MSNBC had one of its worst days in two decades last week as the liberal network continues to struggle on the heels of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris.
On November 26, MSNBC had the lowest-rated, non-holiday weekday among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54 in 20 years. MSNBC managed only 38,000 average demo viewers, its smallest non-holiday audience among the critical viewers since July 19, 2004.
Viewers between the ages of 25 and 54 are the most sought after by advertisers, as they presumably have spending power but aren’t completely set in their ways. The only times MSNBC had a smaller weekday audience among the critical viewers over the last 20 years came on New Year's Day and July 4.
Fox News Digital reports a variety of MSNBC programs hit all-time lows on Tuesday, as "The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle" and "Jose Diaz Balart Reports" had their smallest audiences ever among total viewers and "Chris Jansing Reports," "Deadline: White House" and "Katy Tur Reports" had their worst days ever among the demo.
Multiple MSNBC programs have lost more than half their audience since Election Day when comparing demo viewership to 2024 averages.
The ratings debacle comes as Comcast recently announced it would spin off NBCUniversal cable assets, including MSNBC, into a separate company that will not be tied to NBC News. As a result, the fate of shared resources and even the cable network's name and editorial direction are in question.
"The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle," "All In with Chris Hayes," "Chris Jansing Reports," "Inside with Jen Psaki," "The Rachel Maddow Show" and Joy Reid’s "ReidOut" all shed at least 50% of its audience among adults age 25-54 since Trump’s victory.
Stephen King’s raucous rock ‘n’ roll radio station is going silent at year’s end.
AP News reports the renowned author and lifelong rocker who used to perform with the Rock Bottom Remainders, a rock band that featured literary icons, said Monday that at age 77, it’s time to say good-bye to three Bangor, Maine, stations that have been bleeding money. King kept the stations afloat for decades, and he said he and his wife, Tabitha, are proud to have kept them going for so long.
“While radio across the country has been overtaken by giant corporate broadcasting groups, I’ve loved being a local, independent owner all these years,” King said in a statement. “I’ve loved the people who’ve gone to these stations every day and entertained folks, kept the equipment running, and given local advertisers a way to connect with their customers."
King’s foray into radio began at age 36 with his 1983 purchase of a radio station that was rebranded WZON in deference to his book, “The Dead Zone.” That station went through a few permutations before closing, and then being reacquired by King in 1990.
The ZONE Corporation's current lineup consists of WKIT-FM, which bills itself as “Stephen King's Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio Station," along with WZON-AM Retro Radio and an adult alternative station, WZLO-FM. They'll go off the air on Dec. 31.
Ken Wood, the stations' general manager, said he’s sad that the era is ending but happy that it happened. “Independent, locally owned radio stations used to be the norm. There are only a few left in Maine, and we’re lucky we had these three as long as we did,” he said.
Popular radio personality Charlamagne Tha God criticized Joe Biden and the Democratic Party on Monday following the president's decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden.
The Breakfast Club host rejected Biden's justification for the sweeping pardon, which covers Hunter's recent convictions and any potential illegal conduct spanning nearly a decade from January 2014 through December 1, 2024.
"Hunter was singled out because he broke the law. That's number one," Charlamagne said Monday. "He was singled out because he had an illegal gun and tax evasion charges, not because he was the president's son."
Newsweek reached out to the White House and Hunter Biden's attorney via email for comment on Monday.
The pardon, the first such action involving a sitting president's child, comes just weeks before Hunter's sentencing. He faced up to 25 years in the firearms case and 17 years for tax evasion, though shorter sentences were expected. The sentencing hearings were set for December 12 and December 16, respectively.
Hunter responded to the pardon in court documents filed Monday and acknowledged his past struggles while defending his recovery.
Illinois has been harder hit by newsroom unemployment than any other state.
Since 2005, Illinois has lost 86% of its journalists, versus 60% nationwide, according to Mediapost citing a breakout from the Medill State of Local News, a report issued in October.
Observers blame the fact that many of its news organizations are owned by corporate chains, according to WBEZ Chicago,
“Those ownership groups have been especially aggressive about cutting costs, especially Tribune-owned Alden Global Capital,” said Tim Franklin, director of the Medill Local News Initiative at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, during a recent presentation,
One bright spot is the passage in May of a bill that will provide g $25 million in tax credits to local news organizations over five years. The law, which takes effect in 2025 is “hugely significant and a major step in the right direction,” Franklin said.
“Is it going to fix the local news crisis in Illinois?” Franklin asked. “No. But could those tax credits help preserve some local news coverage in Illinois for residents? Yes. Could it help provide a runway to give some local news outlets time to figure out a new model? Yes. And for some smaller local news outlets, these tax credits could even be a temporary lifeline.”
Illinois and New York are the only states to offer tax credits to support local news outlets, WBEZ continues.
A new white paper is released byWARC Advisory and multiplatform audio media and entertainment companyAudacy today. Breaking down the barriers behind the Audio investment gap takes on a number of misperceptions driving the under-utilization of audio by marketers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 21 experts across leading brands, agencies, measurement companies and publishers in the audio field to better understand the issues from a 360 degree perspective.
Ray Borelli, SVP, Research & Insights, Audacy, comments, "There are more options available to marketers in audio than ever before, and we see time and again the positive results that come when brands increase their audio spend. However, investment in audio is being constrained for some by a series of perceptual barriers. This white paper aims to dispel those misperceptions and highlight the opportunities that are in front of marketers who embrace audio advertising."
Paul Stringer, Managing Editor, Research & Advisory, WARC, adds: “Now - thanks to an explosion in audio listenership - there is a growing volume of evidence to suggest that audio drives a big impact in terms of attention, brand lift and key business KPIs. Yet a gap remains between investment and consumption. We’ve touched on this gap before in previous WARC research. But this paper goes one step further to understand precisely why audio is lagging behind other channels in terms of investment. After reading this paper, I hope advertisers and agencies feel more inspired and more confident about giving audio the attention and investment it deserves.”
“Breaking Down the Barriers Behind the Audio Investment Gap” spotlights the central role Audio plays in the lives of many Americans. Driven by growth in streaming and podcasts, time spent with Audio is growing significantly faster than media consumption overall.
Edison Research shows that average daily Audio consumption is 220 minutes: one-third of the total. This increase is evident across all age groups. Audiences aged 55 – 64 now spend 39% more time with Audio than they did in 2020; for those aged 16 – 24 the daily consumption has risen by 21%.
The medium's challenge, however, is that it is realizing just 8.4% of advertiser spend, perWARC Media data. The findings show that spending would need to increase nearly threefold to match its share of ad-supported consumption.
This latest research uncovers myths that may lead to lack of investment in Audio.
Despite the misconception that Audio does not deliver campaign KPIs and is highly fragmented, evidence shows the medium delivers attributes that brands need most:
Unparalleled reach: In the USA, Audio’s total daily reach is 96%. Broadcast radio alone reaches 84% and 34% of Americans listen to at least one podcast a week.
High levels of attention: Podcast ads register 10,630 attentive seconds per thousand impressions (APMs) compared to TV at 4,430 APMs.
Strong targetability: Audio buys are now based on consumer interests, behaviors and contextually relevant moments.
Positive impact across every stage of the path-to-purchase journey: Recent research by Radiocentre found that allocating budget to the channel enhances overall campaign performance by boosting organic search volumes, increasing paid search impressions with improved conversion and uplifting response to paid social ads. Nielsen states that Audio consistently ranks as a top-tier medium for ROI.
The white paper is available to read in full here.
Entravision has announced the appointment of Jamil Downey as Vice President & General Manager, Americas for its mobile advertising and Connected TV technology platform, Smadex . Reporting directly to Chief Revenue Officer Phil Gontier, Jamil will lead Smadex’s U.S. expansion strategy, building on the division’s robust growth trajectory while leveraging Entravision’s extensive market presence and deep-rooted industry relationships to accelerate success.
Downsey brings a wealth of expertise from his tenure at Apple, where he spearheaded high-impact initiatives within the Apple Search Ads division. His exceptional leadership and strategic insight will be instrumental as Smadex continues to strengthen its reputation as a leader in programmatic advertising.
Jamil Downey
In his new role, he'll will oversee strategic growth initiatives across the Americas, with a primary focus on the U.S. market. Collaborating closely with the CRO and executive leadership, he will build on Smadex’s successes and drive broader adoption of its innovative ad solutions.
“As Smadex continues to execute on its ambitious growth plan, we are thrilled to welcome Jamil as the leader of our Americas team,” said Phil Gontier, Chief Revenue Officer at Smadex. “Jamil’s experience, strategic mindset, and deep industry knowledge make him the perfect choice to lead and accelerate our expansion. We are looking forward to the value he will bring to our team, clients and partners.”
Smadex continues to deliver exceptional revenue growth, significantly outpacing industry benchmarks. This performance reflects our commitment to innovation and delivering customer success. Jamil’s appointment underscores our dedication to sustaining this momentum and further solidifying Smadex as a leader in mobile and Connected TV advertising.
“I’m excited to join Smadex at such a pivotal time of growth and opportunity,” said Jamil Downey, VP & GM Americas at Smadex. “Smadex’s commitment to delivering impactful advertising solutions perfectly aligns with my vision for growth and innovation. I look forward to collaborating with the talented team to help accelerate success in the U.S. market and beyond.”
Veritonic, the industry’s comprehensive audio research and analytics platform, announced today enhanced capabilities to analyze and optimize the audio performance of video podcasts. As platforms like YouTube emerge as the dominant destination for podcast consumption, Veritonic’s innovative solutions help creators, brands, and advertisers unlock deeper insights into how their audio content resonates within the video podcast environment.
The podcasting world has undergone a transformative shift. While audio-based podcasts once ruled the space, platforms like YouTube have propelled video podcasts to the forefront, offering listeners an immersive and dynamic experience. As YouTube becomes the most popular podcast platform in the U.S., it’s clear that video podcasts are here to stay, with 84% of younger listeners—particularly Gen Z—reporting a preference for video podcasts, according to recent studies.
“The way people consume podcasts has changed fundamentally,” said Scott Simonelli, CEO and Founder of Veritonic. “It’s no longer just about audio—today’s podcast audience wants to engage with content visually as well. Our platform’s ability to analyze the audio elements of video podcasts is crucial for creators and brands looking to maximize engagement, refine content, and better connect with viewers. As video podcasts continue to dominate platforms like YouTube, the power of the audio experience cannot be overlooked.”
Veritonic’s platform offers advanced audio analytics that can be applied to video podcasts, providing a comprehensive view of how audio performance influences listener engagement and sentiment when paired with video. With measurement solutions that assess tone, emotional resonance, and content effectiveness, Veritonic’s robust insights allow podcast creators and advertisers to optimize their content for the unique dynamics of video podcast consumption.
Key Features of Veritonic’s Video Podcast Audio Analytics include:
Cross-Platform Analysis: Gain insights into the audio performance of video podcasts across platforms & channels
Audio-Visual Synergy: Understand how the combination of video and audio affects listener engagement, retention, and sentiment
Second-by-Second Engagement Metrics: Second-by-second engagement measures the emotional impact of podcast audio down to each word in the script, helping creators fine-tune content to elicit the desired response from their audience
Brand and Ad Effectiveness: Assess how audio-driven brand messages and advertisements perform in video podcast environments
As YouTube cements its position as the leading platform for podcasts, creators are adapting to the need for more visually engaging content. Whether through enhanced video production or integrating cameras into their recording setups, creators are increasingly optimizing podcasts for video-centric experiences. For advertisers, video podcasts present an exciting opportunity to reach audiences with rich, multi-sensory content—driving deeper connections between brands and listeners.
YouTube has hit a new high as America’s primary podcast destination.
In 2021, YouTube was the third most accessed destination for podcasts. In 2022, it tied Spotify as the platform used most among weekly podcast listeners. Now across two years’ worth of studies in 2023 and 2024, YouTube has pulled away from the pack and leads as the most used podcast audience platform in the U.S., hitting a new high of 34%.
For the thirteenth edition of the Podcast Download series, Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights retained MARU/Matchbox to conduct an in-depth study of 603 weekly podcast consumers from October 3-7, 2024. Two studies are conducted annually. The Fall 2024 Report highlights trends from prior studies and examines topics such as platform preference, content trends, perceptions of brand safety and content appropriateness, and more.
Liz Mayer, Insights Manager of the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group®, and Paul Riismandel, President of Signal Hill Insights, conducted an extensive analysis of the Podcast Download consumer study.
Key takeaways:
Hitting an all-time high, YouTube is the most utilized podcast listening platform in the U.S.: 34% say it is the platform they use the most, followed by Spotify (17%) and Apple (11%)YouTube is used most among Podcast Newcomers, Podcast Pioneers, and heavy podcast consumers
As the world’s entertainment search engine, YouTube is the dominant podcast discovery platform where audiences are more likely to find podcasts
Those who discover a podcast on YouTube say they stick with the platform for video, comments, community, entertainment, recommendations, and platform features
However, the YouTube podcast audience is not exclusively tied to the platform
Watchable podcasts are growing in popularity as 1 in 3 weekly podcast consumers now say they prefer actively watching podcasts with videos
Podcast Newcomers are more likely to prefer actively watching podcast videos
Preference for watchable video is a key driver in platform used most: YouTube is a runaway #1 among podcast consumers who prefer podcasts via video
YouTube dominates association as the platform where podcasts can be watched and heard
Younger podcast consumers are more likely to consume a podcast because of the thumbnail image on YouTube versus older podcast consumers
Text and the podcast title on the thumbnail are the biggest reasons podcast consumers will pick a podcast on YouTube
Those who only watch podcasts are 13% of the weekly podcast audience
Given that video is becoming a growing podcast tuning option, the definition of podcast consumption was expanded in the April 2022 Podcast Download study. Since then, those who only watch podcasts have been accepted into the Podcast Download survey of the weekly podcast audience.
The inclusion of those who only watch podcasts expanded the podcast audience. Over five studies in the last two years, an average of 10% of the weekly podcast audience indicate they only consume podcasts via “watching.”
YouTube is the most utilized podcast platform in the U.S., hitting an all-time high: 34% say it is the platform they use the most, followed by Spotify (17%) and Apple (11%)
Two-thirds of weekly podcast listeners consider the “big three” as their most preferred podcast platform. YouTube’s lead over Spotify for “use most” is now 2X and 3X Apple.
Much has changed over the last six years. In July 2019, Apple was the dominant podcast audience platform. At the time, 29% said they used Apple most versus Spotify (16%) and YouTube (15%).
Two years later in October 2021 it was a three-horse race between Apple, YouTube, and Spotify as an equal proportion said they used each platform the most.
Since then, YouTube has steadily grown at the expense of Apple. Spotify has eroded slightly to the high teens and low 20% range for “use most.” Apple’s October 2024 “use most” response (11%) is an all-time low.
The sixth annual Patriot Awards, an event honoring America’s unsung heroes, is set to take place on Thursday, Dec. 5, at Long Island's Tilles Center for Performing Arts in Brookville. Hosted by FOX News Channel’s Sean Hannity, a Long Island native, the event will recognize military veterans, first responders and other inspirational figures whose contributions often go unnoticed.
The Long Island Press reports the ceremony, presented by FOX Nation, will stream live at 8 p.m. ET, with an encore presentation airing on FOX News Channel on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 10 p.m. ET.
Brian Kilmeade, a presenter at the event and a co-host of “FOX & Friends,” emphasized the significance of the awards.
“This event is about celebrating the people who don’t always get the spotlight but who do extraordinary things every day,” Kilmeade said. “It’s a red, white and blue event that perfectly aligns with what we stand for as a network and as a community.”
The Patriot Awards has grown in scope and significance since its inception, spotlighting categories like the T2T Stephen Siller Back the Blue Award, the FOX Weather Ultimate Patriot Award and the FOX Nation Salute to Service Award. This year’s honorees remain a closely guarded secret until the event, but organizers promise stories of courage and selflessness that will inspire viewers and attendees alike.
The awards will feature appearances by numerous FOX News Media personalities, including Will Cain, Harris Faulkner, Laura Ingraham and Dana Perino, among others. Leading up to the event, shows like “The Five and FOX & Friends” will broadcast live from the Tilles Center, offering fans a chance to engage with their favorite hosts through meet-and-greets.
“FOX Nation does an incredible job curating this event,” Kilmeade said. “They bring together stories from across the country, often highlighting people you may not have heard about but whose actions make a real difference.”
Kilmeade noted that the awards resonate deeply with FOX’s audience, who value stories of hard work, sacrifice and community.
The awards ceremony is made possible by partnerships with organizations like Tunnel to Towers, Patriot Mobile and Golden Corral, further underscoring its mission to uplift those who dedicate their lives to service.
Voting is now open for the Class of 2025 New Faces of Country Music Show through Dec. 6 at CountryRadioSeminar.com.
This year’s nominated artists for the 2025 New Faces of Country Music Show are Ashley Cooke (Big Loud/Back Blocks), Bryan Martin (Average Joes), Chase Matthew (Warner Music Nashville), Chayce Beckham (19 Recordings/BBR/BMG), Dasha (Warner Records), Drew Baldridge (Lyric Ridge/BMG/Stoney Creek), Dylan Marlowe (Sony Music Nashville), Tucker Wetmore (UMG Nashville/Back Blocks), Warren Zeiders (Warner Records) and Zach Top (Leo33).
CRS New Faces showcases five emerging artists who have achieved notable success on country radio during the qualification period, which spans from Nov. 1, 2023 to Oct. 31, 2024 for the 2025 edition. The final lineup for the New Faces of Country Music Show 2025 will be determined based on the five acts with the most votes. Eligible voters must be full-time employees primarily involved in the programming, promotion and distribution of country music.
The New Faces of Country Music Show has played a pivotal role in the careers of nearly every major country star since its inception in 1970.
Audacy Portland’s 99.5 The Wolf’s “Nick and Kristen in the Morning” (KWJJ-FM) relieved $4.6 million in medical debt for the Pacific Northwest through “The Nick and Kristen’s Medical Debt Payoff.” The married morning show partnered with Undue Medical Debt and collected donations from November 18th to 22nd. With the local community’s contributions, “The Nick and Kristen’s Medical Debt Payoff” helped relieve medical debt for 3,345 people.
“We are once again humbled and inspired by the generosity of the 99.5 The Wolf listeners and local business owners,” said Nick and Kristen from “Nick and Kristen in the Morning.” “After four years, we’ve paid over $16 million in medical debt for the Pacific Northwest. As a married morning show, we’ve experienced the pain of medical debt and are overjoyed that thousands of families will enjoy a holiday free of medical debt thanks to the giving nature of our audience. ‘The Nick and Kristen Medical Debt Payoff’ proves that local radio can make a big impact in the lives of our community.”
Founded ten years ago, Undue Medical Debt is a national nonprofit with the mission to help end medical debt. This is the fourth year that “The Nick and Kristen’s Medical Debt Payoff” has partnered with the nonprofit, eradicating a total of $16 million in medical debt.
99.5 The Wolf’s “The Nick and Kristen Medical Debt Payoff” is part of Audacy’s commitment to making a meaningful difference at scale. Audacy uses its reach and personal connection with listeners to advance causes that promote strong mental health and build sound communities.
➦In 1927...singer Andy Williams was born in smalltown Iowa. After singing with three siblings in The Williams Brothers quartet on midwest radio as early as 1938, he became a featured soloist on NBC-TV’s Tonight Show, hosted in the early 50’s by Steve Allen. Later he was host of his own TV series (1962-71) and a number of Christmas specials on NBC. Most of his 44 albums were featured on MOR radio stations throughout his life. He succumbed to bladder cancer Sept. 25 2012 at age 84.
➦In 1928…NBC radio gave birth to what would be the longest run of any semi-classical music broadcast. It began as The Firestone Hour, evolving soon into the 30-minute Voice of Firestone, which aired o Monday evenings for 28-years. It was also a simulcast on NBC TV beginning in 1949, it moved to ABC in 1954 and ended its almost 35-year run on ABC-TV in 1963.
➦In 1948...Bing Crosby's song "White Christmas" debuted on the U.S. music charts. That was 7 years after it was first sung on a radio show sponsored by the Kraft Company on Christmas Day, 1941.
A Young Paul Harvey
➦In 1950...ABC Radio began airing Paul Harvey news and comment nationwide.
Paul Harvey Aurandt broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days, and at noon on Saturdays on the ABC Radio Network. He also voiced his famous "The Rest of the Story" segments. From the 1950s through the 1990s, Harvey's programs reached as many as 24 million people a week. Paul Harvey News was carried on 1,200 radio stations, 400 Armed Forces Network stations and 300 newspapers.
Harvey made radio receivers as a young boy. He attended Tulsa Central High School where a teacher was "impressed by his voice." On her recommendation, he started working at KVOO in Tulsa in 1933, when he was 14. His first job was helping clean up. Eventually he was allowed to fill in on the air, reading commercials and the news.
While attending the University of Tulsa, he continued working at KVOO, first as an announcer, and later as a program director. Harvey, at age nineteen spent three years as a station manager for KFBI AM, now known as KFDI, a radio station that once had studios in Salina, Kansas. From there, he moved to a newscasting job at KOMA in Oklahoma City, and then to KXOK, in St. Louis in 1938, where he was Director of Special Events and a roving reporter.
Harvey then moved to Hawaii to cover the United States Navy as it concentrated its fleet in the Pacific. He was returning to the mainland from assignment when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He eventually enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces but served only from December 1943 to March 1944.
Harvey then moved to Chicago, where in June 1944, he began broadcasting from the ABC affiliate WENR. In 1945, he began hosting the postwar employment program Jobs for G.I. Joe on WENR.
Harvey added The Rest of the Story as a tagline to in-depth feature stories in 1946.
On April 1, 1951, the ABC Radio Network debuted Paul Harvey News and Comment "Commentary and analysis of Paul Harvey each weekday at 12 Noon". Paul Harvey was also heard originally on Sundays; the first Sunday program was Harvey's introduction. Later, the Sunday program would move to Saturdays.
Harvey died on February 28, 2009, at the age of 90 at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.
➦In 1955...Elvis Presley's first single release for RCA Victor. No, it wasn’t ‘Hound Dog’ or ‘Heartbreak Hotel.’ The first two sides were actually purchased from Sam Phillips of Sun Records: ‘Mystery Train’ and ‘I Forgot to Remember to Forget.’ RCAVictor called Elvis "The most talked about personality in recorded music in the last 10 years."
Elton John revealed he has lost his eyesight after his battle with a “severe” infection.
Page Six at The NY Post reports the iconic musician, 77, made the shocking confession on Sunday night while addressing guests at Dominion Theatre in London’s West End following “The Devil Wears Prada: The Musical” charity gala night performance.
“As some of you may know, I have had issues and now I have lost my sight. I haven’t been able to see the performance, but I have enjoyed listening to it,” John told the crowd, per the BBC.
The Grammy winner also credited his husband, David Furnish, for helping him throughout the ordeal.
“To my husband, who’s been my rock, because I haven’t been able to come to many of the previews because as you know, I’ve lost my eyesight, so it’s hard for me to see it, but I love to hear it,” John continued, per a video posted on TikTok.
The “Rocket Man” singer previously addressed his eyesight in early September, revealing he only had “limited vision in one eye” after dealing with a “severe eye infection” over the summer.
“I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye,” John wrote in a statement at the time.
He further elaborated on his condition in an interview with Robin Roberts on “Good Morning America” last week.
.@eltonofficial shares a glimpse into his personal life with new documentary, "Elton John: Never Too Late." The music legend revealed to @robinroberts that he lost sight in his right eye in July due to an infection. pic.twitter.com/sKza3RMbQo
“I, unfortunately, lost my eyesight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the South of France and it’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see,” he said.
“And my left eye’s not the greatest so there’s hope and encouragement that it will be OK, but I’m kind of stuck at the moment…”
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