Good Morning! The Pulse Has Your Tuesday, May 5 Briefing

Radio Broadcasting

Baseball Mourns: Michael Kay broke down on air while paying tribute to longtime Yankees radio voice John Sterling, who died at age 87.Kay, Sterling’s former partner, became emotional Monday during the broadcast as he remembered the iconic broadcaster. Sterling was the voice of the Yankees for decades.

WKRP Lives On: The Oasis, a three-station radio network serving Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati, and Dayton, has secured rights to use the famous WKRP call letters. The call-sign-sharing agreement with North Carolina-based nonprofit Oak City Media will allow multiple stations to adopt the iconic branding from the classic TV sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati.”

Pebbles Exits: Boston radio personality Pebbles will sign off from Hot 96.9 after more than 13 years, with Friday, May 8 as her final day on air. The longtime co-anchor of “The GetUp Crew” morning show and host of the public affairs program “Voices with Pebbles,” is stepping away to focus on her weekly podcast and newsletter “Positively Pebbles.” 

Media Industry

The Winners Are: The 2026 Pulitzer Prize winners were announced Monday afternoon at Columbia University in New York.The awards, widely considered the highest honor in American journalism, recognized the most impactful reporting, commentary, and storytelling from the past year across newsrooms of all sizes.

Paramount shares rose as much as 4% in after-hours trading Monday after the company beat Wall Street expectations for first-quarter revenue. Growth in streaming and studios offset declines in traditional TV. 

News consumption continues to fragment with younger audiences shifting toward digital platforms and social media while older Americans remain loyal to traditional television outlets.

U.S. News

The Middle East truce faltered Monday as fighting returned to the Strait of Hormuz for the first time in about a month.  The United Arab Emirates reported an attack by Iran, while the U.S. military said it destroyed six Iranian military boats and that Iran had fired on American ships. The U.S. Navy used Apache helicopters to sink Iranian speedboats harassing traffic.

Facing pressure over the economic impact of the conflict with Iran, President Trump highlighted his administration’s pro-business policies during an East Room event Monday.  Trump told business leaders that tax cuts and deregulation have produced “record business” and a “roaring” economy.

Actor Daniel Baldwin criticized Jimmy Kimmel’s political rhetoric following the latest assassination attempt against President Donald Trump.  Baldwin accused the late-night host of “planting this kind of hatred” and expressed concern over casual talk of political violence in Hollywood, especially after the shooting incident at the WHCA Dinner.

Paramount’s Revenue Rises, Closing Expected This Year

Paramount (PSKY) shares rose as much as 4% in after-hours trading after the company reported higher first-quarter revenue that beat Wall Street expectations, driven by gains in streaming and studios that offset a decline in its TV business.

Revenue climbed 2% to $7.35 billion, surpassing analysts’ estimates of $7.28 billion, according to FactSet. The company posted net income of $168 million, or 15 cents per share, compared with $152 million, or 22 cents per share, a year earlier. Adjusted earnings per share came in at 23 cents, well above the consensus forecast of 15 cents.

Streaming and studio growth fueled the results. Paramount+ added subscribers and posted 11% higher direct-to-consumer revenue of $2.4 billion. The service ended the quarter with 79.6 million subscribers, up 2% year-over-year, powered by hits including Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman,” “The Madison,” and “Marshals.” 

Remembering John Sterling, The Iconic Radio Voice of The Yankees

Michael Kaye and John Sterling

Michael Kay broke down on air Monday while paying tribute to his former radio partner John Sterling, the longtime voice of the Yankees, who died at age 87.

I didn’t think I had any tears left to cry today, but man, was I wrong. My heart breaks for the Sterling family. Love and prayers. Thank you @RealMichaelKay for doing an amazing job portraying the kind of man Mr. Sterling was. I don’t know how you held it together but we are… pic.twitter.com/HfxYbnP4vz

— Madyson (@Majorleaguemadd) May 4, 2026

Sterling passed away after suffering heart failure roughly one week following open-heart surgery. He had endured multiple heart attacks and was left bed-ridden for so long after the procedure that he lost the ability to walk, Kay said on his ESPN NY Radio show.

Cincy Radio: WKRP Call Letters Return to Air

The Oasis, a three-station radio network serving Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati and Dayton, has secured a call-sharing agreement with North Carolina-based nonprofit Oak City Media, allowing multiple stations to adopt the famous WKRP call letters from the classic TV sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati."

Owner Jeff Ziesmann confirmed the move. The flagship rebranding change will see independent rock station 97.7 WOXY-FM become WKRP-FM. Its signal will broadcast from the former WPFB-FM tower in Middletown, reaching listeners from Cincinnati to Dayton. Under the agreement, the WOXY call letters will move to the former WYDB-FM (94.5) in Englewood, a northern Dayton suburb, retiring the WYDB calls. WNKR-FM (106.7) in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, will remain unchanged. All three stations will adopt the WKRP branding while keeping their existing programming.

The rebranding, completed over about a month by Ziesmann and business partner Randy Michaels, preserves the network’s current personalities — including Dave Mason, Earnie “The Fat Man” Brown and John “BMAN” Beaulieu — and its signature oldies format featuring hits from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Boston Radio: Air Personality Pebbles Exiting Hot 96.9 FM

Radio personality Pebbles will leave Hot 96.9 after more than 13 years, with Friday, May 8, marking her final day on air.

The longtime co-anchor of the station’s “The GetUp Crew” morning show and host of the public affairs program “Voices with Pebbles,” is stepping away to focus on her weekly podcast and newsletter, “Positively Pebbles.” 

The project is described as a platform “designed to lift your spirits, make you think, and help you to rediscover the beauty in everyday life.”

And the 2026 Pulitzer Prize Winners Are...

The 2026 Pulitzer Prize winners were announced Monday afternoon at Columbia University in New York, honoring the most impactful and consequential journalism of the past year.

Widely regarded as the highest honor in American journalism, the Pulitzers recognize outstanding reporting, commentary, and storytelling by journalists working in newsrooms of all sizes across the country.

Journalism

• Public Service: The Washington Post — For exposing the Trump administration’s chaotic overhaul of federal agencies and detailing the human costs of the cuts.
• Breaking News Reporting: Staff of The Minnesota Star Tribune — For compassionate coverage of a school shooting at a back-to-school Mass that killed two children and wounded 17.
• Investigative Reporting: Staff of The New York Times — For stories revealing President Trump’s conflicts of interest and enrichment of his family and allies.
• National Reporting: Staff of Reuters (notably Ned Parker, Linda So, Peter Eisler, and Mike Spector) — For documenting the expansion of executive power and political retribution.
• Local Reporting (two winners): Dave Altimari and Ginny Monk (The Connecticut Mirror) with Sophie Chou and Haru Coryne (ProPublica) for exposing flaws in Connecticut’s towing laws.
• Staff of the Chicago Tribune for coverage of a major Trump administration immigration enforcement operation in the city.
• International Reporting: Dake Kang, Garance Burke, Byron Tau, Aniruddha Ghosal, and Yael Grauer (Associated Press) — For a global probe into mass surveillance tools.Other notable wins include Feature Writing (Aaron Parsley, Texas Monthly), Opinion Writing (M. Gessen, The New York Times), and photography categories.

For the complete list of winners and finalists, visit the official Pulitzer website.

A Generational Divide Exosts in U.S. News Sources

News consumption in the United States continues to fragment across platforms and generations, with younger audiences increasingly turning to digital sources and social media. At the same time, older Americans remain more attached to traditional outlets such as television. This shift is reflected in a recent Statista Consumer Insights survey of 8,003 U.S. adults, conducted between January and December 2025, which asked participants about the news providers (online or offline) they had used in the past four weeks.

Lefty Watchdog Group Settles With FTC

Media Matters for America has secured a complete victory in its legal battle against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), ending a contentious investigation that the nonprofit described as retaliatory.

The FTC has agreed to withdraw its Civil Investigative Demand (CID) and forgo any future investigations or substantially similar demands against Media Matters. In exchange, Media Matters withdrew its opposition to the FTC's attempt to drop its appeal in the ongoing case. 

The FTC also confirmed in writing that Media Matters is not currently the target of any probe.

FOX News Dominates April 2026 as Top News Brand on YouTube

FOX News Media closed April 2026 as the top news brand in the competitive set on YouTube, notching 471.9 million video views, nearly quadrupling ABC News and NBC News and dominating MS Now by more than 167 million views, according to Emplifi. 

Courtesy of RoadMN

FOX News also more than septupled CBS News’ 62.6 million views for the month. Year-over-year, FOX News saw a 45% advantage with YouTube video views and led competitors including MS Now (304.4 million views), CNN (203.3 million views), ABC News (119.3 million views), NBC News (115.2 million views) and CBS News (62.6 million views). 

Additionally, FOX News Clips platform drew over 52 million views in April. FOX Business’ YouTube saw 63.3 million video views. FOX News Media’s combined platforms generated 605 million video views on YouTube throughout the month.

FOX News ranked number one in social engagement, nabbing 111.7 million social media interactions across Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok, according to Emplifi & Comscore Social. FOX News garnered 50.2 million Facebook interactions, 19.7 million Instagram interactions, 6.5 million X interactions and, according to Comscore Social, 35.3 million TikTok interactions. Collectively, FOX News drove 1.9 billion total social views, a 96% advantage year-over-year.

The Weather Channel Secures Long-Tern Deal With YouTubeTV

YouTube TV and Allen Media Group have renewed their carriage agreement, keeping The Weather Channel and other AMG networks available to the streaming service's subscribers.

The long-term deal ensures continued carriage of key networks including The Weather Channel, Comedy.TV, Justice Central, and Recipe.TV. Allen Media Group's free streaming service, Local Now, will also remain accessible to YouTube TV users.

The renewal prevents any potential disruption for millions of YouTube TV subscribers who rely on these channels, particularly The Weather Channel for real-time weather updates and emergency information. 

The agreement also positions AMG's content in YouTube TV's base package as well as select lower-priced genre-based plans over time.

Dolly Parton Pushes Back Vegas Residency Performances

80-year-old Dolly Parton shared a candid health update on social media Monday, revealing ongoing struggles with kidney stones, a weakened immune system, and digestive issues over the past three years while announcing the cancellation of her postponed Las Vegas residency.

In a video posted to Instagram and other platforms on May 4, 2026, the country music icon delivered “some good news and a little bad news.” 

She said she is “responding really well to meds and treatments” and improving daily, but side effects like feeling “swimmy-headed” mean it will take more time before she can return to stage performances.

“You know I’ve told you before, I’ve always had problems with my kidney stones,” Parton said with her signature humor. “Lord, they dig me more stones out of me a year than the rock quarry in Rockwood, Tennessee.” 

Fox News Names 2026 Recipients of Krauthammer Scholarship

FOX News Media, in partnership with the National Merit Scholarship Program, has selected Amanda Parker and Tess Sonne as the recipients of its seventh annual Dr. Charles Krauthammer Memorial Scholarship, announced FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott. 

Parker is the daughter of video editor Josh Parker, and Sonne is the daughter of FOX Nation Vice President of Content Acquisitions, Engagement & Strategy, Krista Sonne. Throughout his tenure at FOX News Media, Dr. Krauthammer was integral to the network's premier newscast, Special Report as a frequent panelist. In his honor, the winners will be featured on the program with chief political anchor and executive editor Bret Baier tonight (6-7 PM/ET). Dr. Charles Krauthammer’s son, Daniel Krauthammer, will join Baier on set to discuss the significance of the award and his father’s legacy.

NYC Radio: WNEW-FM 'Little Essentials' Initiative Collects 10K Diapers

Karen Carson, Johnny Mingione and Anthony Malerba

NEW 102.7 (WNEW-FM), an Audacy station in New York, collected over 30,000 diapers during its “NEW Daddy Diaper Drive,” benefiting Little Essentials. All donations go towards the local non-profit, which offers at-risk families living in poverty urgently needed children’s supplies and parenting education to promote the health, well-being, and safety of their children aged five and younger.

The “NEW Daddy Diaper Drive” campaign was hosted by the station’s morning show, “Karen Carson in the Morning,” and ran from April 13 to May 1. Throughout the three weeks, hosts Karen Carson, Johnny Mingione and Anthony Malerba encouraged the community to donate in person or via Little Essentials’ online wishlist to support local parents and babies in need.

Radio History: May 5

➦In 1899...Freeman Fisher Gosden born in Richmond, VA (Died – December 10, 1982).  He was a radio comedian, actor and pioneer in the development of the situation comedy form. He is best known for his work for the radio series Amos 'n' Andy.

Gosden, Correll

During World War I he served in the United States Navy as a wireless operator, which prompted his great interest in the young medium of radio. While attending school in Richmond, Gozzie worked part-time in Tarrant's Drug Store at 1 West Broad Street.

In 1921, Gosden first teamed up with Charles Correll to do radio work, presenting comedy acts, sketches, and hosting variety shows. They met in Durham, North Carolina, both working for the Joe Bren Producing Company. Their first regular show came in 1925 with their WEBH Chicago show Correll and Gosden, the Life of the Party. On this show the two told jokes, sang, and played music (Correll played piano and Gosden banjo).

In 1926, Gosden and Correll had a hit with their radio show Sam & Henry on Chicago radio station WGN. Sam & Henry is considered by some historians to have been the first situation comedy.

From 1928 to 1960, Gosden and Correll broadcast their Amos 'n' Andy show, which was one of the most famous and popular shows on radio in the 1930s. Gosden voiced the characters "Amos", "George 'Kingfish' Stevens", "Lightning", "Brother Crawford", and some dozen other characters.

In 1969, Gosden was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in radio. He died from congestive heart failure in Los Angeles, California in 1982 at the age of 83

➦In 1900...The music and entertainment magazine The Billboard began weekly publication after six years as a monthly. The name was later shortened to Billboard.

➦In 1932...the iconic radio drama The Shadow premiered on CBS, becoming one of the most enduring programs of radio’s Golden Age. Initially a narrated mystery series, it evolved into a character-driven show featuring Lamont Cranston, a crime-fighting vigilante with the power to “cloud men’s minds.” The program, known for its chilling opening line, “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?

The Shadow knows!” ran for over two decades and influenced pulp fiction and superhero genres. Its debut marked a significant moment in radio entertainment, showcasing the medium’s ability to captivate audiences with serialized storytelling.

➦In 1940..Edwin H. Armstrong, a pioneer of frequency modulation (FM) radio, demonstrated FM broadcasting to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This demonstration highlighted FM’s superior sound quality and resistance to static compared to AM radio, paving the way for its commercial adoption. Armstrong’s work revolutionized radio by enabling clearer broadcasts, though it faced resistance from AM-dominated industries. This event was a critical step toward modern FM radio, now a standard for high-fidelity music and talk formats.