Pittsburgh Post-Gazette To Continue Operations

In a significant development for local journalism in Pennsylvania, Toledo, Ohio-based Block Communications Inc. has reached an agreement to sell the assets of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, the nonprofit organization behind the Pulitzer Prize-winning Baltimore Banner.

The transaction ensures the continuation of the historic newspaper, which had been set to publish its final edition on May 3 before shutting down operations. 

The sale takes effect on May 4, and the Post-Gazette name and brand will remain unchanged.

Under the new ownership structure, the newsroom and local business leadership will stay based in Pittsburgh, preserving the paper’s editorial voice and connection to the community it has served for generations. Non-local functions, such as technology infrastructure and broader business operations, will be integrated with the Venetoulis Institute’s existing teams to improve efficiency and sustainability.

The Venetoulis Institute, known for its innovative nonprofit model that has revitalized local news in Baltimore, plans to maintain the Post-Gazette’s current print schedule of two editions per week: Thursdays and Sundays. 

This approach aims to balance tradition with modern economic realities facing the industry.

A Storied Legacy

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is one of the oldest continuously published newspapers in the United States, with roots tracing back more than two centuries. Its survival marks a hopeful turn after months of uncertainty following Block Communications’ announcement of impending closure amid long-term financial challenges.

Olympics, Super Bowl Power NBCU to Gold Medal Performance

NBCU-Versant commanded the February TV landscape and captured the top spot among media companies as its presentations of Super Bowl LX and the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics generated impressive cross-platform audience engagement and helped curb seasonal viewing declines, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge™ and Media Distributor Gauge reports. NBCU-Versant was up 48% month-over-month to represent 13.1% of total television usage in February (+4.6 pts.), its best share of TV since the Paris Olympics in August 2024 (13.4%). 

NBC’s presentation of the Super Bowl delivered February’s largest TV audience with over 125 million viewers. The game also provided an optimal segue to kickoff NBC’s slate of extensive Winter Olympics coverage, which comprised 71 telecasts that helped provide a 60% overall bump for NBC affiliates in February. 

Peacock exhibited a 64% monthly uptick in viewing in February and recorded its highest share of television to date in The Gauge, achieving a 3.0% share of TV viewing. Notably, Peacock’s simulcast of the Big Game represented over 20% of the total Super Bowl audience and helped drive the platform’s most-watched day ever on February 8. Viewers who watched the Super Bowl on Peacock were considerably younger compared to the average age of the total audience, with 73% of viewers under age 50 versus 54% overall.

Peacock also got a boost from its new original series The ‘Burbs, which was released in full on Super Bowl Sunday. The time-tested strategy of a post-Super Bowl release worked to power the series to the highest average audience among streaming originals in February, and second-highest in minutes viewed. Additionally, Episode 1 of The ‘Burbs was notably the most-watched episode of the month across all original titles.

On the cable side, USA Network registered a 234% viewing increase in February due to its extensive Olympics coverage. An active news cycle drove a 4.4% increase in cable news viewing this month, with MSNOW notching a 7% uptick which contributed a full share point to the NBCU-Versant total.

Also notable this month: Tubi was up 4.1% and was the only other streamer to record a month-over-month viewing increase in addition to Peacock. Tubi added a tenth of a share point to finish at 2.2% of TV. The Grammys on CBS was the most-watched telecast in February that aired outside of Super Bowl Sunday. Meanwhile, sports coverage had the opposite effect on other media distributors due to the lack of NFL and college football playoffs on ABC/ESPN, CBS and FOX compared to last month.

Trending

NOTE: The Gauge and Media Distributor Gauge (MDG) do not reflect Nielsen’s currency TV ratings that inform advertising sales. The Gauge and MDG reflect total TV viewing, which includes both ad-supported and non-ad-supported viewing. Nielsen made enhancements to its currency ratings for advertising in February 2026, with impact data provided to clients and the industry in advance. Nielsen is working on updates to The Gauge and MDG reports to better reflect and include currency enhancements for the Fall TV season, at which time Nielsen will provide additional back data to clients to assist in the transition.

Five Artists Make It To The Rock Hall of Fame

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its latest class of inductees, featuring a mix of iconic performers and first-time nominees. Artists joining this year include Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Queen Latifah, Oasis, Sade, and Joy Division / New Order. First-time nominees Wu-Tang Clan and the late Luther Vandross will also be inducted.

The announcement was made during a Monday night broadcast of American Idol. To qualify, artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior. Voting was conducted by more than 1,200 artists, historians, and industry professionals.

Collins, already inducted as a member of Genesis, is recognized for solo hits like “In the Air Tonight” and “One More Night,” and has won eight Grammys, including Album of the Year for No Jacket Required. He was inducted on his first ballot appearance.

Sade, previously nominated in 2024, is known for smooth hits such as “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo.” Meanwhile, the Wu-Tang Clan have been celebrated as hip-hop pioneers since their influential 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang.

Iron Maiden, nominated twice before, helped define the new wave of British heavy metal with albums like The Number of the Beast. Vandross, who sold over 25 million records and recorded classics like “Here and Now” and “Any Love,” passed away in 2005 but continues to influence modern artists, including Kendrick Lamar and SZA.

This year’s class also highlights the musical legacy of Manchester, England, with the induction of Joy Division and New Order—bands that shared key members—as well as the Britpop group Oasis, led by Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher. Billy Idol, another English artist, brought a punk edge to pop with hits like “White Wedding” and “Rebel Yell.”

The honorees will be celebrated during the 2026 induction ceremony, set to take place on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The event will later premiere in December on ABC and Disney+, though an exact air date has not yet been announced.

Too Many Chiefs At CBS News?

Cibrowski and Wiess

CBS News’ recent ratings woes are being blamed in part on conflicting editorial visions at the top, according to a New York Post report that highlights tensions between editor‑in‑chief Bari Weiss and network president Tom Cibrowski.

Insiders told the Post the duo’s divergent strategies — Weiss pushing an aggressive digital, hard‑news agenda while Cibrowski favors a softer, more traditional broadcast approach — have produced friction and limited strategic cohesion. “They are an odd couple to me,” one source said. “There doesn’t seem to be a lot of synergies between them.” Another insider disputed that characterization, saying their styles are merging and that results will follow.

The Post quotes Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison as having expected the pair to “complement each other’s skills,” but reports indicate that expectation has not been fully realized. A CBS News spokesperson pushed back, telling the Post, “Bari makes editorial decisions, is standing up new projects, and oversees the organization’s transformation. Tom leads business operations and is working closely with the Morning Show. That’s not ‘odd.’ That’s how successful leaders work together.”

KROQ Legend 'Bean' Is Back And He's Airing On SiriusXM

Gene 'Bean" Baxter

Gene “Bean” Baxter has returned to the air — broadcasting from the U.K. on SiriusXM’s Lithium (Channel 34), where his new show “Bean on Lithium” airs Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time, playing much of the music he championed on KROQ.

According to The LA Daily News, Baxter’s return follows his November 2019 exit from KROQ’s long‑running Kevin and Bean morning show to move to the U.K. On Lithium he spins 1990s alternative staples — Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Weezer, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots and others — including deeper album cuts alongside well‑known hits, and shares stories and behind‑the‑scenes memories from that era.

Kevin and Bean were fixtures on KROQ for nearly 30 years and earned multiple industry honors, including induction into the Radio Hall of Fame and the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, several Marconi Awards, and Billboard’s Major Market Alternative Radio Personality of the Year. Recordings and show trivia are available at kevinandbeanarchive.com.

SiriusXM has indicated the programs will be available as podcasts on its app.

Jacobs Media / Quu to Present the Techsurvey 2026 Results

Jacobs Media will present its Techsurvey 2026 results in a free webinar on Thursday, April 23, at 2pm Eastern, 11am Pacific. This year’s annual study yielded nearly 31,000 surveys among core radio listeners from more than 500 participating U.S. stations. It explores broadcast radio's role in the expanding, and increasingly crowded, digital, audio and video landscape.

In the biggest study of broadcast radio listeners worldwide, Techsurvey 2026 uncovers how programmers and markets can “meet the audience where they are.” The study focuses on the content and distribution outlets that matter—by gender, age, and the only study that shows their formats of preference.

Techsurvey 2026 explores new questions on local and street visibility, YouTube usage and short-form videos, concert attendance, updated in-car dashboard access/usage, specifically Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, and preferred podcast services.

This year’s study will also continue to trend on key variables: media device ownership and media usage, including on-demand media, push notifications, and online newsletters—by generations, by gender, and by format.

As Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs notes, "Our Techsurvey 2026 mega sample weighs in on push notifications and we are pleased with these positive responses. Push is another way for a radio station to get attention in an over communicated world."

Jacobs adds, “We hope you can join our free webinar on Thursday, April 23, as we reveal these important insights and more. Bring the entire staff along.”

Whether registrants are able to attend the webinar in “real time” or not, the presentation will be recorded and sent to everyone who signed up.

➤To join the webinar, you MUST click the link to register: https://jacobsmedia.com/techsurvey-2026-what-radio-cant-afford-to-miss-reserve-your-seat-now/

Good Morning: Radio, Media, U-S, The Pulse For Tuesday April 14 Has It

Radio Broadcasting

In-Car Radio Visuals: Quu Inc. has released its 2026 In-Vehicle Visuals Report. Now in its third year, the report offers an updated view of radio’s place in the top 100 best-selling vehicles in the U.S. The dashboard scoreboard is a snapshot of how common each feature is in the dashboard of the top 100 best-selling new models in the U.S. The scoreboard is updated annually to track radio’s standing and progress.

AI Producing Streaming Cowboys: AI-generated singers are routinely among the most streamed country artists in the U.S., driven by computer‑created acts that replicate contemporary country’s polished sound and appeal to mass audiences. According to a report, fully AI‑generated acts such as Breaking Rust, Cain Walker, Aventhis and Outlaw Gospel are charting high on streaming platforms, with synthetic voices, faces and melodies producing hit songs that mirror modern country tropes.

Long Live Rock: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its latest class of inductees, featuring a mix of iconic performers and first-time nominees. Artists joining this year include Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Queen Latifah, Oasis, Sade, and Joy Division / New Order. First-time nominees Wu-Tang Clan and the late Luther Vandross will also be inducted.

Movie Industry Pros Oppose PSKY, WBD Merger

More than 1,000 filmmakers, actors and industry professionals have signed an open letter opposing Warner Bros. Discovery’s proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, warning the deal would reduce competition, deepen industry consolidation and harm creators and audiences.

The letter, released Monday, names actors including Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo among its signatories and argues the merger would mean fewer opportunities for creators, pressure jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs and less choice for viewers. It says prior waves of consolidation have already cut the number of films produced and narrowed the range of financed and distributed stories.

Judge Tosses Trump Lawsuit Agains WSJ

A federal judge on Monday dismissed President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the publisher of The Wall Street Journal. 

U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles, based in Miami, ruled Trump hadn’t made a valid legal claim that he was defamed by an article about a letter to financier Jeffrey Epstein bearing Trump’s name. 

The judge said that to show defamation, Trump had to demonstrate that the Journal and its reporters acted with “actual malice,” meaning they deliberately published a false story or showed reckless disregard for the truth. Trump failed to show that the reporters acted with ill will and deliberately avoided investigating his claim that the letter was fake, the judge said.

The judge said Trump could file a new amended lawsuit if he wishes, and gave him until April 27 to do so. A spokesman for Trump’s legal team said the president would “refile this powerhouse lawsuit” against the Journal and other defendants.

Quu Releases New In-Vehicle Visuals Report

Quu Inc., the trusted industry leader providing easy deployment of visual content for radio, has released its 2026 In-Vehicle Visuals Report. Now in its third year, the report offers an updated view of radio’s place in the top 100 best-selling vehicles in the U.S. 

Quu’s 2026 In-Vehicle Visuals Report includes:

• A database with vehicle data
• Expanded vehicle analysis
• Updated scorecard of dashboard features
• Six key findings with actionable recommendations

Radio industry experts Fred Jacobs (President, Jacobs Media), Paul Jacobs (VP/GM, Jacobs Media), Joe D’Angelo (SVP, Global Broadcast Radio, Xperi Inc.), and Mike McVay (President, McVay Media Consulting) contributed analysis and commentary in the report. All four will join Quu CEO Steve Newberry to discuss the findings in a free webinar on April 15 at 3p ET. Register here.

The data on all the models surveyed is available at QuuReport.com. Search and sort the findings, see dashboard photos, and click any row for details.

Quu’s 2026 Dashboard Scoreboard

The dashboard scoreboard is a snapshot of how common each feature is in the dashboard of the top 100 best-selling new models in the U.S. The scoreboard is updated annually to track radio’s standing and progress.

The Six Key Findings

• Screens are everywhere—radio must be visual.
• Infotainment systems are more familiar and intuitive.
• AM/FM is still ubiquitous but increasingly harder to find.
• Earning the ‘last touch’ matters more than ever.
• HD Radio is growing.
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto hold steady while SiriusXM loses ground.

“Sunday Night Slow Jams”™ Adds Four New Affiliates

R Dub

Benztown, a global leader in radio imaging, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingles, announces that “Sunday Night Slow Jams”™, the #1 weekend radio show in America, has added four new affiliates this month, including 

• Hot AC station Mix 106.5/KEZR-FM (Connoisseur Media) in San Jose, CA; 
• Classic Hip Hop station 98.7 The Vibe/KNUQ-HD3 (Akamai Broadcasting) in Maui, HI; 
• Rhythmic Top 40 station 96.5 The Beat/WMVN-FM (WOLF Radio, Inc.) in Syracuse, NY; and 
• Top 40 station 94.3 The Duck/KDUC-FM (California Communications of Barstow) in Barstow, CA.

“Sunday Night Slow Jams” and the weeknight "Slow Jams with R Dub!" are nationally syndicated by Benztown and is heard every week on well over 200 stations across the U.S. and internationally.

The show’s perfect music mix and host R Dub!’s personal connection with Slow Jams’ listeners, including the popular segment, “Oral Expressions,” make “Sunday Night Slow Jams” destination weekend listening for loyal listeners from coast to coast and abroad. The iconic program is currently heard in markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, Portland, Denver, Nashville, and Milwaukee.

Jayme Summer's Role Expands At Christian FM Media

Christian FM Media Group has announced that Jayme Summers’ role has expanded to include on-air connector duties on the Today’s Christian Music (TCM) network.

 
Summers, who has been in the industry for over nine years, serves as the network’s Program Director and Operations Director. She will now be heard live as the on-air connector in multiple markets across the country—including Indiana, Alabama, Ohio and additional markets—every weekday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET. Her debut broadcast on the TCM network begins this Monday, April 13.

“Jayme Summers is talented in so many areas. Her charm, wit, and creativity will connect with listeners in meaningful and uplifting ways,” said Geoff Moore, National Affiliations Director at Christian FM Media Group.

This expansion reflects Christian FM Media’s ongoing commitment to delivering authentic, faith-centered programming through America’s most engaging personalities.

Christian FM Media Group is America’s #1 provider of content to Christian music radio, now serving well over 400 radio stations daily across the U.S. and Canada. With 3 distinct music formats available, advanced delivery platforms, and America’s best-loved personalities, Christian FM’s mission-first approach equips local stations to compete and thrive in the CCM format.

AI-Generated Singers Rank Among Top-Streamed Country Artists

AI-generated singers are routinely among the most streamed country artists in the U.S., driven by computer‑created acts that replicate contemporary country’s polished sound and appeal to mass audiences, industry observers say.

According to an AFP report, fully AI‑generated acts such as Breaking Rust, Cain Walker, Aventhis and Outlaw Gospel are charting high on streaming platforms, with synthetic voices, faces and melodies producing hit songs that mirror modern country tropes.

Many AI tracks lean on archetypal country themes — the lone cowboy, rugged authenticity — delivered in raspy, gravelly vocals that listeners often perceive as genuine. Producers behind these projects did not respond to requests for comment.

Reactions from creators: Songwriters warn the trend threatens their craft. “It’s scary as songwriters,” said Kassie Jordan of the duo Blue Honey, noting songwriters are seeing chatbots produce finished songs from simple prompts. Jennie Hayes Kurtz of Brother and The Hayes called the rise of AI hits “a phenomenon I didn’t see coming.”

Technical and academic view: Berklee professor Joe Bennett observed prompts used to create AI country songs are often minimal, and argued AI succeeds because modern country — especially since the early 2000s — favors polished, repetitive melodic shapes that models can easily emulate. He urged streaming platforms to implement AI detection and labeling; currently, Deezer is among the few to clearly flag AI‑created music.

Country’s recent mainstream resurgence, driven by pop‑leaning stars and crossover hits, has produced a more homogenized, radio‑friendly sound that critics say is easier for AI to replicate. Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan’s streaming success last year illustrates the genre’s broad commercial reach.

Audience split and outlook: Observers say passive listeners may accept AI music, while committed fans who attend shows and buy merch care about human authenticity. Jordan and Hayes Kurtz expressed hope that a wave of artists committed to emotional, “old school” songwriting will be harder for AI to duplicate and could preserve the genre’s integrity.

D/FW Radio: Vince Richards Named PD At Eagle, Lone Star

iHeartMedia Dallas has named Vince Richards as Program Director for 97.1 The Eagle and Lone Star 92.5, effective immediately.

Richards brings a strong leadership background to the role and will oversee strategy, execution, and daily programming for both rock stations. He will report to Marc Sherman, Executive Vice President of Programming.

Vince Richards

“Adding someone with Vince’s experience and reputation is a major win for our team,” said Chris Long, Region President for iHeartMedia Dallas-Fort Worth. “We’re excited to welcome him and look forward to the impact he’ll make.”

Richards joins from Audacy, where he most recently served as Vice President of Rock Programming. Over the course of his career, he has led stations in Sacramento, Kansas City, New Orleans, and Houston, and began his career at WQLZ in Springfield, Illinois.

“I’m excited and motivated to lead the talented teams at these two iconic stations in the DFW market,” Richards said. “I appreciate the opportunity from the iHeart team and look forward to building on the success of 97.1 The Eagle and Lone Star 92.5.”

Trump Posting Draws Widespread Criticism

President Donald Trump posted, then deleted, an AI‑generated image of himself depicted in a Jesus‑like role on Sunday, drawing widespread criticism from religious conservatives and other opponents after he said the image was meant to portray him as a doctor.

The post on Truth Social came amid an escalating feud with Pope Leo over the U.S.-Israeli response to Iran; Trump earlier published a lengthy attack calling the pope “WEAK on crime and terrible for Foreign Policy.” Trump denied the image was intended to liken him to Christ, telling reporters Monday it showed him “as a doctor making people better” and insisting he had “nothing to apologize for.”

Religious conservatives who typically back Trump condemned the image. Brilyn Hollyhand called it “gross blasphemy,” and Riley Gaines said Trump should show humility. Bishop Robert Barron urged an apology for Trump’s “inappropriate” social‑media statements but praised other outreach to Catholics. Fordham’s David Gibson called the episode a potential “watershed moment” for Catholic voters.

The painting‑style image showed Trump in a white robe placing a hand over a prone man’s head, holding a glowing orb, with the Statue of Liberty, fireworks, a fighter jet and eagles in the background. Sirius‑like depictions and the post were removed by Monday.

The incident risks straining Trump’s ties with the religious right, a key segment of his 2024 coalition. Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, has publicly criticized the war in Iran and said he would continue speaking out; his recent Algiers speech condemned “neocolonial” powers without naming the U.S. Regulators of political and religious reaction note the episode follows earlier clashes between Trump and Pope Francis, and could influence Catholic voter sentiment ahead.

Radio History: April 14

 

➦In 1912...Two young wireless radio operators at Cape Race, Newfoundland, Robert Hunston and James Goodwin heard the first distress call from the luxury liner RMS Titanic, en route to New York south of the Grand Banks. An iceberg had grazed the ship’s side, popping iron rivets and shearing off a fatal number of hull plates below the waterline. The great ship, on its maiden voyage, sank just under three hours later. 1,517 passengers were lost at sea.

➦In 1925...The first regular-season Chicago Cubs game was broadcast on radio by WGN, with Quin Ryan as the caller. The Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 at Wrigley Field, marking an early milestone in sports broadcasting.

➦In 1930...Robert Ripley overcame his shyness and a stutter to host the first of his Believe It Or Not radio programs on NBC, about strange and freakish facts.  The show would intrigue listeners on various networks for the next 18 years.

➦In 1942...Detroit radio priest, Father Charles E. Coughlin was censured for anti-Semitism.  U-S Attorney General Francis Biddle wrote a letter to the Postmaster General, Frank Walker, and suggested revoking the second-class mailing privilege of the publication Social Justice, which would make it impossible for Coughlin to deliver newspaper to his readers.

Fox Nation Launching Season2 of Greg Gutfeld 'What Did I Miss?'

FOX Nation is back with season two of Greg Gutfeld’s What Did I Miss?, announced Lauren Petterson, president of the streaming service. Helmed by Greg Gutfeld, host of the eponymous late night success Gutfeld! and co-host of the most-watched program in cable news The Five, the first episode of this three-episode series is set to release on April 27th. Episode two will follow on May 4th with episode three debuting on May 11th. A first look is available here.

In making the announcement, Petterson said, “If season one proved anything, it’s that real life can be more unbelievable than the wildest of tales. We are thrilled to offer FOX Nation subscribers exclusive access to the second season of What Did I Miss? as our very own king of late-night Greg Gutfeld returns to test the contestants on what they missed in isolation.”

Gutfeld added, “Against all logic, people volunteered to do this crazy game show again. And the only thing standing between them and victory is me.”

After Thanksgiving, five contestants, including Raymond Borizki from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Nancy Hornback from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, Victor Hugo from Freeport, Florida, and Devika Seth from Southlake, Texas as well as returning season one contestant Sunny Mujovic from Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, packed their bags and headed to upstate New York where they spent three months in total isolation. 

Mirroring season one, contestants were cut off from phones, internet, television, social media along with all communication with friends and family, completely disconnected from the outside world.

Upon re-entering society after Valentine’s Day, the contestants were welcomed with Gutfeld’s quiz on what happened in the world during their seclusion. As the contestants competed against one another for a prize of $50,000, their intuitions were faced with the challenge of determining which news headlines were real and which were made up.