Radio News Weekly Sept 28-Oct 2, 2026

U.S. radio’s week of Sept. 28–Oct. 2 mixed regulatory cleanup, cluster sales, sports rights, format flips, and a fight over what a public station is allowed to say on the air. The next five business days open with a ratings cycle, a new Seattle lineup, and a public-radio research briefing.

➤Week In Review (Sept. 28–Oct. 2)

🗼Regulation:  The FCC Media Bureau on Oct. 1 deleted the annual Form 395-B employment-report rule, matching a May 2025 Fifth Circuit ruling that the agency lacks authority to require race, ethnicity, and gender workforce data. EEO audits are unchanged; stations picked in the Aug. 21 audit still owe responses by Oct. 20. The same week the bureau updated FM allotments in Whitehall, Mich., and Selmer, Tenn. At its Sept. 30 open meeting the commission focused on spectrum and environmental rules and, in related action dated Oct. 1, repealed the national television multiple-ownership rule — a TV item, but one radio groups are watching for ownership policy.

🗼Public Radio and Naming Rules: Birmingham’s WBHM said an Alabama law requiring state and local entities to use “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico” covers its staff because the station is licensed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The law took effect Oct. 1. Departing general manager Will Dahlberg wrote that UAB treated on-air language as official communication and that noncompliance could bring discipline or strain the station’s university support. He said the mandate conflicts with NPR and AP style and threatens editorial independence. The law has no stated penalty.

🗼Deals: Pamal Broadcasting agreed to buy Ed Levine’s Galaxy Media and its 10 Syracuse and Utica stations, pending FCC approval. Pamal took day-to-day control under an LMA on Oct. 1. Levine had said in August he would retire at year’s end. 

Salt Air Broadcasting filed a $1.75 million purchase of Cape Cod Broadcasting’s WQRC, WKPE-FM, and WOCN-FM. 

Civic Media filed a $1.1 million buy of four NRG Media stations in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, Iowa. 

Cumulus filed a $1,000 sale of silent KPUR-AM Amarillo to ELB Broadcasting. 

Connoisseur Media agreed to sell classic rock WQCM Greencastle, Pa./Hagerstown, Md., to Family Life Ministries, expecting a year-end close, and will keep its other three stations in the market. 

Smaller filings included Rio Broadcasting’s $150,000 King City/Soledad deal, Bulldog Media’s $414,000 purchase of Fox Sports Eugene’s KORE, and Prestige Media’s $50,000 buy of WSAR Fall River.

🗼Spanish-Language and Christian Radio: Spanish Broadcasting System posted a permanent CFO search while its prepackaged Chapter 11 plan is at the FCC, including a request to let foreign ownership rise well above 25%. Christian broadcasters pressed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act at NRB’s Capitol Hill Media Summit on Sept. 30. Speaker Mike Johnson received the First Freedoms Award; FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty said the commission wants an environment in which local and religious stations can thrive. The bill is still in the Senate.

🗼Programming and Talent: Hubbard flipped brokered-talk KKNW (1150) Seattle to classic country “Bull Classics,” simulcasting KPNW-HD2 and flanking new-country “98.9 The Bull.”...Audacy’s Scott Spezzano will leave mornings at variety hits WBZA Rochester on Dec. 18, the 50th anniversary of his start in radio; co-host Sandy Waters stays...Rufus Resources’ “No Bull Radio” surrendered its licenses and is moving online...Red Apple Audio Networks will syndicate Michael Cohen’s Sunday show When You Know, You Know starting Nov. 1...NPR’s World Cafe, produced at WXPN, began a month of 35th-anniversary programming.

🗼Sports: ESPN Radio set a full 2026 MLB postseason schedule through the World Series, its 29th season of national baseball coverage, with Jon “Boog” Sciambi, Eduardo Pérez, Jessica Mendoza, and Buster Olney back for a fourth World Series. The Division Series opened Oct. 3...The Minnesota Timberwolves named Audacy’s WCCO their exclusive radio and streaming flagship, with Alan Horton returning for a 20th season.

🗼Ratings, Awards, and Research: Nielsen closed its August 2026 diary releases on Oct. 1. iHeartMedia, Audacy, NPR, and several public stations are 2026 Signal Awards finalists; listener voting runs through Oct. 15, with winners on Oct. 20...A Pew-Knight study released Sept. 28 found 73% of adults call press freedom extremely or very important, while 53% would accept some limits to stop inaccurate reporting. A related May fact sheet still ranked radio second among local-news sources.

🗼International Broadcasting: A State Department inspector general review found the U.S. Agency for Global Media skipped key planning steps in last year’s Voice of America cuts. USAGM agreed to six fixes, including a statutory-minimum plan and a new strategic plan, and has told Congress it intends to expand some language services.

🗼World College Radio Day ran Oct. 2 under the theme “HOPE – Always in the Air,” with Andy Grammer as ambassador and more than 700 student stations expected to take part.

➤Look Ahead (Oct. 5–9)

🔎September PPM releases begin Monday, Oct. 5, the first fall read for the largest markets...The same day, Lotus Seattle’s new weekday schedules take effect at Northwest Newsradio KNWN and talk KVI: Jeff Pohjola becomes KNWN director of news and programming, Bloomberg and The Ramsey Show join middays, and The Ari Hoffman Show moves to KVI mornings...Jacobs Media holds a free public-radio Techsurvey webinar Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 2 p.m. ET...The FCC marks the 2026 Chairman’s Awards for Advancement in Accessibility on Thursday, Oct. 8, at headquarters. Signal Awards fan voting continues through the week...Quarterly issues/programs lists are due Oct. 10, just after this window; EEO audit responses are due Oct. 20.

Radio History: Oct 4

➦In 1922...Baseball's World Series first aired on radio over WJZ NYC and WGY Albany NY.  the announcers were Grantland Rice and W. O. McGeehan.

➦In 1925...The Atwater Kent Radio Hour debuted on WEAF NYC and carried by 11 other stations.  It was a top-rated radio concert music program heard on NBC and CBS from October 4, 1925, to December 17, 1934, with stars of the Metropolitan Opera often making appearances. Classical music was performed by a large symphony orchestra.

➦In 1939...a barber from Canonsburg (near Pittsburgh) recorded 'That Old Gang of Mine' with the Ted Weems Orchestra. That singer was the feature of the Weems band for many years before going solo as a radio, TV and stage star. We know him as The Incomparable Mr. C, Perry Como.

His string of hits for RCA Victor spans four decades. He was an NBC mainstay (radio & TV) for almost as long.  According to Billboard, Como's last Top10 hit was "It's Impossible" in 1970.

➦In 1948..."The Railroad Hour," starring Gordon MacRae in "The World's Greatest Musical Comedies," began a one-year run on ABC Radio. The series moved to NBC in 1949 and continued until June 1954. Marvin Miller was the announcer.

➦In 1957...The comic strip and radio show “Blondie" made the transition to TV, starring Pamela Britton in the title role, and Arthur Lake as Dagwood.

➦In 1986...CBS newsman Dan Rather (left) was mugged in New York City as he was walking along Park Avenue in Manhattan to his apartment. He was attacked and punched from behind by a man who demanded to know, "Kenneth, what is the frequency?" while a second assailant also chased and beat him. As the assailant pummeled and kicked Rather, he kept repeating the question over and over again.

Ten years later, Rather's primary attacker was identified as William Tager, who shot and killed an NBC technician outside the "Today" show studios in 1994.

Report: News Corp Execs Dine Privately With Trump

President Trump criticized the Washington Post, the New York Times and MS NOW at a private White House dinner Tuesday this week with Rupert Murdoch and other News Corp executives, telling them those outlets matter less than they once did and that their quality has “come down,” a source familiar with the event told Axios.

The dinner, held in the White House residence and described by the source as cordial, brought together the president and the leadership of the company that owns the Wall Street Journal while a $10 billion lawsuit between them remains unresolved. News Corp did not comment. The White House did not comment.

'Cordial 'Dinner at TWH

Trump hosted Murdoch, News Corp CEO Robert Thomson, News UK CEO Rebekah Brooks, New York Post editor-in-chief Keith Poole, Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker and Journal editorial page editor Paul Gigot, Axios confirmed. Also present were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House communications director Steven Cheung, the source said. Breaker first reported Bessent and Wiles’s attendance, along with other details of the gathering.

Trump asked about the Journal’s business and was told digital and print subscriptions were up, the source said. The group also discussed the Iran war, Venezuela, Cuba, immigration and tariffs, as well as the midterms and possible 2028 presidential candidates. Trump said he felt bullish about the midterms because he is now campaigning every day, and that it was too soon to decide whom he would support in 2028, according to the source.

DOJ Cites Banned Outlets Lack of 'Professionalism'

The Justice Department argued in a Friday court filing that President Trump can legally bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House because he determined they failed to meet the “minimum requirements of professionalism,” Deadline reported.

The filing asks U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly to let the restrictions stand as the three outlets seek a preliminary injunction that would extend a temporary restraining order restoring their access. The outlets say the ban violates their First and Fifth Amendment rights. Kelly, a Trump appointee, has set a hearing on the motion for Thursday.

Justice Department lawyers contend that a 1977 D.C. Circuit decision, Sherrill v. Knight, still allows the president to restrict access when the White House has a “compelling interest.” In that case, the court held that “the protection afforded newsgathering under the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press requires that this access not be denied arbitrarily or for less than compelling reasons.”

Report: Trump Ordered Taxpayer Money Be Used For TV Commercials

President Trump personally ordered his budget director to find taxpayer money for television ads praising him and his presidency, setting off a $20 million Department of Homeland Security contract, according to people familiar with the matter, the New York Times reported.

The ads have aired on cable and network television, including Fox News, CNN and MS NOW, during football games on Fox, and with national newscasts on CBS, ABC and NBC, including “Meet the Press,” which Trump is known to watch.

Trump was eager to see the laudatory spots on the air and told Russell T. Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, to come up with the money from inside the government, the people said. Mark Paoletta, the budget office’s counsel, and Will Scharf, the White House counsel, both said it would be legal to use DHS funds. Trump and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, each spoke with Markwayne Mullin, the homeland security secretary, about the ads.

Portnoy Claims He Was Booted Off 'Big Noon Kickoff'

Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports will no longer appear on Fox Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff,” sources briefed on the decision told The Athletic.

Portnoy, a Michigan alum and booster, said Friday night that Ohio State and coach Ryan Day pressed for the change after repeatedly complaining to Fox Sports’ top executives about his presence. He said he and Fox Sports still have an excellent relationship, but that the Buckeyes were unrelenting.

According to Portnoy, Ohio State told Fox Sports that if he were part of the program last week in Columbus, the school would give Fox Sports personnel no access. “Ohio State has relentlessly complained to Fox,” he said.

Just was told @AndrewMarchand is about to release an article saying I’ve been put on ice for @BNKonFOX I havent seen the article yet and he didnt call me for a quote but i can sum it up this way

Ohio State and Ryan Day bitched and moaned to the Big 10 and threatened Fox…

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 3, 2026

Ohio State officials referred all inquiries to Fox Sports, which declined to comment. The school has previously disputed reports that it interfered with Portnoy’s presence on Fox’s shows.

Tony Romo Is A Free Agent

It was breaking news Friday Afternoon. Tony Romo and CBS Sports have “mutually agreed to part ways,” the network said in a statement Friday. The announcement comes just over two months after Romo was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) in Milwaukee.

Romo was placed on indefinite leave shortly after the arrest, and his place on CBS’ No. 1 NFL broadcast team was taken by J.J. Watt. That arrangement will remain in place, CBS Sports said in Friday’s announcement.

“We thank Tony for his contributions over the past nine years and wish him the best moving forward,” the network said in its statement.

The 46-year-old Romo had four years and $72 million remaining on the 10-year, $180 million contract he signed with CBS in 2020. CBS Sports and Romo reached a financial settlement before Friday’s announcement, according to industry sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were private. The two sides avoided going to court, indicating that Romo will likely be paid a good portion of the remaining money he was owed.

2026 MLB Postseason Games on ESPN Radio

• Jon “Boog” Sciambi, Eduardo Pérez, Jessica Mendoza, Buster Olney return for fourth year
• ESPN’s Baseball Tonight hits the road for on-site World Series shows
• Baseball Tonight features two-time World Series Champion David Ross

ESPN Radio’s coverage of the 2026 Major League Baseball Postseason continues with national broadcasts of every game through the World Series presented by Capital One. Jon “Boog” Sciambi, analysts Eduardo Pérez and Jessica Mendoza and reporter Buster Olney will form ESPN Radio’s World Series broadcast team for the fourth consecutive season. This year marks ESPN Radio’s 29th season of MLB coverage. The 2026 World Series begins Friday, October 23 with Game 1.

ESPN’s Baseball Tonight will hit the road for on-site shows during the World Series. Kevin Connors hosts alongside two-time World Series Champion David Ross and National Baseball Hall of Fame writer Tim Kurkjian.

PA, MD Radio: Connoisseur Media Sells-Off Another Signal

Connoisseur Media has agreed to sell Classic Rock 94.3 WQCM-FM, licensed to Greencastle, Pa., and serving the Hagerstown/Chambersburg market, to Family Life Ministries, Inc., a New York nonprofit Christian broadcaster. The deal is pending Federal Communications Commission approval and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The sale would take the market’s classic rock station off Connoisseur’s roster and give Family Life a new outlet for its Christian format in south-central Pennsylvania. Family Life approached Connoisseur about the station as it looks to expand coverage in the region, pairing WQCM with a signal it recently bought in Hershey.

PSKY Plans To Retain CNN's CEO, Bari Weiss Remains At CBS News

David Ellison plans to keep Mark Thompson as CNN’s chief executive for at least another year, a sign that the Paramount chief intends few immediate changes at the network as his company’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery nears completion, according to two people familiar with the talks.

Under the arrangement taking shape, Bari Weiss would remain in her current role running CBS News and is not expected to take on editorial or operational oversight of CNN for now, those people said. The talks are ongoing and not finalized, and it remains possible that Ellison and Thompson do not reach a deal. Weiss retains the support of the Ellison family, and her role could eventually change, according to media repiorts,.

FOX News Leads All News Brands with YouTube Video Views

• FOX News Delivers 3.5 Billion YouTube View Views Year-to-Date; Only News Network to Surpass Three Billion in 2026

Graphic Courtesy of RoadMN

FOX News Media closed out 3Q ’26 leading all news brands for the eighth consecutive quarter, according to Emplifi. 

During the quarter, FOX News secured 918 million video views, leading all competitors including MS NOW (889 million views), CNN (712 million views), ABC News (442 million views), NBC News (356 million views) and CBS News (149 million views). 

Year-to-date, FOX News has drove 3.5 billion video views in 2026 leading nearest competitor MS NOW by 32%. 

FOX Business’ YouTube generated 139 million video views throughout the quarter, leading the business competition for the 27th consecutive quarter, according to Comscore Social. Notably, FOX News Media’s combined platforms accrued 1.2 billion video views on YouTube for the quarter. 

In the month of September, FOX News drove 307 million YouTube video views.

Ella Langley Dominates The Charts

Ella Langley

Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” a languid country ballad about losing a cowboy sweetheart to a woman from Texas, has spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s chart, making the 27-year-old one of only three women to reach that mark as a solo artist and surpassing the previous records held by Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together.”

The song, co-written by Miranda Lambert, has earned more than a billion streams and currently leads tracks by Taylor Swift and Drake. Rolling Stone has called it the song of the summer.

Radio History: Oct 3

➦In 1901...The Victor Talking Machine Company, was incorporated.  In 1929 it was bought by the Radio Corporation of America and became RCA Victor.

Nipper

The famous Victrola phonograph logo, with Nipper the dog, and the words “His Master’s Voice”, appeared on all RCA Victor phonographs..

➦In 1946...singer Dennis Day, a popular tenor featured on The Jack Benny Show, started his own NBC show, A Day in the Life of Dennis Day (1946–1951). Day having two programs in comparison to Benny's one was the subject of numerous jokes and gags, usually revolving around Day rubbing Benny's show, and sometimes other cast members' and guest stars' noses in that fact (e.g., "Dennis, why do you have two horns on your bicycle?" "Why shouldn't I? I've got two shows!"). His last radio series was a comedy and variety show that aired on NBC's Sunday afternoon schedule during the 1954–55 season.

➦In 1949...Radio station WERD 860 AM Atlanta became the first to be owned and programmed by African Americans.

➦In 1952...The sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet started airing on ABC-TV.  It continued until April 23, 1966 The show starred Ozzie Nelson and his wife, singer Harriet Nelson, and their sons, David and Ricky.

Tony Romo Is Officially OUT At CBS Sports

CBS Sports and former lead NFL game analyst Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways, ending Romo’s nine-year run in the network’s top booth.

The split closes a tenure that began after Romo left the Dallas Cowboys and became one of the most recognizable voices on CBS’s NFL coverage. The network confirmed the departure in a brief statement: “We thank Tony for his contributions over the last nine years and wish him the best moving forward.”

Romo had been on indefinite leave since shortly after a July incident in Wisconsin. He was arrested and later pleaded no contest to three charges tied to operating a vehicle while intoxicated. CBS did not link the departure directly to the case in its statement.

PSKY, WBD Now Officially To Be Skydance

Paramount Skydance chief executive David Ellison said Friday that the company formed by combining Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery will be named Skydance, a choice meant to give the merged business its own identity without erasing the studios that built it.

The new corporate name will take effect when the roughly $110 billion deal closes next week. Paramount and Warner Bros. will remain distinct studio brands under the larger company, rather than being folded into a single consumer-facing label. Ellison said the decision was deliberate: the goal was not to rewrite a century of Hollywood history, but to put a stronger engine behind studios he described as iconic.