Happy Tuesday! Start With The Pulse for Sep 8

Radio Broadcasting

Fewer Laboring In Radio: In 2026 U.S. radio broadcasting saw another wave of job cuts driven by debt, weak advertising, centralization, automation, and for public stations, the lingering effects of lost federal funding. Exact nationwide totals were not published; companies rarely released headcount figures. The pattern was consistent: fewer local on-air voices, more national or automated programming, and repeated reductions at the largest groups. 

Hot Summer for Country: Summer 2026 was a high-water mark for country music’s cultural reach. The genre didn’t just own its own format—it repeatedly occupied the center of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, powered by streaming, radio, and a run of sticky, sing-along singles that traveled far beyond traditional country audiences.

Atlanta's Tigger Off the Hook: Prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against radio personality Big Tigger after his June arrest on with aggravated battery and third-degree cruelty to children charges. 

Media Industry

Carr Talks MTP, Political Rates: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Sunday that President Donald Trump is “over the target” after Trump demanded the agency rebuke or punish NBC’s Kristen Welker for saying his midterm endorsement record was “mixed.”

Pentagon Can Fire Journalists: A federal judge on Friday refused to block the Pentagon from firing three Stars and Stripes journalists who say they were punished for speaking out about the military newspaper’s editorial independence.

Maria Is Gone, Other Changes: Fox News has canceled Maria Bartiromo’s program, ending its relationship with one of cable news’s earliest defining stars and underscoring how the network has changed since the 2020 election.

U-S News

Cargo Plane Hits Van: Accident investigators probing an Amazon cargo flight crash in Miami are looking into a range of causes, including the speed of the aircraft, the weather, and whether an airport safeguard might have helped prevent the tragedy. The Boeing 767 jet, operated by cargo carrier 21 Air, wound up about 1,300 feet beyond the paved runway. The plane tore apart a van carrying seven people for a cleaning service. The plane also hit a Toyota SUV on the highway outside the airport.

Adios New Mexico?: President Trump appeared to suggest on Sunday that New Mexico should be renamed “New America,” prompting swift backlash from the state’s Democratic leaders over his latest effort to put an American stamp on geographic names.

Clean Water Not A Right: The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Constitution does not guarantee a right to clean drinking water, dismissing a lawsuit by Jackson, Mississippi residents who claimed lead‑contaminated water violated their Fourteenth Amendment right to bodily integrity.

FCC Chair Comments On Meet the Press, Political Rates

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Sunday that President Donald Trump is “over the target” after Trump demanded the agency rebuke or punish NBC’s Kristen Welker for saying his midterm endorsement record was “mixed.”

Asked on Fox News’s “The Sunday Briefing” whether the FCC had received Trump’s complaint, Carr did not say a report had arrived. He instead argued that broadcast television is unlike cable and other platforms because stations receive what he called taxpayer-subsidized spectrum and must serve the public interest, “not some sort of narrow, partisan interest.”

“I think President Trump is over the target, and we’re looking at a lot of actions,” Carr said. He added that the FCC may soon issue guidance warning broadcasters not to air “fake polls,” especially if they could suppress turnout this fall.

🚨 NEW: FCC Chair Brendan Carr on President Trump calling for NBC’s Kristen Welker to receive "punishment" for saying he has a mixed record on endorsements: "I think President Trump is over the target, and we are looking at a lot of actions."

PETER DOOCY: “President Trump was… pic.twitter.com/CA1DmXH4sL

— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) September 6, 2026

The dispute began after Welker, on a “Meet the Press” preview Sunday August 30 on NBC’s Washington affiliate, said Trump would “loom large” over the midterms and had endorsed a slate of primary candidates with “some mixed results.”

Norah O'Donnell Returns To 'CBS This Morning'

Norah O’Donnell will return to “CBS Mornings” as co-anchor today, the first move in what CBS News plans as a significant overhaul of the long-struggling program.

CBS News told staffers Thursday that O’Donnell, the former “CBS Evening News” anchor and a full-time “60 Minutes” correspondent, will join Gayle King and Nate Burleson on the morning desk. The show is expected to pick up a faster pace and more live interviews. People familiar with the plans, who were not authorized to speak publicly, said there is also discussion of making it more of a conversation program in the mold of MS NOW’s “Morning Joe.” 

The internal memo announcing her return was written by “CBS Mornings” senior producer Jon Tower, who once worked on that show.

O’Donnell, 52, was part of the co-host team that delivered CBS its strongest morning ratings in three decades. She, King and Charlie Rose launched “CBS This Morning” in 2012 and saw viewership rise for five straight years. Ratings dropped after Rose left in 2017 following sexual harassment allegations.

Country Music Ruled Summer of 2026

Summer 2026 was a high-water mark for country music’s cultural reach. The genre didn’t just own its own format—it repeatedly occupied the center of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, powered by streaming, radio, and a run of sticky, sing-along singles that traveled far beyond traditional country audiences.

The season belonged first to Ella Langley. “Choosin’ Texas” spent the summer locked in as Billboard’s Song of the Summer and piled up historic weeks at No. 1 on both Hot Country Songs and the Hot 100, eventually breaking the record for longest-running non-holiday No. 1. Langley stacked the charts with follow-ups (“Be Her”) and a duet with Morgan Wallen (“I Can’t Love You Anymore”), at one point placing three songs in the Hot 100’s top four. For a stretch, country or country-adjacent records filled the entire Hot 100 top five—an unprecedented snapshot of how thoroughly Nashville product was traveling.

Country radio still did its traditional job even as the pop charts told a bigger story. Taylor Swift’s Toy Story 5 single “I Knew It, I Knew You” became a genuine format event: added everywhere on impact and later reaching No. 1 on Mediabase country radio. Other airplay leaders across the summer included Jason Aldean (“Don’t Tell On Me”), Luke Combs (“Be By You,” “Sleepless in a Hotel Room”), Morgan Wallen (“Don’t We”), Josh Ross, Tucker Wetmore (“Brunette”), and Jelly Roll.

Swifties Get To Hear Taylor On Country Radio

Taylor Swift Visits ACC

Taylor Swift appeared on country radio over the weekend, but she did not announce a new rerecording, “reputation (Taylor’s Version)” or a 13th era.

Instead, her Saturday spots used prerecorded answers about songwriting, “Toy Story 5” and lessons from years in the studio. Hosts posed questions and played Swift’s supplied clips rather than conducting live interviews.

The same audio ran on Nashville’s WSM Radio during “Y’all Access with Kelly Sutton” and the nationally syndicated “American Country Countdown with Ryan Fox.”

Judge Allows Pentagon Dismissal Of Journalists

A federal judge on Friday refused to block the Pentagon from firing three Stars and Stripes journalists who say they were punished for speaking out about the military newspaper’s editorial independence.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ruled that publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and Middle East reporter Lara Korte are unlikely to prove the Defense Department violated their First Amendment rights. He said the outlet’s independence “is not at stake here” and that the journalists had not shown their firings would chill protected speech at the paper.

The three sued last Thursday in Washington, D.C., after the Pentagon, which partially funds Stars and Stripes, moved to dismiss them. Slavin said he was fired for insubordination after a CBS News interview in which he objected to possible military censorship. Korte took part in the same interview. 

Their lawsuit also alleges retaliation for a report on deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Lederer was dismissed shortly after announcing his retirement; he said the Pentagon installed an active-duty deputy publisher under him without his knowledge.

Senator Fetterman Blasts WSJ 'Hit Piece'

Sen. John Fetterman on Sunday dismissed former aides as “a hit piece from disgruntled staffers” pushing “smears,” after they accused him of indifference to Senate work and routinely skipping constituent meetings.

The first-term Pennsylvania Democrat broke his silence after The Wall Street Journal published text messages and cited ex-staffers who said he has grown more interested in courting conservative media than in the duties of a U.S. senator. Fetterman, who did not respond to the Journal’s requests for comment, issued a statement to CNN calling the story “the third hit piece from disgruntled staffers.”

“Per usual — lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous,” he said. “No matter how many smears or stories, I’m proud to continue to deliver for Pennsylvania.”

Fewer Laboring In Radio Broadcasting

In 2026 (through early September), U.S. radio broadcasting saw another wave of job cuts driven by debt, weak advertising, centralization, automation, and for public stations, the lingering effects of lost federal funding. Exact nationwide totals were not published; companies rarely released headcount figures. The pattern was consistent: fewer local on-air voices, more national or automated programming, and repeated reductions at the largest groups. 

CBS News Radio
In March, CBS News announced it would shut down its nearly century-old radio service (founded 1927), which supplied hourly newscasts to about 700 affiliates. The service ended May 22. The move was part of a broader CBS News reduction of more than 60 jobs (about 6% of the newsroom). Every radio-division position was eliminated.

Audacy
In late March and early April the company cut on-air talent and staff while eliminating the local market-manager role in favor of a regional sales-and-oversight structure. Affected markets included Houston (the Frito & Katy morning show), Cleveland, Hartford, Philadelphia, Seattle, and others. The company described the reductions as limited but did not give a number. Audacy had already cut as many as 300 jobs in 2025 after emerging from bankruptcy.

Denver Radio: KIMN-FM Launches New Morning Show

Mix 100 will launch a new weekday wake-up program, “Denver’s Morning Show,” with Nina Blanco and Josh Griesemer on Tuesday, Sept. 8, KSE Media announced, filling the hole left after the station ended its previous morning team last week. 

The Hot AC station, KIMN (100.3 FM), said Blanco will move from afternoon drive to mornings and pair with Griesemer, who remains from the outgoing “Jeremy, Katy & Josh Morning Show.” 

That program aired its final broadcast at the start of the week as management prepared “the next phase of its morning programming strategy.” Jeremy Padgett and Katy Mitchell are leaving Mix 100. Griesemer is staying. “We extend our sincere appreciation to Jeremy, Katy, and Josh for their contributions, their commitment to MIX 100, and the energy they brought to the morning show,” said Joel Clary, senior vice president and general manager of KSE Radio. 

Maria Is Gone, Here's What Else Has Changed At Fox News

Fox News has canceled Maria Bartiromo’s program, ending its relationship with one of cable news’s earliest defining stars and underscoring how the network has changed since the 2020 election.

The NYTimes reports the split matters most for Donald Trump. In 2020 he could count on hosts like Bartiromo to air his most extreme election-fraud claims on Fox’s highest-rated shows with little pushback. He cannot count on that now as he again argues the American election system is rife with fraud ahead of a midterm that polls suggest could be difficult for his party.

The caution is a direct result of the lawsuits that followed 2020. Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic, the two voting-technology companies at the center of stolen-election theories, sued Fox for $1.6 billion and $2.7 billion, respectively, alleging the network damaged their reputations. Fox paid $787.5 million to settle the Dominion case. Its litigation with Smartmatic continues, adding pressure to avoid promoting conspiracy theories in another election year.

'Free' For Streamer's Gateway To More Proift

After years of raising subscription prices, major streamers are turning to free, ad-supported tiers to find new viewers and convert them into paying customers. 

Disney is considering a free product for price-sensitive customers. Paramount+ is already testing limited free access for U.S. mobile users. Sony has launched a free live TV service on PlayStation 5. Netflix says a free offering “could make sense in some markets,” though it has no near-term launch plan. The pitch is straightforward: a free front door can widen the audience, put more ads against huge libraries, lift engagement and, most important, funnel people into paid plans and bundles. 

Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro has said a free offering could expand reach, add ad inventory the company says it can already sell, and drive “top-of-funnel” Disney+ growth. He has announced no product details or timeline. Paramount+ is further along. It is testing a “free front porch” that lets U.S. mobile users browse the app and sample a small slate of titles — in one Android test, as little as two episodes from selected shows — after signing in. The goal is lower friction, habit-building and later upgrades, without replacing paid Essential and Premium plans. 

Former ABC Producer Drops Matt Gutman From Lawsuit

A former ABC News field producer has asked a court to drop CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman as a defendant in her wrongful termination lawsuit, which alleged he sexually harassed her while they worked together.

Samira Said’s lawyers filed the request Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Said sued ABC News and parent company The Walt Disney Co. on Aug. 14 after four years as a field producer. ABC and Disney remain defendants. The claims against Gutman and former ABC News Los Angeles Bureau Chief Dave Herndon also remain in the complaint.

Atlanta Radio: No Criminal Charges For WVEE Morning Host

Prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against Atlanta radio personality Big Tigger after his June arrest in Sandy Springs. Darian Morgan, known on air as Big Tigger, was arrested by Sandy Springs police and charged with aggravated battery and third-degree cruelty to children. 

Court records obtained by TMZ show the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute, ending the criminal case.

Morgan has denied wrongdoing. In a June Instagram post, he said he would “continue to cooperate fully and trust that the truth will come to light.”

Startup Uses AI To Find News Stories

Former NBC 10 Boston reporter Eli Rosenberg is leaving television news to launch Your Assignment Desk, an AI-powered startup that scrapes public records and generates local story ideas for newsrooms.

Rosenberg, 47, returned earlier this year from covering the Winter Olympics in Milan and began building the tool as a personal reporting aid. Six months later, he is turning it into a company. The product scans dozens of public sources, then produces a list of possible stories and suggested interview subjects.

R.I.P.: Mike Romigh, SW-PA Radio Personality

Mike Romigh (194?-2026)

Mike Romigh, longtime Beaver County,  PA radio host of “Live Mic,” died Saturday night after a long battle with a blood disorder, his family said Sunday morning.  Romigh had stepped away from the weekday show in September 2025 because of his health. 

Beaver County Radio General Manager Frank Sparks said the station was “absolutely devastated” by the news. “He was such an inspiration to us all and a key part of the resurgence of Beaver County Radio over the last few years,” Sparks said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Romigh family at this devastating time.”

Romigh returned to Beaver County Radio in early 2022 to host “Live Mic” weekdays from 6:30 to 9 a.m. He left in August 2024 to spend more time with family and enjoy retirement, while continuing to host “Best of Beaver County” on Thursday mornings. After the stations returned to a simulcast format in early 2025, he came back to host “Live Mic” weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon before stepping away again that September.

R.I.P.: Mike Detillier, WWL NOLA Radio Sportscaster

Mike Detillier (1961-2026)

Longtime WWL Radio football analyst Mike Detillier has died at 65, just days after learning he had terminal cancer.

WWL Radio announced his death Sunday. Detillier had planned to tell listeners about the diagnosis after Labor Day, on his 66th birthday Tuesday. He learned of the illness less than two weeks ago.

Detillier spent more than four decades on the New Orleans station as a college and professional football analyst, becoming one of the region’s best-known voices on the Saints, LSU, and the NFL draft. He was known for detailed knowledge of the game and extensive work evaluating draft prospects. His death comes as the football season begins.

The New Orleans Saints issued a statement calling him “a proud son of Louisiana,” “a gifted football analyst,” “a trusted guide through the NFL Draft,” and “an exceptional family man.”

“Beyond his incredible contributions to the game, he was above all a true gentleman and a dedicated family man,” the team said. “Saints gamedays at the Caesars Superdome, training camp practices, and press conferences simply will not be the same without his presence. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his immediate family and to the community of devoted listeners who considered him a friend over the airwaves.”

Radio History: Sep 8

➦In 1907...actor John 'Jack" Mather Born. (Died from heart attack at age 58 – August 16, 1966). He a radio and television actor, best known for playing The Cisco Kid on Mutual radio from 1947 to 1956. and for being the original voice of Wally Walrus.

➦In 1930...WBEN signed-on in Buffalo, NY.  However, its history dates to the 1920s. WBEN initially used the facility built by the Norton Laboratories organization from Boston, as part of an experiment to send voice transmissions between Niagara Falls, New York, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, as WMAK.

When WMAK was launched in 1922 it operated initially from Lockport, New York at 833 kHz. The station later moved its transmitter to North Tonawanda, New York (broadcasting at 1130 kHz there) and then landing on 900 kHz, with 1000 watts of power, as a result of General Order 40, which realigned American AM radio allocations in 1927–28. In the late 1920s WMAK was acquired by the Buffalo Broadcasting Company, based at Buffalo's Rand Building, which also controlled WGR and WKBW in Buffalo. WMAK was a charter member of the CBS Radio Network, being one of the 16 stations that aired the first CBS network program on September 18, 1927.

WMAK was closed in the spring of 1930 as federal regulators began probing concentration of media ownership in the nation's largest radio markets. Buffalo Broadcasting Company chose to retain WGR and WKBW while shutting down WMAK and another daytime-only station, WKEN in suburban Kenmore, New York.

At the same time, the Buffalo Evening News was granted a broadcast license of its own, purchased the decommissioned transmitting facility of WMAK on Shawnee Road in Martinsville (North Tonawanda, New York) and re-licensed it as WBEN.

A new studio complex was built at the Statler-Hilton Hotel in downtown Buffalo (chosen primarily for access to the live orchestra there), and served WBEN, its sister FM station and sister television station (which opened in the spring of 1948) for more than 25 years.

In 1941, the station moved to its current position on the dial, at 930 kHz, as a result of the North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA).

The station also relocated its transmitter to Grand Island at during this time, increasing full-time power to its current 5,000 watts. The Grand Island transmitter and two towers are still in use today.

Click Here for more WBEN History.

The Hoboken Four with Major Bowes

➦In 1935...A singing group called the Hoboken Four, one of whose members is named Frank Sinatra, made their first national appearance, performing on WOR's radio show Major Bowes Amateur Hour.