how rights distribution might evolve. For example, whether CBS could eventually air properties currently tied to TNT Sports remains unclear, as existing carriage and licensing agreements may limit short-term flexibility.

Bottom line: While still pending approval, the planned merger between CBS Sports and TNT Sports is on track for late 2026 and could rapidly consolidate premium sports rights under Paramount’s umbrella — with major implications for how and where live sports are distributed.

ESPN To Make Change With No. 2 NFL Broadcasting Team

ESPN is expected to replace its No. 2 NFL broadcast team of Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky and Louis Riddick Jr. under terms of its new NFL deal, sources briefed on the plans tell reporters.

According to Andrew Marchand at The Athletic, discussions have identified several candidates for a revamped booth: former Eagles center Jason Kelce has emerged as a dark-horse analyst option, NFL Network’s Kurt Warner is also being considered, and ESPN play-by-play voices Dave Pasch and Mike Monaco are in the mix. Other names, including Bob Wischusen, could surface as executives finalize decisions.

The likely shake-up stems from contract terms that remove “Monday Night Football” doubleheaders from ESPN’s seven additional games and make many of those matchups international. That schedule would limit availability for Fowler — ESPN’s top college play-by-play announcer — and would take Orlovsky and Riddick overseas for studio obligations; both also have college duties. Depending on the final schedule, Fowler, Orlovsky and Riddick could still be used occasionally, but no decision is official.

ESPN’s top NFL team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman remains under five-year contracts valued at a combined $165 million and will call ESPN’s first Super Bowl next February.

This personnel planning comes as ESPN officially assumed control of NFL Network this week under a broader agreement that gives the league a 10 percent stake in ESPN. ESPN says it will treat NFL Network like other conference-branded channels and is not planning major operational changes: executive producer Charlie Yook will stay in place and now report to ESPN EVP Mike McQuade. Sources also say ESPN is interested in retaining insider Ian Rapoport, whose contract expires at month’s end, and will keep NFL Network’s Draft presentation, led by Rich Eisen, intact for April.

FanDuel Sports Network to Shut Down Impacting 13 NBA Teams

Main Street Sports Group plans to wind down operations of its FanDuel Sports Network following the first round of the NHL playoffs, a move that will disrupt local broadcasts for 13 NBA teams and accelerate the league’s shift toward a new media future.

The shutdown comes after the company reportedly missed rights payments to teams for 2026, prompting the National Basketball Association to inform affected franchises they will likely receive partial reimbursement for lost fees. Teams were briefed on the situation during a league call this week.

According to The Orlando Sentinel, among those impacted are the Orlando Magic, along with the Hawks, Hornets, Heat, Cavaliers, Pacers, Pistons, Bucks, Grizzlies, Clippers, Timberwolves, Spurs and Thunder — all of whom rely on FanDuel Sports Network for local game distribution.

The league has advised teams they may begin negotiating new in-market media deals for the 2026–27 season. However, the NBA is encouraging short-term agreements — ideally one-year deals or contracts with opt-out clauses — as it prepares for a potential direct-to-consumer national streaming platform targeted for the 2027–28 season.

In Orlando, contingency plans are already underway. The Magic have simulcast select games over-the-air this season through local broadcast partners, including WESH2, CW18 in Central Florida, WMOR-TV in Tampa, and WJXT4 in Jacksonville. The team has aired 10 games across those outlets, expanding access for fans beyond the regional sports network model.

Despite the uncertainty, the franchise says fans will not lose access. “Orlando Magic games will continue to be broadcast without interruption for our fans across Central Florida and beyond,” said Joel Glass, the team’s chief communications officer, emphasizing a commitment to a seamless viewing experience regardless of platform changes.

Orlando’s regular-season finale on April 12 at Boston is expected to mark its final broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network Florida.

The timing of the shutdown also reflects broader changes in the NBA’s media landscape. Under new national rights agreements with ESPN/ABC, NBC, and Amazon, regional sports networks no longer carry first-round playoff games alongside national broadcasts. Additionally, the NBA Play-In Tournament now streams exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video.

In a statement, Main Street Sports Group said it has secured agreements with the NBA and NHL to continue airing games through the end of the NBA regular season and the first round of the National Hockey League playoffs, after which it expects to cease operations unless a last-minute strategic deal emerges.

The company said it is “pleased to finish out the NBA and NHL seasons” and expressed appreciation for its partnerships with leagues, teams, and local audiences.

Bottom line: The planned shutdown of FanDuel Sports Network marks another major blow to the regional sports network model, forcing teams to find short-term distribution solutions while the NBA positions itself for a streaming-first future.

Charlotte Radio: Urban One Sheds Two FMs to Religious Broadcasters

Radio One (part of Urban One) is exiting a key piece of its Charlotte footprint, agreeing to sell two FM stations to religious broadcasters in a deal that underscores both format realignment and broader consolidation trends in radio.

The company is divesting WLNK-FM (Mix 100.9) and its simulcast partner WMXG-FM (99.3) to two separate faith-based operators.

• WLNK 1009 FM is being acquired by the Bible Broadcasting Network for about $4.2 million.
• WMXG 93.5 FM is being sold to the Augusta Radio Fellowship Institute, which operates stations under the “Good News Network” brand, for roughly $725,000.

Both buyers plan to flip the stations to Christian formats after the deals receive FCC approval, a process expected to take a couple of months.

 

The sale effectively ends the long-running “Mix” brand in Charlotte. Staff at WLNK were informed the station would be shut down in its current form, with several on-air personalities expected to depart.

While operations continue during the regulatory review period, the transition signals a clear format shift away from mainstream Hot AC toward non-commercial religious programming.

Why this deal matters

1. Strategic retrenchment by Radio One:  Urban One has been reshaping its Charlotte cluster following a series of frequency swaps and format changes in late 2025. Selling these two signals allows the company to focus on its core formats—urban, sports, and spoken word—while monetizing smaller or repositioned assets.

2. Expansion for religious broadcasters...For the buyers, this is a signal upgrade play: The Bible Broadcasting Network gains stronger coverage into the Charlotte metro, improving reach into areas it previously struggled to serve. The Augusta Radio Fellowship Institute expands its regional footprint with a new FM signal.

While the headline is about two stations, the implications are wider:

• Another heritage commercial brand disappears from a major market
• Religious broadcasters continue quietly expanding their reach
• Large groups like Radio One are becoming more selective about where they compete

Bottom line: This isn’t just a format flip — it’s a strategic exit from a format and signal combination that no longer fits Radio One’s long-term priorities, while giving religious broadcasters a rare opportunity to upgrade their presence in a top-25 market.

Atlanta Radio: Leslie Fram Exits “The Morning X”

Leslie Fram (Rodney Ho photo)

Veteran radio personality Leslie Fram has departed “The Morning X” on 99X, ending a three-year run following the station’s 2022 revival. Her exit, which she indicated was not voluntary, marks another significant shift for the rebooted brand.

Co-hosts Steve Barnes and Christopher Crash Clark announced the change on-air earlier this week, confirming they will continue hosting the show together. Clark had rejoined the program last year after previously being part of its original lineup during the station’s 1990s and early 2000s peak.

In a statement shared with a fan site, Fram reflected on her departure and legacy with the station. Calling herself “one of the founding architects” of 99X and “The Morning X,” she said the exit was not how she envisioned her final chapter but expressed gratitude to listeners, describing the experience as “bittersweet.”

Fram, now 69, was a central figure in the original run of “The Morning X,” which aired from 1993 to 2004 alongside Barnes and Jimmy Baron. At its height, the show was among Atlanta’s most influential rock morning programs, drawing strong ratings with Gen X audiences. She also served as program director for much of 99X’s original run before the station was rebranded in 2008.

The modern version of 99X was revived in late 2022 by Cumulus Media, bringing back several legacy personalities, including Fram, Barnes, Clark, and program director Steve Craig. The relaunch aimed to recapture the station’s earlier cultural impact in Atlanta’s alternative rock scene.

Fram’s exit comes amid broader uncertainty surrounding Cumulus. The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection as part of an effort to restructure debt and has also stopped subscribing to Nielsen ratings following an antitrust lawsuit, leaving current audience performance for “The Morning X” unclear.

After leaving 99X during its original run, Fram held prominent industry roles, including running an alternative rock station in New York and later serving as a senior executive at CMT in Nashville, where she became a strong advocate for female country artists. She rejoined “The Morning X” in 2023 while continuing to live in Nashville, eventually departing CMT in 2024.

Bottom line: Fram’s departure removes a key legacy voice from 99X’s reboot, leaving the station to move forward without one of its most influential figures as it navigates financial and ratings uncertainty.

What Is TBPN And Why Did OpenAI Buy It?

OpenAI acquired TBPN, the fast-growing tech talk show and media company, on Thursday, in a deal reported by Forbes and Variety to be in the low hundreds of millions for an undisclosed sum. The purchase is framed by those outlets as part of OpenAI’s push to secure a key “distribution channel” and exert greater control over the public narrative around artificial intelligence.

TBPN — short for the Technology Business Programming Network — was launched in late 2024 by entrepreneurs John Coogan and Jordi Hays. The three-hour daily program streams live on YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) and has become a prominent fixture in Silicon Valley media, attracting a large audience of founders, CEOs and investors.

Observers frequently describe TBPN as a “SportsCenter for the tech industry,” offering boosterish, personality-driven commentary on startups and AI that makes it a regular stop for industry leaders and dealmakers. The acquisition follows a broader trend of technology firms buying or investing in media properties to shape discourse around their products and markets.

In a CNN interview, OpenAI chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane pointed to a long history of companies buying media outlets — from Westinghouse’s ownership of CBS to Microsoft’s partnership with NBC that created MSNBC. He likened the TBPN acquisition to media sponsorships and sports franchises’ dedicated channels.

Lehane said the deal is fundamentally about messaging: TBPN’s hosts will continue their daily live-stream while also assisting OpenAI with marketing and communications. “These guys at TBPN have really cracked the code, particularly for a core — and incredibly important — AI audience: developers, builders, entrepreneurs and thought leaders,” he said, adding that TBPN focuses less on scooping news and more on unpacking the ideas behind AI — the how and the why.

Radio History: April 4

➦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.

Are Cable News 1Q Ratings Surge For Real?

Fox News remained the undisputed leader in cable news during the first quarter of 2026, averaging 2.7 million primetime viewers and extending its streak to 97 consecutive quarters at No. 1. Its flagship program, The Five, led all cable news broadcasts with roughly 4 million viewers per episode.

But the most striking development of the quarter came from CNN, which posted a 54% increase in primetime viewership compared to the previous quarter — its strongest performance since early 2022. The sharp rise, alongside gains at MSNBC and NewsNation, has fueled speculation that global military tensions may be driving renewed audience interest in cable news.

A closer look, however, suggests a different explanation.

Rather than a traditional “crisis bump” — where one network’s surge typically comes at the expense of another — all major cable news outlets experienced simultaneous, often double-digit growth. 

Historically, audience spikes tied to major geopolitical events redistribute viewership within the category, not elevate every player at once. The across-the-board gains point less to organic audience expansion and more to a structural shift in how viewership is being measured.

That shift comes from Nielsen and its rollout of the Big Data + Panel measurement system, which blends traditional audience panels with large-scale set-top box and smart TV data. The updated methodology appears to be inflating reported totals across the industry, creating the appearance of a broad-based ratings resurgence.

The impact is particularly evident at smaller networks. NewsNation touted an 85% increase in primetime viewership, but that growth comes from a relatively modest base of approximately 191,000 viewers — underscoring how percentage gains can exaggerate momentum when starting from a smaller audience.

Even with the industrywide lift, the competitive hierarchy remains unchanged. Fox News continues to command a dominant lead, while CNN and MSNBC trail by significant margins, and emerging networks like NewsNation operate at a much smaller scale.

The bottom line: the headline-grabbing ratings surge in early 2026 could be driven less by a sudden wave of viewer demand and more by a fundamental change in how those viewers are counted.

MLB: See It On the Radio

Audacy reports a growing shift in how fans follow Major League Baseball, with audio increasingly serving as a key companion to live game viewing. In a new Insights report, the company says today’s mobile, multitasking audience is turning to audio for a more flexible and personalized experience. According to the findings, 36% of MLB fans now pair play-by-play audio with live television, frequently choosing local announcers to deepen their sense of connection and authenticity.

The report, authored by Audacy SVP of Research & Insights Ray Borelli, underscores how audio fits seamlessly into fans’ daily routines. Whether commuting, working, or managing other tasks, listeners are able to stay engaged with games in ways traditional viewing alone may not allow. This dual-consumption behavior reflects broader changes in media habits, as audiences seek greater control over how and where they consume content.

Audacy’s analysis suggests that audio’s portability and immediacy are key drivers behind the trend, particularly as fans navigate increasingly busy, on-the-go lifestyles. The ability to sync local radio calls with national or regional TV broadcasts also gives fans a more customized experience, reinforcing loyalty to hometown teams and broadcasters.

The findings point to a continued evolution in sports consumption, where audio is no longer a secondary option but an integral part of the fan experience, complementing video and expanding access beyond the traditional living room setting.

After Separating From NBCUniversal, MS NOW Is Having a Moment

MS NOW has reached a new level of success since breaking away from NBCUniversal, posting its strongest quarter under its rebrand while waging a bruising talent-and-resources battle with its former partner.

The rebranded cable network averaged 1.4 million total viewers in Q1 2026, a 19% increase year-over-year, with March its most-watched month since October 2024, network figures show. Industry executives say the Iran war has boosted ratings across cable news, but MS NOW’s gains mark a notable recovery and momentum after the split.

The gains have come amid an increasingly acrimonious separation from NBCUniversal. MS NOW president Rebecca Kutler opted to build a standalone operation rather than continue paying NBC an eight-figure service fee, a decision that allowed the network to reinvest in programming and pursue direct audience relationships — moves executives say were decisive in luring talent.

Peter Alexander

That strategy has included aggressive recruitment from NBC. Peter Alexander’s high-profile move to MS NOW after 22 years at NBC became the headline example; he is the tenth prominent journalist to jump. Sources describe the post-separation relationship as less an amicable parting than a custody-like feud, with both sides sparring over on-air talent and resources. NBC made retention efforts but could not match MS NOW’s offer of Alexander his own show and a direct line to viewers.

“MS NOW can offer a level of loyalty and engagement that NBC can't at this moment,” a source familiar with the negotiations told Status, underscoring the network’s pitch to defecting journalists.

For context, Fox News remained the cable leader in the quarter with about 3 million primetime viewers; CNN pulled roughly 898,000 primetime viewers, up 11%. Still, MS NOW executives and supporters point to the Q1 spike as validation of Kutler’s independent strategy and the network’s investment in marquee talent and audience-facing shows.

MS NOW’s leadership says the separation freed the network to pursue a more direct business model focused on subscriptions, stronger talent deals and programming that converts viewers into long-term audience relationships. Critics counter that the talent raids and resource disputes have burned bridges with a former corporate partner and escalated industry tensions.

As MS NOW rolls into the rest of 2026, its challenge will be sustaining growth amid geopolitical-driven viewership bumps and heightened competition. For now, the network’s improved ratings and high-profile hires provide a clear signal that the break from NBCUniversal has, at least initially, translated into measurable gains.

Ft. Meyers TV: WINK Fires, Sues Meteorologist

Fort Myers Broadcasting Company (FMBC), owner of WINK News, sued former meteorologist Matt Devitt Wednesday, alleging breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty for operating a competing weather business, gambling during work, and violating a non‑compete agreement. The station seeks more than $100,000 in damages and a temporary or permanent injunction blocking Devitt’s competing online forecasting activities and ordering removal of allegedly false or defamatory social‑media posts.

The complaint says Devitt, fired Jan. 8, ran Weatherview (formerly Matt Devitt Weather) while employed at WINK, recruited colleagues, and used company resources in violation of his contract. FMBC alleges one Facebook post by Devitt after his termination was “false, misleading, and/or defamatory,” caused “considerable public backlash,” and prompted death threats against FMBC representatives.

FMBC also accuses Devitt of on‑duty gambling, claiming he frequented the Seminole Casino Hotel and other gaming venues and was observed gambling “almost every night on his break,” according to messages cited in the suit. The filing alleges he served as an expert witness in legal matters without approval and formed his competing company well before his termination.

The station argues Devitt’s conduct threatens FMBC’s reputation and goodwill in Southwest Florida and could cause irreparable harm. FMBC counters Devitt’s claim that his firing was a “shock,” saying the termination followed months of HR meetings, written warnings and a suspension. The case will proceed through the courts.

Philly Radio: Life After WIP, Devan Kaney Likely Going National

Devan Kaney, the Philadelphia sportscaster recently laid off from 94 WIP, is pursuing national opportunities after his departure from the longtime local station.

Kaney built her profile covering Philadelphia sports on 94 WIP, where she developed a local audience and experience in daily radio production and on-air hosting. Her exit is part of broader shifts at local sports talk outlets that have led several on-air personalities to seek wider platforms.

Industry sources and talent strategists say Kaney’s path to a national stage likely will include pitching syndicated radio slots, developing a podcast or video show aimed at a national audience, pursuing fill-in and contributor roles on cable or streaming sports networks, and leveraging social media to expand reach. Agents and industry executives note that broadcasters with strong local brands and proven production chops often transition to national roles by packaging show concepts, building subscription or Patreon models, or signing with digital-first networks.

Kaney’s move comes amid growing demand from national sports platforms for distinct voices and local expertise to fill commentary and analysis slots, especially during high-profile events and sports seasons. Success will depend on converting his Philadelphia following into broader, cross-market appeal and securing the right distribution deals or network partnerships.

Good Morning! The Pulse Starts The Day For Friday, April 3

Radio Broadcasting

Executive Change: iHeartMedia has promoted Ann Marie Licata to CEO of its Multiplatform Group, the company’s largest operating segment, overseeing 860+ local broadcast radio stations, Premiere Networks, TTWN, live events, and data-targeting product. She was previously EVP of Sales Operations and Client Success at iHeart following a role at Madison Square Garden. Reporting to Licata will be Julie Donohue, President of the Enterprise Development Group, and Julie Talbott, President of Premiere Networks.

MLB Fans Are Listening: Audacy says MLB fans are increasingly turning to audio as a flexible companion to live games, reflecting a shift toward mobile, multitasking consumption. In a new Insights report, the company finds 36% of fans now pair play-by-play audio with TV broadcasts—often opting for local announcers to deepen connection and authenticity. The report notes audio helps fans stay engaged while commuting, working, or on the move.

Atlanta Exit: Cumulus Alternative WNNX (99X)/Atlanta has made a change in mornings as longtime Morning X co-host Leslie Fram has stepped away from the 6-10am show to focus on her new consulting company, Former 99X traffic reporter and longtime Atlanta radio & TV personality Crash Clark teams with Steve Barnes for The Morning X with Barnes & Crash.

Media Industry

Is 60-Minutes Next? CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss is poised for a major shakeup at “60 Minutes” — with layoffs slated for this summer that could engulf some of the show’s top talent and producers, The NY Post reports. The bloodbath is slated for June, a source with knowledge said. That’s after CBS News last month slashed 6% of its workforce — between 60 and 70 people — including the surprise shuttering of its 99-year-old radio division.

WaPo Rehiring: The Washington Post has been quietly rehiring some laid-off staffers after axing a third of its newsroom in a brutal round of cuts earlier this year. After getting rid of over 300 journos across nearly all news departments in February, the Jeff Bezos-owned paper quietly contacted at least 10 of those staffers to gauge their interest in returning to the company in new roles, the Status newsletter reported Wednesday. Several staffers have accepted those return offers, according to Status. 

The core question: Should the “marketplace” decide the conflict between Donald Trump and The Media. Debate centers on whether the “marketplace” should resolve the conflict between Donald Trump and the media, raising issues of free speech, corporate power, and democratic norms. By 2026, the conflict has included legal actions—lawsuits and proposals to regulate news organizations.

U-S News

Pam Sent Packing: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was adamant Thursday that Pam Bondi’s handling of government files related to sex predator Jeffrey Epstein did not play a role in President Trump’s decision to fire her.  “A lot of what you just said about what happened to the attorney general is simply not true,” Blanche told Fox News host Jesse Watters, in his first interview since being elevated to acting AG.  “I have never heard President Trump say that the attorney general –  that anything that happened to her – had anything to do with the Epstein files,” Blanche asserted. 

Top Soldier Fired During War! Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth asked Gen. Randy George, the U.S. Army's top officer, to step down from his position and immediately retire. George had served as the chief of staff of the Army since 2023. Hegseth wanted someone who could better implement his and President Donald Trump's vision in the Army, according to CBS News. Top Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed George's immediate retirement on X. The Pentagon "is grateful for General George’s decades of service to our nation. We wish him well in his retirement."

Tiger's Life Tanks: Tiger Woods was seen in body camera footage released Thursday by the Martin County (Florida) Sheriff's office talking on the phone as he was approached by police in the wake of a rollover crash that led to his arrest last week. 

After he got off the phone, he told an officer he was “just talking to the president.” Woods was arrested on suspicion of DUI after crawling out of his rolled-over vehicle following a two-vehicle crash on Jupiter Island on March 27.

WWOne To Provide Full-Court Audio Coverage Of NCAA Hoops

Cumulus Media’s Westwood One, the exclusive national audio broadcast partner of the NCAA, will present comprehensive live audio coverage of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four and national championship game live from Indianapolis, Indiana in both English and Spanish. The network will also broadcast the NCAA Women’s Final Four and national championship game live from Phoenix, Arizona. 

Westwood One’s coverage of the Men’s Final Four will begin at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 4 with “The Final Four Show” followed by the game broadcast at 4:00 p.m. ET. The first national semifinal, between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Connecticut Huskies tips off at 6:09 p.m. ET. The second national semifinal, between the Michigan Wolverines and the Arizona Wildcats will begin 50 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

On Monday, April 6 audio coverage will commence at 6:00 p.m. ET with the “Championship Monday” pregame show followed by game coverage at 7:00 p.m. ET. The men’s national championship game will tip off at 8:50 p.m. ET. 

Westwood One will also broadcast all three men’s games in Spanish, presented by Werner Ladder. Spanish-language coverage of the Final Four commences at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 5 and at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 6 for the national championship game. 

Westwood One will also provide complete play-by-play coverage of the Women’s Final Four® on Friday, April 3 beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET when the defending Champion South Carolina Gamecocks take on the Connecticut Huskies. Immediately following, the network will air the second national semifinal, between the Texas Longhorns and the UCLA Bruins. Coverage of the women’s national championship game on Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Westwood One’s broadcasts of all three women’s games will be presented by Intuit TurboTax. 

Where to Listen:   Westwood One’s complete NCAA men’s tournament coverage can be heard on terrestrial radio stations nationwide and via SiriusXM. The Final Four and national championship Division I men’s and women’s games will also be streamed online for free and the Westwood One Sports mobile app. Additionally, the broadcasts will be available for free via the NCAA March Madness Live apps or The Varsity Network app. Fans can also access live audio via Alexa-enabled devices by asking to “Open Westwood One Sports.”  TuneIn premium subscribers can also hear all the action live.  

For a complete schedule of games, announcer bios, exclusive audio content, and a list of radio stations airing Westwood One’s broadcast of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship, Click HERE. 

TV Ratings: Fox News Channel Sets Double Digit Growth In March

In March, FNC’s coverage of the ongoing war in Iran drew 3 million viewers and 323,000 in the 25-54 demo during primetime, posting double-digit gains in both categories compared to February 2026. 

In total day, FNC averaged 1.9 million viewers, also delivering double-digit growth month-over-month. FNC’s The Five was the number one program in March with 4.1 million viewers (381,000 A25-54). The program continued its historic streak as the top non-primetime program in cable news for the 18th consecutive quarter. Jesse Watters Primetime led in the advertiser coveted 25-54 demo, nabbing 387,000 A25-54 (3.7 million viewers). 

Ratings Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN

Late-night success, Gutfeld! continued to soar, drawing in 3 million viewers and 351,000 in 25-54 during the 10 PM/ET hour. Easily outpacing its cable news competition, Gutfeld! also outranked all broadcast and late-night television, including CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2 million viewers; 265,000 A25-54), ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2 million viewers; 299,000 A25-54) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1.2 million viewers; 250,000 A25-54) and Late Night with Seth Meyers (830,000 viewers; 173,000 A25-54). Gutfeld! reigned supreme in March with 3.2 million viewers, beating all late-night.

Fox News Media Sets YouTube Video Record

FOX News Media closed out Q1 2026 delivering a record setting 1.5 billion YouTube video views, outpacing all news brands in the competitive set, according to Emplifi. 

During the quarter, FOX News led its closest competitor MS NOW (974 million views) by almost 500 million views, doubled CNN (707 million views), and topped ABC News (440 million views), NBC News (364 million views) and CBS News (194 million views) combined. For the sixth straight quarter, FOX News surpassed all news brands on YouTube and grew 21% compared to the prior year and 51% quarter-over-quarter with video views. FOX Business’ YouTube saw 193 million video, a 25% advantage over the previous quarter. Notably, FOX News Media’s combined platforms accrued nearly 2 billion video views on YouTube for the quarter.

In Q1 2026, FOX News ranked number one in social engagement, nabbing 426 million social media interactions across Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok, according to Emplifi. FOX News garnered 219 million Facebook interactions (up 52% vs 2025), 75 million Instagram interactions (up 25% versus Q4 ‘25), 20 million X interactions (up 20% vs 2025) and, according to Comscore Social, 115.9 million TikTok interactions (up 35% vs. 2025).

Additionally, FOX News was number one on YouTube during the month of March, delivering its highest month of YouTube video views ever with 621 million video views. During March, FOX News led MS NOW (320 million views), CNN (265 million views), ABC News (177 million views), NBC News (156 million views) and CBS (73 million views). FOX News grew 46% year-over-year and 68% month-over-month during March. FOX Business continued its reign during the month, driving 67 million video views, according to Comscore Social, and earning its spot as the number one business for the 52nd consecutive month.

iHM Names Ann Marie Licata to Head Multiplatform Group

iHeartMedia promoted Ann Marie Licata to CEO of its Multiplatform Group, the company’s largest operating segment, overseeing 860+ local broadcast radio stations, Premiere Networks, TTWN, live events, and data-targeting products.

Licata succeeds Hartley Adkins, who retired last year. She was previously EVP of Sales Operations and Client Success at iHeart following a role at Madison Square Garden. Reporting to Licata will be Julie Donohue, President of the Enterprise Development Group, and Julie Talbott, President of Premiere Networks.

Ann Marie Licata

Bernie Weiss, formerly Markets Group COO, was promoted to Markets Group President and will manage operations across iHeart’s 160 markets. The Digital Audio Group remains led by CEO Conal Byrne; the Audio and Media Services Group continues under CEO Mark Gray.

The Multiplatform Group comprises iHeartMedia’s Markets Group (operating 860+ local broadcast radio stations), iHeart live events and sponsorships, radio networks including Premiere and TTWN, the Enterprise Business Development Group, and broadcast radio data-targeting and attribution products.

iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman praised Licata’s appointment as key to growing the Multiplatform Group’s businesses—podcasting, iHeartRadio, live events, and data-driven programmatic buying—while President and COO Rich Bressler highlighted the company’s diversified structure and said he was pleased Licata is taking on the role at a pivotal time.