Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.
Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.
➦In 1844...Samuel F.B. Morse gave the first public demonstration of his telegraph by sending a message from the Supreme Court Chamber in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. to the B&O Railroad "outer depot" (now the B&O Railroad Museum) in Baltimore. The famous message was, "What hath God wrought?"
➦In 1915...Thomas Edison invented telescribe to record telephone conversations
➦In 1935...The Mutual Broadcasting System network aired its inaugural live event—the first-ever night baseball game, between the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies. That October, the network began a decades-long run as broadcaster of baseball's World Series, with airtime responsibilities shared between WGN's Bob Elson and Quin Ryan and WLW's Red Barber (NBC and CBS also carried the series that year; the Fall Classic would air on all three networks through 1938).
➦In 1958…Formally named "United Press Associations" for incorporation and legal purposes, but publicly known and identified as United Press or UP, the news agency was created by the 1907 uniting of three smaller news syndicates. It became United Press International after absorbing the International News Service (INS). As either UP or UPI, the agency was among the largest newswire services in the world, competing domestically for about 90 years with the Associated Press and internationally with AP, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
➦In 1963...The Beatles recorded the first program of their own BBC radio series, “Pop Go the Beatles”. The theme song was a version of “Pop Goes the Weasel”.
➦In 1981...Radio, TV Actor and personality George Jessel, who often performed with the nickname “America’s Toastmaster General,” died after a heart attack at age 83.
➦In 2008...Comedian Dick Martin, a co-star with Dan Rowan on NBC TV’s iconic “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In”, died of respiratory problems at age 86. Early in his career, Martin was a staff writer for Duffy's Tavern, a radio situation comedy.
➦In 1905...Journalist Joseph C. Harsch born (Died at age 93 – June 3, 1998) was a newspaper, radio, and television journalist. He spent more than sixty years writing for the Christian Science Monitor
Harsch made his first broadcasts during the time he was in Berlin as bureau chief for the Christian Science Monitor, filling in sporadically for William L. Shirer who was the noted Berlin correspondent for CBS. After Harsch returned to the United States, he joined CBC in 1943. For the next six years Harsch broadcast his news analysis on WTOP, Washington D.C.
Because of his background in London, Harsch was hired by the BBC when influential broadcaster Raymond Gram Swing gave up his post with the weekly radio program American Commentary. Harsch alternated his coverage from Washington with Clifton Utley, who reported from Chicago.
In 1953, Harsch shifted his allegiance to NBC, serving as a news analyst for four years before returning to London as the senior European correspondent for the network. ABC became his broadcast home in 1967, when he was a commentator for the network until 1971, assigned to the American Entertainment Network effective 1/1/68.
Lindsey Nelson
➦In 1919...sportscaster Lindsey Nelson born (Died at age 76 – June 10, 1995), He was best known for his long career calling play-by-play of college football and New York Mets baseball.
Nelson spent 17 years with the Mets and three years with the San Francisco Giants. For 33 years Nelson covered college football, including 26 Cotton Bowls, five Sugar Bowls, four Rose Bowls, and 14 years announcing syndicated Notre Dame games. He is in 13 separate Halls of Fame. Fans remember a talented broadcaster, an expert storyteller, and a true sports enthusiast. From his colorful jackets to his equally colorful broadcasts and enthusiastic manner of speaking, Nelson established himself as one of the industry's leading sportscasters.
Nelson broke into broadcasting in 1948 following a short career as a reporter in Columbia, Tennessee, for the Columbia Daily Herald newspaper, He was the first play-by-play announcer for the "Vol Network," which was set up to broadcast the UT Vols games.
➦In 1985...CBS resumed weekly national play-by-play baseball on radio for the first time in 20 years as Brent Musburger called the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. The Mutual Broadcasting System was the last radio network to have offered regular-season coverage of baseball back in the 1960’s.
➦In 2013...Veteran radio talk show host Gene Burns died from a stroke at age 72. In his early twenties, Burns was hired as news director for radio station WWHG in his hometown of Hornell, New York, before moving on to WSBA in York, PA. He began his career as talk radio host at WCBM in Baltimore in the mid-1960s. While at WCBM, Burns did two major international assignments, going to Vietnam in 1968 and the Middle East in 1969.
Gene Burns
Following a brief stint with WEEI in Boston, Burns served as a talk show host as well as program director at WKIS-AM in Orlando, FL, beginning in 1971. He would remain there until 1981, when he departed for WCAU in Philadelphia in 1981. He then returned to Orlando and WKIS in the early 1980s and was named the station's operations manager in 1984. In 1985, Burns returned to Boston, hosting a talk show on WRKO for eight years.
In 1993, Burns moved to New York City and began hosting a nationally syndicated talk program from the studios of WOR.
In 1995, he began broadcasting for KGO-AM in San Francisco. He hosted a talk show of political and social commentary called The Gene Burns Program on weeknights, as well as a program that focused on wine and fine dining in the San Francisco Bay Area called Dining Around with Gene Burns which was broadcast weekly on Saturdays.
After nearly a century of shaping history through the airwaves, CBS News Radio fell silent forever, delivering one final, unforgettable sign-off with Edward R. Murrow’s legendary words: “Good night, and good luck.”
In a somber and emotional farewell broadcast, anchor Christopher Cruise delivered the solemn announcement: “CBS News special report. After 99 years, CBS News Radio is going off the air tonight.” His voice carried the weight of the moment as he added, “For this final newscast, the news anchors you’ve trusted for years wanted to say goodbye.”
Cruise then introduced longtime voices Steve Nathan, Allison Keyes, and Deborah Rodriguez, who spoke with deep gratitude and visible emotion, thanking their colleagues and the generations of loyal listeners who had tuned in through wars, triumphs, and tragedies.
The broadcast reached its poignant climax with the haunting replay of Murrow’s iconic sign-off echoing one last time, before Cruise delivered the station’s final words: “CBS News special report. I’m Christopher Cruise.”
CBS News Radio, one of the pioneering forces in American broadcast journalism, operated for nearly 99 years before signing off for the final time on May 22, 2026. It helped invent modern radio news and set standards for on-the-spot reporting that influenced generations of journalists.
Founding and Early Years (1927–1930s)
CBS traces its roots to the United Independent Broadcasters, formed in early 1927. The network officially launched on September 18, 1927 (some sources cite September 27), with a live orchestra broadcast from flagship station WOR in Newark, New Jersey, and a small group of affiliates.Under William S. Paley, who acquired control in 1928–1929, CBS expanded rapidly into a national network. Early programming focused on music and entertainment, but news soon became central.
The first regular news segment appeared in 1929, and in 1930, Paley hired journalist Paul W. White as news editor.
The network made early headlines by breaking the Lindbergh baby kidnapping story in 1932 with live reporting, defying embargoes.
The Golden Age of Radio News (1930s–1940s)
CBS News Radio truly came into its own in the late 1930s. On March 13, 1938, it broadcast the first World News Roundup — often cited as the birth of modern broadcast journalism — covering the Anschluss (Germany’s annexation of Austria). Edward R. Murrow delivered his first report that day, and the program became America’s longest-running network newscast.
Murrow and his “Murrow Boys” (including William L. Shirer, Eric Sevareid, and others) delivered iconic reports from Europe during World War II, most famously Murrow’s rooftop broadcasts from London during the Blitz: “This is London.” These reports brought the war vividly into American homes.
Key milestones:
Coverage of the 1938 World Series and a 1939 interview with Babe Ruth.
Live reports on Pearl Harbor (1941), D-Day (1944), and other major events.
Post-War Era and Television Competition (1950s–1970s)
As television rose in the 1950s, radio shifted focus to news and information. CBS maintained strong radio operations with anchors like Douglas Edwards, Robert Trout, and later Charles Osgood and Dan Rather.
In the 1960s–1970s, CBS converted many owned AM stations to all-news formats (e.g., KNX in Los Angeles in 1967). The network continued providing hourly newscasts, features, and the World News Roundup to hundreds of affiliates.
Later Decades and Challenges (1980s–2020s)
CBS Radio remained influential through major events:
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
Civil Rights Movement
Vietnam War
Gulf War
9/11 attacks
Space Shuttle disasters
At its peak, it reached approximately 700 affiliate stations across the U.S.
In 2017, CBS sold its owned-and-operated radio stations to Entercom (later Audacy), but retained CBS News Radio as a content provider under CBS News.
The Final Sign-Off (2026)
On March 20, 2026, CBS News announced it would shut down CBS News Radio effective May 22, 2026, citing shifting audience habits toward digital platforms and podcasts, along with challenging economic realities. The closure was part of a broader 6% staff reduction.
The final broadcast featured longtime anchors reflecting on the legacy, replaying Edward R. Murrow’s iconic sign-off — “Good night, and good luck” — before Christopher Cruise delivered the network’s last words.
The series finale of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” delivered the program’s highest-rated weeknight episode in its history, attracting 6.74 million viewers on Thursday night, according to early data released by CBS.
The finale significantly outperformed the show’s 2026 first-quarter average of 2.69 million viewers and edged out its series premiere on Sept. 8, 2015, which drew 6.55 million viewers.
For context, the show’s overall most-watched episode remains its post-Super Bowl broadcast on Feb. 7, 2016, which attracted 20.55 million viewers.
Thursday’s episode tripled his usual audience this season, when Mr. Colbert averaged 2.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen. (When delayed viewing is factored in, Mr. Colbert’s audience is roughly 2.7 million viewers.)
The audience on Thursday even eclipsed the 6.2 million viewers who tuned in for Jimmy Kimmel’s return from a suspension in September, one of the most anticipated late-night episodes in recent years.
But in a sign of how much television and late-night have changed over the years, The NY Times reports Thursday’s viewership was nowhere close to the audiences that Jay Leno and David Letterman amassed for their final episodes several years ago. Mr. Leno’s “Tonight Show” finale drew 14.6 million viewers in February 2014, and Mr. Letterman notched 13.7 million in May 2015 for his swan song for “The Late Show.”
CBS canceled “The Late Show” after 33 years, citing financial reasons. However, the timing—coinciding with the network owners’ efforts to build favor with the Trump administration—has prompted questions from fans and observers about the decision.In the emotional final episode, surprise guest Paul McCartney symbolically turned out the lights in the Ed Sullivan Theater, the venue’s longtime home since 1993 and the site of the Beatles’ historic 1964 performance.
The show closed with McCartney and Colbert performing the Beatles’ “Hello, Goodbye,” joined by Elvis Costello, former bandleader Jon Batiste, current bandleader Louis Cato, and staffers dancing across the stage.
Fox News Media criticized a federal appeals court ruling that denies further review in the high-profile case involving investigative journalist Catherine Herridge, reinforcing a lower court order that requires her to disclose information about a confidential source.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit this week rejected Fox News and Herridge’s petition for rehearing or en banc review. This decision upholds the panel’s earlier September 2025 ruling, which affirmed a contempt order against Herridge for refusing to identify her source in a series of 2017 stories.
In a statement, Fox News Media expressed strong opposition to the court’s action, warning that compelling journalists to reveal sources undermines core press freedoms.
Fox News Media Statement:
“The court’s decision denying rehearing in Catherine Herridge’s case is a troubling setback for press freedom and the First Amendment. Forcing journalists to reveal confidential sources undermines the role of a free press and creates a chilling effect on journalism across the country.”
The case stems from a Privacy Act lawsuit filed by Yanping Chen, a Chinese-American scientist. Chen sued after Herridge’s reporting for Fox News cited leaked FBI documents that questioned aspects of her background, including possible ties to China’s military and issues with her immigration forms. No charges were ever filed against Chen following the FBI’s investigation.
Herridge has maintained that revealing her source would violate fundamental journalistic protections. She and Fox News have argued that a reporter’s privilege under the First Amendment should shield confidential sources, particularly in national security and government accountability stories.
The D.C. Circuit panel previously found that any qualified privilege was overcome in this instance because the information was central to Chen’s claims and unavailable through other means. The denial of further review solidifies that position, leaving Herridge facing ongoing contempt sanctions, including potential daily fines.
Herridge, a veteran journalist who departed Fox News in 2024 and also worked CBS News.
Background: The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between press freedoms and individual privacy rights in leak-related litigation. First Amendment advocates have criticized the rulings as a setback for investigative journalism, arguing they could deter whistleblowers from coming forward on matters of public importance. The case continues to draw attention from media organizations and press freedom groups monitoring subpoena battles involving reporters.
Natalie Jansen, a morning radio host at 101.1 WIXX, has obtained a temporary restraining order against former colleague Richard “Otis” Day, citing alleged online harassment involving a fake social media account that posted personal information and photos of her child.
Otis Day, a veteran radio personality known for nearly three decades on the air in Green Bay, is no longer with rival station 95.9 KISS-FM following the filing.
A court hearing on the matter Friday lasted about three hours with Day testifying, and is scheduled to continue on July 17.
Details of the AllegationsCourt documents indicate Jansen filed temporary restraining orders on March 23, 2026, against Day (legal name Richard Dey) and another woman, Emily Chagnon of Marion. The filings stem from an alleged fake social media account that harassed Jansen, invaded her privacy by sharing family photos and personal details, and involved coordination between the respondents.
Jansen, co-host of the “Huggie, Natalie & Corey” morning show on WIXX, previously worked alongside Day for years at the same station. Day had spent 24 years at WIXX before departing in 2022 and joining KISS-FM in late 2023.
Otis Day
95.9 KISS-FM announced Day’s departure in early April 2026 without providing a specific reason at the time, stating that Eddie would join hosts Katie Schurk and Nick Vitrano while the station searches for a new morning show member. WIXX has not publicly commented on the details of the dispute.
Day declined interview requests from local media outlets regarding the restraining order.
The situation highlights ongoing rivalries in the Green Bay radio market. In 2024, several WIXX hosts, including Schurk and Vitrano, moved to KISS-FM, creating direct competition between former colleagues on morning drive-time shows. Day’s departure from WIXX in 2022 and subsequent move added to the local radio shakeup.
A permanent injunction decision remains pending as the case proceeds through Brown County Circuit Court.
Casey Daniels, a longtime radio personality and host of the midday show on 93.1 WIBC-FM in Indianapolis, announced her departure from the station. Her final show was Friday.
Daniels made the announcement during Thursday’s broadcast, stating the decision was entirely her own. She is leaving to relocate to Virginia with her husband, Jim Kehoe, who previously served as communications director for Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith.
“I’m proud and thankful to have been part of such an iconic, legendary station,” Daniels said. “After a defining chapter, I have made the decision to begin a new journey outside of WIBC.”
Daniels joined WIBC in March 2022 as co-host of the “Kendall & Casey” show alongside Rob Kendall. After Kendall’s departure in February 2026, she continued hosting the 9 a.m. to noon slot, often with her husband as a fill-in. Her four-year run at the Radio One News/Talk station included local talk, news, and community engagement.
Before WIBC, Daniels built a 25+ year career in broadcasting. Her previous roles included:
Co-hosting mornings at 98.7 WFGR in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Operations manager positions in Tallahassee, Florida
Programming director and station manager roles in South Bend, Indiana
On-air work in Indianapolis, Detroit, and Lansing
Six years as a host and producer at WSBT-TV in South Bend.
WIBC has not yet announced a permanent replacement for the midday slot.
FOX News Channel (FNC) will present special programming live from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana this weekend for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
On Saturday, May 23rd, FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10 AM/ET) will present live coverage of the pre-race events. Throughout the morning, co-hosts Charlie Hurt, Rachel Campos-Duffy and Griff Jenkins will also sit down with defending IndyCar champion Alex Palou, IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward and IndyCar President Doug Boles. Additionally, the hosts will speak with the winning drivers from the Wienie 500 – a race between the six Oscar Meyer Wienermobiles. The program will feature a “Taste of Indianapolis” panel which will spotlight local business owners.
From 12-2 PM/ET, FOX News Live anchor Aishah Hasnie, an Indiana native, will talk to IndyCar driver Conor Daly, Ed Carpenter Racing Co-Owner Ed Carpenter, Ganassi Racing CEO Chip Ganassi as well as IndyCar President Doug Boles and Indiana Governor Mike Braun.
On race day, Sunday, May 24th, FOX & Friends Weekend will again broadcast live from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with guests including four-time Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski, racing legend Jimmie Johnson, NASA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Freedom 250 Grand Prix Chairman Bud Denker, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Indiana Governor Mike Braun and Wyoming Senator John Barrasso.
FOX Nation will present an all-new special from legendary comedian Jeff Foxworthy titled The Joke’s On Me, set to premiere on Monday, June 1st, announced FOX Nation President Lauren Petterson. Filmed at the Gas South Theatre in Duluth, Georgia, the special offers a heartfelt and hilarious look at Foxworthy’s life, career, and signature comedic style.
In commenting on the special, Petterson said, “Few performers have shaped American comedy quite like Jeff Foxworthy. This special captures the humor audiences have loved for decades while also reflecting on the moments, memories, and experiences that defined his extraordinary career.”
Foxworthy added, “Comedy has always been about finding the funny in everyday life, but people don’t always get to see the work and process behind it. I’m grateful to FOX Nation for understanding the vision I had for this special and giving me the chance to share that journey with the audience.”
Richard "Dick" Frank Lawyer, of Wilmington, Delaware, passed away on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Pennsylvania Medical Center in Philadelphia. He was 80.
The AP's Dick Lawyer
A respected journalist and broadcaster, Lawyer dedicated more than four decades to The Associated Press, where he served as Pennsylvania Broadcast Editor from 1972 until his retirement in 2014.
Known for his professionalism and deep commitment to accurate news reporting, he played a key role in shaping broadcast journalism across the state during a distinguished career.
Born in Johnson City, New York, and raised in Binghamton, Lawyer was the son of the late Marie (Espy) and Ronald Lawyer. He graduated from Chenango Valley High School before earning his degree from Houghton College (now Houghton University) in Houghton, New York. He later attended Eastern Baptist Seminary (now Palmer Seminary) in Philadelphia from 1968 to 1970.
Lawyer began his professional career in religious broadcasting, serving as News Director for the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) from 1970 to 1972. He then joined The Associated Press, where he spent the remainder of his working life contributing to high-quality journalism and mentoring generations of broadcast professionals.
