Radio News Recap: Week of November 2–7, 2026

The week highlighted radio’s continued reach and format strengths amid digital growth, ownership adjustments, personnel changes, and heightened political oversight following the midterms.

➤Audience Measurement and Listening Trends

🗼On Friday, Nielsen released its Q3 2026 edition of The Record (drawing on Nielsen and Edison Research data. U.S. consumers spent nearly 4 hours daily (3 hours 55 minutes) with audio. Of daily ad-supported audio time, 83% went to radio and podcasts, versus 15% for streaming music services. Radio reached 92% of U.S. adults monthly (more than 242 million people), ahead of TV-connected devices, smartphones, and live/time-shifted TV. About 65% of adult radio listening occurred away from home (mainly in vehicles), rising higher during weekday drive times, with AM/FM representing over 80% of in-car ad-supported audio.⁠

News/Talk remained the top format with a 10.2% share of total radio listening among adults 18+ (11.5% among 35+). It was even stronger in AM/FM station streaming (22.1% among 18+). Adult Contemporary led music formats at 7.1% among adults 18+ (7.9% among 18–34). Other notables included Country and Classic Hits (each ~5.8%), Classic Rock, Urban AC, All Sports (4.5%), and All News.⁠

➤Ownership and Deals

🗼Newsmax agreed to acquire its first radio stations: Spanish News/Talk “Radio Mambí” 710 WAQI and 1140 WQBA in Miami from Latino Media Network. The prices were $1.26 million for WAQI and $540,000 for WQBA (part of LMN’s earlier $60 million purchase of 18 stations from TelevisaUnivision). WQBA had ended local programming in mid-2025 and more recently carried Radio Martí; WAQI retained some Spanish conservative talk. The deal marks Newsmax’s entry into radio ownership (it already streams TV content and syndicates the Rob Carson Show).⁠

🗼West Virginia Radio Corp. (WVRC Media) sought an FCC waiver of local ownership limits to enter a time brokerage/LMA arrangement for five financially struggling AJG Broadcasting stations in the Morgantown-Clarksburg-Fairmont market. The deal would give WVRC attributable interests in nine commercial stations (exceeding limits) and seven FMs. AJG would remain the licensee with ultimate control; WVRC would supply programming. Stations include rock WCLG/WBTQ, classic hits WFGM, and classic country WPDX-FM/WPDX. WVRC argued the stations are not viable standalone and could go silent without efficiencies; it cited recent FCC waivers as precedent and noted potential for more diverse formats and expanded local sports coverage.⁠

➤FCC, Policy, and Political Scrutiny

🗼Following the 2026 midterms (in which Democrats gained control of both the House and Senate), FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said he has “no concerns” about working with congressional Democrats and is “always happy to work with anybody when we’re aligned on the right types of policy outcomes.” He indicated the FCC would continue “full steam ahead” with its agenda. Media executives and observers braced for increased Democratic scrutiny of the FCC, media ownership, content-related enforcement, mergers/deals (e.g., involving Paramount/Skydance, Fox, TikTok), and potential hearings or investigations into broadcasters’ interactions with the administration.⁠

🗼The Senate Commerce Committee set a confirmation hearing for FCC Commissioner nominee Danielle Thumann Severs (senior counsel to Chairman Carr; nominated to give Republicans a 3-1 majority) for November 10 at 10:30 a.m. in 253 Russell. The hearing (postponed earlier due to the birth of her child) includes other nominees; it is not paired with a Democratic nominee. House Democrats had urged pairing any new Republican nominee with continued Democratic representation (including renomination of Commissioner Anna Gomez).⁠

➤Research and Industry Surveys

🗼A Pew Research Center survey (Pew-Knight Initiative, fielded in June 2026; reported early November) found 69% of Americans say social media companies have too much power and influence in politics, and 55% say the same about U.S. news organizations. Related findings noted wariness of corporate and political influence on news, with roughly half saying news organizations are influenced a great deal by corporations/financial interests or government/political interests. Separate Pew data showed rising trust in national and local news organizations and strong support for the media’s watchdog role (80% say news criticism keeps political leaders from doing things they shouldn’t).⁠

🗼RAB and NuVoodoo shared results from a survey of ~250 audio sales professionals (mid-August through September). Key challenges included attribution/ROI measurement (especially versus digital; cited by 60–68% depending on market size), “nobody listens to radio anymore” objections (56%), budget caps, and staffing/admin burdens. Sellers valued RAB tools (37%), research (30%), and AI (20%). Nearly three in five account executives spend most or all of their time selling traditional radio inventory. A presentation of findings occurred around November 4.⁠

🗼Jacobs Media opened registration for its annual Techsurvey 2027 (the industry’s largest listener survey; 2026 edition involved 500+ stations and ~31,000 respondents). Deadline is December 18, 2026; fielding is January–February 2027. New topics include AI in content/news discovery, car dashboard AM/FM presence, first/last devices of the day, and updated work-from-home/commuting habits. It continues tracking device ownership, on-demand media, short-form video, and more, by demographics and format.⁠

➤Personnel and Leadership

🗼Fred Jacobs will step down as President of Jacobs Media at year-end 2026 (after 43 years) and become Chairman; his brother Paul Jacobs will become President. Fred will remain involved in select areas, including Techsurvey design/implementation, strategy, and occasional presentations/client work. The company will continue its Techsurveys for commercial, public, and Christian music radio.⁠

🗼In the Twin Cities, Hubbard’s KS95 (KSTP-FM) named Gabe Glidden and Angie Morales as new afternoon hosts starting December 28. The pair most recently hosted mornings on BIG 98.7 in Fargo-Moorhead. They succeed the long-running Staci & Hutch team (who exited in June). Glidden is a Minnesota native returning to the market.⁠

🗼In Buffalo, Audacy’s Kiss 98.5 (WKSE-FM) added Nikki Preston to mornings (6–10 a.m.) alongside Nicholas Picholas and Wease. A Rochester native, she returns after more than a decade in Southern California (most recently middays on 96.7 KCAL Rocks!). She fills the role held for 32 years by Janet Snyder, who retired earlier in the year.⁠

➤Ratings and Financials

🗼In the latest St. Louis Nielsen PPM ratings (October 2026, 6+ Mon–Sun 6 a.m.–midnight), Christian Contemporary KLJY-FM (99.1 Joy FM) reached No. 1 with a 7.7 share (trending 6.1–7.3–7.7), tying Classic Hits KLOU. It marked the station’s first No. 1 PPM.⁠

🗼Townsquare Media reported Q3 2026 net revenue of $110.9 million, up 3.9% year-over-year (exceeding guidance), with Adjusted EBITDA up 2.7% to $22.6 million. Digital advertising revenue rose 12.7% to $45.3 million (programmatic up 22.5%); digital now accounts for 57% of year-to-date net revenue. Broadcast advertising rose modestly with political help but declined ~5.2% excluding political. The company suspended its quarterly dividend amid interest-rate pressures and noted challenges for local clients and traditional media.⁠

➤Other Notes

Dolly Parton’s estate (She’s Alive LLC) filed a voluntary dismissal (without prejudice) of its lawsuit against her nephew and former security head Bryan Seaver and his company. The suit, filed after her death in August, had alleged threats and intimidation related to the estate and business interests; Seaver had denied the claims.⁠

➤Look Ahead: Planned Radio Meetings and Events

• November 10, 2026: Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing for FCC nominee Danielle Thumann Severs (10:30 a.m., 253 Russell), plus other nominees.⁠
• November 12, 2026: Radio Ink Forecast 2027 (Harvard Club, New York City) — closed-door sessions on policy, revenue, AI/cross-media strategies, and leadership awards. Also coincides with MFM National Credit Conference activities in New York.⁠
• November 2026: Various state/regional events (e.g., SBE chapters, Virginia College Radio Conference earlier in the week, Avant Radio Fest Nov. 13–15 in Jersey City).
• December 2026: ITU World Radiocommunication Seminar (WRS-26), December 7–11, Geneva.
• Early 2027: Techsurvey 2027 fielding (January–February). 
• NAB Show (April 4–7, Las Vegas), with the Public Radio Engineering Conference (PREC) immediately preceding (April 1–2). 
• CES (January 6–9, Las Vegas) and other tech/media gatherings.⁠

Radio History: Nov 8

➦In 1919...Lee de Forest reopened his 2XG in New York and broadcast the play-by-play results of a Wesleyan-New York University football game, marking a major early milestone in sports radio broadcasting.

➦In 1939...WQXR-FM NYC signed-on as W2XQR.

WQXR-FM is the outgrowth of a "high-fidelity" AM station, WQXR 1560 AM, which was founded in 1936 by John V. L. Hogan and Elliott Sanger. Hogan began this station as a mechanical television station, W2XR, which went on the air on March 26, 1929.

One of the station's listeners was the inventor of frequency modulation, Edwin Howard Armstrong. When Armstrong put his experimental FM station, W2XMN, on the air, he arranged to rebroadcast some of WQXR's programming. This ended in 1939, when Hogan and Sanger put their own experimental FM station on the air, W2XQR on this date, just down the dial from Armstrong at 42.3 MHz.

When the Federal Communications Commission began licensing commercial FM stations, W2XQR moved to 45.9 MHz and became W59NY; the special FM call signs were later dropped and the station became WQXQ. Today WQXR airs classical music at 105.9 FM.

➦In 1953...Buddy Holly and Bob Montgomery (billed as “Buddy & Bob”) appeared on radio station KDAV in their hometown of Lubbock, Texas, in the first of a series of Sunday country music shows.

➦In 2012....WXRK NYC changed call letters to WNOW-FM. The calls today are WINS-FM. The station is owned by Audacy Communications and airs an All-News format via a simulcast with 1010WINS-AM. (An Alternative music format airs on HD-2)

The station, first known as WMCA-FM, went on the air on December 25, 1948. It was co-owned with WMCA 570 AM by former New York state senator Nathan Straus. FM radio was not a successful venture for Straus, and he sought to either sell it or close the station down altogether.

WNYL logo

In late 1950, Straus sold the station to the owners of WHOM 1480 AM, now WZRC, and WHOM-FM appeared on February 26, 1951, featuring a variety of formats, including ethnic, background music, classical, Spanish, and easy listening. By the early 1970s, WHOM-FM had a Spanish-language easy listening format.

Following the sale of the WHOM stations to SJR Communications, the FM station became WKTU, taking on an adult contemporary format that began on June 5, 1975. At that point, WKTU was positioned as a "soft rock" station and called "Mellow 92". Ratings were relatively low. The station held on to the format in spite of low ratings until 1978.

Nielsen: Radio Reaches Most Daily Ad-Supported Audio Listeners

Radio and podcasts accounted for 83% of daily ad-supported audio listening in the third quarter of 2026, according to Nielsen’s latest “The Record,” which draws on data from Nielsen and Edison Research.

U.S. consumers spent an average of 3 hours and 55 minutes a day listening to audio, the report said. Streaming music services made up 15% of ad-supported listening time. The analysis excludes music and music videos watched on YouTube.

Radio reached more than 242 million U.S. adults monthly, or 92%, ahead of TV-connected devices at 90%, smartphones at 87% and live and time-shifted television at 85%, according to the report. Radio reached 92% of Black adults, 93% of Hispanic adults and 87% of adults ages 18 to 34.

About 65% of adult radio listening took place away from home, primarily in vehicles. That share rose to 73% during weekday drive times. AM/FM radio accounted for more than 80% of ad-supported audio listening in cars.

➤Share of daily time spent with ad supported audio among U.S. audiences

Listeners 18+

Listeners 35+

➤Radio Listening By Format:

The Big Winner Election Night: Steve Kornacki

Steve Kornacki’s “Kornacki Cam” was the most-watched election livestream on YouTube on election night, drawing more than 6 million views and peaking at more than 300,000 concurrent viewers during his 10.5-hour stream, according to NBCUniversal.

Across all platforms, the NBC News feed recorded 29 million views. It also circulated widely among political influencers, making it a frequent choice for secondary coverage. The stream stood out among the various election-night digital experiments by broadcast and cable networks, which are expanding online offerings amid declines in traditional linear audiences while seeking to retain control of viewers rather than fully ceding them to platforms such as YouTube.

The Election Was Also A Good Night For Skydance

Fox News drew the largest prime-time audience among cable news networks during Tuesday’s midterm election coverage, with 4.66 million viewers across its flagship channel and a simulcast on Fox Business Network, according to finalized Nielsen data.

Fox News averaged 4.315 million viewers from 8 to 11 p.m. Eastern, while the Fox Business simulcast drew 346,000. The combined audience ranked third among broadcast and cable networks, behind NBC News, with 6.7 million viewers, and ABC News, with 5.2 million. CNN drew 4.1 million, MS NOW 3.749 million and CBS News 2.8 million.

Skydance had the largest combined audience among media companies, with 6.9 million viewers across CNN and CBS News. The networks operate separately under the same owner: CNN is part of Warner Bros. Discovery, and CBS News is part of Paramount.

TV Ratings: Meet the Press Scores With Key Demos

Meet the Press with Kristen Welker is the #1 Sunday public affairs among the key A25-54 and A18-49 demo viewers this past Sunday, November 1, according to Nielsen.

Meet the Press averaged 405,000 A25-54 viewers, leading ABC by +73,000 (+22%) and CBS by +37,000 (+10%).

Graphic Courtesy of RoadMN

 Additionally, Meet the Press averaged 300,000 A18-49 viewers, leading ABC by +43,000 (+17%) and CBS by +34,000 (+13%). Compared to last year, Meet the Press more than doubled its A18-49 lead vs. CBS.

Meet the Press also averaged 2.632 million total viewers this Sunday. Meet the Press was the #1 Sunday public affairs show for the 2025-2026 season and the 2024-2025 broadcast season. Meet the Press has never lost a month in the Washington, D.C. market among total viewers.

Cutbacks Underway At Mets RSN SNY

SNY cancels “Baseball Night in New York” and “SportsNite,” shuts down website, and lays off much of its editorial staff.

The Athletic reports the regional sports network that serves as the primary television home of the New York Mets made the cuts on Friday, with the changes taking effect immediately, sources told The Athletic. SNY declined to comment.

Fox Closes On Roku Streaming

Fox Corp. said Friday it completed its acquisition of Roku, adding the streaming platform to a portfolio that includes Tubi and FOX One.

The companies said the deal combines Fox’s live sports, news and local programming with Roku’s connected-TV platform, which reaches more than 100 million households. The combination is expected to create new opportunities to serve viewers, advertisers and partners, they said.

Fox expects to achieve about $400 million in annualized cost savings within two years of closing, with potential for additional revenue. The company also expects the deal to increase free cash flow per share by its second full year after closing.

Miami Radio: Newsmax To Acquire Two Radio Stations

Newsmax is acquiring two Spanish-language news-talk stations in Miami from Latino Media Network, marking the conservative news network’s first move into radio ownership.

Newsmax Radio will pay $1.26 million for WAQI-AM, 710, and $540,000 for WQBA-AM, 1140. Latino Media Network acquired the stations in 2022, as part of a $60 million purchase of 18 stations from TelevisaUnivision.

WQBA recently carried mostly “Radio Martí,” a service of the U.S. government’s Office of Cuba Broadcasting. WAQI had been scheduled to drop its Spanish-language conservative talk programming in December but retained some of it.

Protecting Your Brand: 5 Crisis Lessons

Last weekend, Martha Stewart faced backlash after posting a Halloween photo portraying a homeless person while promoting her QVC candles. Critics called it insensitive amid economic hardship. After initially saying she meant to raise awareness, Stewart apologized, acknowledging the costume was hurtful and a mistake. The controversy highlights how leaders’ personal actions can affect their brands and the importance of considering public perception.

Edward Segal’s article in Forbes this week argues that Martha Stewart’s Halloween costume controversy shows how a seemingly well-intentioned act can become a reputational crisis—especially when audiences see it as mocking people facing homelessness and hunger, rather than raising awareness. The promotional mention of her products added to the perceived insensitivity. Her later apology accepted responsibility, but several initial statements prolonged the story before she fully acknowledged the harm.