Keeping It Brief: Check The Pulse For Monday, Oct 26

Radio Broadcasting

Radio Act Stalls: Automakers spent about $6.3 million in the third quarter lobbying against the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act after the measure cleared the House in September, as the bill remains stalled in the Senate with no vote expected before the midterms. MORE

Vinyl Sales: Vinyl record sales in the United States topped $1 billion in 2025, the first time the format has reached that threshold since 1983, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. MORE

Hannity Remarries: Radio Host Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt married Saturday after hosting a pre-wedding rehearsal dinner the night before at Mar-a-Lago that was attended by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. MORE

Media Industry

Comcast Layoffs: Comcast is launching the largest cost-cutting transformation in its history, an overhaul expected to cost more than $1 billion in the next fiscal quarter while delivering substantially greater long-term savings, executives said on an earnings call Thursday. MORE

Owens Resurfaces: Bill Owens, the former executive producer of CBS’s “60 Minutes,” is joining the YouTube-focused journalism startup Newpress as its executive producer, beginning March 1, shortly after the company raised $12 million in a funding round. MORE

Booth Partnership: The longest-running NFL broadcast pairing in history is fracturing over money and loyalty. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, partners for nearly 25 years, face a reported split after ESPN locked up Buck on a six-year, roughly $108 million extension while Aikman remains unsigned and has said he expects to become a free agent after Super Bowl LXI.⁠ MORE

U-S News

Settlement Revealed: The Archdiocese of New York has reached an $800 million settlement with about 1,300 clergy‑abuse survivors, the second‑largest clergy‑abuse payout in U.S. history, after years of litigation under New York’s Child Victims Act and negotiations that avoided a Chapter 11 filing.

'You Gotta Stop': Attorney General Todd Blanche and CNN anchor Dana Bash sparred Sunday over a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to prevent certification of Alaska’s Senate election if Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan loses and votes for an independent candidate with a nearly identical name could have changed the result. MORE

Obama Campaigns: Former President Barack Obama campaigned in Ohio and Michigan ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, denouncing Donald Trump and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy while endorsing Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El‑Sayed and Michigan governor candidate Jocelyn Benson.

Layoffs On the Table as Comcast Transitions

Comcast is launching the largest cost-cutting transformation in its history, an overhaul expected to cost more than $1 billion in the next fiscal quarter while delivering substantially greater long-term savings, executives said on an earnings call Thursday.

The changes center on redesigning the organization, simplifying its structure, investing in technology including expanded AI for customer experience, and adding technology leadership to accelerate innovation. Chief financial officer Jason Armstrong told analysts, “We are fundamentally redesigning our organization. We’re simplifying our organizational structure to move faster, improve execution, and operate more efficiently.”

Former 60-Minutes EP Joining YouTube Start-Up News Initiative

Bill Owens, the former executive producer of CBS’s “60 Minutes,” is joining the YouTube-focused journalism startup Newpress as its executive producer, beginning March 1, shortly after the company raised $12 million in a funding round led by Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective.⁠

Owens, who left “60 Minutes” in April 2025 after clashing with CBS corporate executives over editorial independence, will start once his noncompete agreement ends. In the role, he will help recruit journalists, develop and edit stories, and bring traditional production rigor to a creator-led model. He described legacy media as constrained by politics, lobbies, sponsorships, and advertisers, saying he wants “people to have the truth.” He was drawn to Newpress in part because its creators reach younger audiences on YouTube, where his own adult children (ages 23 and 24) get their news.

Where Things Stand: Possible Break-Up In MNF Broadcast Booth

The longest-running NFL broadcast pairing in history is fracturing over money and loyalty. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, partners for nearly 25 years, face a reported split after ESPN locked up Buck on a six-year, roughly $108 million extension while Aikman remains unsigned and has said he expects to become a free agent after Super Bowl LXI.⁠

The tension centers on contracts and perceived betrayal. In September, The Athletic reported that Buck agreed to the extension (raising his annual pay from about $15 million to $18 million), keeping him as the voice of Monday Night Football through ESPN’s Super Bowl in 2031. Aikman, finishing a five-year, $90 million deal that pays him $18 million annually and expires after the Super Bowl, has not received a formal offer, according to multiple reports. ESPN has declined to discuss talent contracts publicly before the game.⁠

Senate Vote On AM Radio Act Stalls Before Midterms

Automakers spent about $6.3 million in the third quarter lobbying against the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act after the measure cleared the House in September, as the bill remains stalled in the Senate with no vote expected before the midterms.

According to media reports, Toyota Motor North America reported roughly $1.7 million, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation about $1.5 million, Tesla $650,000, Honda $520,000, Volkswagen Group of America $420,000, and BMW of North America $230,000. Lucid USA reported $80,000 and Mazda $60,000. Other groups that have opposed pro-radio measures, including the Consumer Technology Association and SoundExchange, spent $810,000 and $290,000, respectively.

A-G Blanche Pushes Back On CNN Over Alaska Certification

Attorney General Todd Blanche and CNN anchor Dana Bash sparred Sunday over a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to prevent certification of Alaska’s Senate election if Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan loses and votes for an independent candidate with a nearly identical name could have changed the result.

On the Oct. 25 “State of the Union,” Bash challenged Blanche after he said the independent candidate existed only to draw votes from the senator. When she asked what the crime was, Blanche replied that there “could be a crime,” but the core problem is that “Alaskans are gonna be confused and will not have their vote heard.” The lawsuit asks a federal judge to hold up certification solely if Sen. Sullivan is defeated and the other candidate’s votes prove decisive.

Sen. Sullivan, running for a third term, faces Democrat Mary Peltola in a race the Cook Political Report rates a toss-up—one of seven such contests in states Trump won in 2024. Polls show Sullivan trailing. The third candidate, retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., is running with no party affiliation after switching registration between the primary and general election; he took 2.5% in the August primary. Alaska election officials removed him in June for not running in good faith, but state courts put him back on the ballot.

Talarico Has a Favorite Drag Queen. News Media Yawns.

U-S Senate candidate James Talarico’s recent CNN town hall performance revealed the skill that has him competitive in Texas: the ability to sound moderate while holding progressive views. The Austin-area state representative positioned himself as a pragmatic Democrat who would seek middle ground on the economy, healthcare, and immigration and who would not hesitate to challenge his own party. “I’m a proud Texas Democrat, but I already have a religion, and I already have a sports team,” he said. “So, I have no problem sharing hard truths with my party if it’s what’s best for Texas.”

NBA Opening Night Set A Record On NBC, Peacock

The NBA and NBC Sports set opening-night viewership records with a tripleheader, led by a doubleheader that averaged 6.41 million viewers on NBC and Peacock—the league’s most-watched opening night ever.

The Sixers-Knicks and Thunder-Spurs games rose 14% from last year’s 5.6 million and topped the prior record of 5.7 million from 2011. The Pistons-Celtics afternoon game averaged 2.52 million. The three games also generated a record 700 million-plus social media views.

Musk Claims Ukraine Violated Use of Starlink System

Elon Musk said Saturday that Ukraine had violated the terms of service for his Starlink satellite internet system by using it “for offensive drone strikes to kill people,” and that SpaceX had closed the loophole last week.

In a post on X, Musk, 55, offered his first public explanation of recent disruptions to the satellite communications that have become vital to Ukraine’s military operations against Russia. He distinguished between Starlink, which he described as a civilian service, and Starshield, a SpaceX system controlled by the U.S. government and intended for military use.

Vinyl Record Sales Increasing

Vinyl record sales in the United States topped $1 billion in 2025, the first time the format has reached that threshold since 1983, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Sales rose for the 19th consecutive year amid a resurgence driven by younger listeners, special-edition releases, and exclusive variants sold at both national chains and independent shops.

Nearly half of all global vinyl revenue came from the U.S. market last year. Overall recorded-music wholesale revenue, including streaming and physical formats, reached a record $11.5 billion in 2025, the RIAA reported.

How Cozy: Rehearsal Dinner Held At Mar-a-Logo

Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt married Saturday after hosting a pre-wedding rehearsal dinner the night before at Mar-a-Lago that was attended by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.

The couple, longtime Fox News hosts, chose the Palm Beach club for the Friday celebration so they could include the president among their guests, sources told CNN. Trump did not attend Saturday’s wedding ceremony, which was held at a separate location. Earlier Friday he told reporters he planned to “go over and celebrate with Sean Hannity and Ainsley at Mar-a-Lago,” adding, “They’re doing a big, beautiful thing.” He had also been overheard discussing the weekend with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

And The S-B Half-Time Show Artist Is...

Jay-Z has reportedly selected himself to headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime show in Los Angeles in February, according to multiple sources.

The Roc Nation founder and chief decision-maker on the NFL’s halftime production chose his own performance after weeks of deliberation. Sources described the selection as long viewed as inevitable and more compelling than other names under consideration, including Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber.

The choice aligns with the $5 million-a-year agreement Roc Nation signed with the NFL in 2019 to curate and produce the Super Bowl halftime show. The league extended that deal in 2024 for another five years, making a Jay-Z appearance a logical next step in the partnership.

The decision ends speculation over the L.A. booking and places the veteran performer at the center of one of the most watched annual broadcasts.

R.I.P.: David Moulton, SW FLA Radio Host

David Moulton w/Troy Aikman

David Moulton, the longtime spotter who served as Troy Aikman’s right-hand man in the broadcast booth, died Saturday at 59 after a six-year battle with stage four renal cell cancer, according to his wife, Julie. Aikman paid tribute to him Sunday in an emotional Instagram post.

Moulton, a veteran Southwest Florida sports radio host, worked as a spotter for Aikman and Joe Buck at Fox Sports. Aikman said the relationship began in 2018 and grew well beyond the booth.

“What started as a professional relationship became a friendship I have cherished,” Aikman wrote. “David was loyal, dependable and a warrior until the very end. He deserved better. My heart breaks for his family and all who loved him.”

He added, “I’m grateful for the years we shared and will miss him deeply. Rest in peace big guy.”

Radio History: Oct 26

➦In 1935...Frances Gumm, a talented twelve-year-old sang on Wallace Beery’s NBC radio show. The young girl would soon be in pictures and at the top of stardom. It would be only four years before the renamed Judy Garland captured the hearts of moviegoers as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.

➦In 1940...Hazelwood Broadcasting put WLOF 1230 AM on the air (We-Love-Orlando-Florida).

It would be Orlando's second radio station. WLOF began broadcasting at 6:30AM with 250 watts of power and radius of 50 miles.

The studios and offices were located on the mezzanine floor of the Angebilt Hotel. The station was an affiliate of the National Broadcasting Co. (NBC), switching to Mutual in 1947.

Also, The station was moved to 950 kHz in 1947 and power was increased to 5,000 Watts.

➦In 1965...The Beatles receive Members of the British Empire (MBE) medals from Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony staged at Buckingham Palace. It is the first such honor ever given to a rock band, causing many former recipients, many distinguished military personnel, to return their medals in disgust. According to John, the group is so nervous beforehand that it gets high on marijuana in a palace bathroom; during the ceremony, when Her Majesty asks the group how long it's been together, Ringo.

➦In 1968...Having been fired from WOR-FM, Legendary DJ Murray The K moves across town in New York, again becoming one of the WMCA 570 AM "Good Guys" working a weekend shift.

➦In 1990...CBS founder & CEO William S. Paley died at age 89 after a heart attack and kidney failure.