CBS Sunday Morning aired a reflective segment on the impending closure of CBS News Radio, featuring correspondent Mo Rocca.
CBS News announced in March 2026 that it would shut down its nearly 100-year-old CBS News Radio service on May 22, 2026, as part of broader layoffs affecting about 6% of the CBS News workforce. The service, which provided hourly newscasts and features to roughly 700 affiliated stations nationwide, cited shifting radio programming strategies, challenging economics, and the rise of digital media and podcasts.
All positions in the CBS News Radio team were eliminated.
The Sunday Morning segment celebrates CBS News Radio’s storied history as a pioneer in broadcast journalism. It traces the network’s roots back nearly a century, highlighting how it set standards for radio news coverage and influenced the broader field of broadcast journalism.
Key figures mentioned include Edward R. Murrow (famous for wartime reporting), Robert Trout, Charles Osgood (longtime “Sunday Morning” host who also contributed radio commentary), and others who helped shape modern news delivery.
Mo Rocca interviews current and former staffers, including:Martha Teichner (“Sunday Morning” correspondent who reported for radio for decades). Dan Rather (veteran radio correspondent and former “CBS Evening News” anchor).
The piece serves as both a tribute to the legacy—rooted in iconic coverage that informed generations—and a poignant farewell to an era of traditional radio news. It underscores the service’s role in delivering timely updates and in-depth reporting before the shift to modern platforms.
The Walt Disney Company and its ABC broadcast network are pushing back against a FCC investigation into whether the daytime talk show “The View” qualifies for a long-standing “equal time” exemption for bona fide news programming.
In a petition filed with the FCC and made public Friday, Disney called the probe baseless and accused the agency of selective enforcement that targets television programs viewed as politically unfavorable while sparing conservative AM radio talk shows.
The company argued the action raises serious concerns about viewpoint discrimination and retaliatory targeting.
Disney noted that daytime and late-night talk shows featuring political interviews, including “The View,” have received blanket exemptions from the equal-time rule since the mid-1990s, based on their similarity to news broadcasts. ABC said “The View” itself has held the exemption since the early 2000s.
The company highlighted what it called a contradictory policy under FCC Chairman Brendan Carr: the agency has stopped granting blanket exemptions to TV programs that interview political candidates, judging them instead by “political motivations.” However, Carr explicitly said the change would not apply to radio talk shows.
“The danger is that the government will simply decide which perspectives to regulate and which to leave undisturbed,” Disney’s lawyers wrote. They cited examples of conservative radio hosts blurring lines between commentary and political advocacy, including on-air endorsements.
The FCC launched the inquiry earlier this year after Texas state Rep. James Talarico, then a candidate, appeared on “The View” in February. The agency’s Media Bureau sent a letter to ABC-owned station KTRK (Channel 13) in Houston, questioning whether the station properly documented the appearance in its public inspection file and demanding evidence to support the exemption.
Disney argued the FCC lacks authority to force broadcasters to file petitions for declaratory rulings or initiate such proceedings. Nevertheless, the company submitted the requested petition on Thursday.
An FCC spokesperson defended the equal-time rule as one that “encourages more speech and empowers voters,” but did not directly address Disney’s claims of selective enforcement against TV versus radio.
“The View” matter is distinct from another FCC action against Disney. The agency is scrutinizing the renewal of broadcast licenses for KTRK and seven other ABC-owned TV stations amid concerns raised by Chairman Carr over the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. Last month, the FCC took the unprecedented step of ordering Disney to file early renewal applications for stations whose licenses are not yet expiring. Disney has until the end of May to respond.
The company has maintained that no evidence supports claims of legal violations related to its employment practices.
FCC has been investigating ABC’s daytime talk show “The View” for months over whether it violated longstanding federal “equal time” rules requiring balanced airtime for political candidates.
ABC filed a forceful response last week, made public Friday, accusing the FCC of viewpoint discrimination and First Amendment violations. The network warned the probe could have a “chilling effect” on free speech ahead of the 2026 elections and said it is prepared to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court.
The inquiry could also influence the FCC’s broader review of whether ABC should retain ownership of key local television stations. ABC’s lawyers argued the government cannot use regulatory power to punish viewpoints it dislikes, stating: “Government officials are free to express their own views about ‘The View,’ but they cannot utilize the coercive powers of the state to punish viewpoints with which they disagree.”
The show has held a “bona fide news” exemption from the equal-time rule since 2002, which ABC noted had gone unchallenged for 24 years.
“The View” averages 2.7 million daily viewers, a figure stable for roughly a decade. Its strongest markets include Philadelphia and Michigan’s Flint-Saginaw-Bay City area — both in key swing states — along with Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Chicago, New York, West Palm Beach, Kansas City, and Hartford.
Demographically, the audience skews older and female: two-thirds are 65 or older, nearly 90% are over 50, and 70% are women. About 60% of viewers are white and 25% Black, according to Nielsen. Conservative groups have highlighted the show’s influence on swing voter segments, particularly older women.
The investigation was prompted in part by complaints from conservative organizations urging the FCC to revoke the exemption, citing the show’s guest mix and commentary as politically one-sided.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation and Reporters Without Borders have sent a letter to Paramount’s chief legal officer demanding access to the company’s books and records, citing reports that CEO David Ellison promised favors to the White House to secure federal approval for Paramount’s bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
The groups, both Paramount shareholders, argue the reports create a credible basis to believe Ellison, board members, and other executives may have breached their fiduciary duties or committed misconduct.
Their lawyers at the Public Integrity Project sent the 19-page letter to Makan Delrahim on Thursday.
They are invoking Delaware law, which allows shareholders to inspect company documents for any proper purpose.
Trump, Ellison
According to The Wrap, the letter devotes significant space to news reports detailing actions by Ellison and his father, billionaire Larry Ellison, a friend of Donald Trump, during efforts to buy Paramount and later Warner Bros. Discovery. It highlights:
The timing of Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” cancellation ahead of the merger approval.
Reports that the Ellisons promised Trump administration officials “sweeping” changes to CNN if the WBD deal is approved.
Changes implemented by Bari Weiss at CBS News since Ellison appointed her editor-in-chief.
“The foregoing account of recent events… creates a credible concern that Paramount leadership has offered, solicited, or effectuated a corrupt exchange: more favorable coverage of the Trump administration and its allies in exchange for favorable treatment by Trump administration antitrust and media regulators,” the letter states. Such actions, if proven, would constitute a breach of fiduciary duties and expose the company to civil and criminal penalties.
The groups have given Paramount five days to respond or face legal action.
The Joe Rogan Experience leads Spotify’s chart and ranks high on Apple, while The Daily from The New York Times dominates Apple Podcasts and remains a top performer on Spotify, according to the latest rankings.
True crime, news, and long-form interviews continue to dominate both platforms, with significant overlap between the two.
The Daily, Crime Junkie, and The Joe Rogan Experience consistently rank at or near the top on both services.
Apple favors structured news and true crime.
Spotify favors conversational, comedy, and personality-driven shows.
Political and interview podcasts remain strong amid current events.
Rankings are based on the most recent daily charts and can shift quickly with new episodes or major news. For real-time updates, check Apple Podcasts and Spotify directly.
The NBA averaged 4 million viewers per game during the first round of the playoffs across ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC, and Peacock — a 22% increase from last year and the highest opening-round average since 1993.
NBC’s broadcast television games played a significant role in the jump, but all three major rights holders posted audience gains. Longer series also helped: six of the eight first-round matchups went at least six games, with three reaching a decisive Game 7.
The biggest boost came from Game 7 of the 76ers-Celtics series last weekend, which drew 11 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. That marked the most-watched first-round Game 7 in NBA history and the largest audience for any opening-round playoff game in 27 years.
The game received a powerful lead-in from the Kentucky Derby, also on NBC/Peacock, which set a viewership record with a preliminary 19.6 million viewers.
The NBA’s strong start continues a spring sports ratings boom. The NHL’s opening playoff round saw a 68% increase to record levels for its current ESPN and TNT deals. The NBA’s regular season itself finished up 16%, reaching a seven-year high.
These gains come as Nielsen continues to evolve its measurement system, including expanded out-of-home viewing and the recent Big Data + Panel process, with co-viewing enhancements expected this fall.
The NHL’s first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs drew its highest average U.S. television audience on record, with both TNT Sports and ESPN each averaging 1.2 million viewers per game.
TNT Sports, across TNT, TBS, truTV, and HBO Max, posted a 68% increase from last season — its strongest opening round since acquiring NHL rights in 2021–22. ESPN, broadcasting 22 games, saw a 69% jump from 2025 and its most-watched first round since regaining NHL rights five years ago. The NHL confirmed the combined 1.2 million average marks an all-time high for the opening round.
The surge comes after a highly successful 2026 Winter Olympics, highlighted by the United States’ thrilling 2–1 overtime victory over Canada in the gold-medal game. The NHL has historically enjoyed a ratings boost following strong Olympic performances.
The playoffs also featured several high-interest narratives:
The Buffalo Sabres ended the league’s longest playoff drought (14 years) by winning the Atlantic Division.
The Battle of Pennsylvania pitted the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Philadelphia Flyers, both of whom clinched playoff spots in the final days of the regular season.
The Utah Mammoth made their playoff debut in just their second season as a franchise.
The Vegas Golden Knights played under new head coach John Tortorella, who was hired with only eight games left in the regular season.
Another factor behind the ratings growth may be the NHL’s decision to keep all playoff games on traditional broadcast and cable television (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT), with streaming options on ESPN+ and HBO Max. This contrasts with the NBA, which placed some playoff games exclusively on streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Peacock, potentially driving viewers toward more accessible NHL coverage.
Growth in local digital advertising has fallen to single digits and is projected to stay at its slowest sustained pace since the Great Recession, according to Borrell Associates’ 24th annual Local Digital Advertising report.
The deceleration marks the end of the easy-growth era for local media and exposes a structural problem for legacy companies that relied on 20–25% annual digital increases to offset declines in traditional revenue. With digital now expanding in low single digits while core products continue shrinking, the old math no longer works.
“This isn’t decline. It’s normalization,” said Gordon Borrell, CEO of Borrell Associates. “Digital has matured. The easy growth is over. From here on, success won’t be defined by participation, but by who can steal share from competitors.”
“We’re not big on doom and gloom, but after digging through the data, the dots don’t point in a great direction,” added Corey Elliott, EVP of Local Market Research at Borrell Associates.
The 65-page report, based on proprietary data from more than 9,000 local media operations and ad estimates across 513 U.S. markets, shows that only iHeartMedia and The New York Times posted total revenue growth in 2025 among 15 publicly traded media companies reviewed. Cumulus Media and Urban One recorded negative digital growth, while Townsquare Media, often cited as radio’s digital success story, grew less than 2% digitally.
“Some companies mistake being involved in digital for being successful at digital,” said Borrell Associates Founder Gordon Borrell. “The next phase will separate those who measure success against their specific market opportunity and systematically capture share from those who are simply tracking year-over-year growth.”
Digital now accounts for 72% of local ad spending, with no single format dominating.
Borrell Associates will present key findings from the report during a webinar on May 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET. Registration is open now.
There was a time when radio felt unpredictable. You turned it on because something might happen.
A personality might say something outrageous. A new song might explode before the rest of the culture caught up. A caller might change the entire mood of a show. A contest might take over a city. A station might suddenly feel like the center of the local universe.
Radio once had edge.
Not because it was reckless. Because it felt alive.
Today, too much radio sounds technically clean but emotionally cautious. That may be one of the industry’s biggest hidden problems.
This is not about profanity, shock radio, or cheap controversy. It is about whether radio still creates surprise, tension, spontaneity, excitement, and emotional electricity.
Because modern audiences have endless choices.
Streaming gives people control. Podcasts give them depth. TikTok gives them unpredictability. YouTube gives them easy access to video.
Radio used to deliver pieces of all of that.
Now, too often, stations sound engineered not to fail instead of designed to be impossible to ignore.
Listeners can hear the difference. They hear it in overly tightened breaks.
In air talent afraid to reveal too much humanity.
In music scheduling so optimized it becomes emotionally flat.
In contests that feel overly safe.
In programming decisions filtered through so many layers of caution that the original spark disappears.
The irony is painful: Eadio became safer at the exact moment media became more competitive.
That is a dangerous combination.
Audiences rarely fall in love with safe. They fall in love with real. The most successful modern media personalities feel human. They are loose, present, emotional, opinionated, funny, and sometimes imperfect. They do not sound like they are reading from a script.
Meanwhile, too much radio sounds like it is trying not to get in trouble. That does not create loyalty. It creates background noise.
Radio’s greatest historic strength was not technology. It was immediacy. It sounded live. Connected. Reactive. Human. Exciting.
You were not just hearing content. You were hearing people experience culture in real time with you.
That feeling still matters. In fact, it may matter more now because so much modern media is isolated, automated, and fragmented.
Radio does not need to become reckless. But it does need to become braver.
In an era of algorithms and automation, humanity is the differentiator.
And humanity is rarely perfectly polished. Sometimes it is messy. Unexpected. Energetic. Spontaneous.
Dangerous, even. Not destructive.
Dangerous in the sense that something real might happen. That used to be the magic of radio.
It can be again.
➤Dave Van Dyke...Currently President and founder of media consumption analysis research firm Bridge Ratings and its subsidiary StreamStats LLC, the company has been providing radio stations with proprietary on-demand streaming data based on format core listener music consumption behavior.
Ted Turner launched CNN, the world’s first 24-hour news network, on June 1, 1980, pioneering a continuous cable format that reshaped television journalism and established Atlanta as a global media capital.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the idea originated during a walk in the woods, as recalled by former Turner Broadcasting chief operating officer Steve Korn. Facing the rise of cable and satellite TV, Turner—already a media innovator—debated whether to focus on news or sports.
Ted Turner, June 1, 1980
He chose news because it was cheaper to produce than securing sports rights and addressed a clear demand for around-the-clock coverage when viewers missed traditional newscasts.
After roughly five years of development, Turner publicly announced plans for the Cable News Network in summer 1979. He recruited Reese Schonfeld, president of the Independent Television News Association, to help build the operation on a tight budget.
The team constructed everything from scratch: purchasing cameras, lights, tape machines, satellite dishes, and acquiring the former Progressive Club building in Midtown Atlanta (now part of Turner’s Techwood campus) to house the network.
Turner, who admitted in his 2008 autobiography Call Me Ted that he hadn’t watched much TV news but had strong opinions about the format, wanted the news itself—not the anchors—to be the star. He even attempted to recruit Walter Cronkite at one point.
Skeptics widely doubted the concept, questioning whether audiences wanted 24-hour news or a fourth major network beyond CBS, NBC, and ABC.
“Who goes and walks in the woods and comes up with an idea that no one has ever had before, and everyone derides it, saying no one wants to watch 24-hour news?” Korn said. “Well, he was right, and everybody else was wrong.”
➦In 1888...Irving Berlin born as Israel Beilin (Died at age 101 from a heart attack - September 22, 1989) was an American composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. His music forms a great part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russia, Berlin arrived in the United States at the age of five.
Whether for Broadway musicals or films, for humorous songs or romantic ballads, his compositions are celebrated for their appealing melodies and memorable lyrics. His many popular songs include “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “God Bless America,” and “White Christmas.” In 1968 Berlin received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
➦In 1912...Foster Brooks born (Died at age 89 – December 20, 2001). He was best known as a comedian for his portrayal of a lovable drunk in nightclub performances and television programs.
Foster Brooks
His career started in radio, notably with Marshall Krieger at station WHAS-AM in Louisville. He was a staff announcer, and his deep baritone voice was also well-suited for singing. Brooks gained fame for his reporting of the Ohio River flood of 1937, where he was featured on emergency broadcasts by WHAS and also WSM-AM from Nashville, Tennessee. In 1952, Brooks appeared on local TV in a short-lived spoof of Gene Autry and his "Singing Cowboys".
He later worked in local broadcasting as a radio and TV personality in Buffalo and Rochester, New York, before moving to the West Coast to launch a career as a stand-up comic and character actor. In Buffalo, Brooks performed with a country and western vocal group known as the Hi-Hatters.
In 1960, Brooks moved with his family to Los Angeles to seek more professional opportunities
He then began his drunk act, which went over well with crowds at Las Vegas nightclubs and on television. Brooks was a frequent guest on talk and variety shows and numerous Dean Martin celebrity roasts. Despite his on-screen personna he actually quit drinking in the early 1960s, on a bet, and remained a teetotaler for the rest of his life. He died Dec. 20 2001 at age 89.
➦In 1922...KGU Radio signed-on in Honolulu. In April 1935 it was used as a homing beacon by Captain Ed Musick and Fred Noonan during their survey flights of the Pacific in a Pan American World Airways Sikorsky S-42.
