Radio News Recap For The Week of October 21-30, 2026

➤FCC and Regulatory Developments

🗼FCC Chair Brendan Carr warned broadcasters against airing what he called “entirely Fake Polls and Suppression Polls” designed to interfere with the electoral process ahead of the midterms. In an October 21 X post, he advised stations to avoid “News Distortions or Broadcast Hoaxes” under FCC rules, without naming specific polls (one fabricated example, Wedgewood Polls, had recently admitted to publishing fake data as an “experiment”). Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez publicly disagreed, stating that good-faith reporting of available polls does not trigger news-distortion or hoax rules. The warning drew criticism as potential overreach into content ahead of the elections.⁠

🗼In related First Amendment tensions, Gomez wrote to NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt urging a stronger industry response to perceived FCC pressure on election coverage. LeGeyt replied that the NAB appreciates her recognition of local broadcasters’ value and will continue collaborating with her and other policymakers to protect First Amendment rights and strengthen stations’ ability to deliver trusted news.⁠

🗼Republicans (including the RNC and Texas Republican Party) filed a new lawsuit challenging the FCC’s longstanding “lowest unit charge” (LUC) rules for political ads. The suit argues that limiting discounted rates primarily to candidates (rather than parties or joint fundraising committees) is a First Amendment burden, especially after recent Supreme Court developments on coordinated spending. This follows earlier 2026 litigation in which the 4th Circuit set aside FCC guidance extending LUC more broadly, with the Supreme Court later issuing a stay that reinstated aspects of the guidance for the current cycle. The dispute affects ad pricing for radio and TV during the election window.⁠

🗼The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (House-passed H.R. 979; Senate companion S. 315 with 60+ bipartisan cosponsors) remained stalled in the Senate before the midterms. Automaker opponents spent roughly $6.3 million in Q3 lobbying; Senate floor action was deferred amid the pre-election recess, with options including unanimous consent or attachment to year-end legislation still under discussion.

➤Programming, Personnel, and Market Moves

🗼SummitMedia named Matt “Brodie” Lesley Brand Manager for its Knoxville cluster (Classic Rock 93.1 WNOX, Country 100.3 The Wolf WCYQ, Star 102.1 WWST, and Hot 104.5 WKHT). He will also host middays on WCYQ. Lesley previously programmed and hosted at iHeartMedia stations in Columbia and Myrtle Beach.⁠

🗼In Kansas City, Audacy’s Country 106.5 The Wolf (WDAF) added the syndicated “Mo & StyckMan” show for weekday afternoon drive (3–7 p.m. CT) starting November 2. The duo (based in Chattanooga) already airs in other markets and hosts Audacy’s national overnight “3rd Shift Country.” They succeed Nick Russo in the daypart.⁠

🗼In Buffalo, Radio One Buffalo’s WUSW (1270 AM, with translators) flipped from Conservative Talk (“The Patriot”) to Classic Country as “US Country — Buffalo’s Country Favorites.” The format focuses on ’80s–early 2000s hits (Garth Brooks, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, etc.). Local talent includes owner Buddy Shula, with market veteran Liz Mantel joining mornings in December.⁠

🗼The FCC cleared the $20 million sale of Audacy’s six-station St. Louis cluster (including heritage KMOX-AM/FM, 97.1 FM Talk, Y98, KEZK, 96.3 The Lou, and Hot 98.7) to Hoffmann Media Group (Hoffmann Family of Companies / Lee Enterprises interests). The Audio Division dismissed an objection raising consolidation and editorial-independence concerns, clearing the first radio holdings for the buyer.⁠

➤SiriusXM / Audacy Business

🗼Audacy’s local sports stations (launched on SiriusXM in early September) have performed strongly. The 24 channels would rank as the third-largest sports destination on the platform by listeners (behind only NFL Radio and ESPN Radio), with more than 80% of listening occurring outside the stations’ home markets. CEO Jennifer Witz cited the content as enhancing subscription value.⁠

🗼SiriusXM unveiled its 2026 holiday music lineup of 25 handcrafted seasonal channels (up from 23), launching November 2. Highlights include Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Radio, Hallmark Radio, Trans-Siberian Orchestra Radio, Mannheim Steamroller, Country Christmas, and others, available in-car and/or on the app through late December or early January.⁠

🗼In Q3 results (released around October 29), SiriusXM revenue was about $2.153 billion (slightly down year-over-year), with net income up 7% to $317 million and adjusted EBITDA up 3% to $694 million. Self-pay subscribers increased by 5,000, holding the total near 33 million with steady/flat trends and 1.5% monthly churn. The company raised full-year guidance.⁠

➤Research and Legal Notes

🗼Edison Research’s Q3 2026 Share of Ear study found AM/FM radio (including streams) remains the top in-car audio source even among EV drivers and riders (42% of in-car time vs. 53% for the total 13+ population). Streaming music was second among EV users (22%), with SiriusXM and podcasts also gaining share relative to the broader population. The car accounts for over a quarter of daily audio time overall.⁠

🗼The U.S. Supreme Court scheduled Nielsen’s petition for a November 13 conference in its antitrust dispute with Cumulus. Cumulus challenged Nielsen’s policy tying national radio audience data to purchases of local data as an illegal tying arrangement under the Sherman Act. Lower courts (SDNY preliminary injunction upheld by the 2nd Circuit) sided with Cumulus.⁠

🎵A Los Angeles probate court advanced Universal Music Group’s claim regarding physical ownership of a rare 1962 Beatles demo tape (recorded June 6 at EMI Studios/Abbey Road with Pete Best on drums; songs include “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You”). A judge ruled UMG/Calderstone has standing to pursue a conversion claim against the estate of engineer Geoff Emerick (who died in 2018). The estate maintains the tape was rescued from disposal; a January 2027 trial is expected. The parties agree UMG holds the music copyrights.⁠

🗼Twitch streamer Hasan Piker filed a $72.5 million defamation lawsuit ($27.5 million compensatory + $45 million punitive) against CNN contributor and radio/podcast host Scott Jennings in D.C. federal court. Piker alleges Jennings aired a manipulated/edited montage from 2024 livestreams on “The Scott Jennings Show” that falsely portrayed Piker as calling for the lynching of Black Americans (claims involving sarcasm directed at another commentator’s remarks).⁠

🕇In Memoriam

• Jerome “YoJ” Ronquillo, longtime KRBE Houston personality and most recently production director (career at the station since 1994), died at 57 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Colleagues and the station remembered him as charismatic, humorous, and deeply connected to Houston.⁠
• Bud (Wellington Oliver) Sawyer, longtime Portland, Maine personality whose career spanned roughly five decades (including WGAN and WPOR), died at 94 on October 27. He was inducted into the Maine Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and remembered for kindness and local connection.⁠
• Norman Feuer, veteran radio executive (roles at Viacom Radio, Noble Broadcast Group, Triathlon Broadcasting, and others; instrumental in transforming WKHK into WLTW in New York), died at 88 on October 19 after a battle with dementia.⁠
• David Moulton, Southwest Florida sportscaster, co-host of “Miller and Moulton,” voice of FGCU athletics, columnist, and longtime NFL/MNF spotter (including work with Troy Aikman), died at 60 after a six-year battle with renal cell cancer.⁠
• Donnie Iris (Dominic Ierace), Pittsburgh-area singer-songwriter known for “Ah! Leah!,” “Love Is Like a Rock,” and earlier work with The Jaggerz (“The Rapper”) and Wild Cherry, died at 83 on October 26 after a battle with bladder cancer. He had recently announced his retirement from live performance.⁠

➤Look Ahead: Radio Industry Events

• The Avant Radio Fest (November 13–15 in Jersey City, NJ, focused on experimental and community radio with WFMU and others)
• The SMPTE Media Technology Summit (November 16–19 in Pasadena)
• WorldDAB events (mid-November in Vienna),
• Radio TechCon (November 23 in London). 
• Post-midterm Senate activity on the AM Radio Act and continued Q4 earnings/programming shifts are also expected to shape the next few weeks. Midterm election coverage and political advertising remain high-priority operational focuses for stations through early November.⁠

Radio History: Nov 1

Grantland Rice

➦In 1880...Sportswriter Grantland Rice was born in Murfreesboro Tennessee.  He was with the NY Herald Tribune when he was pressed into service as a broadcaster; he was at the mike for the first World Series game which aired on  KDKA in 1921 and the first complete World Series WJZ in 1922. He died July 13, 1954 at age 73.

➦In 1894…Billboard Advertising, a 10-cent trade publication dealing with billboard advertising, began publication. After a few years, it started to focus on the entertainment shows advertised by billboards, and by the 1930s Billboard, as it came to be known, was covering radio and sales of a new medium, juke box records.

➦In 1922...KHJ radio, owned and operated by the Los Angeles Times, made its first broadcast with a new Western Electric 500-watt transmitter on 400 meters, equivalent to 750 kilocycles.  The 2 hour broadcast from 8 to 10 p.m. took place on Wednesday, November 1, 1922, from KHJ's  new $30,000 broadcasting plant, with a new studio and transmitter room.  

During FLA Rally: Trump Rips Into Fox News Channel

President Donald Trump sharply criticized Fox News on Friday for what he called disproportionate airtime given to Democrats, specifically targeting Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) as a frequent guest he labeled a “total dope” and declaring that he was “not happy” with the network’s coverage.

Speaking at a rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, held to boost Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) in her reelection race against Democrat Angie Nixon and Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds against Democrat David Jolly, Trump tied his complaint to his intensive campaign schedule ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections. He said he has been traveling the country for Republican candidates only to return and see their opponents featured on the network.

Trump rips Fox News: "Fox is giving Democrats more time than they give Republicans. I'm working my ass off. I'm doing rallies. And I come back and watch the opponent of the person I did the rally for." https://t.co/0xeRVFw4vW

— TheBlaze (@theblaze) October 31, 2026

“I watched this total dope — Ro Khanna — Fox puts him on all the time,” Trump told the crowd. “You know, Fox is giving Democrats more time than they give Republicans. I don’t know what the hell’s—” He continued, “I’m working my a** off. I’m doing rallies, and I come back, and I watch the opponent of the person I did the rally for. I’m not happy.”

Earlier Friday, Khanna had appeared on Fox & Friends with co-host Ainsley Earhardt. The two discussed the war in Iran, potential impeachment proceedings against Trump, progressive policy priorities, and allegations involving Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). The exchange stayed cordial; Khanna opened by congratulating Earhardt on her recent marriage to fellow Fox News host Sean Hannity.

Buck-Aikman: It's Not Only About The Money

Troy Aikman’s personality and clashes with Joe Buck, not only money, are driving tensions that could end their Monday Night Football partnership, according to a Friday report by The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.

ESPN executives have observed friction between the longtime duo over the past four years. Aikman, described as aloof and verbally abusive toward staff, has contributed to the turnover of five producers and directors before the current team of Steve Ackles and Artie Kempner settled in. Sources said Aikman’s demands for specific replays created untenable conditions for the production crew.

The strain surfaced in a heated argument before the Oct. 12 Bills-Rams game. Aikman, who believed Buck was behind the frequent staff changes, told him, “I just never thought you’d do it to me.” Buck replied, “They got rid of them because you were screaming at them,” Front Office Sports reported.

Contract disparities have compounded the issues. Buck recently signed a six-year, $108 million deal. Aikman’s five-year, $90 million contract with ESPN/ABC/Disney, signed in 2022, expires after the Super Bowl broadcast on Feb. 14, 2027. Aikman sought $30 million annually, citing Tom Brady’s $37.5 million Fox deal, but ESPN rejected it. He later requested an 18 percent raise matching Buck’s, which would have amounted to roughly $127.5 million over six years. ESPN has deferred further talks until after the Super Bowl.

Aikman signed his original MNF deal without confirmation that Buck, his Fox Sports booth partner of 20 years, would join him.

The Time Has Come: Shifting Daylight

Millions of Americans will turn their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, as daylight saving time ends for 2026. The change returns most of the country to standard time and gives people an extra hour overnight.

The shift moves daylight earlier in the morning and brings sunset earlier in the evening. In Boston, for example, sunrise is expected at 6:17 a.m. Sunday, compared with 7:16 a.m. Saturday; sunset will be at 4:37 p.m., down from 5:39 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Boston Radio: Cumulus Brings ZoneCasting™ to 104.5 XLO

• Among the First U.S. Radio Stations to Adopt the Technology
• 104.5 XLO Will Offer Advertisers New Geographic Targeting Capabilities

Cumulus Media today announced plans to introduce ZoneCasting™ technology on Boston's 104.5 XLO (WXLO-FM) in partnership with Aktira, positioning the station among the first in the country to offer advertisers the ability to deliver different commercials simultaneously to listeners in distinct geographic areas within the same radio market. 

The technology is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2027.

Unlike traditional FM broadcasting, where all listeners hear the same commercial regardless of location, ZoneCasting™ will allow 104.5 XLO to deliver geographically targeted advertising to listeners in a designated zone east of Route 128, while audiences outside that zone continue to receive the station's primary broadcast. This gives advertisers greater flexibility to reach consumers in specific areas of Greater Boston without sacrificing the broad reach and impact of FM radio.

For local, regional and national businesses, the technology opens new opportunities to deliver messages that are more relevant to where consumers live, work, shop, and travel. 

A retailer, for example, could promote a location or offer specifically to listeners east of Route 128 while a different commercial airs at the same time elsewhere. The initiative also complements Cumulus Media's use of Xperi's DTS AutoStage platform, which provides near-real-time insights into in-car radio listening. Together, these technologies create new opportunities for advertisers to better understand where audiences are listening and deliver more relevant messages to consumers throughout the market.

Manosphere Influencers Chill On Politics

Joe Rogan helped define 2024 as the “podcast election.” But two years later, some of its biggest players have receded from politics or soured on President Donald Trump.

Manosphere influencers including Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, Andrew Tate, and Joe Rogan have lost substantial approval among young men, according to new polling, reflecting broader disillusionment among the group.

Data from the Speaking With American Men Project (SAM), published by Puck and based on tracking of 2,000 young American men aged 16 to 29, shows Joe Rogan down 11 points to 42% approval, Elon Musk down 14 points to 37%, and Tucker Carlson down 8 points to 24%. Andrew Tate, arrested this year on sexual assault allegations, holds a -30 approval rating among the same cohort. The figures mark a notable contraction for figures long associated with large young male audiences.

The declines are part of a wider pattern in which many young people’s political views appear more reactive than principled. Disillusioned young men of various political leanings have sought influencers who acknowledged their concerns without condescension, ranging from figures on the far left such as Hasan Piker to those on the far right such as Nick Fuentes. These voices offered a consistent message of recognition and potential solutions.

Comcast Cuts 634 Jobs At HQs As 'Transitioning' Commences

Comcast is cutting 634 jobs at its Philadelphia headquarters as part of a companywide restructuring aimed at reducing costs and accelerating investment in artificial intelligence. The layoffs are scheduled to begin Dec. 31, and the company has started notifying affected employees.

The company also reported cuts of 119 jobs in New Jersey, 159 in Washington state and 82 in California. At the same time, Comcast plans to hire for more than 1,100 positions, including more than 500 in Philadelphia, according to notices filed with regulators.

Comcast said the changes are intended to make the company more agile, improve customer service and strengthen its ability to compete. The company employs about 179,000 people worldwide, including 15,000 in the Philadelphia area.

The layoffs have affected workers in roles ranging from engineering and product management to information technology and business analysis. Some employees described a tense atmosphere at the company’s Center City headquarters, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Appeals Court Upholds That NFL Overcharged For Sunday Ticket

A federal appeals court on Friday reinstated a jury’s finding that the NFL overcharged Sunday Ticket subscribers in violation of antitrust law and ordered a new trial on damages, overturning a lower court judge who had thrown out a $4.7 billion verdict.⁠

Reuters reports the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez erred in 2024 by excluding key expert testimony from the plaintiffs and granting judgment as a matter of law to the NFL after a Los Angeles jury trial. The three-judge panel held that the jury’s liability verdict should stand because “a jury verdict must stand unless it is clearly not supported by the evidence,” but it affirmed the judge’s separate conclusion that the damages award was improper.⁠

In June 2024, the jury awarded roughly $4.6 billion to about 2.4 million residential subscribers and $96.9 million to roughly 48,000 commercial subscribers such as bars and restaurants. Those damages covered DirecTV Sunday Ticket packages of out-of-market NFL games from the 2011 through 2022 seasons. Under federal antitrust law, successful damages awards are automatically trebled, which would have pushed the total near $14 billion.

NFL On TV: Here's Why CBS and Fox Alternate Sunday Doubleheaders

CBS and Fox take turns airing Sunday afternoon doubleheaders to balance NFL coverage across local markets. League rules limit each network to no more than two games in a market on a given Sunday, so one network typically carries two games while the other broadcasts one. The following week, the arrangement usually switches.

Since 1998, CBS has generally carried games featuring an AFC road team, while Fox has typically shown games featuring an NFC road team. But the NFL’s 2014 television agreements introduced “cross-flexing,” which lets the league move games between the networks regardless of conference. That flexibility helps balance early-afternoon matchups and place more appealing games in the 4:25 p.m. national window.

Class Action Suit Showcases Beef With McDonald's

A federal judge ruled Friday that McDonald’s must face parts of a proposed class action alleging that the company misled customers about the meat in its McRib sandwich.

U.S. District Judge April Perry allowed consumer deception, fraud, and unjust enrichment claims to proceed while dismissing five other claims without prejudice. The ruling does not determine that McDonald’s engaged in deceptive advertising.

Atlanta Radio: Bert Weiss Launches Two Podcasts

Former “The Bert Show” hosts Bert Weiss and Kristin Klingshirn are moving into podcasting, launching separate programs through digital media company Pionaire. Weiss’s travel show, “Trip Happens with Bert Weiss and Amanda Weiss,” debuted Oct. 29, while Klingshirn’s daily talk show, “Barely Functioning with Kristin Klingshirn,” is set to launch Monday, Nov. 2.

R.I.P.: Jerome 'YoJ' Ronquillo, Former KRBE Personality

Jerome “YoJ” Ronquillo, a longtime Houston radio personality and KRBE production director, died Thursday at 57. The station announced his death Friday but did not disclose a cause.

Ronquillo joined 104.1 KRBE in 1994 and spent more than three decades at the station, working in several roles. His voice reached Houston listeners through on-air shifts, club broadcasts and commercials. KRBE described him as “one of the most spectacular, charismatic, and hilarious people that walked our radio station hallways.”