Canadian Radio: Rogers Shutters Six Stations

Rogers Sports and Media has shut down six radio stations across four Canadian cities, affecting about 80 employees as part of a broader cut of 230 positions.

The closures, which took effect Tuesday, July 7, 2026, include:

• Vancouver: Sportsnet 650 (CISL-AM), the city's last remaining all-sports station, and 1130 NewsRadio (CKWX-AM).
• Calgary: Sportsnet 960 (CFAC-AM) and 660 NewsRadio (CFFR-AM).
• Halifax: NewsRadio 95.7 (CJNI-FM).
• Kitchener: 570 NewsRadio (CKGL-AM).

Rogers Sports & Media cited declining audience numbers and advertising revenue after a thorough review of its radio operations. A company spokesperson described the move as a “difficult but necessary decision,” while noting that it will continue to operate 44 radio stations in nearly 30 communities and invest in local news in the affected markets.

Despite Soccer Loss: Fox, Telemundo Set Ratings Record

Fox’s English-language telecast of the United States’ Round of 16 match against Belgium drew an average of 30 million viewers on Monday night setting a new record for the most-watched soccer broadcast in U.S. history. Another 12 million viewers tuned into the Spanish-language broadcast on Comcast’s Telemundo and Peacock streaming service. 

The lopsided 4-1 loss to Belgium at Lumen Field in Seattle eliminated the U.S. Men’s National Team from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending American hopes for a deep home-tournament run despite strong group-stage momentum. Early Nielsen data showed the Fox broadcast peaking at nearly 37 million viewers, surpassing the previous English-language record set by the U.S. victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina (final average of 26.4 million on Fox). 

Belgium dominated early and often, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring twice and assisting another goal, while Romelu Lukaku added the fourth. The U.S. managed one goal in a match that exposed defensive vulnerabilities and left fans and analysts calling the performance a major letdown. 

WSJ Graphic

The record audience underscores surging U.S. interest in soccer during the home World Cup, with Fox and partners seeing massive engagement as the tournament advances into knockout stages. This figure ranks among the decade’s biggest U.S. sports broadcasts outside the NFL. 

Despite the on-field exit, the high viewership highlights growing popularity of the sport and the USMNT’s ability to captivate national attention even in defeat.

Streaming Giants Explore Bidding For FIFA World Cups

Streaming giants Netflix, Disney, and YouTube are actively exploring bids to challenge Fox for U.S. broadcast rights to the 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cups, with the package potentially valued at $1.5 billion to $2 billion per tournament. 

This marks a significant escalation from Fox's current $485 million deal for English-language rights to the 2026 tournament. 

FIFA plans to sell the English- and Spanish-language U.S. rights as a single combined package for the next cycle, which is expected to drive up the price substantially due to the larger audience potential. 

Amazon and Apple are also viewed as potential bidders, setting the stage for a competitive auction that could reshape how the world's biggest soccer event reaches American viewers. Bidding discussions are anticipated to begin within the next three months.

Major media companies see the World Cup as a premium live-sports asset capable of driving subscriber growth, retention, and engagement on streaming platforms. Netflix has already secured U.S. and Canadian rights to the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups, signaling its growing appetite for soccer. Disney brings its ESPN infrastructure, while YouTube leverages its existing FIFA partnership through 2026.

Disney Claims FCC Wants To Edit TV, While Ignoring Radio

Backed by more than 77,000 public comments, the majority in its favor, ABC filed its formal reply with the FCC on Tuesday, arguing that the agency’s investigation into “The View” threatens editorial independence and violates the network’s First Amendment rights.

The broadcaster reiterated its position in the long-running proceeding, urging the FCC to issue a declaratory ruling confirming that the daytime talk show qualifies as a “bona fide” news program exempt from the equal time rule for political candidates. 

ABC stressed it did not initiate the action and accused the commission of overreach.“ABC did not come to the Federal Communications Commission asking for anything,” the filing stated. “The Commission compelled ABC to file the Petition for Declaratory Ruling at issue here, directing the network to explain why the government should not dictate which political candidates may appear on ‘The View’ — even though the Commission itself resolved that very question in ABC’s favor more than two decades ago, ruling in 2002 that ‘The View’ is a bona fide news program not subject to the equal opportunities requirement.”

The network warned that government intervention in editorial decisions sets a dangerous precedent.

Right-Wing Groups Urge FCC to Deny Disney-Owned Renewals

Conservative organizations have escalated their campaign against ABC by filing formal petitions with the FCC, urging regulators to reject license renewals for eight Disney-owned television stations over allegations of political bias and failure to serve the public interest.

The filings target stations in major markets and exploit the FCC’s early renewal process. Petitioners accuse ABC of systemic left-leaning bias in its news coverage, corporate practices that include explicit racial and gender discrimination, and overly accommodating relationships with the Chinese Communist Party.

In a statement accompanying the petitions, FCC watchdog and conservative activist Tim Passantino said: "The filings accused ABC of not operating 'in the public interest' in part because 'ABC engages in explicit racial and gender discrimination,' and 'cozies up to the Communist Chinese Party and airbrushes over religious and ethnic cleansing.'"

The petitions represent an aggressive push by right-wing groups to leverage existing FCC scrutiny of ABC into concrete license challenges. Under FCC rules, broadcast licenses must be renewed periodically, with stations required to demonstrate they operate in the public interest. Opponents argue ABC has fallen short through partisan reporting, ideological corporate policies, and editorial decisions that favor certain viewpoints.

WPIX-11 Operations Disrupted By Unstable Building

Nexstar Media Group evacuated its WPIX and NewsNation studios in New York City on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, after a nearby building under construction began experiencing major structural issues, including partial floor collapses.

Just before 8 a.m. ET, the New York City Fire Department responded to reports of bricks falling from 235 East 42nd Street, directly across from the News Building (220 East 42nd Street / 11 PIX Plaza) where WPIX and NewsNation operate. 

Floors 21 through 26 of the 235 East 42nd Street building — a former Pfizer headquarters now being converted into residential units with added floors — partially collapsed. The structure, originally 33 stories, was slated to reach 38 stories upon completion. 

No injuries have been reported. 

As a precaution, authorities evacuated the WPIX/NewsNation building along with nearby addresses, including a school with about 400 children. Portions of 2nd Avenue, 42nd Street, and 43rd Street were closed while crews worked to secure the area. 

WPIX shifted to street-side anchoring and provided continuous live coverage. Its 4 p.m. newscast aired from the street with full graphics. 

NewsNation correspondent Jessica Kartalija reported from the scene, with Kellie Meyer anchoring from Washington, D.C. The network’s “NewsNation Live with Connell McShane” (normally 3–6 p.m. ET from New York) was anchored by Hena Doba on Monday; McShane’s status for the week was unclear. 

Much of NewsNation’s morning and dayside programming originates from its Chicago studios, which it shares with WGN. 

The network’s master control has operated from Chicago since launch. Like most broadcasters, WPIX and NewsNation maintain backup systems allowing production and control operations from alternate locations. 

It remains unclear when staff will be able to return to the 220 East 42nd Street building. Earlier newscasts on Tuesday were produced in-studio before the full evacuation.

John Clay Wolfe Celebrates 20 Years on Radio with New iHM Deal

John Clay

After 20 years on the air, John Clay Wolfe is expanding his national reach through a new multiyear agreement with iHeartMedia. Beginning July 11, the John Clay Wolfe Show will be heard on 116 iHeartMedia radio stations across the United States including WAXQ-FM in New York, KYSR-FM in Los Angeles, KOSF-FM in San Francisco, and KZPS-FM in Dallas. 

The deal more than doubles the show’s distribution from its previous 55 stations, significantly broadening its footprint and audience. The four-hour Saturday morning program will also continue its live, interactive simulcast on YouTube.

Marking one of the show’s first major broadcasts following the expanded nationwide rollout, the John Clay Wolfe Show will broadcast live Saturday, July 25, from Jay Leno’s Garage, with special guest, Jay Leno.

“For 20 years we’ve never tried to fit into a radio format,” said Wolfe. “We’ve simply tried to make people laugh. The cars brought people to the show, but the stories, characters, the guests and the friendships are what kept them coming back every Saturday. We’re grateful to everyone who’s been part of the journey and excited to welcome a whole new audience.”

Blending automotive expertise with high-energy entertainment, the John Clay Wolfe Show delivers a dynamic mix of real-time car buying, listener call-ins, behind-the-scenes stories, and irreverent humor. Each week, Wolfe offers sharp insights into vehicle values and market trends while interacting directly with listeners, regularly purchasing cars live on-air. The show’s distinctive format combines practical advice, spontaneous moments, and comedic banter, creating an engaging, “Saturday morning for adults” experience that resonates with both dedicated car enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.

"John Clay Wolfe has built one of the most entertaining and engaging programs in radio, and we're excited to expand his reach across our platform,” said Eddie Martiny, Division President for iHeartMedia. “Growing The John Clay Wolfe Show to nearly 120 iHeart stations is a testament to the strength of the show and our shared commitment to delivering compelling, relevant programming to our listeners. We're proud to partner with John and look forward to continuing this incredible growth together."

Good Day! Here's The Pulse Briefing for Wednesday, July 8

Radio Broadcasting

FCC Pushes Back: On Disney Claims: Disney Claims FCC Wants To Edit TV, While Ignoring Radio.Backed by more than 77,000 public comments, the majority in its favor, ABC filed its formal reply with the FCC on Tuesday, arguing that the agency’s investigation into “The View” threatens editorial independence and violates the network’s First Amendment rights.

CRB To Honor Lon Helton: Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has named legendary broadcaster Lon Helton as the recipient of the 2026 CRB President’s Award.

Rogers Pulls Plug On Stations: Rogers Sports and Media has shut down six radio stations across four Canadian cities, affecting about 80 employees as part of a broader cut of 230 positions.

Fox News Media Prioritizes YouTube For Content Distribution

Fox News is quietly dominating YouTube with more than 1.1 billion video views in the second quarter of 2026 and an estimated $1.1 million in monthly ad revenue, while rival cable and broadcast networks largely treat the platform as an afterthought.

Fox News Channel alone generated 1.1 billion YouTube views during Q2 (April–June 2026), according to Emplifi data released by the network. This performance marked its seventh consecutive quarter as the top news brand on the platform. Fox News Media’s full portfolio, including Fox Business, reached 1.4 billion total views for the quarter.

Year-to-date through mid-2026, Fox News Media has accumulated 3.3 billion YouTube views, with the flagship channel responsible for 2.5 billion. Fox News far outpaced its rivals in Q2:

• 
  MS NOW (MSNBC): 763 million views
• CNN: 511 million views
• ABC News: 337 million views
• NBC News: 310 million views
• CBS News: 136 million views

Fox News Channel’s quarterly total exceeded the combined views of ABC, NBC, and CBS. In June alone, Fox posted 270 million views compared to MS NOW’s 245 million.

CRB To Honor Country Veteran Lon Helton

Lon Helton

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has named legendary broadcaster Lon Helton as the recipient of the 2026 CRB President’s Award.

The award recognizes individuals whose dedication and leadership have significantly shaped the Country Radio Seminar (CRS) and advanced the mission of country radio. “Few people in this industry have given more to country radio than Lon Helton,” said CRB/CRS Board President Kurt Johnson.

“This recognition has never been more earned, or more obvious. Presenting this award to Lon is one of the privileges of my career.” 

Helton, a respected voice in country radio for more than 50 years, has worked as a broadcaster, journalist, mentor, and industry leader. His career started in Illinois and led to major stations in Denver, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Since 1984, he has hosted nationally syndicated programs, including the long-running Country Countdown USA, which he launched in 1992 and continues to host today. 

Radio History: July 8

➦In 1954…Memphis' leading Top40 station of the day earned a historical first when personality Dewey Phillips, played a recording of "That's Alright Mama" by Elvis Presley, a young truck driver and budding musician, marking the first time an Elvis recording was broadcast on the radio.  Phillips played the song a total of 14-times based on strong listener reaction. 

Phillips started his radio career in 1949 on WHBQ, and was the city's leading radio personality for nine years and was the first to simulcast his "Red, Hot & Blue" show on radio and television.

Phillips' on-air persona was a speed-crazed hillbilly, with a frantic delivery and entertaining sense of humor. However, he also had a keen ear for music the listening public would enjoy, and he aired both black and white music, which was abundant in post-World War II Memphis, a booming river city which attracted large numbers of rural blacks and whites (along with their musical traditions). He played a great deal of rhythm and blues, country music, boogie-woogie, and jazz as well as Sun Records artists.

Phillips briefly hosted an afternoon program on WHBQ-TV/13 in the mid-1950s. It mostly consisted of Phillips playing records while he and others clowned around in front of the camera.

Though Phillips was not involved in the payola scandals of the time, he was fired in late 1958 when the station adopted a Top 40 format, phasing out his freeform style. He spent the last decade of his life working at smaller radio stations, seldom lasting long. A heavy drinker and longtime drug user (mainly painkillers and amphetamines, which contributed to his manic on-air behavior), Phillips died of heart failure at age 42.

➦In 1957...Radio Personality Herb Oscar Anderson debuted at 77 WABC (first time, before station flipped to Top40.)

➦In 1960...Storer Broadcasting Company purchased 1010 WINS radio in New York City for $10 million.

Study: News Talk Delivers Unmatched Loyalty And Trust

Audacy Media's new research reveals that News-Talk radio stands as the dominant format in both broadcast and streaming, delivering unmatched audience loyalty, trust, and advertising results that challenge outdated assumptions about where marketers can capture genuine attention today.

News-Talk now ranks as the No. 1 radio format overall, commanding 22% of all AM/FM station streaming — nearly three times the share of the next closest format. At the same time, one in four Americans identifies as a “News Fanatic,” checking news five or more times daily and actively seeking deeper context beyond headlines. These engaged listeners represent a highly valuable opportunity for brands.

Stronger Loyalty and Trust