The FCC has released a draft Report and Order for tentative consideration at its Open Commission Meeting on March 26, proposing significant updates to broadcast rules that would reduce regulatory burdens on U.S. radio and television stations.
The draft, circulated publicly on Thursday, in MB Docket No. 24-626 aims to modernize regulations in Parts 1, 73, 74, and 76 of the FCC's rules. These changes align the rules with current Media Bureau application processing practices, clarify ambiguous provisions, harmonize inconsistent language, and eliminate references to outdated procedures and legacy systems (such as the old Consolidated Database System, or CDBS).
Key proposed changes directly affecting radio broadcasters (including AM, FM, LPFM, and translators) include:
The Trump administration on Thursday accused CNN of disseminating "pro-Iran regime propaganda" following a report from the network's correspondent in Tehran, who described scenes of relative calm and normal daily life continuing amid the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.
Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson led the criticism, posting on X (formerly Twitter) that "CNN appears to now be doing straight up pro-Iran regime propaganda because someone gave this guy a coffee."
The remark referenced a viral clip of CNN reporter Frederik Pleitgen reporting from Iran, where he was seen holding a coffee while noting increased security checkpoints and armed personnel on roads leading to the capital—but no widespread panic or collapse of order.
CNN's Frederik Pleitgen encounters more checkpoints than usual and armed personnel on the road to Iran's capital, but sees no signs of panic.
Shops are open and stocked, and gas appears readily available with no long lines.
In the CNN segment that drew ire, Pleitgen reported driving toward Tehran and observing that, despite heavier-than-usual security measures, "things are going on, and we certainly don't see any sign of order collapsing here."
Sean Brace is returning full-time to the station, reuniting with his former co-host Jon Marks to co-host Middays with Marks. The duo will air weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting Monday. The announcement came during Friday's show, where Marks dramatically revealed Brace as the permanent co-host, complete with a fun David Hasselhoff bit for flair.
Brace had been appearing part-time in the slot since Jon Marks returned to the Fanatic last fall, following a rotating cast of co-hosts that included familiar names like Harry Mayes and Jason Myrtetus.
This marks a full-circle moment for the pair, who previously teamed up on the Jon & Sean Show at 97.5 The Fanatic from 2013 to 2015 during what many consider one of the station's strongest eras—back when the lineup featured national morning shows like Mike and Mike, Tony Bruno and Harry Mayes in afternoons, and Mike Missanelli in PM drive.
The Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2026 features a packed schedule of educational sessions, research presentations, artist showcases, networking events, and industry luncheons from March 18–20 at the Omni Nashville Hotel.
The event kicks off with expanded multi-day research and programming to help country radio professionals stay ahead in a competitive landscape.
Key highlights include:
Research Presentations (actionable data for programmers):Wednesday, March 18: NuVoodoo's nationwide music study (400+ song Auditorium Music Test with Curb Records), focusing on fans aged 18–54 across radio and streaming.
Thursday, March 19: Annual Perceptual Study by Strategic Solutions Research.
Friday, March 20: Country Music Association's teen-focused listener research to understand the next generation.
Digital Music Summit (DMS): Integrated across all three days with panels, discussions, networking, and artist spotlights bridging digital platforms, radio, and modern country fans.
NuVoodoo Research delivers actionable insights from a major nationwide Country music study at the Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2026 in Nashville. The presentation happens Friday morning, March 20, right before the crucial spring ratings period begins.
The study draws from 600 Country fans evaluating more than 400 song titles, spanning back to the 1990s. It equips stations of every size with reliable, immediately usable intelligence for smarter playlist and programming choices.
"Reliable research is one of the most valuable tools a programmer can have, but it's not always accessible to everyone," said Justin Chase, Beasley Chief Programming Officer and CRS Research Committee Chair.
"This music test delivers insights programmers can use immediately, helping stations of all sizes make smarter, data-driven decisions."
Leading the in-person session are NuVoodoo Founder Carolyn Gilbert and President/Media Research & Marketing Leigh Jacobs. They express deep thanks to Curb Records and RJ Meacham for sponsoring and enabling this resource for the Country radio community.
Thesession stands out as part of CRS 2026's expanded multi-day research focus (held March 18–20), giving attendees timely, high-value listener and music data to sharpen their competitive edge in a fast-moving format.
The Country Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2026 and key ACM Radio Award winners will be unveiled during CRS Honors on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 2 p.m., kicking off the Country Radio Seminar at the Omni Nashville Hotel.
In partnership with the Academy of Country Music, the ceremony will announce the Station of the Year and On-Air Personality of the Year winners across all market sizes. Parker McCollum joins to help reveal these honorees, following the recent release of ACM Radio Award nominees.
The remaining ACM Radio Award categories will be announced later during the New Faces of Country Music Show on the seminar's final night.
The CRS Digital Music Summit (DMS) 2026 is a key component of the Country Radio Seminar (CRS), an annual industry event focused on country music radio, professionals, artists, and related stakeholders.
CRS 2026 takes place March 18–20, 2026, at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Digital Music Summit is integrated throughout the three-day event (it's the 6th annual edition), rather than a standalone separate summit. It bridges traditional country radio with the digital world, including streaming platforms (DSPs like Spotify/Apple Music), social media, charts, and online music consumption.
The DMS emphasizes forward-thinking discussions on how digital platforms influence and intersect with radio, music discovery, promotion, and fan engagement in modern country music. It includes panels, artist spotlights, networking, and sessions designed to foster collaboration across radio, labels, digital services, and artists.
The New Faces of Country Music Show (often called the New Faces Show) is one of the most anticipated and iconic events at the Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2026, held March 18–20, 2026, at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
This showcase, running for over five decades (since around 1970), highlights emerging country artists who have shown strong momentum and success at country radio during the qualification period (typically November 1 through October 31 of the prior year). It's a sit-down dinner and performance event that spotlights rising stars voted on by the country radio community, serving as a key platform for radio programmers, industry pros, and labels to discover and support the next wave of talent. For 2026, the show has expanded to feature six artists (instead of the usual five), reflecting a strong year of emerging talent and possibly updated criteria that incorporate broader digital and radio success metrics.
2026 New Faces LineupThe performers, announced in early January 2026, are (in alphabetical order):
Get ready to "spring forward" as people throughout the United States lose an hour of sleep in the early morning of Sunday.
Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, March 8. While "smart" devices may change time automatically, don't forget to turn manual clocks an hour ahead, from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Daylight saving time (DST) is designed to provide an extra hour of evening sunlight, and it will stay in effect for eight months until Nov. 1, when daylight saving time ends for the year.
While the Uniform Time Act of 1966 promoted a uniform system of time across the country, it did allow states to choose whether they wanted to participate.
➦In 1876...Patent granted to Alexander Graham Bell for the telephone. Three days later, he and associate Thomas Watson successfully tested their invention. Elisha Gray, Antonio Meucci and Thomas Edison all claimed to have invented the telephone first, and the issue is still a source of controversy.
There has long been a debate over whether Bell was truly the first man to invent the telephone. Bell was presented with more than 600 patent lawsuits, but the courts continually ruled that he was legally the inventor.
There are several controversies about the invention. First is that Bell received a patent before he had a working device, which was unusual. His critics, including Elisha Gray and Thomas Edison—who claimed to have had a working telephone but did not file for a patent—accused Bell’s father-in-law, former Congressman Gardiner G. Hubbard, of persuading the patent office to give Bell his patent over Gray.
➦In 1933... CBS radio debuted its first daytime radio serial, “Marie the Little French Princess”, which had a run of 2.5 years on the air. Marie, The Little French Princess was the first soap opera on CBS radio. It was daily program at daytime. Hilman Brown as producer and director of the serial was one of respected person in radio broadcast. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.
➦In 1938...The St. Louis Dispatch began a two-year experiment delivering newspapers via radio facsimile, with the first transmission sent through station W9XZY. This innovative use of radio waves to transmit printed content showcased the medium’s versatility beyond audio broadcasts.
The Beatles 1963
➦In 1962...The Beatles performed for 52 BBC Radio programs, beginning with an appearance on this date and ending with the special The Beatles Invite You to Take a Ticket to Ride, recorded on 26 May 1965. Forty-seven of their BBC appearances occurred in 1963 and 1964, including 10 on Saturday Club and 15 on their own weekly series Pop Go the Beatles, which began in June 1963. As The Beatles had not accumulated many original songs by this time, the majority of their BBC performances consisted of cover versions, drawing on the repertoire that they had developed for their early stage act.
