Radio Ratings: More January PPMs, Normalcy

Nielsen continues releasing the January 2026 PPM radio ratings with the figures representing a return to a typical "normal" rating period after the holiday-inflated December results.

San Francisco: Santa Had His Moment

In the San Francisco market's latest Nielsen Audio PPM ratings (January 2026 book, covering January 8–February 4), KQED (Public News/Talk) reclaimed the #1 spot overall 6+ with a strong gain to 9.8 (from 9.2), marking its best performance since July. Audacy News KCBS (740 AM/106.9 FM) returned to its familiar #2 position, edging up to 8.3 (from 7.9).

The top music station was USC Classical KDFC (Classical California), which climbed to #3 with a slight dip to 4.9 (from 5.0). Bonneville AC KOIT (96.5) shed its holiday programming boost and fell from #1 to #4, dropping sharply to 4.7 (from 9.9).

Bonneville Hot AC KMVQ (99.7 NOW) held steady at #5 but posted its strongest share in over a year, rising to 4.6 (from 3.8). iHeartMedia AC KIOI (Star 101.3) delivered its largest share since May, jumping from #10 to #6 with a solid increase to 3.7 (from 2.7).

KOIT continued to lead in cume (total weekly listeners) despite a 27.1% decline to 985,900 (from 1,353,000); it remained below the million-listener mark, unlike last year at this time. Overall market listening was down 1.7%.

In the key 25-54 demographic, KQED returned to #1 after holiday-related dips. KMVQ advanced to #2 with its best book since August. Audacy Alternative KITS (Live 105) rose to #3 on a healthy gain. KOIT slipped from #1 to #4, while iHeartMedia Pop CHR KYLD (WiLD 94.9) stayed flat at #5.

ATLANTA: Santa Was Not A Big Deal

In the latest Nielsen Audio PPM survey for Atlanta (January 2026, covering roughly early January to early February), Cox Media News/Talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM (WSB-A) held firm at #1 for the sixth consecutive book, climbing from 6.7 to 7.8.Cox Media Urban AC WALR (Kiss 104.1) stayed steady at #2, edging up from 6.4 to 6.7. 
Cox Media Classic Hits/Classic Rock WSRV (97.1 The River) jumped three positions to #3—its strongest performance since September—with a solid gain from 5.7 to 6.4.Audacy Urban AC WVEE (V103) held #4 with a minor uptick from 6.1 to 6.2, while Urban One Urban AC WAMJ (Majic 107.5/97.5) climbed one spot to tie at #4 (also 6.0 to 6.2). Cox Media AC WSB-FM (B98.5) rebounded nicely to #6 after a softer prior book, rising from 4.8 to 5.8.
This survey marked the first holiday/seasonal transition for Audacy Rhythmic AC/Hot AC WSTR (Star 94), which had flipped to Christmas programming (filling in post the former "The Fish" Christian AC era). It had reached #3 last time with a 6.3 but settled at #11 this round after dropping to 3.8. Despite the 3.7-point decline in share, WSB-FM remained the overall cume leader (down slightly from 699,900 to 673,700).

In the key 25-54 demographic, WVEE continued its dominance, topping the category for the fifth straight survey. Audacy Sports WZGC (92.9 The Game) advanced to #2 with its best performance in over a year, though it still trailed its cluster mate WVEE by about 1.5 shares. WSB-FM surged from #6 to #3, recovering much of its previous book's sizable loss. WAMJ moved up to #4 with a modest gain, while WALR slipped from #2 to #5 after giving back a chunk of its prior increase. WSTR fell from #3 to #9 in the demo.

Rock Hall Unveils 2026 Nominees

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its nominees for the Class of 2026 on Wednesday, featuring a diverse slate of 17 artists spanning rock, pop, R&B, hip-hop, Latin, post-punk, and heavy metal.

Ten are first-time nominees: Luther Vandross, Phil Collins (solo, having been inducted with Genesis in 2010), Shakira, Lauryn Hill, the late Jeff Buckley, Melissa Etheridge, INXS, New Edition, Pink, and Wu-Tang Clan.

Seven returning nominees include the Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Oasis, Sade, and Joy Division/New Order (combined entry).

“This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of rock and roll and its continued impact on youth culture,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.

The nominations highlight the hall's ongoing push for greater inclusivity in gender, race, and musical styles after past criticism.

The inductees will be revealed in April, with the ceremony scheduled for the fall. Broadcast or streaming details will be announced later; the show moved to Disney+ in 2023 after years on HBO.

Eligibility begins 25 years after an artist's first commercial recording. Nominations come from a music industry committee, with voting by over 1,200 musicians, executives, historians, and journalists. A fan vote also contributes.

Notable context includes Vandross's nod following the Grammy-winning Kendrick Lamar and SZA duet “Luther,” which samples his work; Buckley's after a recent documentary; Oasis amid their successful reunion tour; and Wu-Tang Clan after a reported farewell tour.Last year's inductees were Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker, Outkast, Soundgarden, and the White Stripes, with additional honors for Salt-N-Pepa, Warren Zevon, Carol Kaye, Nicky Hopkins, Thom Bell, and Lenny Waronker.

News Outlets Reactions To SOTU

President Donald Trump's State of the Union (SOTU) address on February 24, 2026 (delivered to a joint session of Congress in his second term), was the longest in U.S. history at over 1 hour and 45 minutes (some reports cite nearly 1 hour 47 minutes). It focused on touting economic gains, immigration enforcement (including mass deportations), foreign policy (e.g., hardline stance on Iran), and a "golden age" or "turnaround for the ages" narrative, while frequently taunting and clashing with Democrats. The speech occurred amid Trump's declining approval ratings (polls showed him around 36-40% approval, with significant disapproval on the economy and other issues) and ahead of November 2026 midterms.

Reactions from news outlets, pundits, and reporters were sharply polarized along partisan lines, with notable disruptions in the chamber (heckling from some Democrats like Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, and Rep. Al Green ejected again for a protest sign). Dozens of Democrats boycotted or left early, and the official Democratic response came from Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who criticized tariffs, deportations, affordability issues, and topics Trump ignored (e.g., Epstein files, mass firings).
Conservative-leaning Outlets (e.g., Fox News)

• Generally positive or celebratory tone toward Trump's performance.
• Described it as a "victory lap," highlighting "wins and warnings," economic "turnaround," and contrasts with Democratic "heckling" or "shameful" behavior (e.g., House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized Democrats for outbursts).
• Reporters' notebooks framed it as a "political boxing match" with theatrical elements, boycotts, and dramatic showmanship, but emphasized Trump's hailing of successes.

Mainstream/Left-leaning Outlets (e.g., CNN, MSNBC, NBC, Washington Post, NPR, The Guardian, AP:

• Often critical or mixed, noting the speech's combative shift (starting positive on economy/Olympics but turning to attacks on Democrats, immigration taunts, and falsehoods/misleading claims).
• Highlighted clashes dominating coverage, with Trump goading Democrats (who sat silently or shouted back), his refusal to be chastened by low polls, and a "disconnected from reality" or "Pollyannish" portrayal amid public struggles with costs/affordability.
• CNN takeaways focused on immigration goading, tariffs, and a "cascade of falsehoods"; The Guardian called it the "most inconsequential" despite length, amid "lies and xenophobic rants."
• NBC and Washington Post pointed to the speech's length, triumphant tone despite slipping trust on economy, and moments like taunting Democrats or ejections.
• NPR described Trump cheering himself/Republicans while scolding Democrats, with little agenda shift.
• Fact-checking was prominent (e.g., teams monitoring claims as false/misleading on policies, economy, etc.).

Broader Pundit/Reporter Themes:  

• Many noted the address as a high-stakes attempt to rally support amid setbacks (e.g., Supreme Court rulings against some tariffs, negative immigration polling shifts).
• Pre-speech coverage (e.g., CNN/MSNBC panels) anticipated analysis from figures like Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper, Kaitlan Collins, Van Jones, and others, often focusing on resonance with voters/swing states.
• Post-speech, some polls (e.g., CNN viewer reactions) suggested it left many unconvinced on key issues like cost of living.
• Progressive voices (e.g., in Democratic rebuttal or outlets) slammed it as rewarding the wealthy, ignoring real pains, and sowing fear.

Overall, coverage reflected deep national division: supportive outlets saw strength and confidence, while critical ones viewed it as defiant, fact-challenged, and unlikely to reverse Trump's polling slide. The event reinforced partisan media silos, with little consensus beyond its combative, lengthy nature.

TV Ratings: USA Hockey Win Drew 20.7M Viewers

NBC has released the TV ratings for the 2026 Winter Olympics men's hockey gold medal game Sunday. 

The game featured Team USA defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime, marking the U.S. men's first Olympic hockey gold since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice."

According to NBCUniversal's official press release and widespread reporting:

• The game averaged 20.7 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and USA Network (including encores/replays that added about 2.1 million more viewers).
• Live coverage on NBC and Peacock (from 8:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET) averaged 18.6 million viewers.
• It peaked at 26.0 million viewers during the overtime period, specifically when Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal.Key highlights from NBC:This was the most-watched pre-9 a.m. ET starting sporting event in U.S. history.

It ranks as NBC Sports' second-most watched hockey game ever, behind only the 2010 Vancouver Olympics men's gold medal game (USA vs. Canada, which drew 27.6 million viewers at a more viewer-friendly 3:15 p.m. ET start time).

The early morning time slot (due to the Milan-Cortina, Italy, location) made these numbers particularly impressive, as viewership for early ET events typically drops off significantly. The thrilling U.S.-Canada rivalry matchup, combined with streaming on Peacock (which contributed significantly, including a record 3.7 million digital viewers for NBC Sports outside of NFL), helped drive the strong performance.

This capped off a successful Olympics for NBC, with overall Winter Games viewership averaging 23.5 million (up 96% from Beijing 2022 and the highest since Sochi 2014), boosted by Team USA's record 12 gold medals including both men's and women's hockey golds over Canada.

TV Ratings: Ladies Olympics Hockey Pulls Record 5.3M Viewers

The U.S. Women's Hockey Team's dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over Canada in the gold-medal game on February 19 set a new record as the most-watched women's hockey game ever, averaging 5.3 million viewers on USA Network and Peacock, with a peak of 7.7 million during overtime, according to NBC Sports.

That high-stakes matchup, combined with Alysa Liu's gold-medal-winning performance in the women's figure skating free skate, drove NBCUniversal's largest Winter Olympics weekday audience since the 2014 Sochi Games. Preliminary Nielsen data and Adobe Analytics showed an average of 26.7 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, NBCU digital platforms, and USA Network for the combined afternoon (Milan Prime: 2-5 p.m. ET) and primetime (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) windows.

February 19 also marked the 14th straight day that NBCU's Milan Cortina Olympics coverage exceeded 20 million viewers, per official Nielsen Big Data + Panel metrics and preliminary Nielsen/Adobe data.

Through Thursday, February 19, the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics averaged 24.1 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, NBCUniversal digital platforms, and Versant's USA Network and CNBC platforms. 

This made it the most-watched Winter Games at that stage since the 2014 Sochi Olympics, with viewership up 93% from the equivalent point in the 2022 Beijing Games (12.5 million).

WBD Opens Talks With Paramount

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced Tuesday that it has received a revised takeover offer from Paramount Skydance (PSKY) at $31 per share in cash, up from its prior $30 per share bid. The board determined this revised proposal "could reasonably be expected to lead" to a superior offer compared to the existing deal with Netflix for WBD's studios and HBO Max streaming service.

The Netflix agreement remains in effect, and the board continues to recommend it to shareholders. WBD advised shareholders not to take any action regarding Paramount's amended tender offer at this time. If WBD's board ultimately deems Paramount's bid superior, Netflix would have a four-day window to match or improve its offer.

Paramount's updated proposal includes:

• $31 per share cash.
• A ticking fee of $0.25 per quarter (equivalent to a daily amount) payable to shareholders starting after September 30, 2026 (earlier than the previous January 2027 start).
• A $7 billion regulatory termination fee if the deal fails due to antitrust or other regulatory issues.
• Coverage of the $2.8 billion breakup fee WBD would owe Netflix if terminating that agreement.
• Other strengthened terms, such as additional equity funding support and adjustments to material adverse effect definitions excluding linear networks performance.

Netflix's signed deal is for $27.75 per share (approximately $72-83 billion, depending on sources) covering the studios, HBO Max, and assets like Turner Classic Movies—but excludes cable networks like CNN and TNT, which WBD is spinning off into Discovery Global.

Paramount's all-company bid (including cable networks) was previously $30 per share (around $77-108 billion valuations cited variably). It aims to acquire the full entity.

WBD reopened negotiations with Paramount last week after the latter amended its bid to address concerns, including agreeing to cover the Netflix breakup fee and introducing the ticking fee. Netflix consented to the seven-day negotiation window.

Netflix has publicly defended its offer as superior, with Co-CEO Ted Sarandos highlighting benefits for shareholders and the industry in recent interviews.

Both potential deals face regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and internationally, including a Justice Department review that Netflix describes as standard (though reports suggest examination of potential anticompetitive issues).

Where Things Stand: Audio Streaming

Radio streaming competition in the U.S. remains intense, with traditional terrestrial broadcasters (AM/FM stations and groups like iHeartMedia, Audacy, Cumulus) aggressively expanding their digital audio presence to counter pure-play streaming giants (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music) and satellite/digital hybrids (SiriusXM). The landscape reflects a hybrid model: radio leverages its local strength, live content, and in-car dominance while building streaming apps and ad tech to capture digital revenue.

Key Market Dynamics and Trends

🔎Audience Reach and Habits:  Audio overall commands strong daily engagement (around 21% of U.S. media time, or nearly 3 hours per day). Traditional radio (including simulcast streams) holds significant share in ad-supported listening—often around 60-70% in certain metrics like in-car audio—despite fragmentation. Streaming audio (pure digital services) grows faster in ad revenue (projected ~9%+ in 2026), fueled by programmatic buying, personalization, and smart speakers. However, many listeners seamlessly switch between broadcast and streams in cars, blurring lines.

🔎Revenue Shifts: Radio's core spot advertising faces modest declines (e.g., ~1% projected drop in some forecasts), offset by digital/streaming gains (6-9%+ growth). Groups bundle on-air with streaming/podcasts for better recall and targeting. Internet radio/streaming market grows rapidly (e.g., global estimates from ~$3.6B in 2026 onward at double-digit CAGR), driven by broadband, connected cars, and programmatic ads.

🔎Competitive Pressures: Pure streamers like Spotify dominate on-demand music discovery, personalization, and features (e.g., lossless, audiobooks, Wrapped). Radio apps (iHeartRadio, Audacy) compete by offering live local programming, personalities, news/talk, and free tiers. SiriusXM holds premium satellite/streaming niche (sports, exclusives). Broadcasters emphasize "local connection" and community over algorithms.

MIW Updates Gender Analysis Study

Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) released its 25th Annual Gender Analysis Study, showing modest gains for women in U.S. radio management roles in 2025, particularly in General Manager and programming positions in major markets, while sales leadership stayed flat and programming remains the toughest area nationally.

The study, based on PrecisionTrak data from 11,215 commercial AM and FM stations as of December 31, 2025, tracks women in three key roles: General Managers, Sales Managers, and Program Directors/Brand Managers.

General Managers:  Women held 22.07% of GM positions nationally (2,366 stations), up slightly from 21.67% in 2024 and well above the 14.9% in 2004. In the Top 100 markets, the figure rose to 24.09% (784 stations), nearly five points higher than in 2024 and above the national average.\

Sales Managers: Continues  to lead for women, with 35.31% of stations (3,561) having a female Sales Manager—virtually unchanged from 35.67% in 2024. In the Top 100 markets, women held 37.61% of these roles (1,156 stations), still above the national level but down from 42.94% the prior year.

Program Directors/Brand Managers:  Programming showed the least representation overall, with women in 13.02% of roles (289 stations), a small increase from 12.38% in 2024. Gains were stronger in the Top 100 markets, where the share rose to 15.25% from 11.23% in 2024.
"Twenty-five years of data give us clarity," said MIW Board President Sheila Kirby. "We are encouraged to see movement in General Manager and Programming roles, particularly within the Top 100 markets. At the same time, flat growth in sales leadership and the continued under-representation of women in programming nationally remind us that progress is not automatic. Sustainable advancement requires intention. MIW remains committed to mentoring, advocating, and creating pathways for women to lead at every level of the industry."

Good Morning! It's Wednesday Feb 25, Let's Start And Check The Pulse

Radio Broadcasting

President Trump's 2026 State of the Union Address: The dominant national story on February 25 is coverage and reactions to President Trump's State of the Union speech from the night before. This major political event drives massive listenership for news/talk radio stations, public radio (e.g., NPR), and network radio news feeds.

• Highlights include Trump's emphasis on economy, immigration/ICE efforts, and a "golden age" narrative, with clashes against Democrats.
• Radio outlets like NPR, PBS affiliates (which often simulcast audio), Fox News Radio, and others provide live coverage, analysis, and follow-up shows.
• This boosts ratings and ad revenue for talk formats, while public broadcasters face scrutiny over perceived bias in coverage.Network news broadcasts (e.g., PBS News Hour, NPR News Now) on February 25 heavily feature SOTU recaps, extending into radio.

Industry Business and Operational Updates: 

• Audacy (major radio group) leadership commentary from CEO Kelli Turner emphasizes content as a "power play" one year into her tenure—relevant for how stations adapt to streaming competition.
• Broader reports highlight radio's ongoing evolution, with some outlets noting sports radio revenue growth and AI's "operational era" in media.

Media Industry

Intensifying Bidding War for WBD: Paramount has escalated its takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), reportedly raising the offer to around $31–$32 per share after earlier negotiations. WBD is weighing this against a competing deal with Netflix, which has granted extensions and waivers for talks. This saga highlights ongoing consolidation pressures in streaming and traditional media amid declining linear TV revenues and rising competition. Industry observers note potential antitrust scrutiny, with figures like director James Cameron voicing concerns over the Netflix-WBD angle.

Hollywood Bracing for New Labor Contract Talks: Following prior strikes, studios and unions (including SAG-AFTRA and writers) are gearing up for another round of negotiations on contracts. Reports indicate tense early discussions, with silence from both sides seen as potentially positive but signaling challenges ahead. This could disrupt production again if unresolved, affecting content pipelines for streamers and networks.

Streaming and Sports Growth, Plus Regulatory Shifts:   Sports viewership on streamers surged 52% in Q1, led by Prime Video. Vertical (short-form mobile) drama is booming on free platforms. In the UK, sweeping changes propose regulating major streamers (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+) more like traditional broadcasters via Ofcom. Broader marketing trends include the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and creator economy events like the ANA Creator Marketing Conference.

U-S News

Trump Delivers Record-Longest State of the Union Address:  President Trump gave the longest State of the Union speech in U.S. history (over 1 hour and 45 minutes, surpassing previous records). He portrayed a "golden age" for America, touting economic wins, immigration enforcement (including ICE efforts and border security), foreign policy achievements, and a "turnaround" under his leadership. He repeatedly emphasized that "America is back," "winning so much," and respected globally, while chastising Democrats on issues like the economy, immigration, and a partial DHS shutdown. The speech included made-for-TV moments, such as reuniting families affected by foreign governments, welcoming the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic men's hockey team, and awarding medals.

Key Themes and Content from the Speech: 

• Heavy focus on the economy (claiming booms in jobs, manufacturing, and affordability, despite polls showing low approval on handling it).
• Strong defense of immigration crackdowns and mass deportations.
• Brief but pointed remarks on Iran, accusing it of restarting its nuclear program and laying out a case for potential military action (he said the U.S. would not allow Iran to have nuclear weapons, amid ongoing tensions and U.S. military buildup in the region).
• Touches on Venezuela (including a family reunion related to Maduro's government) and other global issues.
• Calls for Congress to pass election security legislation (tied to his claims about voter fraud) and other priorities.

Democratic Response and Boycotts: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered the official Democratic rebuttal, accusing Trump of driving up costs (housing, health care, energy, groceries), sowing chaos, corruption, and instability abroad while enriching allies. Dozens of Democrats boycotted the speech, instead attending a counter-event called the "People's State of the Union" on the National Mall to criticize Trump's policies on immigration, health care, and the economy.

Nexstar Has Downsized At Other Local Stations

Nexstar Media Group, the largest owner of local television stations in the United States (with around 200 stations across numerous markets), has implemented downsizing and layoffs at various local stations primarily for budgetary and cost-cutting reasons. 

This fits into broader industry challenges faced by local broadcast TV, including declining advertising revenue (especially in traditional and digital media markets), shrinking audiences due to cord-cutting and streaming competition, and investments in areas like The CW network (which Nexstar partially owns and has described as a financial drag despite shifts to lower-cost programming).

Key Recent Downsizing Events

• In December 2024, Nexstar announced a company-wide reduction of about 2% of its workforce (roughly 260 employees out of approximately 13,000 total). The cuts focused heavily on its broadcasting (local TV stations) and advertising sales divisions.
• The company described this as "streamlining" operations to reduce operating expenses, accelerate collaboration, and focus on growth areas. Executives, including President and COO Mike Biard, emphasized simplifying the organization amid soft ad markets and other pressures.
• This week Nexstar carried out layoffs at specific stations, including a notable round at WGN-TV in Chicago (a CW affiliate owned by Nexstar). Reports indicate 8–9 staffers were let go, including several on-air personalities such as anchors, reporters, entertainment critics, and sports personnel (e.g., Dean Richards (radio production, weekend host) Chris Boden, Judy Wang, and others). This was described as part of restructuring, potentially tied to ongoing cost pressures and Nexstar's proposed major acquisition of Tegna (a $6+ billion deal announced in 2025 that could lead to further consolidation and efficiencies if approved).

Podcasts Lead Radio in Spoken-Word Listening

Spoken-word audio platforms remain a key part of how Americans aged 13 and older spend their daily audio time, making up 25% of all daily audio consumption.

The only source tracking this in detail is Edison Research's Share of Ear®, which measures time spent with spoken-word audio (like talk, news, sports on radio, podcasts, audiobooks, etc.) and the platforms used.

This week's insight highlights a major historic shift in spoken-word listening habits.

Back in 2015, AM/FM radio dominated, accounting for 75% of all time spent with spoken-word audio sources. It led by a massive 65 percentage points over podcasts, which held just 10% at the time.

Since then, quarter after quarter and year after year, time spent with AM/FM radio for spoken-word content has steadily declined, as listeners have increasingly shifted to podcasts.

By Q4 2025, the landscape has flipped: podcasts now claim 40% of daily spoken-word listening time, narrowly edging out AM/FM radio at 39%.

For the first time, podcasts have overtaken AM/FM radio as the leading platform for spoken-word audio among Americans 13+. The on-demand nature of podcasts has caught up to—and slightly surpassed—traditional broadcast radio in this category.

Study: Audio Reaches More Avid Young Fans Than TV

New research from the Audacy Insights Team reveals that today's most avid sports fans are younger, more diverse, and more effectively reached through sports audio platforms—like radio, podcasts, and streaming—than by traditional media alone.

Avid fans prioritize depth of engagement ("avidity") over mere exposure, consuming sports content all day via pre-game analysis, post-game reactions, insider podcasts, and more. Seven in ten use every available medium to follow their teams. More than a quarter spend four or more hours daily on sports content.

This avid audience skews young and diverse: 

• 27% are ages 18-34, 38% identify as Asian, Black, or Latino, and 38% are women. 
• Among younger fans, live television is no longer dominant
• Sports radio, podcasts, and social platforms often lead as primary touchpoints.
• These fans redefine premium content by embracing podcasts, sports talk, fantasy leagues, betting platforms, and athlete-driven streams as core to their fandom, not add-ons.
• For marketers, audio stands out as "the hardest-working buy in sports."

Judge Blocks DOJ From Contents Of Reporter's Devices

A federal judge in Virginia has blocked the Justice Department from searching electronic devices seized from Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson, ruling instead that the court itself will conduct an independent review of the materials.

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Porter rejected the government's request for an unsupervised search, criticizing the approach as akin to "leaving the government’s fox in charge of the Washington Post’s henhouse." 

He cited concerns over the potential for broad examination of a reporter’s work product, including confidential sources unrelated to the case.

New Study Reveal Apple News App Source Bias

AllSides, a nonpartisan media bias rating organization, released an updated analysis in February 2026 showing that Apple News continues to exhibit a clear left-leaning bias in its editor-curated sections. The study, based on data collected in October 2025, found that 50% of featured articles came from left-leaning outlets, while only 2% came from right-leaning ones—and zero right-leaning sources appeared in the prominent "Top Stories" section.

This pattern reinforces findings from AllSides' earlier 2023 research and has drawn criticism for potentially limiting users' exposure to diverse viewpoints on the widely used platform.The analysis examined 166 articles from Apple News' non-personalized, editor-selected "Top Stories" (82 articles) and "Trending Stories" (84 articles), captured daily at 10:00 a.m. ET from October 6–19, 2025. Each source was classified using AllSides' established Media Bias Ratings, which combine blind bias surveys, multipartisan editorial reviews, community input, and independent evaluations.

FCC's Gomez Pushes Back On Chair Call To 'Take the Pledge'

The FCC Chairman Brendan Carr last week launched the "Pledge America Campaign," urging U.S. broadcasters to voluntarily air more patriotic and pro-America programming as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026.

Carr framed the initiative as alignment with the White House's Salute to America 250 Task Force. He encouraged stations to "pledge" commitment to content that promotes civic education, national pride, and shared history, highlighting "the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today."

Suggested voluntary elements include:

• Starting each broadcast day with the Star-Spangled Banner or the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Airing daily "Today in American History" segments spotlighting significant events on that date.
• Featuring music by iconic American composers like John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland, Duke Ellington, or George Gershwin.
• Incorporating PSAs, specials, or news inserts on civic education, local historical sites (e.g., National Park Service locations), and inspiring American stories.

Carr emphasized that the effort is non-mandatory and ties into broadcasters' existing public interest obligations to serve their communities. He expressed hope that stations would join by "taking the pledge" and fulfilling those duties—language that comes as several major broadcast groups await FCC approval on pending merger applications.

The campaign drew immediate pushback from the FCC's sole Democratic commissioner, Anna M. Gomez. She criticized it as potential government interference in media content.

In a post on X, Gomez stated: "Nothing is more American than defending our constitutional rights against those who would erode our civil liberties. If broadcasters choose to participate in this FCC campaign, they can do so by defending their First Amendment rights and refusing government interference.

"The initiative highlights ongoing partisan tensions at the FCC, where Republican leadership under Carr has emphasized content aligned with national celebration and public interest, while the Democratic minority warns against any perceived pressure on broadcasters' editorial independence ahead of the semiquincentennial milestone. Broadcasters face no new regulatory requirements but may weigh participation amid the regulatory environment.

Radio History: Feb 25

➦In 1928.. the Federal Radio Commission issued the first U.S. television license to Charles Jenkins Laboratories in Washington, DC. The first commercial TV license was issued in 1941.

➦In 1943...George Harrison born.  (Died 29 November 2001 from cancer at age 58).  He was an English musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of The Beatles.

Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian culture and helped broaden the scope of popular music through his incorporation of Indian instrumentation and Hindu-aligned spirituality in the Beatles' work.

Although the majority of the band's songs were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, most Beatles albums from 1965 onwards contained at least two Harrison compositions. His songs for the group included "Taxman", "Within You Without You", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Here Comes the Sun" and "Something".

➦In 1995... at a private party for 1,200 invited guests on the closing night of the Sinatra Desert Classic golf tournament in Palm Springs, Frank Sinatra sang before a live audience for the very last time, at Marriott’s Desert Springs Resort. His closing song was ‘The Best is Yet to Come.’  He died on May 14, 1998.

➦In 2004...The controversy surrounding the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show (Nipple-Gate), aired live on February 1, 2004 and led to the government's crackdown on indecency in radio and television following a surge in audience complaints.