Chicago Radio: Exit of WLS-AM Program Director Was a Budget Cut

Stephanie Tichenor, Program Director of heritage news/talk station WLS-AM 890 in Chicago, apparently was a Cumulus Media budget cut after seven years in the role.

A Cumulus Media spokesperson confirmed Tichenor’s departure Friday evening. The company has not announced a successor or timetable for a replacement.

Stephanie Tichnor

Tichenor announced the news via Linkedin Saturday stating: "Radio is changing here in Chicago and across the country. I was laid off yesterday. I worked with the Cumulus Media as Program Director and Director of Social Media for over 7 years. I worked with a wonderful team of professionals and I will cherish the friendships I have made. I'm grateful for my family and friends who support me, love me, and make me laugh every day. What's next? she asked. I'm not sure. I am anxious. I am sad. Mostly I am hopeful."

Tichenor joined WLS-AM in March 2019 after serving as Director of News and Operations at crosstown rival WGN Radio. During her tenure, she guided the station through significant programming shifts, including a move toward more conservative syndicated content. 

Chicago ranks as the third-largest radio market in the United States, making WLS-AM — a historic brand known as “The Big 89” — a key property for Cumulus. The implications of Tichenor’s departure for the station’s future direction remain unclear as leadership evaluates next steps.

Buffalo Radio: Street Talk Has Cumulus Launching Sports Station

Cumulus Media appears poised to flip one of its Buffalo radio stations to a sports format, coinciding with the Buffalo Bills naming its 96.9 WGRF “97 Rock” as the new flagship for game broadcasts starting in the 2026 season.

The move would give Cumulus a dedicated sports talk presence in the market as it regains Bills radio rights after a 14-year absence. The team’s games previously aired on Audacy’s WGR 550 AM.

Cumulus owns several signals in Buffalo, including:

• 96.9 WGRF (97 Rock) — Classic rock, now the primary flagship for Bills preseason, regular season, and postseason games.
• 103.3 WEDG (The Edge) — Current rock format, a leading candidate for the potential sports flip.
• Other stations such as classic hits WHTT and CHR WBBF.

Industry observers point to domain registrations and other signals as indicators of the planned format change, which would allow Cumulus to air expanded Bills coverage, local sports talk, and national programming around the team’s in-house radio network.

The Bills announced the partnership with Cumulus on Fridat. The team will produce and manage all broadcasts, including pregame and postgame shows, with play-by-play voice Chris Brown, analyst Eric Wood, and sideline reporter Steve Tasker. Syracuse’s 1260 The Score (WSKO) will serve as an initial affiliate, with additional stations in Rochester and Southern Ontario expected soon.

This marks a return to Cumulus for the Bills, whose games aired on 97 Rock from 1998 to 2011 before shifting to WGR. 

TNo official confirmation or exact launch date for the sports flip has been released, but the strategic alignment with high-profile Bills coverage positions Cumulus to challenge the market’s established sports radio options more directly.

Disney Shifts to Aggressive Stance Against FCC Probe

Disney filed a 52-page legal brief with the Federal Communications Commission last week, mounting a forceful defense against the agency’s investigation into the ABC talk show “The View.” 

The filing represents a sharp departure from the company’s previously conciliatory posture toward the Trump administration under former CEO Bob Iger.

The more combative approach comes under new CEO Josh D’Amaro and has already drawn support from Anna Gomez, the FCC’s lone Democratic commissioner. Gomez praised Disney’s decision to push back, telling TheWrap that “capitulation does not buy protection.”

NPR Podcast Co-Host Departs Amid Misconduct Investigation

Ramtin Arablouei, co-host of the popular NPR podcast “Throughline,” has left the public radio network after it opened an internal investigation in March into his workplace conduct, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

Arablouei has not appeared on new episodes of “Throughline” for several weeks, though neither he nor NPR has publicly addressed his absence. His departure followed complaints from a female employee on the show who alleged he behaved inappropriately toward her, including discussing details of his personal life during frequent one-on-one meetings, making offensive remarks in team meetings, and flirting with guests and a contract worker.

Ella Langley Dominates 2026 ACM Awards

Cody Johnson: Entertainer of the Year

Ella Langley stole the spotlight at the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday night in Las Vegas, racking up five major wins including Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Single of the Year for her crossover hit “Choosin’ Texas.”

The ceremony, hosted by Shania Twain at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, celebrated the past year’s top country achievements with standout performances and career milestones. 

Langley opened the honors by winning Song of the Year early in the show, presented by Michael Bublé, and continued her sweep with Artist-Songwriter of the Year plus the Music Event of the Year for her duet with Riley Green.

She is the moment! 🤩 Congrats @ellalangleymsic, taking home the #ACMawards for Female Artist of the Year! pic.twitter.com/28O6hgSRtu

— ACM Awards (@ACMawards) May 18, 2026

Cody Johnson capped the night by winning Entertainer of the Year — his first in the category — shortly after taking Male Artist of the Year. He dedicated the top honor to fellow nominee Luke Combs.

Additional highlights included:

• New Female Artist of the Year: Avery Anna, who delivered a high-energy, rock-infused performance.
• New Male Artist of the Year: Tucker Wetmore.
• Duo of the Year: Brooks & Dunn, extending their record wins.

🤠WINNER'S LIST:  HERE

Strong showings from artists like Kacey Musgraves (in a rare performance), Parker McCollum, and others who brought fresh energy to the stage.Langley’s breakout night underscored her rapid rise, while Johnson’s victories reinforced his status as a premier entertainer and live draw. The event mixed emotional acceptance speeches, high-octane performances, and tributes to country music’s enduring stars.

Happy Monday: The Pulse Has Your Briefing For May 18

Radio Broadcasting

Street Talk: Cumulus Media appears poised to flip one of its Buffalo radio stations to a sports format, coinciding with the Buffalo Bills naming its 96.9 WGRF “97 Rock” as the new flagship for game broadcasts starting in the 2026 season. The move would give Cumulus a dedicated sports talk presence in the market as it regains Bills radio rights after a 14-year absence. The team’s games previously aired on Audacy’s WGR 550 AM.

ACM Awards: Cody Johnson won the top prize of entertainer of the year at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards, but it was Ella Langley’s show from the start.

OBIT: Dennis Locorriere, known for his distinctive voice that helped make Dr. Hook one of the biggest soft rock and country-pop acts of the 1970s, passed away peacefully on Saturday surrounded by loved ones after a long and courageous battle with kidney disease. He was 76.

And the 2026 ACM Radio Winners Are..

The  Academy of Country Music honored ACM Radio Award winners for On-Air Personality of the Year and Radio Station of the Year categories as a part of the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards, Sunday.

The honorees were unveiled in March.

(top row): Jesse Tack, Brent Lane, Damon Whiteside, Parker McCollum, RJ Curtis, Mike Preston, Al Farb and Chris Michaels. (bottom row): Anna Marie, Heather Froglear, Chris Carr and StyckMan.

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR WINNERS:

• MAJOR MARKET: Chris Carr & Company | Chris Carr, Sam Sansevere, Dubs — KEEY-FM —  Minneapolis, MN
• LARGE MARKET: Heather Froglear | KFRG-FM — Riverside, CA
• MEDIUM MARKET: Mo & StyckMan | WUSY-FM — Chattanooga, TN
• SMALL MARKET: The Eddie Foxx Show | Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx | WKSF-FM — Asheville, NC

📻RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR WINNERS:

• MAJOR MARKET: KSCS-FM | Dallas, TX
• LARGE MARKET: WUBE-FM | Cincinnati, OH
• MEDIUM MARKET: WLFP-FM | Memphis, TN
• SMALL MARKET: WYCT-FM | Pensacola, FL

NFL: Fans Are Already On Other Platforms

The fragmentation of NFL game broadcasts across more than a dozen services is frustrating fans and hitting their wallets hard, prompting a DOJ investigation into the league’s media deals.

According to estimates cited by the FCC, fans wanting to watch every game in the 2025 season may have needed to spend upward of $1,500. That’s because games aired on 10 different services, with 20 regular-season matchups and one playoff game available only as streaming exclusives. Local market availability did not reduce the overall burden. The NFL and other major leagues enjoy antitrust exemptions for negotiating television rights. 

However, lawmakers argue that the surge in streaming has created an undue burden on consumers. 

NFL Media Partners Boast of Schedule Appeal

The NFL released its 2025 regular-season schedule Wednesday, showcasing expanded reach across both streaming and traditional television following major offseason media rights deals.

The league has finalized a complex equity transaction with ESPN and Disney that returned four games to the NFL, along with one previously held by YouTube. It then resold three of those games to Netflix and one each to Fox and NBC. As a result, Netflix now carries five games this season, up from two in 2024.

The moves reflect the NFL’s strategy to maximize audience exposure in a fragmented media landscape, boosting its presence on both over-the-air broadcasts and streaming platforms.

News Outlets Provided Partisan Coverage of D-C Prayer Event

Thousands of believers gathered in the nation’s capital on Sunday for an all-day prayer and worship service honoring America’s Christian heritage ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary.

The event — Rededicate 250, part of the Trump administration’s Freedom 250 initiative — featured a host of political, Catholic, and evangelical leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, Secretary Pete Hegseth, Bishop Robert Barron, and Franklin Graham, who did not hold back in condemning what he described as America’s moral decline.

Broadcast Networks (ABC, CBS, NBC): Limited, mostly neutral local coverage of the large gathering on the National Mall, noting thousands attending for prayer, worship, and speeches by leaders like Speaker Mike Johnson, Pete Hegseth, Bishop Robert Barron, and Franklin Graham. National newscasts were brief, with some mentions of church-state concerns.

Cable News: Fox News and conservative outlets (CBN, RSBN, TBN): Extensive positive live coverage and streaming, highlighting faith, patriotism, America's Christian heritage, worship (e.g., Chris Tomlin), Trump’s Bible message, and calls for moral renewal.

CNN, MSNOW, NPR, and similar outlets: Focused on controversy, framing the Trump-backed event as promoting Christian nationalism, lacking religious diversity (mostly evangelical/Catholic with one rabbi), and blurring church-state lines. They noted critics, small protests, and Graham’s condemnation of moral decline.

Overall: Conservative media celebrated it as a unifying revival; mainstream/left-leaning emphasized political and constitutional concerns. C-SPAN offered unfiltered footage.

AP Lays Off 20 U.S. Journalists in Restructuring

The Associated Press laid off 20 U.S.-based journalists on Friday, the News Media Guild said, as part of a broader restructuring that moves the organization away from traditional print journalism toward visual storytelling and new revenue streams.

The cuts were completed by the end of the business day, the union reported. AP had notified the guild earlier Friday morning that layoffs would take effect immediately.

“This is part of the restructuring we announced last month to align our operations with what our top customers need from us today,” AP spokesman Patrick Maks said in an email. “It’s never easy to part ways with valued colleagues — we are appreciative of their contributions to the AP and wish them all the best.”

Spotify Making Big Investment In Podcast Studios In L-A

Spotify is making a major push into video podcasts with the opening of its new 11,000-square-foot Sycamore Studios in Hollywood, aiming to boost subscriber engagement and compete in the crowded streaming landscape.

The LA Times reports the state-of-the-art facility, which opened earlier this year on Sycamore Avenue in West Hollywood, serves as a central production hub for The Ringer — the sports and culture podcast network Spotify acquired for $250 million in 2020 — while supporting select creators in its Partner Program.

The invite-only space features advanced video production capabilities, including multiple livestream-ready studios designed to elevate content quality, foster in-person collaboration, and attract high-profile talent. 

Lists: Spotify, Apple Top Podcasts

Spotify’s US top podcasts chart is dominated by long-running talk shows, true crime, and a mix of news/politics. The rankings reflect listener streaming and engagement on the platform (charts update frequently, often daily or weekly).

NYTimes' Fantasy A "Journalistic Malpractice"

Nicholas Kristof's New York Times column last week alleging widespread, systematic sexual assaults by Israeli prison guards on Palestinian detainees relies on Hamas-linked groups, anti-Israel activists, anonymous sources and contradictory accounts, drawing sharp criticism as a case of journalistic malpractice.

The opinion piece presents lurid claims of routine abuse, including the widely debunked allegation that Israel trains dogs to rape prisoners, without independent verification, medical evidence, photos, videos or forensic support.

According to Real Clear Politics, Kristof's primary source is the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, a Geneva-based group he describes as "often critical of Israel." The organization is explicitly dedicated to opposing Israel, with multiple leaders, including its founder, linked to Hamas. It has a documented history of promoting unverified or false anti-Israel allegations, including the dog-rape claim that Kristof repeated.

Most of the first-person accounts in the column come from anonymous sources—detainees who have clear incentives to portray Israel negatively. 

R.I.P.: Dr. Hook Frontman Dennis Locorriere

Dennis Locorriere (1949-2026)

Dennis Locorriere, known for his distinctive voice that helped make Dr. Hook one of the biggest soft rock and country-pop acts of the 1970s, passed away peacefully on Saturday surrounded by loved ones after a long and courageous battle with kidney disease. He was 76.

His management confirmed the news in a statement, describing how Locorriere faced his illness with "remarkable strength, dignity, and resilience." They asked for privacy for his family as they grieve.

Radio History: May 18

Meredith Wilson (far left) and band at KPO Studios, San Francisco

Meredith Wilson

➦In 1902...Composer/bandleader/radio personality Meredith Willson was born in Mason City, Iowa.

Besides his celebrity as the creator of the Broadway smash, ‘Music Man.’ Willson was a giant in radio.

In San Francisco, Willson was concert director for radio station KFRC, and then as a musical director for the NBC radio network in Hollywood. His on-air radio debut came on KFRC in 1928 on Blue Monday Jamboree.

His work in films included composing the score for Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator (1940) (Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score), and arranging music for the score of William Wyler's The Little Foxes (1941) (Academy Award nomination for Best Music Score of a Dramatic Picture).

During World War II, he worked for the United States' Armed Forces Radio Service. His work with the AFRS teamed him with George Burns, Gracie Allen and Bill Goodwin. He would work with all three as the bandleader, and a regular character, on the Burns and Allen radio program. He played a shy man, always trying to get advice on women. His character was ditsy as well, basically a male version of Gracie Allen's character.

He suffered heart failure and died June 15, 1984 at age 82.

➦In 1934...‘The Hour of Charm’ debuted, beginning an intermittent 14-year run on the CBS and NBC radio networks.  The musical half-hour featured Phil Spitalny and his All-Girl Orchestra.

➦In 1942...radio’s espionage adventure drama 'Counterspy' premiered on the Blue Network/ABC. The 30-minute show with the distinctive theme (Love of Three Oranges) would last on radio for 15 years, including runs in the 1950s on NBC and Mutual.

➦In 1966...there was a Top 40 battle in Denver between KIMN 950 AM and KBTR 710.