Judge Miffed With DOJ Handling of WaPo Reporter Search

A U.S. Magistrate Judge sharply rebuked Justice Department prosecutors Friday in a federal court hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, for failing to address a 1980 law protecting journalists when seeking a warrant to search the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson.

Judge William B. Porter, who approved the January search warrant after rejecting earlier versions, grilled DOJ attorneys on their omission of the Privacy Protection Act (PPA). The law generally prohibits government searches of journalists' materials unless the journalist is suspected of a crime unrelated to routine newsgathering.

"How could you miss it? How could you say it doesn't apply?" Porter demanded, calling the PPA a "threshold question." He expressed deep frustration, stating it was hard to see how the law did not apply, and noted that the seizure had effectively deprived Natanson of "basically her life's work" — halting her reporting and jeopardizing more than 1,000 confidential sources.

The hearing centered on The Washington Post and Natanson's challenge to return the seized materials. Their attorney described the raid — based solely on newsgathering — as unprecedented, arguing it "froze" Natanson's reporting and chilled press freedom.

DOJ lawyers, including Gordon Kromberg and Christian Dibblee, defended the search as necessary to investigate potential criminal leaks of classified information from a government contractor to Natanson. They argued the PPA did not bar the action because it involved suspected criminal conduct. One prosecutor apologized for not explicitly raising the statute in the warrant application.

Agents seized Natanson's devices, including two laptops (one work-issued by The Post), a cellphone, voice recorder, portable hard drive, and Garmin watch. The Post has emphasized that neither Natanson nor the newspaper is a target of the probe.

The Justice Department plans to use a filter team of uninvolved FBI agents to review materials and separate irrelevant items.

Porter has temporarily barred government examination of the devices pending the challenge. He issued no final ruling Friday but indicated he had a "pretty good sense" of his approach and set a follow-up hearing for March 4. He appeared open to compromises, such as the court reviewing materials itself instead of direct government access.

Sports Is The Centerpiece of Streaming Ecosystem

New data from Nielsen’s Gracenote shows live sports are solidifying as the centerpiece of the streaming ecosystem, with sports programming surging dramatically on major platforms.

Sports content on five leading subscription streaming services, Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Paramount+, and Disney+ (including Hulu), increased 52% year-over-year as of January 2026, according to the Gracenote Data Hub update. 

On free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels worldwide, sports programming grew 30% in the same period.

Paramount+ now leads all subscription platforms in total sports offerings, including individual games and events, after acquiring UFC broadcast rights from ESPN starting in January 2026. Its sports catalog surged 219% year-over-year, delivering more than twice the sports content of any other SVOD service.

The growth aligns with a major live sports period, including the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics, as marquee events shift to streaming and draw viewers along. Recent research from The Trade Desk Intelligence and Appinio found 27% of Americans are watching more live sports via connected TV (CTV), compared to 18% watching more on traditional TV.

TV Ratings: Olympics Viewership Surges

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina continue to deliver massive viewership for U.S. rights holder NBC, averaging 23.9 million viewers through Wednesday across NBC, Peacock, other NBCUniversal digital platforms, and Versant’s CNBC and USA Network—up 90% from the comparable period during the 2022 Beijing Games and marking the most-watched Winter Olympics at this stage since Sochi in 2014.

Wednesday's coverage averaged 20.2 million viewers in the combined afternoon and primetime windows, marking the 13th consecutive day topping 20 million viewers. Highlights included skier Mikaela Shiffrin's gold-medal win in the women's slalom and the U.S. men's ice hockey team's quarterfinal victory, with the hockey game drawing 6.9 million viewers, the most-watched Olympic men's hockey broadcast since the 2010 U.S.-Canada gold-medal game.

Streaming has exploded, with a record 12.9 billion minutes of Olympics content consumed on Peacock, up 87% from all prior Winter Games combined.

ESPN Replaces Sunday Night MLB With Women's Sports

ESPN will launch Women’s Sports Sundays in Summer 2026, a new weekly primetime programming franchise that puts women’s sports front and center on Sunday nights.

The initiative replaces the former Sunday Night Baseball slot (now moved to NBC) and will feature top-tier live matchups from the WNBA and NWSL on ESPN presented by Ally over nine consecutive weeks, delivering 12 games in premium windows. It aims to elevate the biggest moments, rivalries, and stars in women’s sports.

More than just games, the block includes studio programming, in-depth storytelling, and extensive digital and social coverage across ESPN’s full ecosystem to build deeper fandom and accessibility. “Women’s sports are experiencing continued momentum, and Women’s Sports Sundays is ESPN’s next step in meeting that demand,” said Rosalyn Durant, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions. 

FCC Urges Broadcasters To Celebrate America 250

The FCC, under Chairman Brendan Carr, has announced the launch of the Pledge America Campaign. 

This voluntary initiative urges TV and radio broadcasters nationwide to air patriotic, pro-America programming as part of celebrations for the United States' 250th anniversary (the semiquincentennial) of independence, marked on July 4, 2026.

The campaign aligns with the White House's Salute to America 250 Task Force (Task Force 250), which coordinates a year-long commemoration of American history and achievements. Carr described it as a way for broadcasters to "lend their voices" by highlighting "the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today," while promoting reflection on past ideals and a bright future.

War Secretary Hegseth Calls The Left Godless

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered a keynote address emphasizing Christian nationalism at the National Religious Broadcasters' (NRB) Freedom 250 Celebration on in Nashville. The event, part of the NRB's 2026 International Christian Media Convention at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, marked progress toward America's 250th anniversary of independence and focused on honoring the nation's purported Christian foundations.

In his speech, Hegseth railed against the "godless left," describing it as fueled by "godless and toxic ideologies" alien to Western Christian values, promoting rage under a guise of tolerance. He praised the Trump administration's policies as aligned with biblical principles, highlighting efforts to restore "spiritual health" in the military. 

Key lines included: 

• 
  "We train our troops, we no longer trans our troops," and "We are one military, one fighting force, one nation under God. We are not in woke we trust, we are in God we trust." 
• He framed America as historically rooted in "Western Christian" traditions from Jerusalem through Athens, Rome, and the New World, positioning faith and freedom as essential to a strong nation and military.

The appearance featured patriotic elements, including an Army band and color guard from the 101st Airborne Division, with Hegseth entering to cheers and saluting the flag-waving audience. The speech drew widespread attention and criticism for its overt promotion of Christian nationalist themes, including anti-trans and anti-abortion remarks, attacks on "DEI" initiatives, and defense of viewing human life through a sacred Christian lens, leading Hegseth to embrace the "Christian nationalist" label if it means upholding such beliefs. Critics, including media outlets, described it as fiery and politically charged, tying it to recent controversies like Hegseth's invitation of self-described Christian nationalist pastor Doug Wilson to lead a Pentagon worship service days earlier.

The NRB positioned the Freedom 250 event as nonpartisan, celebrating free expression, biblical truth, and America's faith-based founding principles ahead of the 2026 semiquincentennial.

Buffalo Radio: Sports WGR Expands Eastward To Rochester

Audacy has announced an expansion of the WGR Sports Radio brand into the Rochester market, bringing a significant portion of WGR programming to W239FM and 950 AM.

Beginning at 11:00 p.m. ET on February 22, the station will rebrand as WGR Rochester, extending the reach of Western New York’s leading sports audio voice.

The move builds on the newly announced FM simulcast expansion of WGR Sports Radio in Buffalo and further strengthens the brand’s presence across the region. While the WROC call letters will remain, the station will carry WGR Rochester branding and feature a lineup anchored by WGR’s flagship programming, along with a dedicated local show for Rochester listeners.

“The Jeremy and Joe Show” will kick off Rochester mornings, followed by “The Northtown Automotive Extra Point Show” with Sal Cappaccio. Fans will then get a full hour of Sabres updates, followed by Gene Battaglia taking the reins at 1:00 p.m. with “The Sports Bar,” a locally focused program dedicated to Rochester sports. “Schopp and Bulldog” rounds out the day with their passionate sports coverage and opinions.

 

W239BF  (95.7 FM 250 watts)

“This hybrid approach lets us bring the full strength and recognition of WGR’s established sports lineup to Rochester while still delivering a strong local voice tailored specifically to Rochester fans,” said Tim Wenger, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Buffalo and Rochester. “We know how deeply connected Rochester listeners are to Buffalo-area teams, and this expansion allows us to serve that passion while preserving meaningful, local sports talk and engagement. With the launch of WGR Rochester, our reach now more fully covers the Rochester market and further cements WGR as Western New York’s sports giant and voice of the fans.”

The WGR Sports Radio’s lineup in Rochester is as follows:
5:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET: “The Jeremy and Joe Show”
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET: “The Northtown Automotive Extra Point Show”
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET: “Sabres Live”
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET: “The Sports Bar” with Gene Battaglia
3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET: “Schopp and Bulldog”

📻Listeners can tune in to WGR Rochester in Rochester on-air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station on social media via X and Facebook.

Why Politicians Are Crowding Out Entertainers On Late-Night Shows

Politicians appear on late-night TV shows primarily for strategic outreach reasons that have held true for decades, but your question highlights a perceived shift toward "so many" politicians instead of the usual mix heavy on show biz entertainers (actors, musicians, comedians, etc.).

The core reasons politicians go on these shows remain the same as always:

• They reach millions of viewers who aren't hardcore news watchers—often younger, less politically engaged demographics—who tune in for entertainment but absorb policy points and candidate personalities in a low-pressure, humorous format.
• The relaxed vibe lets politicians appear relatable, human, and likable (e.g., through games, anecdotes, or light roasting), which can boost favorability more effectively than stiff news interviews.
• It's free, high-visibility media exposure during campaigns or issue pushes, where candidates can slip in key messages without constant confrontation.

This isn't new: politicians have guested since the genre's early days (JFK on Jack Paar in 1960, Bill Clinton on Arsenio in 1992, Obama doing skits, etc.), and frequency has gradually risen over time as politics and entertainment blurred more.

What might make it feel like "so many" politicians lately (or displacing entertainers) ties into recent dynamics:

• Late-night shows have leaned more political overall since the mid-2010s, especially post-2016, with hosts increasingly using monologues for pointed commentary and booking guests aligned with that tone. 
• Studies and guest tallies from 2025 show extreme imbalances: liberal/Democratic politicians and figures vastly outnumbered conservatives/Republicans (e.g., 90-to-1 or higher ratios in some periods, with almost no GOP officials on major shows).
• Entertainers (movies, music promo) remain the bulk of guests, but political segments get more attention/controversy.

The FCC crackdown in 2026 is making some shows hesitant on politicians altogether, potentially shifting back toward safer celeb bookings to avoid regulatory headaches.

Overall, politicians chase these platforms for voter reach and image-softening in an entertainment-politics overlap era.

Barry Manilow Forced To Cancel More Concerts

Legendary singer-songwriter Barry Manilow announced Friday that he is postponing additional concerts on his 2026 arena tour, as his recovery from lung cancer surgery continues to take longer than hoped.

The 82-year-old "Copacabana" hitmaker shared in a heartfelt social media statement that he had a "very depressing visit" with his surgeon. The doctor advised against performing full 90-minute shows, stating: "Barry, you won't be ready to do a 90-minute show. Your lungs aren't ready yet." 

Despite Manilow being in "great shape considering what you've been through," the surgeon emphasized that his body needs more time to heal and warned, "You shouldn't do the first Arena shows. You won't make it through."

As a result, Manilow is rescheduling all arena concerts originally scheduled from February 27 through March 17. These dates were part of his ongoing farewell tour series, following earlier postponements of January shows and a February Las Vegas residency to allow for surgery in December. The procedure removed a cancerous spot on his lung, detected early, with no chemotherapy or radiation required.

Manilow expressed deep disappointment but acceptance, noting he had been pushing himself, using the treadmill three times a day, yet could only sing about three songs consecutively without strain. He remains optimistic about returning, indicating he should be able to perform his Las Vegas shows toward the end of March and resume arena dates in April and beyond. The postponed shows will be rescheduled, with tickets honored for the new dates.

Financially Strained Shoppers Push-Up Walmart Revenue

Walmart reported strong fourth-quarter results for fiscal 2026, with revenues reaching $190.7 billion, up 5.6% year-over-year (4.9% in constant currency). Operating income grew faster at 10.8% to $8.7 billion, driven by grocery strength amid consumer financial pressures, robust e-commerce and advertising growth, and market share gains.

Financially strained shoppers, especially lower-income households living paycheck to paycheck, continued shifting grocery budgets to Walmart, pushing its U.S. grocery penetration to a record 72% (up 6 percentage points year-over-year), according to fresh Dunnhumby data. 

Mass-channel retailers like Walmart now match traditional supermarkets at 79% penetration for the first time, while dollar stores surged to 42% (overtaking club stores).Walmart reaches over 190 million U.S. consumers monthly, about 2.5 times Dollar General's 28.6% reach. Gains were especially strong among higher-income households (over $100,000 annually), though CEO John Furner noted lower-income groups (under $50,000) prioritize convenience nearly as much as price despite stretched budgets.

Walmart Connect advertising delivered exceptional performance, with global growth of 37% and a 41% surge in the U.S. Walmart+ membership fee revenue rose 15%, with surveys showing 31% of consumers now members and high awareness.

Beyond groceries, general merchandise saw low single-digit gains, with fashion a standout category. Global e-commerce sales grew 24%, contributing to overall momentum.

Broader trends reflect heightened financial insecurity: 70% of Americans aged 18–54 report concerns, and perceived food inflation stands at 19.6% (over eight times the actual 2.4% rate), rising to 23.6% among those earning under $50,000.

Tariff Reversal Could Trigger More Ad Dollars

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 Friday that President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are illegal, as the 1977 law does not authorize the president to impose tariffs without clear congressional approval. 

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, stating the president must point to explicit congressional authorization for such extraordinary power.

The decision strikes down broad tariffs enacted in 2025 on imports from nearly every trading partner, disrupting industries including retail and automotive, the sectors that pulled back most on digital advertising due to elevated costs. This removes a key financial pressure that prompted ad spending cuts, potentially freeing up budgets for increased digital marketing investments.

The ruling does not address refunds for the billions (estimates range from $130-175 billion) already collected in duties, leaving that to lower courts and potentially creating economic uncertainty or a "mess," as noted in dissents by Justices like Brett Kavanaugh. Importers may seek refunds from the Treasury, though costs passed to consumers are unlikely to be directly reimbursed.

The decision has major global economic implications, limiting presidential unilateral tariff authority under emergency powers and reaffirming Congress's constitutional role over taxes and trade. Trump responded defiantly, denouncing some justices and imposing a new 10% global tariff under different statutory authority.

Industry forecasts reflect optimism for recovery: 

• Emarketer revised its retail sales outlook upward (now 3.5% growth to $7.78 trillion in 2026, about $13 billion higher than prior estimates), citing reduced import costs. U.S. digital ad spending is projected at $338.27 billion this year (9.5% YoY growth), down from an earlier 11.5% forecast but supported by the tariff relief. 
• The Interactive Advertising Bureau anticipates 9.5% overall digital ad growth in 2026 (7.1-7.8% excluding major events like midterms, Winter Olympics, and FIFA World Cup).Retail and automotive sectors, hardest hit by prior tariffs, stand to benefit most from lower costs, potentially redirecting savings to advertising. 
• The News/Media Alliance praised the ruling, noting tariffs threatened jobs in publishing, printing, and paper industries while harming quality journalism.

Broader trade policy uncertainty persists, as the administration pursues alternatives, but the ruling eases immediate cost burdens for consumer technology, automotive, and retail advertisers most affected by the original levies.

Radio History: Feb 21

➦In 1922…WHK-AM, Cleveland, Ohio, signed-on-the-air.

WHK began on July 26, 1921 when experimental station 8ACS signed on under a license obtained by Warren C. Cox in the name of Cox Mfg. Co.  He broadcast on a wavelength of 200 meters (which translates to a frequency of 1500 kHz) from his home at 3138 Payne Avenue.  Only about 1000 listeners were able to hear the first broadcast, and most of them were members of the Cleveland Radio Association.   By 1922, licensees were barred from broadcasting on 200 meters, so Cox applied for a commercial broadcasting license.

Organist Helen Wyant - 1931

Warren Cox received a commercial license for his station on February 21, 1922 with the call sign WHK (the Commerce Department was still issuing mostly three-letter call signs to commercial radio stations before April 4, 1922),  and HK standing for the station's first vice-president and general manager, H. K. Carpenter.  It was only the 52nd commercial radio license issued by the Commerce Department.

The station broadcast at a wavelength of 360 meters (a frequency of 830 kHz) which was the standard broadcast frequency for entertainment radio stations at the time. The station started broadcasting on March 5, 1922 from facilities located in the rear of a Radiovox store at 5005 Euclid Avenue.  By 1924, WHK broadcasts had moved to 1060 kHz.

Warren Cox sold the station to Radio Air Service Corporation in 1925.  In the following years, the station facilities underwent a series of moves, including 5105 Euclid Avenue, the Hotel Winton at 1025 Bolivar Road (later the Hotel Carter), the Standard Building at St. Clair and Ontario, the top floor of the Higbee Company on Public Square, and Carnegie Hall at 1220 Huron Road. By 1927, the station broadcasts were heard at 1130 kHz, and the station was broadcasting with 500 watts at night. By 1928, the station was located in the Engineer's Building at 1370 Ontario Avenue.

WHK Transmitter Room 1930

WHK became a CBS affiliate in 1930 and increased its power to 5000 watts for both day and night transmission.

Amelia Earhart

Radio Air Service Corporation sold WHK in 1934 to Forest City Publishing Company, the parent company of The Plain Dealer. Forest City then organized United Broadcasting Company as the station owner.

On March 29, 1941, WHK like most radio stations changed its frequency as a result of the North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement. WHK moved from 1390 to 1420 kHz, the frequency it occupies today.

In August 1946,  WHK received one of the earliest experimental FM licenses, under the call W8XUB, broadcasting at 107.1 MHz. Upon receipt of a commercial license, the station became WHK-FM at 100.7 MHz, and later in 1968, WMMS.

United Broadcasting sold WHK in 1958 to Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation, which became Metromedia two years later. The new owners soon adopted a rock and roll Top 40 format.

By the early 1960s WHK was Top 40 powerhouse, adopting the slogan "Color Radio" and "Color Channel 14." The station soared with fast-talking deejays like Johnny Holliday, who broadcast from "the glass cage" at 5000 Euclid, and dubbed the station's echo-chamber reverberation its "stratophonic sound." The "Action Central" newsroom included young reporters Tim Taylor and Dave Buckel.

When The Beatles made one of their North American tours in 1964, WHK outmaneuvered rival KYW-AM to sponsor the Beatles appearance at Cleveland Public Auditorium on September 15, 1964.  In the mid-1960s, the WHK DJs adopted the name the "Good Guys" and included Joe Mayer. On the cover of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper album, a doll wears a sweater emblazoned with "Welcome The Rolling Stones" and "Good Guys", a possible reference to the WHK DJs or maybe a reference to WMCA in NYC.

Late in 1967, WHK stopped rocking to become "The Good Life Station," with easy-listening music and phone-in shows aimed at older listeners. Possibly the biggest reason for the format change at WHK, was the pressure put on the station by newcomer WIXY, an AM station at 1260 which started playing top 40 music in 1966.

Metromedia sold WHK and WMMS in 1972 to Malrite Broadcasting of Ohio (later Malrite Communications), and Malrite moved its headquarters to Cleveland. WHK dropped the beautiful music and tried a modified Top 40 format briefly again in 1973, called Cover Hits and developed by consultant Mike Joseph. The station ended up settling on a country music format in 1974 featuring controversial morning show talk host Gary Dee and famed Cleveland disk jockey Joe Finan as the "housewife's friend" from 10 am to 2 pm, until the eventual format change in '84.

Another notorious personality, Don Imus, also returned to Cleveland in 1978 to do afternoon drive on WHK- one of the few times that he would ever host a non-morning drive position in his entire career. Imus had previously had a morning show on WGAR (AM) for 1½ years, ending in 1971, and lasted at WHK until September 1979 when he returned to WNBC in New York.

Seeking to recapture its past glory again, WHK returned to a nostalgic 1950's and 60s Top 40s music on April 24, 1984 using the designation from their dial position 1420 AM...making it "14K WHK Solid Gold", becoming the first "oldies" totally formatted station in Cleveland, Ohio.

Unable to service its growing debt, Malrite exited the radio business by selling off all their stations to Shamrock Broadcasting (Roy Disney's family-owned broadcasting company) in 1993.  Shamrock in turn spun off WHK and WMMS to OmniAmerica, headed by former Malrite executive Carl Hirsch, on April 1994. Shortly thereafter, on May 16, 1994, WHK adopted a sports talk format featuring Tom Bush, Les Levine, Tony Rizzo and Pat McCabe, and dubbed itself "The Sports Voice of the Fan."

In 1996, WHK was sold to Salem Communications, while longtime sister station WMMS was sold to Nationwide Communications – the first time ever the two stations operated under separate ownership

Today, WHK is owned by Salem Media Group as the Cleveland affiliate for the Salem Radio Network.

➦In 1943…“Free World Theatre” debuted on the Blue network (now ABC radio). The program was produced and directed by the legendary Arch Oboler.

➦In 1976...Billboard published a story about WCFL Chicago dropping its Top 40 Format.