What's Making Broadcasters Nervous

The LA Times story Friday explores how FCC Chairman Brendan Carr—a Trump appointee—is reviving and aggressively enforcing the long-dormant equal-time rule for broadcast TV and radio stations. 

The rule requires stations to provide equal airtime to opposing political candidates if one appears on the air. The piece argues that this is creating significant anxiety among broadcasters, as it's seen as a tool to pressure networks perceived as unfair to President Trump.

Key points from the article:

Nora O'Donnell's Star May be Rising At CBS News

Nora O'Donnell

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is seriously considering Norah O'Donnell for an expanded role on 60 Minutes following Anderson Cooper's decision to step away from a proposed larger presence on the iconic program.

According to a report from Oliver Darcy's Status newsletter, Weiss had initially pushed to give Cooper a bigger footprint on 60 Minutes as part of contract renewal talks. Cooper declined, opting to exit his correspondent role entirely after two decades, reportedly uncomfortable with the network's perceived "rightward direction" under Weiss.

With that slot open, sources familiar with the discussions told Status that Weiss is now turning her attention to Norah O'Donnell, a longtime CBS News senior correspondent and current 60 Minutes contributing contributor (since 2013). The potential expansion would give O'Donnell more frequent reporting pieces and a higher-profile position on the Sunday broadcast, marking a significant career rebound.

Media Wars Gaining More Attention

President Donald Trump's efforts to pressure critical media figures and outlets through the FCC and other means are backfiring, boosting their audiences, visibility, and support via the Streisand effect — where attempts to suppress information draw far more attention.

An analysis in The Wrap Friday highlights this pattern, arguing that attacks on anti-Trump voices in media — including regulatory pressure from Trump-appointed FCC Chairman Brendan Carr — paradoxically fuel viral surges in views, ratings, subscribers, and engagement.

Most recent example: Stephen Colbert turned FCC-related pressure into a massive viral hit. In mid-February 2026, CBS advised against airing Colbert's taped interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico on The Late Show, citing concerns over the FCC's "equal time" rule (a 1934 Communications Act requirement for broadcasters to offer equal opportunities to opposing candidates). New January 2026 guidance from Carr tightened interpretations, suggesting late-night shows like Colbert's, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, or The View may no longer automatically qualify for news exemptions if featuring partisan-leaning interviews.

Colbert defied the guidance by discussing the issue on air — criticizing CBS and the administration for censorship — and released the full interview as a YouTube exclusive. It exploded, garnering millions of views (reports of 3.8 million to over 7-8 million in days), becoming one of his most-watched segments in months. The clip boosted Talarico's profile in his competitive Senate race and transformed the pressure into free publicity for administration critics.

NYC Radio: Iconic Jack Sterling On The Mend After Heart Attack

Jack Sterling

Legendary New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling, 87, revealed Sunday that he suffered a heart attack in early January but is recovering well and described his heart as "fine."

The iconic voice behind decades of Yankees games — famous for his signature home run calls and triumphant "Thaaaaa Yankees win!" — made the candid disclosure during a guest appearance on WFAN's Rickie Ricardo show. Sterling, who retired from full-time play-by-play duties in 2024 after 36 seasons (with a brief return for the postseason that year), emphasized there's "no reason to hide it."“At the beginning of January, I had a heart attack, and that’s fine, the heart is fine,” Sterling said. 

John Sterling shares a health update with Rickie Ricardo after suffering a heart attack in January.

Sending our best to a WFAN legend 🙏 pic.twitter.com/eHDaJANSc6

— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) February 22, 2026

SOTU Coverage: The News Outlets Have Plans

The 2026 State of the Union address by President Donald Trump is scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, at 9 p.m. ET, with the Democratic response delivered by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger immediately following. Major broadcast and cable news networks plan extensive live coverage, including pre-address analysis, the speech itself, post-address breakdowns, and streaming options across multiple platforms. Below is a breakdown of announced plans for the specified outlets, based on their press releases and coverage announcements.

TV Ratings: Early Numbers, 24M Daily For NBC

The 2026 Milan Winter Olympics have delivered strong viewership gains for NBC, marking the most-watched Winter Games in 12 years and continuing a rebound from pandemic-era lows.

Through Friday, NBC averaged 24 million viewers across its prime afternoon coverage (2-5 p.m. EST) and Primetime in Milan (8-11 p.m. EST/PST), according to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. This represents a 94% increase over the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.

Streaming has surged even more dramatically, with 14.8 billion minutes consumed in the U.S. through Friday—more than double the combined total for all prior Winter Olympics (6.9 billion).A standout day came Thursday, when the U.S. women's hockey team's overtime gold-medal win over Canada and Alysa Liu's figure skating gold averaged 26.7 million viewers across NBC, USA Network, Peacock, and other NBCUniversal digital platforms. 

The hockey game on USA Network and Peacock drew an average of 5.3 million viewers, peaking at 7.7 million during overtime when Megan Keller scored the winner—the most-watched women's hockey game on record.

This marks the second consecutive Olympics with major audience growth. The 2024 Paris Summer Games rose 82% from the 2021 Tokyo Games.

Viewer increases stem partly from strong U.S. team performances, in contrast to underperformances in the COVID-restricted, low-attendance Tokyo and Beijing Olympics.

NBC executives highlighted the excitement of overlapping drama. “It was truly a golden hour,” said one producer. “The energy in our control rooms on site, we couldn’t believe the confluence of drama and excitement, but that really is what the Olympics is about. It’s unpredictable, thrilling.”

NBC aims to sustain this momentum. The 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games will feature wall-to-wall live daytime coverage, while the 2030 French Alps Winter Games will follow the successful Paris and Milan formula.

P-I Believes Drug Cartel Responsible For Missing Nancy Guthrie

A veteran California private investigator with over 35 years of experience claims that the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC's Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, is linked to a cartel-connected "money-making venture."

Bill Garcia, based near Sacramento and known for solving challenging missing persons cases in Southern California, told outlets including Border Report that the abduction likely stems from criminal activity in southern Arizona. He pointed to the Tucson area's role as a high-traffic corridor for drug and money transporting operations, deepening his conviction that the case involves people tied to a cartel. 

However, Garcia emphasized that he believes Guthrie was not taken across the border into Mexico and may still be held within Arizona.Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home in the Catalina Foothills area of Tucson on February 1, 2026. 

Good Morning! Let's Check the Pulse For Monday, Feb 23:

Radio Broadcasting

FCC Launches "Pledge America" Campaign:  FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the "Pledge America" campaign on February 20, 2026, urging radio (and TV) broadcasters to air more "patriotic, pro-America" programming ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026 (marking the Declaration of Independence). Suggestions include starting broadcasts with the "Star Spangled Banner" or Pledge of Allegiance, featuring segments on local historical sites (e.g., National Park Service locations), and highlighting American composers like John Philip Sousa, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and Aaron Copland. The initiative aligns with the White House's Salute to America 250 Task Force. Critics view it as potential pressure for pro-administration content, while supporters see it as promoting national pride. 

This has sparked discussions in trade groups like the NAB about voluntary compliance versus regulatory implications.

Industry Operational and Programming Updates:

• Major groups like iHeartMedia continue podcast and digital pushes, including announcements for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards (at SXSW March 16) and iHeartRadio Music Awards nominees. Partnerships (e.g., with TikTok for events like "Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars") highlight streaming growth.
• Audacy expanded its WGR sports brand into Rochester (95.7 FM) on February 20 and raised significant funds via radiothons (e.g., Alice 105.9 in Denver topped $1M for charity).
• Broader trends include digital revenue emphasis (radio projected to lead global traditional market at ~$12.2B in 2026 per Statista) and ongoing cost management, though no major February layoffs reported.

Media Industry

Trump Administration's Influence on Media and Regulations:  The second Trump term continues creating turbulence for media companies through direct interventions and regulatory pressures:

• President Trump publicly warned Netflix to remove Susan Rice (a former Democratic official) from its board or "face consequences," escalating tensions over perceived political bias in streaming and entertainment.
• Trump endorsed the proposed Nexstar-Tegna merger (a $3.54–6.2 billion deal to create the largest U.S. local TV station operator), arguing it would increase competition against big networks amid declining local media revenue from streaming shifts. This has strained some conservative media alliances and drawn scrutiny over ownership caps.
• The FCC has issued guidance on the "equal time" rule, pressuring networks like CBS to cancel or alter political interviews on late-night shows (e.g., Stephen Colbert had to drop a Senate candidate segment). Critics see this as targeting perceived liberal-leaning content, potentially reshaping how talk shows handle politics.

Other actions include DOJ scrutiny in deals and questions over handling of reporter-related matters.

Ongoing Major Mergers and Antitrust Battles:  The entertainment/media consolidation wave continues:

• Netflix is aggressively pursuing Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) assets, with reports of ample room to increase offers amid battles involving Paramount/Skydance. Directors like James Cameron have sent critical letters to lawmakers over antitrust concerns. The DOJ is probing Netflix's leverage over creators in related reviews.
• Paramount recently noted the U.S. antitrust waiting period on a WBD bid has expired, keeping deal talks alive.
• These mega-deals raise fears about impacts on streaming competition, theatrical releases, journalism (if assets overlap with news divisions), and consumer choices.

U-S News

Powerful Storm Hits Northeast:  A historic and powerful winter storm (described as a nor'easter or bomb cyclone) is slamming the Northeast U.S., bringing blizzard conditions, heavy snowfall, high winds, and widespread disruptions. Blizzard warnings cover tens of millions of people from Maryland to Maine, with up to 2 feet of snow possible in hardest-hit areas like parts of New York, New Jersey, Boston, and coastal regions. Wind gusts are reaching 50-70 mph, causing whiteout conditions, coastal flooding risks, and power outages affecting over 100,000 customers already.

• Travel is severely impacted: New York City has issued a travel ban, thousands of flights (especially at NYC airports) have been canceled, public transit has paused or gone to emergency schedules, and officials urge people to stay off roads.
• Schools are closed across the region (including NYC's public schools for a traditional snow day), offices are on limited operations, and even the U.N. headquarters in Manhattan is shut down.
• The storm intensified overnight, with snowfall rates of 1-4 inches per hour in some spots, and the worst conditions expected to continue into Monday.

Secret Service Kills Man:  U.S. Secret Service agents, along with a Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy, fatally shot a 21-year-old man early Sunday after he made an unauthorized entry into the secure perimeter of President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

• The suspect was identified as Austin Tucker Martin from Carthage/Moore County, North Carolina. He was reportedly carrying a shotgun and a gas canister (fuel can).

Violence in Mexico: A major wave of violence has erupted across Mexico following the killing of Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the country's most wanted drug lords.

• Mexican military forces killed him during an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco state, on Sunday, where clashes left several cartel members and soldiers injured or dead.
• In retaliation, suspected CJNG affiliates have torched vehicles/buses/businesses (including reports of attacks on a Costco), set up over 250 road blockades across 20+ states, clashed with security forces, and caused widespread chaos, particularly in Jalisco (including Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta).
• This has stranded U.S. and other tourists (e.g., in Puerto Vallarta), led to flight cancellations, school closures in several states, and shelter-in-place advisories from the U.S. State Department and other governments.

Kenny Albert Has The Call: U-S Wins Olympic Hockey Gold

Kenny Albert delivered one of the most electrifying calls of the 2026 Winter Olympics on NBC as Jack Hughes scored the overtime golden goal to secure Team USA's first men's hockey gold medal since the legendary 1980 "Miracle on Ice."

In the gold medal game against arch-rival Canada at the Milano Cortina Olympics Sunday, the teams battled to a 1-1 tie through regulation. The game went to 3-on-3 overtime, where Hughes—assisted by Zach Werenski—poked the puck around Cale Makar, received a cross-ice pass, and slipped it through Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington's legs at 1:41 of the extra period for a dramatic 2-1 victory.  Albert, NBC's veteran play-by-play announcer (joined by color commentator Eddie Olczyk and analyst Brian Boucher), captured the frenzy perfectly. His call built with rising intensity:

JACK HUGHES DELIVERS AMERICA'S GOLDEN MOMENT IN OVERTIME. pic.twitter.com/4foFDOri53

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026

“And it’s Werenski, now Jack Hughes, pokes it around Makar! United States with numbers! Back across it comes! JACK HUGHES WINS IT! THE GOLDEN GOAL FOR THE UNITED STATES! FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 1980 MIRACLE, THE UNITED STATES TAKES THE GOLD!”

The line evoked chills for many viewers, tying the modern triumph directly to the historic upset over the Soviet Union in Lake Placid. 

Albert later added post-goal reflections like calling Hughes "the overtime hero for Team USA" and noting the goal's place in American hockey lore.

Fans and analysts praised Albert for rising to the occasion in a high-stakes rivalry game—especially poignant on the anniversary of the Miracle on Ice.

This wasn't Albert's only standout call of the Games; he also handled electric overtime winners earlier in the tournament, including one by Jack's brother Quinn Hughes. But the Jack Hughes clincher against Canada stands as the defining broadcast moment of USA Hockey's triumphant return to Olympic glory with NHL players participating.

Trump Wants Susan Rice Off Netflix Board

President Donald Trump on Saturday demanded that Netflix immediately fire board member Susan Rice or "pay the consequences," escalating political tensions around the streaming giant amid its pursuit of a major corporate acquisition.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump labeled Rice — a former national security adviser to Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as U.N. ambassador — a "racist, Trump Deranged" "political hack" with "no talent or skills." 

He questioned her compensation and role on the board, writing: "Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences. ... HER POWER IS GONE, AND WILL NEVER BE BACK. How much is she being paid, and for what???"

Trump's outburst followed recent comments by Rice on the "Stay Tuned with Preet Bharara" podcast, where she warned that corporations, news organizations, law firms, and other entities that "take a knee" to Trump, meaning align with or bend to his demands, potentially breaking norms or laws in the process, should not expect Democrats to "forgive and forget" if the party regains power in future elections, such as the 2026 midterms or 2028 presidential race. She suggested an "accountability agenda" could follow for those prioritizing short-term self-interest over broader principles.

FCC Intimidates With A Loud Bark, Little Bite

The FCC under Chairman Brendan Carr, is aggressively pushing to enforce the long-dormant "equal-time" rule on daytime and late-night talk shows, sparking investigations, network caution, and heated political debate. However, legal experts and media analysts argue the effort amounts to little more than bluster, with limited real enforcement power or lasting impact.

Despite the noise, the push faces significant hurdles that limit its bite:

• No major rule change occurred — The January guidance restates existing law and precedent rather than imposing new regulations. 
• Broadcasters can still seek declaratory rulings or exemptions if they argue their programs qualify as bona fide news.
• 
  Enforcement is weak:  The FCC's penalties for equal-time violations are typically modest (fines or warnings), and proving partisan motivation or exact comparability is complex and rarely results in severe outcomes.
• Limited scope: The rule applies only to over-the-air broadcast stations (not cable, streaming, or most radio talk shows, which Carr has indicated are not a focus).
• Political theater: Analysts note that much of the publicity, Carr's statements, investigations into high-profile shows, generates headlines and pressure on networks but is unlikely to force widespread changes in programming.

In short, while the FCC's rhetoric and selective actions create headlines and force some caution among broadcasters ahead of future election cycles, the equal-time push lacks the legal teeth or practical leverage to fundamentally reshape talk shows or political coverage on television. It appears designed more for political signaling than substantive regulatory overhaul.

Tucson Radio: Family Friend Talks About Guthries' Nightmare

Savannah and Nancy Guthrie

Tucson radio host and longtime family friend Bill Buckmaster described the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie—the 84-year-old mother of NBC's Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie—as a "living nightmare" for the Arizona community, particularly Tucson, in recent interviews including those aired on NBC News.

Nancy Guthrie vanished from her home in the Catalina Foothills area of Tucson on the evening of January 31, 2026. Authorities, led by the Pima County Sheriff's Office with FBI assistance, are investigating it as an abduction—she was taken against her will. The case remains active into its fourth week with thousands of tips received, analysis of evidence such as gloves and possible DNA, doorbell camera footage, and other leads under review, but no resolution or major public breakthroughs announced.

Buckmaster compared the collective shock and emotional toll to the 2011 Gabrielle Giffords shooting, highlighting community unity through widespread symbols of support: yellow ribbons on trees, yellow roses, wristbands, and "Bring Nancy Home" signs.

As a veteran Tucson broadcast journalist with decades in radio and TV—currently hosting a program on 1030 The Voice (KVOI) covering news, interviews, and community issues—Buckmaster has a personal tie to the family. He worked with Savannah Guthrie in her early journalism days, likely in the Tucson area before her rise to national prominence, making the ordeal especially poignant.

CEO Jeff Liberman Exits Entravision

Entravision Communications has parted ways with its longtime President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Liberman, ending a remarkable nearly 26-year tenure at the Spanish-language media company, according to recent reports and an SEC filing. The departure, described as abrupt in industry coverage, was confirmed by an Entravision spokesperson and marks the close of one of the longest executive runs in U.S. Hispanic radio and media.

Liberman was notified this week that his employment was ending, capping a career with Entravision that began in 2000. His LinkedIn profile lists his role as running through February 2026, aligning with the timing of the news. Liberman joined Entravision when it acquired Latin Communications Group, where he had grown operations from two radio stations to 17 across California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C. He quickly rose to President of Entravision's Radio Division, steering it through national expansion and digital shifts. 

Survey: Newsletters Supplement News Consumption

A new Pew Research Center survey reveals that email newsletters remain a niche but notable source of news for Americans, with three-in-ten U.S. adults (30%) saying they get news from them at least sometimes. However, regular or preferred use is limited, and many subscribers do not engage deeply with the content they receive.

According to the just released report, based on a nationally representative survey of 5,153 U.S. adults conducted August 18-24, 2025:

• Only 6% of U.S. adults say they often get news from email newsletters.
• 24% do so sometimes.
• The rest report doing so rarely (26%) or never (43%).

Just 3% of Americans name email newsletters as their preferred platform for getting news, far behind television (34%), news websites or apps (21%), and other pathways like social media or search engines.

Amazon Rolls Out Upgraded Alexa+

Amazon has rolled out Alexa+, its significantly upgraded, generative AI-powered version of the Alexa assistant, making it widely available in the U.S. now. This new service transforms the familiar voice assistant into a more intelligent, proactive personal AI companion that's free for Amazon Prime members (or $19.99 per month for non-Prime users), with a limited free tier available via web and app for others.

Key Upgrades and Capabilities

Alexa+ stands out for its enhanced conversational abilities, allowing natural, free-flowing dialogue rather than rigid command-based interactions. You can interrupt, correct yourself mid-sentence, or dive into back-and-forth discussions, making it feel more human-like and intuitive. Powered by generative AI, it handles complex, multi-step tasks and acts as an "agent" to get things done on your behalf. 

R.I.P.: Greg 'Hitman' Williams, Wichita Personality

Greg "The Hitman" Williams, a beloved longtime Wichita radio personality known for his energetic presence on Power 93.5 and KEYN, has died after a months-long battle with stage four cancer. A longtime friend confirmed the news to KAKE News, with his passing occurring early Saturday morning.

Williams was diagnosed with metastatic cholangiocarcinoma—a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer—with extensive metastasis shortly after losing his job. He was laid off in March 2025 during a round of corporate cuts by Audacy, the parent company of the stations where he had worked for 25 years. 

Less than two months later, the devastating diagnosis came, marking a rapid and cruel turn of events in what friends described as a series of heavy blows.

Radio History: Feb 23

➦In 1904...Print journalist and CBS Radio correspondent William Lawrence Shirer was born in Chicago (Died – December 28, 1993 at age 89).  He was a journalist and war correspondent. He wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, a history of Nazi Germany that has been read by many and cited in scholarly works for more than 50 years.

Originally a foreign correspondent for the Chicago Tribune and the International News Service, Shirer was the first reporter hired by Edward R. Murrow for what would become a CBS radio team of journalists known as "Murrow's Boys". He became known for his broadcasts from Berlin, from the rise of the Nazi dictatorship through the first year of World War II (1940). With Murrow, he organized the first broadcast world news roundup, a format still followed by news broadcasts.

➦In 1927...President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill into law that created the Federal Radio Commission, “to bring order out of this terrible chaos.” The president was speaking, of course, of the nation’s then unregulated radio stations. The name was changed to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on July 1, 1934. The FRC regulated radio use in the United States from its creation in 1926 until its replacement by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1934.

The Commission was created to regulate radio use "as the public interest, convenience, or necessity" requires. The Radio Act of 1927 superseded the Radio Act of 1912, which had given regulatory powers over radio communication to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor. The Radio Act of 1912 did not mention broadcasting and limited all private radio communications to what is now the AM band.

➦In 1970...Jay Reynolds, who generated huge ratings in PM Drive at WIFE 1310 AM, the market leader at that time in Indianapolis, started at 77 WABC in NYC.

Reynolds did the all-night show for six years - not only the longest consecutive tenure during the station's 21 and a half years with a music format, but nine months longer than the combined time that Charlie Greer spent on the all-night show during his two stints.  He died in March, 1996.

➦In 2010...‘Boss radio’ co-creator Gene Chenault died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma at age 90.

Chenault, who with his business partner, Bill Drake, reshaped rock radio in the 1960s with prepackaged programming that delivered more music and fewer commercials to hundreds of stations, creating an automated format.

The programming, using reel-to-reel tapes of Top 40 hits, was primarily designed by Drake and marketed and syndicated by Chenault. It raised ratings at station after station and brought a certain big-city sound to many small towns.

The new format gave rise to the stock phrases “boss jock” and “boss radio,” which first took hold at 93KHJ in Los Angeles in 1965. (The word boss was derived from California surfer slang for good, as in “That’s a boss wave.”) Within a year KHJ leapt from 12th to first place in the Los Angeles ratings. Its slogan: “Much More Music.”

➦In 2017…Broadcaster Alan Colmes died from cancer at age 66 (Born-September 24, 1950). He was a radio and television host, liberal political commentator for the Fox News Channel, and blogger. He was the host of The Alan Colmes Show, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show distributed by Fox News Radio. From 1996 to 2009, Colmes served as the co-host of Hannity & Colmes, a nightly political debate show on Fox News Channel.