Philly Radio: Audacy Has Gone Country On WTDY 96.5 FM

There’s a new home for country in Philadelphia starting today with the launch of US 96.5, delivering a mix of the biggest country hits and newest releases, including music from top artists such as Morgan Wallen, Ella Langley, Luke Combs and Jelly Roll. 

The new US 96.5 is commercial-free until October 24 and begins its weekday programming on October 26.

“Country music has a special way of connecting people, and we are excited to bring a brand-new destination to this important market,” said Tim Roberts, Country Format Vice President, Audacy. “Adding US 96.5 in Philadelphia expands our footprint and brings even more world-class entertainment to our listeners - it’s a terrific addition to Audacy’s strong station lineup in the city.”

US 96.5 is Audacy’s 24th country station around the country. It debuts the following weekday programming lineup beginning October 26.

• 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET: “Katie and Company”
• 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET: “Coop”
• 7:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. ET: “Rob and Holly”
• 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. ET: “Mo and StyckMan”

Official weekday programming on the station begins Oct. 26, with national and regionally syndicated shows — including Audacy’s “Katie and Company” and “Coop’s Rocking Country” — filling the schedule from 10 a.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays. A new morning show for the 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. slot will be announced soon, according to Audacy.

The station will shortly announce a new morning show that will air weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET.

Monday’s rebrand ends The New 96.5’s three-year run as a hot adult contemporary station. During the transition from its previous Today’s Hits format, the station briefly rebranded as Ninety-Swift-Five T-A-Y to coincide with Taylor Swift’s four-night run at Lincoln Financial Field in 2023.

🤠Listeners can tune in to US 96.5 on the free Audacy app and website. Fans can connect with the station via X, Facebook, and Instagram.

Atlanta Radio: Star 94 Lauches New Morning Show

Star 94 (WSTR-FM), an Audacy station in Atlanta, has added The Bret Mega Show co-hosted by Bret Mega and Anna Bohlmann to its weekday lineup. The show can be heard weekday mornings from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET.

Start your mornings out with “The Bret Mega Show.” Bret and AB – a fun, unfiltered on-air family who aren’t afraid to share it all. From personal stories to listener confessions, they bring real talk, big laughs and unforgettable memories.

“Bret and AB bring an authentic, high-energy connection to the airwaves every morning that listeners will instantly resonate with,” said JR Ammons, Brand Manager, Star 94. “I couldn’t be prouder of how ‘The Bret Mega Show’ continues to evolve by bringing their big laughs and real talk to Atlanta mornings. This marks an exciting new chapter for Star 94.”

“The Bret Mega Show” can also be heard on:

• 99.7 The Point (KZPT-FM) in Kansas City: 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. CT X, Facebook and Instagram
• Y98 (KYKY-FM) in St. Louis: 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. CT X, Facebook and Instagram
• 105.3 The Buzz (KFBZ-FM) in Wichita: 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. CT X, Facebook and Instagram

📻Listeners can tune in to Star 94.1 (WSTR-FM) in Atlanta on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.

Indy Radio: WNTR Mix 107.9 Shuffles Line-Up w/WZPL

Cumulus Media announces that Adult Contemporary station 107.9 The Mix/WNTR-FM in Indianapolis debuts a new local morning show today featuring well-known on-air personalities, Toni DeKeyser and Ryan Swiger as Co-Hosts. "The Morning Mix with Toni & Ryan” can be heard on 107.9 The Mix Monday through Friday from 6:00am-10:00am.

"The Morning Mix with Toni & Ryan" will wake up Indianapolis with positive energy and fun, blending local conversation, real-life experiences, and great music. Together, Toni and Ryan create a show that feels less like radio and more like a conversation around the kitchen table. From local happenings and community events to parenting moments, lifestyle topics, entertainment news, and plenty of laughs, they invite listeners to be part of the conversation every morning. The new show keeps Central Indiana Hoosiers up-to-the-minute with the information they need to know, engaging entertainment, and real community connection - plus a plethora of listener giveaways!

Toni DeKeyser was previously a Producer and Co-Host on Cumulus Media sister Top 40 station 99.5 ZPL/WZPL-FM’s "Smiley Morning Show," as well as Midday Personality on 107.9 The Mix. She will continue to be heard on 99.5 ZPL Monday through Friday as On-Air Host, Middays. "Producer Will" from the “Smiley Morning Show” and Midday Personality on 99.5 ZPL swaps Midday shows with DeKeyser and will host the 10:00am-3:00pm slot on 107.9 The Mix. In addition to his new role on the 107.9 Mix morning show, Ryan Swiger will continue to be heard on 99.5 ZPL weekdays from 3:00-7:00pm as Afternoon Drive Personality “Crash.”

Local Public Media Eligible for New Funding

Public Media Bridge Fund launches Pathways to Sustainability program Tuesday to help local stations build lasting models after federal cuts.

The program, announced as the fund shifts from short-term emergency grants to long-term organizational strength, provides coaching, customized action plans, and implementation funding of up to $150,000 for radio-only stations and up to $250,000 for television or joint licensees. Applications open tomorrow, with the effort aimed at reducing reliance on federal support and improving operations, revenue diversity, and regional partnerships.

The move follows the Knight Foundation’s recent additional $10 million commitment over three years to the fund’s next phase. That investment is part of a broader $38 million fundraising goal to move stations beyond stabilization. To date, the Bridge Fund has raised approximately $87 million from more than 1,500 donors and has already distributed emergency aid that helped stabilize 186 public radio and television stations serving roughly 30 million people.

R.I.P.: Noah Adams, Longtime All Things Considered Host

Noah Adams (1941-2026)

Noah Adams, the longtime host of NPR’s All Things Considered, died Friday at his home in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He was 84.

Adams hosted the program for 18 years, guiding listeners through major events including Ronald Reagan’s landslide electoral victories, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the September 11 terrorist attacks. Colleagues remembered him most for the softer, observational features he produced after riding trains across the country or spending days in small towns talking to people he met.

“He was always observing,” said Melissa Block, who produced pieces with him for years before hosting All Things Considered herself. “He would have a little reporter’s notebook and he would be taking notes in shorthand. ... Somehow, when we came back, he would capture the character of a place or a person or a town in the most vivid, rich, simple language.”

NAB Show New York Set To Kickoff

NAB Show New York 2026 returns Wednesday and Thursday at the Javits Center, bringing together roughly 250 companies—including at least 37 first-time exhibitors and about 23% international firms—focused on production, AI, streaming, cloud, infrastructure and related tools.

Production remains the largest exhibitor category at about 42%, followed by infrastructure, IT and security solutions at 33%. Asset management, automation and media supply chain technologies each account for roughly 25% of exhibitors. Streaming appears among 66 companies, cloud among 51 and remote production among 42, reflecting growing integration across those areas. At least 33 firms are highlighting AI and machine learning applications.

MRC Pulls Accreditation for PPM Service in Multiple Markets

Nielsen’s Personal Portable Meter (PPM) radio audience measurement service has lost Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation in four major markets—Baltimore, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh—and has been denied accreditation in 18 additional markets that were under review.

Those markets are:

Vance Grilled During CBS News Town Hall In Michigan

Vice President JD Vance faced pointed, unscripted questioning from both Michigan voters and CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil during a combative hour-long town hall Saturday night, as he was pressed on elevated gas prices, the ongoing war with Iran, immigration enforcement, and corruption allegations involving the Trump White House.⁠

The “Things That Matter” event, held in the Flat Rock area of Michigan and aired on CBS and Paramount+, came less than three weeks before the midterm elections in a key battleground state that helped deliver the 2024 victory for Donald Trump and Vance. Dokoupil, 45, repeatedly challenged the 42-year-old vice president rather than allowing him to pivot or deflect.⁠

R.I.P. 'Rod' Calarco, Longtime Radio Sales Executive

'Rod' Calarco ('47-'26)

John Anthony Calarco, known as Rod, who divided his time between White Plains, New York, and Naples, Florida, died of a heart attack on October 12, 2026. He was 79. A proud Italian American, Rod passed away on Columbus Day, a fitting coincidence for a man who took great pride in his heritage.

Rod had a big personality, a laugh that filled a room, a sharp sense of humor, and a seemingly endless supply of stories and advice. His signature words of wisdom came to be known as “Rodisms.” Whether offering sage advice, sharing a story, or simply making people laugh, Rod made an impact on everyone in his sphere. Family was important to Rod and he loved his time with them, especially during the holidays. He was an enthusiastic cook and baker and loved sports, including jogging, rollerblading, and tennis, as well as outings with his decades-long “Romeo” golf friends.

Professionally, Rod spent 28 years at CBS Radio, beginning as a salesperson at WCBS-AM before rising to Vice President and General Manager of WCBS-FM, where he led the station during its ascent to No. 1 and met his future wife of 26 years, Cathleen (Cathy) Kelly Calarco. He subsequently became Vice President and Group Head, overseeing operations across CBS-owned and operated FM radio stations. Although his last position at CBS was the most prestigious, WCBS-FM was always his heart and soul.

His career also included positions at ABC Television, CBS-owned WCAU-AM in Philadelphia, CBS-owned KRQR-FM in San Francisco and The CBS National Sales Rep Firm in Chicago. He later joined WorldSpace International Radio, an early satellite radio venture that paved the way for the satellite radio services that followed. Rod began his career in sales at WFAS-AM in White Plains, New York, returning years later as General Manager, a position he held until his retirement.

Off Air Since June, Four S.Dakota Stations Return

Energy 106.7 morning show hosts Joe Swanson
and Sarah Jorges (Newton News photos)

Four long-silent central Iowa radio stations—KCOB-AM 1280 and KCOB-FM 95.9 in Newton, KGRN-AM 1410 in Grinnell, and Hot AC “Energy 106.7” (KRTI)—have been purchased by Yankton, South Dakota-based Riverfront Broadcasting of Iowa and are back on the air with restored local programming and familiar voices.⁠

Riverfront, owned by Carolyn and Doyle Becker, acquired the cluster from Connoisseur Media in early September 2026 for $40,000 under an asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC. A local marketing agreement allowed operations to begin October 1. The stations had been off the air since Connoisseur abruptly shut them down on June 9 for financial reasons after acquiring them as part of its purchase of Alpha Media.

Intense Backlash Over Sweeney Latest Commercials

A Los Angeles Dodgers player joined parents in criticizing sexualized commercials that aired repeatedly during Major League Baseball playoffs this week, calling them unsuitable for children watching games.

Alex Call, a left fielder not on the postseason roster, posted Wednesday asking networks to “get the soft porn ads off playoff broadcasts.” He wrote that his son “wants to watch baseball with Dada,” but “half-naked women could come on screen anytime.” The post replied to an entrepreneur who said the ads risked alienating kids and urged, “Just show baseball in a way I can leave on in my house.” A mother replied that she had to explain to her 10-year-old that the ads were “trying to exploit his young brain.”

The spots included Sydney Sweeney promoting the Novig gambling prediction market and Megan Fox endorsing a male enhancement product from Ro. Casual fans had already been complaining about the ads on social media.

Billy Joel Says He Can't Drive or Perform

Billy Joel says it is unclear when he will perform again after his 2025 brain disorder diagnosis, telling the Hollywood Reporter he must first undergo “a series of tests.”

According to the L-A Times, the 77-year-old singer is not allowed to drive and cannot return to the stage, he said in the interview published Thursday. “What the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion,” Joel explained. Doctors have warned that lighting and sound can stress the body, and they told him, “You really shouldn’t be doing that right now.”

Good Morning To Monday! Here's The Pulse Briefing For Oct 19

Radio Broadcasting

NPR Funding: Public Media Bridge Fund launches Pathways to Sustainability program Tuesday to help local stations build lasting models after federal cuts. MORE

RIP: Noah Adams, the longtime host of NPR’s All Things Considered, died Friday at his home in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He was 84. MORE

Accreditation Pulled: Nielsen’s PPM Radio audience measurement service has lost Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation in four major markets—Baltimore, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh—and has been denied accreditation in 18 additional markets that were under review. MORE

Israeli Settlers Attack WaPo Photojournalist On Assignment

A Washington Post photojournalist was hospitalized after Israeli settlers attacked her and a group of Palestinians during the annual olive harvest in the occupied West Bank.

Veteran photojournalist Heidi Levine, on assignment for the newspaper, said the Palestinians she was accompanying began to retreat after seeing dozens of settlers running toward them. In a video statement, Levine described being thrown to the ground and repeatedly kicked. “I had my camera bag and my pouch with my passport, and my telephone was on a rope around my neck and they broke that off me, and they broke my cameras off me, and they broke my bag, and they kept kicking me,” she said, estimating the attack lasted about 10 minutes. “Just absolute craziness, and I didn’t see anybody trying to stop it.”

SCOTUS Urged to Hear Case of Reporter Catherine Herridge

Fox News legal analyst and George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley urged the Supreme Court to review journalist Catherine Herridge’s case, warning that rejecting it could set a precedent making it easier to compel reporters to reveal confidential sources and undermine investigative journalism.⁠

In an column Saturday in The Hill, Turley said Herridge—a former Fox News and CBS national security reporter—is in the “fight of her life” to protect source confidentiality, the “most vital prerequisite of the free press.” He argued the Court should correct a “terrible wrong,” clarify the murky 1972 Branzburg v. Hayes precedent, and address a circuit split on reporter’s privilege.

Retailers Project Record $1T Holiday Shopping Season

American retailers are expected to top $1 trillion in holiday sales for the first time this year, but the record is being driven largely by wealthier households while others face rising costs for everyday necessities.

The Boston Globe reports the National Retail Federation forecast Thursday that retail sales will grow 4.2 percent to $1.013 trillion in November and December, up from $972 billion last year and faster than the 3.1 percent gain in 2025. Chief economist Mark Matthews said the total does not mean all Americans are flush with cash. Higher-income households are spending more, while rising gas and food prices pressure lower-income shoppers, producing what he called a “K-shaped” economy in which the wealthy continue to do well and others fall further behind.

If It Ends, It's Going To End Badly

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are still locked in to call Super Bowl LXI for ESPN on Valentine’s Day, but things between them are clearly a little frosty right now.

During a Thursday interview with 96.7 The Ticket in Dallas, Aikman basically confirmed the reports that there’s been some real tension between the two over their contract situations. Buck just locked in a monster six-year, $108 million extension with ESPN. Aikman? He’s still waiting. His deal runs out after this season, and from what we’re hearing, ESPN hasn’t even put a formal offer on the table yet.

Survey: Half of Us Don't Use AI Chatbots

About half of U.S. adults—51 percent—say they never use AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in February 2026.⁠

Among these non-users, lack of interest stands out as the leading barrier. Six in ten cite it as a major reason they avoid the tools, while 23 percent call it a minor factor, for a combined 83 percent. Concerns about personal data follow closely: 54 percent name privacy worries as a major reason, and another 24 percent say it is a minor one. Distrust in accuracy ranks third, with 45 percent viewing it as a major obstacle and 30 percent as a minor one.